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Maps Reference

Pro & Enterprise Only

This feature is available exclusively in ScrewDrivers Pro and Enterprise editions.

ScrewDrivers Maps transforms printer management from abstract database assignments into visual, location-based workflows that make sense to both administrators and end users. When you've assigned "User Allowed" printers that users can self-select, Maps gives them a visual interface where they can see floor plans, campus layouts, or building diagrams with printer icons overlaid in their actual physical locations. This reference covers how to create, manage, and maintain printer maps in your ScrewDrivers environment.

Overview​

Maps are particularly valuable in large organizations where users might not know the names or locations of nearby printers. Instead of asking them to browse through cryptic printer names in a list, you can show them a floor plan of their building with printer icons positioned exactly where those printers sit. Users simply click the icon for the printer nearest to them, and ScrewDrivers adds it to their session.

The Maps application is accessible through ScrewDrivers Administration's Tools menu. You'll upload map images (floor plans, building diagrams, campus layouts) in JPEG, BMP, or PNG format, then place printer icons at appropriate locations on those maps. There's no limit to map size or the number of printers you can add to a single map. Once you've configured maps, your Pro and Enterprise users can access them through the ScrewDrivers Printers application to select and build printers for their sessions.

Opening and Navigating ScrewDrivers Maps​

To launch ScrewDrivers Maps, open ScrewDrivers Administration and click Tools > Maps from the main menu. The Maps window opens with a tab-based interface. When you first open the application, the tab bar on the left side of the window is collapsed—you'll see just icons. You can hold your mouse pointer over an icon to see a tooltip with the tab name, or click the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) to expand the tab bar and see full tab labels.

The interface includes two primary tabs:

Add Map tab (represented by a plus icon): This tab provides two methods for uploading new maps to the ScrewDrivers database. You can drag and drop a map file directly onto the indicated area, or click Browse Computer to open a file selection dialog. After selecting a map, you'll preview it, set its name and tags, and save it to the database.

Maps tab (represented by a map icon): This is where you'll manage all existing maps. The tab displays a complete list of saved maps in the left panel, and when you select a map, it appears in the main viewing area on the right. You can edit maps to add or remove printer icons, change map names or tags, or delete maps you no longer need.

Viewing and Filtering Maps​

The Maps tab displays all maps currently stored in your ScrewDrivers database, listed alphabetically by name. Each map entry shows the map name followed by a number in parentheses—this number indicates how many printers have been placed on that map. If you see "No printers on map," the map exists in the database but hasn't had any printer icons added yet.

A filter field appears above the maps list. The filter searches across both map names and any tags you've assigned to maps, making it easy to find specific maps in large deployments. As you type in the filter field, the list updates dynamically. The search matches the exact character order you enter, but it's not case-sensitive, and the search string can appear anywhere in the name or tags. For example, searching for "PLAN" would return maps named "PLANET INDUSTRIES," "Floor Plan #1," "Airplane Hangar," and any others containing those four consecutive letters.

To view a map and its printers, simply click the map name in the list. The map appears in the main viewing area with the following information displayed:

Map Name: The name you assigned when adding the map to the database, displayed prominently at the top.

Tags: Any comma-separated tags you've associated with this map for organizational or search purposes.

Printers: A list showing which printers from your ScrewDrivers database have been placed on this map. You'll see printer names and their properties.

Printer Icons: Visual markers on the map indicating where each printer is physically located. Hold your mouse pointer over an icon to see a tooltip with the printer name. Click an icon to see detailed information about that printer, including its type (Print Server or Direct), assigned driver, location, and other properties.

Standard Windows scroll and zoom features work on displayed maps, so you can pan around large floor plans or zoom in to see fine details.

Adding Maps to the Database​

Before you can add maps to ScrewDrivers, you'll need source images of your facilities. These might be floor plans from your facilities management team, building diagrams from your architect, or even simple layouts you've created yourself. Maps must be in JPEG/JPG, BMP, or PNG format. PNG is recommended for its balance of quality and file size, but any of these formats will work. There's no size limit—you can upload high-resolution campus maps or detailed multi-building floor plans.

