您听说过Windows 7和Windows 8中的(Windows 8)打印管理(Print Management)控制台吗？我做到了，但多年来我幸福地忽略了它。直到最近，偶然地，它引起了我的注意。我开始使用它，我喜欢它。因此，我决定与我们的读者分享我所学到的知识，并展示一种更好的方法来管理您安装的打印机和驱动程序。
在哪里可以找到打印管理控制台(Print Management Console)
在Windows 7和Windows 8中，打印管理(Print Management)控制台都是管理工具(Administrative Tools)的一部分。但是，它并非在所有版本的Windows中都可用。只有Windows 7 Professional、Ultimate 和 Enterprise(Ultimate and Enterprise)的用户才能使用它。在Windows 8中，它在Windows 8 Pro 和 Enterprise(Pro and Enterprise)中可用。
虽然在 Windows 7 的“开始”菜单(Start Menu)中搜索术语“打印管理(Print Management)”将返回适当的结果，但在Windows 8的“开始(Start)”屏幕中执行相同操作则不会。这就是为什么，为了确保找到它，最好打开控制面板(Control Panel)并转到System and Security -> Administrative Tools.
这适用于Windows 7和Windows 8。
首次启动Print Management时，其窗口将类似于下面的屏幕截图。
如何使用打印(Print) 服务器(Servers)部分
尽管打印服务器(Print Servers)是左侧的第二部分，但我想先展示它，因为它是打印管理(Print Management)控制台中最有趣的部分。
在打印服务器(Print Servers)下，您可以找到您的计算机。如果您是网络域(network domain)的一部分，并且您对其具有管理权限，您还将看到该域中的其他计算机。对于列出的每台计算机，都有关于安装的驱动程序、打印表单、使用的端口和安装的打印机的信息。
驱动程序(Drivers)部分显示所选计算机上安装的所有打印驱动程序，包括由模拟打印机存在的软件安装的驱动程序。
通过右键单击驱动程序，您可以管理它的不同方面，例如它与其他驱动程序的隔离或其属性。您也可以删除选定的驱动程序。
接下来是表格(Forms)。在那里，您可以看到所有打印机可用于打印的所有表单的列表。对于每一个，都会显示有用的信息，例如其宽度、高度或类型。
如果您不记得A3 页面(A3 page)的大小，请在此处查找，您可以看到以毫米为单位的大小。有用，不是吗？
此列表中的一个重要列名为Type。它最常见的值是Built In和Printer。内置(Built In)表单随Windows一起提供，无法删除或更改。打印机(Printer)表单由您的一台打印机安装并受其支持。可以通过右键单击然后按Delete来删除这些表单。仅当您不打算使用它们时才应删除它们。
第三个列表是Ports。显示在您的计算机上安装和使用的所有打印端口。有些是计算机附带的标准端口，可能永远不会使用。但是，它们将被列为可用。
使用端口，您可以右键单击并删除它或配置它。删除一个端口意味着它不会被使用。如果一台真正的打印机连接到您的计算机，您将无法再使用它，您必须重新安装它。
另一种选择是配置端口。但是，很少有端口可以真正配置。
最有趣的列表名为Printers。它显示所有已安装的打印机，包括软件打印机。右键单击打印机会显示许多配置选项。您可以：打开打印机队列(printer queue)、暂停打印(pause printing)、在网络域上使用(network domain)组策略(Group Policy)部署打印机、设置打印默认值、管理共享(manage sharing)、打印测试页(test page)、编辑其属性、删除或重命名打印机以及访问(printer and access)帮助(Help)。
所有这一切都来自右键菜单(click menu)。
如何使用自定义过滤器
第一部分 -自定义过滤器- 使用过滤器显示与(Custom Filters)打印服务器(Print Servers)相同的信息，这些过滤器可以配置为仅显示您感兴趣的内容。
一些最有趣的过滤器是Printers With Jobs和Printers Not Ready。
例如，带有作业(Printers With Jobs)的打印机过滤器显示当前正在打印某些内容的打印机以及它们在队列中的作业数量。
不要忘记使用操作(Actions) 菜单(Menu)或右键单击(Right Click)类别
打印管理(Print Management)控制台中一个非常有用的菜单是操作(Action)菜单。它显示与右键单击类别相同的选项。
例如，在自定义过滤器(Custom Filters)类别中，它允许您创建自定义打印机或驱动程序过滤器(printer or driver filters)。
在Print Servers -> Drivers部分，它允许您添加新驱动程序或管理现有驱动程序。
在Print Servers -> Printers部分，它提供了将所有打印机导出到文件或从文件导入打印机(file or import printers)的可能性。
如果您问我，这是非常有用的选项，因此请不要犹豫，尝试并学习此工具及其所有上下文选项。
结论
从本教程中可以看出，打印管理(Print Management)控制台是一个非常有用的工具。在更好地了解它之后，在管理我的打印机时，我更喜欢它而不是设备(Devices)和打印机面板。(Printers Panel)有关Windows的更多有趣提示和技巧，请随时阅读我们的以下建议。
The Geek's Way of Managing Printers - The Print Management Console
Have you heard about the Print Management console in Windows 7 and Windows 8? I did but I ignored it blissfully for years. Until recently when, by chance, it stirred up my attention. I began to use it and I loved it. Therefore I decided to share what I have learned with our readers and show a better way to manage your installed printers and drivers.
