Using API Keys

OL Connect Send allows to use API keys to enhance security. Using API keys is optional, but strongly recommended.

This is how it works.

• The print service provider provides an API key to the Printer Driver user (see Providing an API key to a user).
• When a job is printed by the OL Connect Send Printer Driver, it will include the API key in its HTTP headers to authorize itself for printing (see The API key in the HTTP headers).
• The Workflow process that receives print jobs needs to verify the API key (see Verifying an API Key).
• If the API key is not accepted, the server should respond with HTTP status 401.
• If the OLCS client receives a response with status code 401, it will stop trying to submit the print job, and the print job will go into an error status with an appropriate error message.

Providing an API key to a user

It is up to the print service provider to manage API keys and provide them to subscribers.
The subscriber will either need the API key itself and enter it during installation of the printer driver, or a presets file that includes the API key, which the Setup tool will use if the two are located in the same folder, or if it is downloaded as part of the Installation (see Installing OL Connect Send Printer Driver).
The same presets file is used by the Silent Setup tool (see Mass deployment of the OL Connect Send Printer Driver).

Ideally, the service provider would create a portal for their subscribers, allowing subscribers to manage API keys and download the keys or installation files/packages themselves.