Unable to create printers on Windows 2008 using WMI Class - powershell

Question

When using the below code to create printer on Windows 2008 servers to create the printers
`function CreatePrinterPort {
$server = $args[0]
$port = ([WMICLASS]“\\$server\ROOT\cimv2:Win32_TCPIPPrinterPort").createInstance()
$port.Name= $args[1]
$port.SNMPEnabled=$false
$port.Protocol=2
$port.HostAddress= $args[2]
$port.Put()
}
function CreatePrinter {
$server = $args[0]
$print = ([WMICLASS]“\\$server\ROOT\cimv2:Win32_Printer”).createInstance()
$print.Drivername = $args[1]
$print.PortName = $args[2]
$print.Shared = $true
$print.Published = $false
$print.Sharename = $args[3]
$print.Location = $args[4]
$print.Comment = $args[5]
$print.DeviceID=$args[2]
$print.Put()
}
$printers = Import-Csv “C:\printers.csv”
foreach ($printer in $printers) {
CreatePrinterPort $printer.Printserver $printer.Portname $printer.IPAddress
CreatePrinter $printer.Printserver $printer.Driver $printer.Portname $printer.Sharename $printer.Location $printer.Comment $printer.Printername
}'
I am getting the following error. The port creation function is working.
"IsSingleton : False
Exception calling "Put" with "0" argument(s): "Generic failure "
At line:23 char:1
+ $print.Put()
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : DotNetMethodException"
I have importing all the details from a CSV file and it contains all the information.
Any suggestions?

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure you're both doing this the hard way, and didn't read the MSDN page for the Win32_Printer class. It says in the remarks that you have to enable the SeDriverUpdate privilege before you can issue the Put method, so I have a feeling that's where you're getting your error from.
Next, use the Set-WMIInstance cmdlet, or the newer 'New-CIMInstance` if you can. Calling the classes directly is possible I'm sure, but if the server is local it won't enable the privileges that you need to create a printer.
Lastly, you could make your function better if you made it an advanced function, and allowed piped data. Check this out:
function CreatePrinter {
[cmdletbinding()]
Param(
[Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)]
[Alias('Printserver')]
$Server,
[Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)]
[Alias('Driver')]
$Drivername,
[Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)]
$PortName,
[Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)]
$Sharename,
[Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)]
$Location,
[Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)]
$Comment,
[Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)]
[Alias('IPAddress')]
$HostAddress,
[Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)]
[Alias('PrinterName')]
$Name
)
PROCESS{
$PortArgs = #{
Name = $PortName
SNMPEnabled = $false
Protocol = 2
HostAddress = $HostAddress
}
Set-WmiInstance -Class Win32_TCPIPPrinterPort -Arguments $PortArgs -ComputerName $Server -PutType UpdateOrCreate -EnableAllPrivileges
$PrinterArgs = #{
Drivername = $Drivername
PortName = $PortName
Shared = $true
Published = $false
Sharename = $Sharename
Location = $Location
Comment = $Comment
DeviceID = $PortName
Name = $Name
}
Set-WmiInstance -Class Win32_Printer -Arguments $CmdArgs -ComputerName $Server -PutType UpdateOrCreate -EnableAllPrivileges
}
}
That creates the port, and then the printer. I suppose you could split it into two functions, but do you really see needing one without the other? Plus you can pipe your CSV data directly into it like this:
Import-CSV "C:\printers.csv" | CreatePrinter
That's it, that will create ports and printers for all records in the CSV. Plus I used the UpdateOrCreate enum, so if something isn't right you could correct the CSV and just run it again to refresh the settings to the correct settings without having to worry about deleting old copies and making new copies of things.