Mac Print Scout Overview

The Mac Print Scout is installed on user workstations and performs the following functions:

  • Tracks information about secure jobs and sends them to HP Secure Print server.
  • Installs SpoolerServiceMac – the service that provides cloud-based printing services. (In addition to the Print Scout Service).
  • Installs the default print queue named HP Secure Printer on user workstations.
  • Installs the HP Secure Print desktop app, which allows users to view or delete documents before walking up to a printer.

Where to Deploy Mac Print Scouts

Install the Mac Print Scout on Mac workstations if you want to:

  • Provide Secure Print Services
  • Collect, store, and report user and print job information for Secure Print jobs
  • Collect, store, and report user and print job information for Secure Print Direct jobs

Mac Print Scout Prerequisites

The Mac Print Scout supports the following versions:

  • macOS 11 (Big Sur) as well as the new Apple M1 CPU
  • macOS 12 (Monterey)
  • macOS 13 (Ventura)
  • macOS 14 (Sonoma)

Mac Print Scout Installation Overview

To install Mac Print Scout:

  1. Download the Mac Print Scout installation package from the Secure > Setup Guide or from HP Secure Print server. See Download Mac Print Scout. Make sure you've got your Site Encryption Key ready.
  2. Install the Mac Print Scout on a Mac workstation. See Installing Mac Print Scout.

  3. Deploy the Mac Print Scout on user workstations. See Deploy the Mac Print Scout.

  4. In the web console, verify that the Mac Print Scout was successfully installed. See Verifying Print Scout Installation.

Installed Files

During installation, all Print Scout application files are installed to /Library/Application Support/Pharos and all Print Scout data files are installed to /Library/Application Support/Pharos/PrintScout/AppData.

The Mac Print Scout installs approximately 306 MB of files on the local hard drive. These files include the following:

  • Print Scout application and other files

    • CUPSBackend
    • JobSender
    • Notifications
    • Page Counter
    • Print Scout
    • Document Management tool
    • HP Secure Print Setup Guide
    • Print Scout Configuration
    • Printer Drivers
    • SpoolerServiceMac
    • Uninstaller
  • Print Scout data files
    • Secure Print Log files
    • Registration information
    • Secure Print information
    • Settings

Log Files

Print Scout produces log information, which can be useful in troubleshooting problems. Here's a list of log files included in Mac Print Scout:

Log file Description
Install.log Log information which can be useful in troubleshooting problems with installations is written to /var/log/install.log.
PrintScout.log

For the Print Scout's interaction with the system, view the daily logs stored in /var/log/com.pharos.PrintScout.

JobSender.log

The Job Sender is responsible for sending job reporting information up to HP Secure Print server. Job Sender log files are written to /Library/Application Support/Pharos/PrintScout/AppData/Logs/JobSender.log

PrintScoutConfig.log

Log files related to the Print Scout Configuration tool are written toLibrary/Application Support/Pharos/PrintScout/AppData/Logs/PrintScoutConfig.log

Secure Print Service log

The Secure Print Service is the service responsible for handling secure jobs and printing them. Secure Print Service log files are stored in /Library/Application Support/Pharos/PrintScout/AppData/Logs/SecurePrintService.log.
Setup Guide log

Log information related to the Secure Print Setup Guide installed on user workstations are stored in this location:

/Users/[username]/Library/Logs/printscout-ui/workstation.log
Notifications log

You can find log files related to notifications (i.e. messages shown to users when sending print jobs via the default Secure Print queue) in this location:

/Users/[UserName]/Library/Logs/Notifications/log.log

 

Finding the Mac Print Scout version

To find the version of the Print Scout installed on user's workstation, open the Terminal app and type the following command:

/Library/Application\ Support/Pharos/PrintScout/PrintScout --version

Known Issues and Limitations

  • Policy Print is not supported on macOS.

  • On macOS Ventura, you may come across Media and Quality options, but if you expand it, it will be empty. This option should not be displayed as it is not currently supported by macOS Print Scout.

  • If the HP Secure Print desktop app is already added to the menu bar, clicking the HP Secure Print desktop app icon from the launchpad won’t open the app as it did in previous versions and as it currently does in Windows Scout. This occurs because macOS can only run one instance of the HP Secure Print desktop app at a time. Since it’s already in the menu bar, the system believes the instance is already running. If you need to quit the app from the menu bar for any reason, you can re-launch it from the Launchpad, and it will be re-added to the menu bar.

  • The HP Secure Print desktop app icon has been removed from the Dock. As a result, if theHP Secure Print desktop app dialog is open, it may hide behind other open windows. The only way to bring it back to the foreground is through the menu bar icon's context menu.

  • On Apple Silicon-based macOS systems (macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 13 Ventura), the Print Scout user interface is slow to open, taking approximately 5 seconds. This is a known issue that will be addressed in future versions

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