Mac OS X,  Mac OS X Server,  Network Printing

Mac OS X Server 10.5: com.apple.mcxprinting

So if you set the RequireAdminToAddPrinters to false in the com.apple.mcxprinting MCX then you would expect that it then allow non-admin users to actually add printers to their computers.  Well, you (and I) would be wrong. Which leaves me pondering exactly what this string does… But that’s digressing. How would you actually make it where you can have a user self-install their own printers? Luckily Joel Rennich knew… Open the /etc/cups/cupsd.conf file. Locate the line:

# All administration operations require an administrator to authenticate…

Change the following lines to:

Limit CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer CUPS-Delete-Printer CUPS-Add-Modify-Class CUPS-Delete-Class CUPS-Set-Default;

# AuthType Default

# Require user @SYSTEM

Require valid-user

Order deny,allow

/Limit;

Some notes:

Non-admins will still not be able to use the Printing pref pane in System Prefs. They have to add printers via the print dialog when the go to print in an app.