Overview | Macintosh | Windows

This page provides an overview of how printing/plotting works, and describes how to send a print job and check on its status.

Overview

1. The computer's internal print spooler sends the job to the printer's print server, not to the physical printer. You must wait for the file to finish spooling to the print server
2. The print server takes the job and places it into a queue
3. The job is held in the queue until you release it from cronq.mit.edu
4. Managing jobs requires you look in both the computer's internal print queue and cronq.mit.edu. Details are provided under Manage Jobs
5. By printing/plotting, you agree to the terms stated under Policy

Macintosh

Send Job

1. If printing from own laptop, ensure it is connected to 'MIT SECURE' wireless network
2. Select 'Print...' from File menu. For full printing options including preview, click Show Details
3. Make appropriate changes to Printer, Page Range, Paper Size, Duplex, Orientation, Scale. Note that there are a plethora of other options in the pop-ups. To create PDF, click on PDF popup in lower left
   

   

4. Note that the Macintosh print dialog box contains a 100% accurate preview of your print request. Please consult it before clicking Print. One can save much paper and aggravation this way
5. Click Print

Check Job Status

Print jobs are first queued locally. The local queue then sends it on to a print server which holds the job until released by you.

1. Check computer's local print queue by clicking on printer icon in lower right of dock (present only when printing). If not empty, then you can delete the job before it is sent to print server. If empty or not present, then the job has already been spooled to print server
2. To manage jobs already sent to print server, visit cronq.mit.edu

Windows

Send Job

1. If printing from own laptop, ensure it is connected to 'MIT SECURE' wireless network
2. In the Print dialog box, confirm that you have selected the printer you want
3. Should you need set custom page size when printing/plotting from an Adobe application:
   1. File > Print and select plotter
   2. Click Setup > Paper/Quality > Custom
   3. Create custom size and save it
   4. In Features tab, Set Autorotate and Roll Width: 36 inches
   5. Select new custom size
   6. This has to be done for each new paper size, for each plotter
4. Make appropriate changes to Printer, Page Range, Paper Size, Duplex, Orientation, Scale. Note that there are a plethora of other options in the pop-ups
   

   

5. A printer icon appears briefly in the Taskbar when you've printed, indicating the print requests' progress. If this icon does not go away click on it for more information

Check Job Status

Print jobs are first queued locally. The local queue then sends it on to a print server which hold the job until released by you.

1. Check computer's local print queue by clicking on printer icon in lower right of screen (present only when printing). If not empty, then you can delete the job before it is sent to print server. If empty, then job already spooled to print server
2. To manage jobs already sent to print server, visit cronq.mit.edu