Upload Process​

Open ScrewDrivers Maps and click the Add Map tab. You'll see two upload options:

Drag and Drop: Simply drag your map file from Windows Explorer or any file manager and drop it into the designated area on the Add Map tab. This is the quickest method when you've already located your file.

Browse Computer: Click this button to open a standard Windows file browser, navigate to your map file, and select it. This method is useful when you're not sure exactly where the file is stored.

After selecting a map using either method, a preview dialog opens showing your map image along with configuration options:

  • File Path: Displays the full path to the source file you selected (read-only)
  • Map Name: Initially shows the source filename, but you can edit this to any unique name that makes sense in your environment
  • Tags Field: Enter comma-separated tags to help organize and search for maps later. For example, you might tag maps with building names, floor numbers, departments, or geographic locations like "Building-A, Floor-2, Engineering" or "Campus-North, Parking-Structure"

Before clicking Add Map to save, you can review the preview to ensure you've selected the correct file. If you realize you've chosen the wrong file, click Browse Computer again to select a different map without closing the dialog.

Important: Each map must have a unique name within the ScrewDrivers database. If you try to use a name that already exists, you'll need to choose a different name before proceeding.

After Adding the Map​

When you click Add Map, the preview dialog closes and your map is immediately saved to the ScrewDrivers database. The map appears on the Maps tab, both in the maps list on the left and in the main viewing area. The map name and any tags you specified are displayed above the map image.

At this point, the maps list will show your new map with "(No printers on map)" after its name. The next step is to edit the map to add printer icons at their physical locations.

Editing Maps​

After adding a map to the database, you'll edit it to place printer icons, adjust the map name or tags, or remove printers that have moved. You can edit a map at any time, whether it's brand new or has been in use for years.

Adding Printers to Maps​

Open ScrewDrivers Maps and select the map you want to edit from the maps list. If you have many maps, use the filter field to quickly locate the right one. With the map selected and displayed, click the Edit button.

The map enters edit mode. To add a printer, right-click on the map at the physical location where that printer is situated. A Printers dialog opens, listing all printers currently available in your ScrewDrivers database. This includes both Print Server printers and Direct printers.

The Printers dialog includes a filter field at the top if you need to search for a specific printer by name. When you select a printer from the list, detailed information about that printer appears on the right side of the dialog. This information includes the printer's type, driver, location string, comment, and other properties. Review this information to confirm you've selected the correct printer before adding it to the map—this is especially helpful when you have many similar printer names.

Click Add Printer to place the printer icon on the map at the location where you right-clicked. The dialog closes, and you return to the map view with a printer icon now visible at that location. Hold your mouse pointer over the icon to see a tooltip showing the printer name.

Repeat this process to add as many printers as needed to the map. You can add printers anywhere on the map image, positioning them precisely where those physical printers are located in your facility.

When you're finished adding printers, click Save to commit your changes to the database. The number in parentheses after the map name in the maps list updates to reflect the new printer count.

Editing Map Properties​

You can also edit a map's name, tags, or printer list without adding new printers. Select the map and click Edit as described above. In edit mode, you can:

Change the Map Name: Click in the name field at the top and type a new name. Remember that map names must be unique within the database. If you try to save a name that's already in use, you'll need to choose a different one.

Add Tags: Click the Add icon (plus sign) at the far right of the tags list. A new empty tag field appears where you can type additional tags. This is useful as your organization grows and you need new categories for map organization.

Delete Tags: Click the Delete icon (X) next to any tag you want to remove. The tag is deleted immediately from the list.

Remove Printers: Each printer icon on the map has a Delete icon displayed when you're in edit mode. Click this icon to remove the printer from the map. The printer itself remains in the ScrewDrivers database and any user assignments remain unchanged—you're only removing the visual icon from this particular map. This is useful when printers are relocated to different areas or when you're reorganizing your printer placement.

