[clue-tech] fighting with CUPS

Roy J. Tellason rtellason at verizon.net
Tue Aug 5 20:45:41 MDT 2008


On Monday 04 August 2008 14:51, Bruce Ediger wrote:
> On Mon, 4 Aug 2008, Roy J. Tellason wrote:
> > I had CUPS working here on a server box,  which is currently down,  and
> > am trying to get it working to the extent of being able to plug the
> > printer into my laptop here.
> >
> > I'm getting 403 errors.  I can't seem to locate what I need to fiddle
> > with to fix that.
> >
> > Any suggestions?
>
> Has slackware resolved the problem that by default a full software install
> puts in CUPS, then puts in LPNG.  This results in lp/lpr commands that
> don't talk to CUPS.

The problem must have something to do with installation choices.  The last 
several installs that I've done I picked expert mode,  or whatever mode it is 
that allows you to select individual packages.  Browsing /var/log/packages I 
don't see any lp* in there.

> The major problems I've had with CUPS have been solved by:
>
> (a) uninstalling the LPRNG (or is it LPNG, can't recall), and CUPS,
> then re-installing the CUPS package.
>
> (b) Fiddling with the .ppd file.  At one point, I had to fish the .ppd
> file off the CD that came with my printer (Brother 5070N), as the
> "Foomatic" generated PPD did not work, erroring out in a very confusing
> fashion.

The attempt in the KDE stuff to add a printer seemed to go through,  unless I 
tried to select "postscript printer" at which point it complained that it 
couldn't find the driver.  The printer is an HP Laserjet 5MP,  originally a 
part of a mac system,  and it understands postscript just fine.  I don't have 
the docs for it handy but was hoping that the "mp" suffix would be enough.

> As of Slackware 11.0, the Foomatic-generated PPD file works for me.

That's what I'm running here on this box.

> I have only installed 12.0 on one computer that's partially disassembled
> right now, so I can't even go check on how 12.0 does it.  I'm still running
> 11.0 or 11.1 on my day-to-day boxes.

I never got 11.0,  and downloaded 12.0 at one point but the box that got 
downloaded to isn't working at present and I don't have anything else I can 
burn stuff on.  I notice that 12.1 seems to be out,  too.

-- 
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space,  a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed.  --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James 
M Dakin


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