Need some Ticketing Printer/Computer Help

[soundguy99]

Hi guys,
I am not sure if this is proper forum to ask this in, but as I am looking around the net, I thought it wouldn`t hurt.
Currently we have 2 Bocca ticket printers in our box office hooked up to 2 Mac Pro's and a Mac Book laptop.
We use Arts people which is an online software to handle our tickets and we typically use safari crome or firefox as browsers. For our tickets we have specific measurements and layout for the tickets to print out correctly.
The issue were having is that when you apply updates either Mac OS update driver updates or even browser updates, it changes the setting for print options, which leaves to back to square one, resetting all the print configurations all over again, so the ticket can print correctly. Also depending on the browser used and which computer is used, 1 computer may have the updates and the other one doesn`t which complicated matters.
So you end up having to waste time, trying to reconfigure 1 computer print options using the other one to print tickets before updating the next computer only having to do it all over again.
I know this isn`t really a computer forum, just wondering if any one here knew of a better way to manage printing options, on the macs that would be more consistent through the updates and across the browsers.
Like I have said its not a word document so the print options need to be set correctly in order for the tickets to be printed properly and usable.
I am also not a Mac guy so this makes it a little more challenging although i am learning.
Also as a suggestion, A box office section, would be nice to have here, to be able to ask questions, about ticketing systems, contracts, facility, so it keeps it away from stage management related issiues.
Any help is greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
soundguy

 

[Amiers]

Set the printers and take the computers offline. No updates or anything will happen then.

If you need to go online get another machine for that.

 

[Van]

We had some similar issues and we were running Tessitura! I, personally, Detest Boca printers and cannot understand how they are a "leader in the ticket printing industry" < Not helpful at all I know, but it felt good to vent. >

 

[soundguy99]

Thanks but our ticketing system is all online, so we need internet access. Also the obvious answer is don`t update, which we tend to do, until after x amount of months go by then we end up doing as you run into comparability issues as other things get updated.
Typically in a windows machine all printing options are handled by windows under the system-printer options, and all programs usually refer to those setting when printing. With Macs we have noticed its a bit different.
Was just wondering if there was an easier more consistent way of saving those printer setting that I wasen`t aware of, maybe even a 3rd party application, which takes control of all printing functions that all other software goes through.
I just don`t know enough about macs when it comes to this although I am still learning,
Thanks

 

[soundguy99]

" Not helpful at all I know, but it felt good to vent". >[/QUOTE]
Never feel bad about venting about technology, Its a Human Right of the modern age.

 

[Amiers]

Would give Boca a call and see if they got a fix for Mac.

The alternative is you could buy some cheap windows machines and use the Macs for something else.

 

[Chris15]

Have you tried saving a printer preset in OSX?
You should be able to setup your config and then save it to a preset, I can't entirely speak to your situation, but I know it's helped us deal with an MFD needing authentication settings that otherwise had to be set every job...

 

[RonHebbard]

Have you tried saving a printer preset in OSX?
You should be able to setup your config and then save it to a preset, I can't entirely speak to your situation, but I know it's helped us deal with an MFD needing authentication settings that otherwise had to be set every job...

MFD? @chris15 Please tell me that's Multi Function Device and not Mother F'ing Device.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[Chris15]

Multi Function Device was the intended meaning.
That's not to say it hasn't been given a number of alternate names when it's not operating as advertised

 

[soundguy99]

Hi guys,
ya we have tried all that, every time we update we tend to wither loose those settings or the settings and we have to reconfigure it all over again.
Was looking for a 3rd party app to override the settings, kind of a set it up once and thats it.

 

[JimmyM]

Just a quick look on Boca's driver page for Mac says that the custom ticket size function is broken, are you using that or one of the predetermined sizes?

Link

 

[soundguy99]

Thanks for that link, we have since tried it, and although it may resolve some communication issues, were still having to go through the process of re-adjusting all the settings again, ie Non printable area, margins, layout ect.
I am still trying to get some time with our box office staff to sit and play with it, to find out whats going on.
Thanks,
soundguy

 

[jenny_gaddy]

Hi soundguy,

I've had good luck with setting up BOCA ticket size presets for MAC on Chrome - these presets hold without changing even in the face of OS and browser updates.
Here are some instructions, hope they help!

1) Open up-to-date Google Chrome
2) Using Google Chrome, open the pdf of a BOCA ticket from your account that you can use for testing
3) in the PDF tab of the ticket click the Printer icon on the PDF of the ticket in the upper right>check to be sure the BOCA is the printer being used for this printing session>in the print dialog box that opens up click the link on the left that reads "Print using System Dialog">click Show Details>click into the Paper Sizes menu>click on Manage Custom Sizes>click the + key> this will open an "Untitled" entry, double-click on "Untitled" and type into that field the name for your custom size: BOCA >click the return key to save>In the sizing area on the right, enter: Width: 5.5 Height: 2 Clear out all border sizing values so they are 0. Check the Non-Printable area menu: it should read User defined. click OK. Now that all the settings are set, click OK at the bottom of the module window.
The finished custom size window for the BOCA should look like the attached image titled BOCA_size1.
4) Back on the Print settings page, check to be sure your Paper Size is set to the custom size you just made: it should read: BOCA. Now that you have a custom paper size setup in the Print settings page, you will want to set this size as the default for the BOCA, to do this, click into Presets>Save Current settings as Preset>name the Preset: BOCA> "Only this printer" should be selected>click OK
5) Click Print to see your results
(You may want to check to be sure the print job that you'll be testing is only 1-2 tickets. If the print job is more than 2 tickets switch Pages from "All" to the per page option and enter 1-2)
The finished Print settings window should look like this the attached image titled BOCA_preset1.

After doing the above, it should work fine to print tickets on the BOCA directly from Chrome, without having to re-trace any of the above steps.


PS: I work in QA at Arts People, so I'm happy to lend a hand there too.