After making any changes, click Save to commit them to the database. You can click Cancel at any time to discard your changes and close edit mode without saving.

Deleting Maps​

When a map is no longer needed—perhaps because a building has been renovated, a floor plan has changed, or you're consolidating facilities—you can delete it from the database. Deleting a map only removes the map image and its associated printer icon placements. The actual printer objects remain in the ScrewDrivers database, and any assignments you've made to users remain in place. Users who have self-assigned printers from this map will still have those printers in their sessions.

To delete a map, open ScrewDrivers Maps and select the map from the maps list. Click Edit to enter edit mode, then click the Delete button. The map is immediately removed from the database, and you return to the Maps tab with the maps list updated.

There's no confirmation dialog when deleting maps, so make certain you've selected the correct map before clicking Delete. If you accidentally delete a map, you can always re-upload it and reconfigure the printer placements, but you'll need to do so manually—there's no "undo" function for map deletion.

Use Cases and Best Practices​

Maps are most effective in organizations where users work in multiple locations or where printer names don't clearly indicate printer locations. Here are some common scenarios:

Multi-Floor Office Buildings: Create a separate map for each floor, showing the floor layout with printer icons at each printer location. Tag maps with building names and floor numbers for easy filtering. Users can select their floor's map and immediately see which printers are nearby.

Campus Environments: For universities or corporate campuses with multiple buildings, create a campus-wide overview map showing all buildings, then drill-down maps for each building or floor. Use tags to organize maps by building name, department, or function.

Shared Workspace Environments: In coworking spaces or hoteling environments where users sit in different locations each day, maps make it trivial to find the nearest printer regardless of where they're working.

Healthcare Facilities: Hospitals and clinics often have complex floor plans with printers in clinical areas, administrative offices, and public spaces. Maps help traveling clinicians quickly identify the nearest printer in unfamiliar wings or buildings.

Manufacturing and Warehousing: Production facilities may have printers in different zones for labels, picking lists, and shipping documents. Maps can show the entire facility layout with printers clearly marked by function or zone.

For best results, keep your maps current. When printers are relocated, updated the map icons immediately. When floor plans change due to renovations, upload new map images and reconfigure printer placements. Out-of-date maps frustrate users and reduce the feature's value.

Integration with User Experience​

From the administrator's perspective, you're configuring maps in ScrewDrivers Administration. From the end-user's perspective, these maps appear in the ScrewDrivers Printers application when they're selecting User Allowed printers to build for their session.

When a ScrewDrivers Pro or Enterprise user opens the Printers application and looks for available printers, they can switch to a map view instead of the default list view. They'll see the maps you've configured, can filter or browse to find the right location, and can click printer icons directly on the map to select and build those printers for their current session.

This visual, location-based approach is significantly more intuitive than asking users to decode printer names like "HP-CLJ-5F-EAST-02" or "XEROX-WEST-LOBBY." They simply look at the floor plan, find where they're physically located, and click the nearest printer icon.

Technical Considerations​

Maps are stored in the ScrewDrivers database, so they're accessible from any instance of ScrewDrivers Administration or the ScrewDrivers Printers application in your environment. You don't need to copy map files to multiple servers or worry about synchronization—once a map is in the database, it's available enterprise-wide.

Large high-resolution maps will increase database storage requirements. While there's no hard limit on map file size, consider optimizing your images before upload. A typical floor plan doesn't need 5000×5000 pixel resolution—1920×1080 or 2560×1440 is usually more than sufficient for clarity while keeping file sizes reasonable.

The number of printers you can place on a single map is effectively unlimited, but consider user experience when creating very dense printer maps. If a floor has 50 printers, users may find it overwhelming to see that many icons on one map. Consider breaking large areas into zones or creating separate maps for different departments sharing the same space.