HELP WANTED: kdeprint with GNUlpr

[James Richard Tyrer]

Till Kamppeter wrote:
> James Richard Tyrer wrote:
> 
>>> Yes:
>>> 
>>> LPRng:
>>> 
>>> lpr -P printer -Z Resolution=1200dpi file.ps
>>> 
>>> CUPS or GNUlpr:
>>> 
>>> lpr -P printer -o Resolution=1200dpi file.ps
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> In this context, saying that you have to resort to the command line is the same as
>> saying 'NO'.
> 
> 
> "gpr" works as well with LPRng. The last touch on it was even done by me to make it
> working nicely with Foomatic and LPRng.
> 
> Under CUPS you can use "kprinter", "gtklp", or "xpp".
> 
> So graphical choosing of printers and setting of options does not require GNUlpr, it
> works with both LPRng and CUPS.
> 
>> With GNUlpr, you can use the 'gpr' command for your print command and the widget pops
>> up where you can set this stuff.
>> 
> 
> Works with LPRng and probably also other spoolers. What you need to set 
> printer/driver-specific options with it is a PPD file.
> 
>> But, the KDE GUI interface should do this.  And, it should be able to do this without
>> foomatic.
>> 
> 
> KDE Print can either use Foomatic or a readily built PPD file (for example from a
> PostScript printer, a CUPS raster driver, or from linuxprinting.org). So Foomatic is
> not needed if you have a PPD file, but note that foomatic-rip has to be installed if
> the PPD file is from linuxprinting.org or if you have set up your print queue as shown
> on
> 
> http://www.linuxprinting.org/lpd-doc.html
> 
>> After installing, my first problem is that I can't get my old Epson 24 pin to work.
>> 
> 

I'm at that classic problem where everything works except that it isn't printed.

To answer your questions:

> Which driver are you using?

The GhostScript Device "epson".  This is my *OLD* LQ1000 printer that I print listings on.

Which spooler are you using?

??  The lpr/lpd installed from LPRng.

How did you set up the print queue?

I used lprngtool.

***

I haven't had this problem for a while and forgot how to debug it.

I think that I got the: "printerdb" entry correct (copied most of it from PrintTool):

StartEntry: Epson24
   	GSDriver: epson
   	Description: {Epson Dot Matrix, 24 pin}
   	About: { \
            This driver supports Epson and some Epson compatible \
            dot-matrix printers.  \
     	}
   	Resolution:  {60}  {60} {Draft}
  	Resolution: {180} {180} {Medium}
   	Resolution: {360} {180} {High}

    	IfhpModel: gs_epson24
    	Supports:
EndEntry

and I hope that this will do for an addition to the "ihfp.conf" file:

# PRINTER gs_epson24 - Epson LQ1000
[ gs_epson24 ]
tc=ghostscript
gs_device=epson
gs_options=-r360x180

The direct to port print test works.

The PostScript test page is queued but won't print -- the files show up in:

	/var/spool/lpd/lp/

But: "lpq" gives an error message:

[root at localhost etc]# lpq
Printer: lp at localhost 'Epson LQ1000'
  Queue: no printable jobs in queue
  Server: no server active
  Status: job 'root at localhost+979' saved at 19:23:13.293
  Rank   Owner/ID                  Class Job Files                 Size Time
error  root at localhost+979           A   979 ERROR: aborting operations

Perhaps I'm just not having a good day.

I have the same feeling that I do with CUPS -- that I am using a sledge hammer to kill
flies.  GNUlpr was getting a little complicated but still easy to figure out.  IFHP has a
5K+ line configure file.  My take on this is that users use CUPS because it is supported,
but some of them don't like using the sledge hammer to kill a fly either.

My take on this is that KDE should include a basic print system that was capable of
printing to one or two printers (First milestone) or communicating to an external server
(Second milestone) as a client.  CUPS (and it appears LPRng) are quite capable of doing
many things but many of these are not needed to do those two basic things which probably
account for over 80% of the user's needs.

I see part of the problem already.  KDE only supports LPRng -- it doesn't support PLAIN 
LPR.  After installing it, I can see that some of the stuff now works.  I'm not saying 
that this is a bad thing.  If plain LPR is dead then we should drop support for it.

--
JRT