network printer name is too long

If this is in the wrong group, I apologize.
I have one print sever in my domain. When the users try to select a shared
printer to print to they are presented with the long UNC name of the printer
(\\servername\printer name). In most cases this is a problem because the
application, such as MS Word, does not display the full name. the user can
only see the first half of the path.
I’m hoping to find a global setting that will allow the user to see the
printer share name only.
Any ideas? I have looked at the hot fix,
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193, but I would like to avoid this option.

Jules wrote:
> If this is in the wrong group, I apologize.
> I have one print sever in my domain. When the users try to select a
> shared printer to print to they are presented with the long UNC name
> of the printer (\\servername\printer name). In most cases this is a
> problem because the application, such as MS Word, does not display
> the full name. the user can only see the first half of the path.
> I'm hoping to find a global setting that will allow the user to see
> the printer share name only.
> Any ideas? I have looked at the hot fix,
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193, but I would like to avoid
> this option.

Why not rename the printer to something shorter and re-share it?

The problem is not the share name. The problem is that windows XP presents
the server as \\servername\printername. Some of our applications only display
a small window to select the printer so we can not see the name of the
printer we see something simmilar to \\servername\pri. I'm hoping to se the
printer name w/o the name of the server.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:

> Jules wrote:
> > If this is in the wrong group, I apologize.
> > I have one print sever in my domain. When the users try to select a
> > shared printer to print to they are presented with the long UNC name
> > of the printer (\\servername\printer name). In most cases this is a
> > problem because the application, such as MS Word, does not display
> > the full name. the user can only see the first half of the path.
> > I'm hoping to find a global setting that will allow the user to see
> > the printer share name only.
> > Any ideas? I have looked at the hot fix,
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193, but I would like to avoid
> > this option.
>
> Why not rename the printer to something shorter and re-share it?
>
>
>

Jules <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> The problem is not the share name. The problem is that windows XP
> presents the server as \\servername\printername. Some of our
> applications only display a small window to select the printer so we
> can not see the name of the printer we see something simmilar to
> \\servername\pri. I'm hoping to se the printer name w/o the name of
> the server.

I wasn't talking about the share name, but the printer name, but never mind.
What you describe sounds strange to me anyway, because my network printers
always show up as

<printername> on <servername>

.... what do yours look like in control panel | printers?

What software is this? Does it look the same in, say, MS Word?
>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Jules wrote:
>>> If this is in the wrong group, I apologize.
>>> I have one print sever in my domain. When the users try to select a
>>> shared printer to print to they are presented with the long UNC name
>>> of the printer (\\servername\printer name). In most cases this is a
>>> problem because the application, such as MS Word, does not display
>>> the full name. the user can only see the first half of the path.
>>> I'm hoping to find a global setting that will allow the user to see
>>> the printer share name only.
>>> Any ideas? I have looked at the hot fix,
>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193, but I would like to avoid
>>> this option.
>>
>> Why not rename the printer to something shorter and re-share it?

They show up as printer name on server name when you look at them in the
printer control panel. When you click on file then print they show up as the
UNC. It would be great if they showed up the same way they do in the control
panel.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:

> Jules <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > The problem is not the share name. The problem is that windows XP
> > presents the server as \\servername\printername. Some of our
> > applications only display a small window to select the printer so we
> > can not see the name of the printer we see something simmilar to
> > \\servername\pri. I'm hoping to se the printer name w/o the name of
> > the server.
>
> I wasn't talking about the share name, but the printer name, but never mind.
> What you describe sounds strange to me anyway, because my network printers
> always show up as
>
> <printername> on <servername>
>
> .... what do yours look like in control panel | printers?
>
> What software is this? Does it look the same in, say, MS Word?
> >
> > "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
> >
> >> Jules wrote:
> >>> If this is in the wrong group, I apologize.
> >>> I have one print sever in my domain. When the users try to select a
> >>> shared printer to print to they are presented with the long UNC name
> >>> of the printer (\\servername\printer name). In most cases this is a
> >>> problem because the application, such as MS Word, does not display
> >>> the full name. the user can only see the first half of the path.
> >>> I'm hoping to find a global setting that will allow the user to see
> >>> the printer share name only.
> >>> Any ideas? I have looked at the hot fix,
> >>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193, but I would like to avoid
> >>> this option.
> >>
> >> Why not rename the printer to something shorter and re-share it?
>
>
>
>

Jules <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> They show up as printer name on server name when you look at them in
> the printer control panel. When you click on file then print they
> show up as the UNC. It would be great if they showed up the same way
> they do in the control panel.

I just It actually shows up as

\\servername\Name of printer

not the share name, and hence not really the UNC


>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Jules <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> The problem is not the share name. The problem is that windows XP
>>> presents the server as \\servername\printername. Some of our
>>> applications only display a small window to select the printer so we
>>> can not see the name of the printer we see something simmilar to
>>> \\servername\pri. I'm hoping to se the printer name w/o the name of
>>> the server.
>>
>> I wasn't talking about the share name, but the printer name, but
>> never mind. What you describe sounds strange to me anyway, because
>> my network printers always show up as
>>
>> <printername> on <servername>
>>
>> .... what do yours look like in control panel | printers?
>>
>> What software is this? Does it look the same in, say, MS Word?
>>>
>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>>
>>>> Jules wrote:
>>>>> If this is in the wrong group, I apologize.
>>>>> I have one print sever in my domain. When the users try to select
>>>>> a shared printer to print to they are presented with the long UNC
>>>>> name of the printer (\\servername\printer name). In most cases
>>>>> this is a problem because the application, such as MS Word, does
>>>>> not display the full name. the user can only see the first half
>>>>> of the path. I'm hoping to find a global setting that will allow
>>>>> the user to see the printer share name only.
>>>>> Any ideas? I have looked at the hot fix,
>>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193, but I would like to avoid
>>>>> this option.
>>>>
>>>> Why not rename the printer to something shorter and re-share it?

