Printing to Local USB & Network Printers

Overview

This test case validates a fundamental workflow for front-office and clinical environments: printing physical documents from a virtual session. Many business processes still rely on hard copies for receipts, forms, wristbands, or records.

The test will confirm that a zTC device can successfully print from a VDI session to two common printer types: a printer connected directly via USB, and a shared network printer on the local LAN. This ensures that essential “end-of-process” tasks for roles like receptionists, nurses, or retail staff work reliably.

zTC/zMAN Configuration

Local zTC Configuration

This process must be completed for each printer you wish to test.

Part A – Adding a Directly Attached USB Printer:

1. Connect the Printer: Connect a standard USB printer to an available USB port on the zTC device and ensure it is powered on.
2. Open Printer Settings: On the zTC desktop, navigate to the Start menu -> Preference -> Printers.
3. Add the Printer:
   • Click the Add   button.
   • SnapOS should automatically discover the connected USB printer. Select it from the list.
   • Click Add. The system will use its CUPS backend to find and install the appropriate driver.
4. Print a Local Test Page: Once added, select the printer from the list and print a test page to confirm it is working correctly with the local SnapOS.

Part B – Adding a Shared Network Printer:

1. Ensure Network Access: Confirm the zTC is connected to the same local network as the target network printer.
2. Open Printer Settings: Navigate to Start menu -> Preference ->  Printers.
3. Add the Printer:
   • Click the Add  button.
   • If the printer is not automatically discovered, Click Network Printer -> Find Network Printer .enter its network address in the  text field. (e.g., ipp://<printer-ip-address>/ipp/print).
   • Select the printer once it is found and click Add to install it.
4. Print a Local Test Page: Print a test page to confirm the zTC can communicate with the network printer.

3rd Party Setup (VDI Environment)

1. Enable Client Printer Redirection: On your VDI platform (Citrix, VMware, or AVD), ensure that the policies governing the session allow for client printer redirection. This is often enabled by default.
2. Install Universal Print Drivers: Ensure the appropriate universal print drivers are installed on the virtual desktop master image (e.g., Citrix Universal Print Driver, VMware Integrated Printing). This allows the VDI to handle a wide range of redirected printers without needing specific drivers for each model.

Execution

1. Launch VDI Session: After configuring the printers on the zTC, log in to a virtual desktop session.
2. Verify Printer Redirection:
   • Inside the virtual desktop, open the Control Panel (or Settings) and navigate to Devices and Printers.
   • Look for the printers you configured on the zTC. They should appear in the list, often with a “redirected” or “from <zTC-hostname>” suffix in their names.
3. Test Printing to the USB Printer:
   • Open a simple application like Notepad or WordPad inside the VDI.
   • Type a test sentence (e.g., “Test print to USB printer from VDI.”).
   • Go to File -> Print.
   • In the print dialog, select the redirected USB printer from the list of available printers.
   • Click Print.
4. Test Printing to the Network Printer:
   • In the same application, type a new test sentence (e.g., “Test print to network printer from VDI.”).
   • Go to File -> Print.
   • This time, select the redirected network printer from the list.
   • Click Print.

Verification

• Local Printer Configuration (Pass/Fail):
  • PASS: Both the USB and network printers can be successfully added and configured in the SnapOS printer utility. A local test page from the zTC prints correctly for both devices.
  • FAIL: The printers are not discovered, the system cannot find a suitable driver, or a local test page fails to print.
• Printer Redirection (Pass/Fail):
  • PASS: Both the USB and network printers, which were configured on the zTC, appear correctly as available printers inside the launched VDI session.
  • FAIL: The printers do not appear in the VDI session’s list of printers, or they are listed but appear grayed out or in an error state.
• Print Job Success (Pass/Fail):
  • PASS: The documents sent from the application inside the VDI session are printed successfully and promptly on both the physical USB and network printers. The printed output is correct and not garbled.
  • FAIL: The print job gets stuck in the virtual desktop’s print queue, disappears but never prints, or prints pages of garbled characters.
• Performance (Informational):
  • PASS: The time between clicking “Print” in the VDI and the physical printer beginning to print is reasonably short (e.g., under 15 seconds for a simple text document).
  • FAIL: There is an excessive delay before printing begins, suggesting poor performance or high latency in the VDI’s print channel.