How the pieces fit
Open Computers to see each enrolled machine. A computer is connected while its agent holds a live session and disconnected after that session closes. Open Printers to see queues reported by those computers. Printer IDs belong to the discovered queue, so deleting a computer and letting it register again creates new computer and printer IDs. Integrations that saved old IDs must refresh them.
Open Jobs for submissions across the account. The job detail shows the requested printer, timeline, state messages, warnings, quantity, copies, and terminal status. Search or filter before changing anything on a machine; a server-side refusal, an offline computer, and a spooler problem need different fixes.
Printer discovery and state
PrintHook can use a queue only when the agent service account can see it. On Windows, install printers for the machine; a queue created only for one desktop user may not be visible to LocalSystem. On Linux, run lpstat -p as the printhook user. In Docker, run it inside the container and confirm the CUPS socket or CUPS_SERVER points to the server where the queues exist.
The inventory refreshes regularly. A paused queue, an unreachable CUPS destination, or a Windows queue whose oldest job has waited more than 60 seconds can be reported offline. The detailed reason stays in the agent log. Correct the queue, then allow the next inventory poll to report it online.
Read a job from acceptance to completion
A job starts queued after the API accepts it. It becomes delivered after the computer stores and acknowledges it. A final result is printed, failed, expired, or canceled. The terminal field is the reliable way to know whether the status can still change. A printed result means the spooler accepted the output, not that paper physically left the device.
Warnings can accompany a successful job. A media mismatch or an option ignored by the driver remains visible in the state message and data.warnings. If the wrong label size prints, compare the job options with the queue's default form and printer capabilities. The agent ledger suppresses duplicate delivery of completed jobs and reconciles interrupted work after a restart. It is not proof of exactly-once physical output: if a crash leaves spooler acceptance uncertain, inspect the queue before requesting another copy.
Run a test print or cancel safely
Use the console setup test when commissioning a computer. It sends a one-page document only after you choose a printer and submit it, and it tracks the resulting job. The agent's local Printers page can also submit a PDF calibration page or a short raw test. A local 404 no such printer means the name is absent from the current inventory.
Cancel a job before it reaches the operating system spooler. The agent aborts a download or removes waiting spool content and records the cancellation. Once the job has been handed to the spooler, PrintHook cannot reliably pull it back; manage it in the operating system queue instead.
Use stations when hardware changes
A station names a bench and binds devices to roles such as label and slip. An integration can address the station and role instead of saving a printer ID. Replacing hardware then becomes a console rebinding. A stale binding remains visible and the job is refused rather than silently sent elsewhere. See the developer overview for API concepts, or continue with troubleshooting and diagnostics.