I'm not sure what the point of your comment is. Yes, in the control panel it
shows up as “sharename on server�. For example, printer on printserver. When
printing from the application it shows up as \\servername\sharename.
If you don't have anything constructive to add I understand. I might be
asking for something that is not possible w/o the “hot fix� or 3rd party
applications. Please don’t post a response to simply point out that I used
the wrong terminology.
Thanks.


"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:

> Jules <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > They show up as printer name on server name when you look at them in
> > the printer control panel. When you click on file then print they
> > show up as the UNC. It would be great if they showed up the same way
> > they do in the control panel.
>
> I just It actually shows up as
>
> \\servername\Name of printer
>
> not the share name, and hence not really the UNC
>
>
> >
> > "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
> >
> >> Jules <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >>> The problem is not the share name. The problem is that windows XP
> >>> presents the server as \\servername\printername. Some of our
> >>> applications only display a small window to select the printer so we
> >>> can not see the name of the printer we see something simmilar to
> >>> \\servername\pri. I'm hoping to se the printer name w/o the name of
> >>> the server.
> >>
> >> I wasn't talking about the share name, but the printer name, but
> >> never mind. What you describe sounds strange to me anyway, because
> >> my network printers always show up as
> >>
> >> <printername> on <servername>
> >>
> >> .... what do yours look like in control panel | printers?
> >>
> >> What software is this? Does it look the same in, say, MS Word?
> >>>
> >>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Jules wrote:
> >>>>> If this is in the wrong group, I apologize.
> >>>>> I have one print sever in my domain. When the users try to select
> >>>>> a shared printer to print to they are presented with the long UNC
> >>>>> name of the printer (\\servername\printer name). In most cases
> >>>>> this is a problem because the application, such as MS Word, does
> >>>>> not display the full name. the user can only see the first half
> >>>>> of the path. I'm hoping to find a global setting that will allow
> >>>>> the user to see the printer share name only.
> >>>>> Any ideas? I have looked at the hot fix,
> >>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193, but I would like to avoid
> >>>>> this option.
> >>>>
> >>>> Why not rename the printer to something shorter and re-share it?
>
>
>
>

Jules <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I'm not sure what the point of your comment is. Yes, in the control
> panel it shows up as "sharename on server".

Nope, not the share name.

> For example, printer

....printer name, yes.

> on
> printserver. When printing from the application it shows up as
> \\servername\sharename.

In what application? I just tested this and I see "\\server\name of
printer". As in, \\server\HP LaserJet 4050TN.

> If you don't have anything constructive to add I understand. I might
> be asking for something that is not possible w/o the "hot fix" or 3rd
> party applications. Please don't post a response to simply point out
> that I used the wrong terminology.

I'm not, and I'm really sorry if my replies are coming across as pedantic; I
don't mean them to. I'm telling you that you can probably accomplish what
you want if you keep your printer names short and simple. I don't know of
any way to change the fact that network printers appear prefaced by the
server name. My solution would be to shorten the name that appears after
that. If you find something else that gets rid of the server reference
entirely then please post it for the benefit of others; I know nothing that
will do this.

> Thanks.
>
>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Jules <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> They show up as printer name on server name when you look at them in
>>> the printer control panel. When you click on file then print they
>>> show up as the UNC. It would be great if they showed up the same way
>>> they do in the control panel.
>>
>> I just It actually shows up as
>>
>> \\servername\Name of printer
>>
>> not the share name, and hence not really the UNC
>>
>>
>>>
>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>>
>>>> Jules <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>>> The problem is not the share name. The problem is that windows XP
>>>>> presents the server as \\servername\printername. Some of our
>>>>> applications only display a small window to select the printer so
>>>>> we can not see the name of the printer we see something simmilar
>>>>> to \\servername\pri. I'm hoping to se the printer name w/o the
>>>>> name of the server.
>>>>
>>>> I wasn't talking about the share name, but the printer name, but
>>>> never mind. What you describe sounds strange to me anyway, because
>>>> my network printers always show up as
>>>>
>>>> <printername> on <servername>
>>>>
>>>> .... what do yours look like in control panel | printers?
>>>>
>>>> What software is this? Does it look the same in, say, MS Word?
>>>>>
>>>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Jules wrote:
>>>>>>> If this is in the wrong group, I apologize.
>>>>>>> I have one print sever in my domain. When the users try to
>>>>>>> select a shared printer to print to they are presented with the
>>>>>>> long UNC name of the printer (\\servername\printer name). In
>>>>>>> most cases this is a problem because the application, such as
>>>>>>> MS Word, does not display the full name. the user can only see
>>>>>>> the first half of the path. I'm hoping to find a global setting
>>>>>>> that will allow the user to see the printer share name only.
>>>>>>> Any ideas? I have looked at the hot fix,
>>>>>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193, but I would like to
>>>>>>> avoid this option.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Why not rename the printer to something shorter and re-share it?