Introduction

This document applies to ScriptX Printing v6.6 or later.

If you are using an earlier version of ScriptX, please go to the Downloads page and download the latest version and upgrade your systems.

ScriptX can be used with any web server that supports the creation of COM components - for example Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) and Active Server Pages/ASP.NET, to print HTML documents on the server side.

This document discusses the use of ScriptX with ASP/ASP.NET but it is known to work with PHP. It is also known that ScriptX can be used within a custom service; we have a number of customers who have successfully deployed services written in .NET and which utilise ScriptX. These notes also apply to such deployments. (For .NET services, please note that ScriptX requires STA apartments and see the notes on ASP.NET deployment).

From ScriptX version 6.6. onwards, it is important to deploy the correct edition of ScriptX for the server system in use, in other words:

• Deploy ScriptX 32-bit Edition on x32 systems and ScriptX 64-bit Edition on x64 systems for Windows Server 2003 and earlier.
• For Windows Server 2008/IIS 7 and later, deploy the edition of ScriptX that matches how you configure the Application Pool worker process (please check the default for your system).

Note that the 64-bit Edition cannot be installed on x32 based operating systems, however the 32-bit Edition can be installed on x64 based systems. IA64 based systems are not supported.

We strongly recommend that the following articles are studied before server side deployment of ScriptX Printing:

HOWTO: Configure Office Applications to Run Under the Interactive User Account

HOWTO: Configure Office Applications to Run Under a Specific User Account

PRB: COM Objects Fail to Print When Called From ASP

INFO: WinInet Not Supported for Use in Services

The Microsoft Windows Web Browsing Platform components are utilised to perform the printing - ScriptX Printing does not contain any actual printing code. Please take note of all the caveats Microsoft place around the use of Office Applications as automation servers. Many of these caveats apply to the use of Microsoft Windows Web Browsing Platform components. The components were developed with the intention of a user being present to deal with errors etc. In addition, the Web Browsing Platform utilises WinInet functionality for downloading documents for printing; although this does work in server scenarios, there are limitations. In summary, please be aware of the limitations and set your expectations accordingly.

On all systems, Distributed COM must be enabled. Customers experience success with "Default Authentication Level" of CONNECT and "Default Impersonation Level" of IDENTIFY; these are the default settings.

Technically, ScriptX printing is implemented as in-process components that provide the API and out-of-process components that implement the actual printing functionality. The out of process components will appear in the Task Manager process list as a process 'MCSXHost.exe' (prior to version 6.3, rundll32 was used as the hosting process).

The successful implementation of server side printing will require correct configuration of DCOM security on the server system; this will require a good understanding both of DCOM configuration, and the security policies in place on the server.

ScriptX is known to work - at the simplest interactive level - 'out of the box' on 'out of the box' configurations of Windows Server 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows 8 Server (Beta).

Whilst we can provide general support on trouble-shooting problems, the vast array of configuration parameters available mean that it is impossible to provide guaranteed recipes for a working installation. A solid familiarity with enabling logging of security events is also recommended.

NOTE: Use of ScriptX Server side printing with ASP pages will require Component services configuration on Windows Server 2003 and later.

NOTE: ScriptX v6.3.435.31 or later is required for Windows Server 2008.

 

::> Supported Systems