Skip to main content

Setup Print-to-SchoolFront Driver

Dylan B.
  • Updated

Print to SchoolFront Driver is used to "print" directly to Employee Personnel Folders.  This print driver eliminates the need for printing, scanning, and uploading documents to SchoolFront and automatically creates a PDF version of the print job.  This print driver should only be installed for users who have access to save to Personnel Folder.  

 

The following will walk you through the installation of the SchoolFront Print Driver.   Please read all instructions fully before starting, making sure to take note of items in sub-bullets.

Prior to Installation:

Installation must be done using an Administrator logon. Please follow all steps and do not skip any items, and make sure to reboot where specified.

Installing:

  1. Download (and unzip) the following attachments to somewhere on the local computer or a USB stick.

    • Destination.exe Content.zip

    • Copy to PrintPlusPlus Folder.zip

    • Either setup_x86.zip if it is a 32-bit machine or setup_x64.zip if 64-bit.  If you don't know, choose 64-bit.

    • gs914w64-ghostscript.exe

  2. Install GhostScript (gs914w64-ghostscript.exe) accepting all defaults.

    • You may need to get special permissions from the districts IT department if the user does not have administrator rights.

    • You may also need to right-click and select run-as administrator.  If this option is not available, it is not needed.

  3. Edit the Environmental Variable Path to include the GhostScript path (these instructions assume Windows 10 or Windows 8).

    • In Search, search for and then select: System (Control Panel)

    • Click the Advanced system settings link.

    • Click Environment Variables. In the section System Variables, find the PATH environment variable and select it. Click Edit. Click New to add.

    • In the New System Variable window, specify the following value of the PATH environment variable - c:\Program Files\gs\gs9.54\bin. Click OK. Close all remaining windows by clicking OK

  4. Install PrinterPlusPlus by double clicking Setup.exe from corresponding setup_x86 or setup_x64 folder (result of the unzip). 

    • Enter SchoolFront for the printer name when asked during installation.

    • Select defaults for other installation options.

    • You may need to get special permissions from the districts IT department if the user does not have administrator rights.

    • You may also need to right-click and select run-as administrator.  If this option is not available, it is not needed.

  5. Copy the contents of Copy to PrinterPlusPlus Folder folder (result of the unzip) to the c:\PrinterPlusPlus\ folder. 

  6. Right Click on the c:\PrinterPlusPlus\PrinterPlusPlus.exe (application) and select run as Administrator. Make sure it says application in the Type Column. 

  7. Create a folder named SchoolFrontPrinter in the root of the c:\ drive.

  8. Copy the contents of the Destination.exe Content folder (result of the unzip) into c:\SchoolFrontPrinter folder created in the previous step.

  9. Run the application Destination.exe from c:\SchoolFrontPrinter.

    • Depending on file view settings, it may appear that the config file is Destination.exe, when it is actually Destination.exe.config.  Check the file type column and make sure you are starting the type Application.

    • Run as Administrator if the option is available.

    • You should automatically be taken to the Settings Form.  Complete the SchoolFront Username and Password for the user who will be printing (customer).  

    • This username and password is saved per Windows User so you can have multiple people on the same machine print securely to SchoolFront assuming they login with their own windows account.

  10. Close the Settings Form. DO NOT SELECT UPLOAD FILE.  You should then see a drop-downs populated with the districts information on the print form.

  11. Close the print form.

  12. REBOOT

  13. Login as the computer user and not the admin.

  14. Try to print, notepad is easiest, in theory you want to send to an employee to test the whole process.

 

If at any point the suggested folder names or setup defaults were not chosen, you will need to make changes to one or more of the following files:

  • PrinterPlusPlus.exe.config located in the installation folder for PrinterPlusPlus
  • Destination.exe.config located in the SchoolFrontPrinter folder

Troubleshooting:

  • Printer called SchoolFront is not available.
    1. Confirm that PrinterPlusPlus is properly installed.
    2. Confirm that PrinterPlusPlus is running (white Printer++ icon in far right of task bar).
  • Could not find Processor for SchoolFront in Printer++ dialog.  Make sure the items were properly copied to the PrinterPlusPlus folder in the instructions step 8.  We needed to reboot after doing the copy.
  • Nothing happens when you click print when selecting the SchoolFront printer.  (Note that large documents may take a long time depending on the processing capabilities of the computer.)
    1. Confirm that PrinterPlusPlus.exe.Config has the proper reference to the location of the Destination.exe location similar to the following (assumes defaults):
      <add key="SchoolFrontDestinationExeLocation" value="C:\SchoolFrontPrinter\Destination.exe" />
    2. Confirm that SchoolFrontPrinter.dll and SchoolFrontPrinter.pdb are located in the C:\PrinterPlusPlus folder.
    3. Check Properties on Destination.exe file. Make sure that it is not being blocked from running.
    4. Attempt to run C:\PrinterPlusPlus\PrinterPlusPlus.exe and C:\SchoolFrontPrinter\Destination.exe by double-clicking on them. If you receive an error message such as the one below please see step #5.
    5. Check with your IT department to see if any policies may be blocking the launch of executables for users who are not administrators. Request a whitelist for C:\PrinterPlusPlus\PrinterPlusPlus.exe and C:\SchoolFrontPrinter\Destination.exe
  • You get an error message that the file cannot be found after clicking upload.
    1. Confirm the Windows Environment Variable Path has a reference to the GhostScript bin directory.  Instructions on how to edit the Path variable
  • Error message stating no endpoint listening at ....
    1. Confirm the error message contains the correct production URL of https://app.schoolfront.com/ for the root of the web service call
    2. If the path is correct, confirm you can get to https://app.schoolfront.com/ in a web browser.
  • Error message stating Value cannot be null.  Parameter name: path1. 
    1. The configuration file for Destination.exe is most likely missing an app setting entry.  Copy the config file from the Destination.exe Content.zip to c:\SchoolFrontPrinter\ directory.

 

The installation files are attached and should be deployed to this KB when updated.

Current Destination.exe version is 1.1.8178 Released 5/26/2023

Related articles