Where to Find the Print Management Console
Both in Windows 7 and Windows 8, the Print Management console is part of Administrative Tools. However, it is not available in all editions of Windows. Only users of Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise will be able to use it. In Windows 8 it is available in Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise.
While a search for the term Print Management in Windows 7's Start Menu will return the appropriate result, doing the same in Windows 8's Start screen will not. That's why, to make sure you find it, it is best to open the Control Panel and go to System and Security -> Administrative Tools.
This will work both in Windows 7 and Windows 8.
When you first launch Print Management, its window will look similar to the screenshot below.
How to Work with the Print Servers Section
Even though Print Servers is the second section on the left, I would like to showcase it first, as it is the most interesting part of the Print Management console.
Under Print Servers you find your computer. If you are part of a network domain and you have administrative permissions over it, you will see also other computers from that domain. For each computer listed, there is information about drivers installed, printing forms, ports used and the printers installed.
The Drivers section displays all the print drivers installed on the selected computer, including drivers installed by software that emulates the presence of a printer.
With a right click on a driver, you can manage different aspects of it, such as its isolation from other drivers or its properties. You can also delete the selected driver.
Next is Forms. There you see the list of all forms that can be used for printing by all your printers. For each, there is useful information shown such as its width, height or type.
If you don't remember the size of an A3 page, look for it here and you can see its size in millimeters. Useful, isn't it?
An important column in this list is named Type. The most common values for it are Built In and Printer. The Built In forms come with Windows and cannot be removed or changed. The Printer forms are installed by one of your printers and supported by it. These forms can be deleted, with a right click and then a press on Delete. You should delete them only if you do not plan to use them.
The third list is Ports. All the printing ports installed and used on your computer are shown. Some are standard ports that come with your computer and might never be used. However, they will be listed as available.
With a port you can right click and delete it or configure it. Deleting a port means it won't be used. If a real printer is attached to your computer, you won't be able to use it anymore and you will have to reinstall it.
Another option is to configure a port. However, few ports can be really configured.
The most interesting list is named Printers. It shows all the printers installed, including software ones. A right click on a printer reveals many configuration options. You can: open the printer queue, pause printing, deploy the printer with Group Policy over a network domain, set printing defaults, manage sharing, print a test page, edit its properties, delete or rename the printer and access Help.
All this just from the right click menu.
How to Work with Custom Filters
The first section - Custom Filters - displays the same information as Print Servers with the use of filters that can be configured to show only what interests you.
Some of the most interesting filters are Printers With Jobs and Printers Not Ready.
For example, the Printers With Jobs filter displays the printers that are printing something at the moment and how many jobs they have in queue.
Don't Forget to Use the Actions Menu or the Right Click on Categories
A very useful menu in the Print Management console is the Action menu. It displays the same options as a right click on a category would.
For example, when in the Custom Filters category, it lets you create custom printer or driver filters.
In the Print Servers -> Drivers section, it allows you to add new drivers or manage existing ones.
In the Print Servers -> Printers section, it offers the possibility to export all your printers to a file or import printers from a file.
Very useful options if you ask me, so don't hesitate to experiment and learn this tool and all its contextual options.
Conclusion
As you can see from this tutorial, the Print Management console is a very useful tool. After getting to know it better, I preferred it to the Devices and Printers Panel, when managing my printers. For more interesting tips and tricks about Windows, don't hesitate to read our recommendations below.
