Printer Problem...

[Niloc]

I have a Canon Lasershot LBP 1210 laser printer. It works perfectly in Windows but under Linux it fails.

I found a driver at the Canon site, downloaded it and the printer installation worked OK. When I print a 'testpage' it seems quite happy but nothing happens. No errors, it says the the testpage has been sent to the printer but nothing comes out of the printer.

The printer uses the USB port, I thought maybe it is sending to the parallel port but I cannot beg steal or borrow a cable, the answer I get is 'too old'...

Should I persevere with a printer cable or is there somehow I can get the printer to recognise the USB port?

[Tywais]

You might read through this: http://www.justlinux.com/nhf/Hardware/Gett...er_Working.html

[Niloc]

Thanks, I went to the webpage but it suggests that I should not need the patch as I am running version 2.6.12.

I tried to get the patch anyway but the link was broken. I tried "mount -t usbdevfs none /proc/bus/usb" but that said '' unknown filesystem type usbdevfs".

Maybe I should try a bit harder to get a printer cable?

[Tywais]

Maybe I should try a bit harder to get a printer cable?

Sounds like the kernel is not built with USB support built in. Could take some time to do that if you have no experience recompiling a kernel. Should be able to find a printer cable somewhere. I assume you mean the 25-pin to 25-pin type.

[Niloc]

Yes, the one most printers used to use before the USB came along.

I have not buit a Linux kernel, a BTOS one yes but that was fraught with problems.

Do you think the standard printer cable would work? The printer has connections for both.

My camera plugs into the USB port OK, Linux sees it as just another hard drive...

[Tywais]

Yes, the one most printers used to use before the USB came along.

I have not buit a Linux kernel, a BTOS one yes but that was fraught with problems.

Do you think the standard printer cable would work? The printer has connections for both.

My camera plugs into the USB port OK, Linux sees it as just another hard drive...

A standard printer cable should be no problem if the printer has a 25 pin connector. Seems USB support is built in already, will dig a little deeper. Just noticed that USB Printer support is one of the options when compiling a new kernel.

If you type ls /dev/usb you should see several devices with lpx where x is a number such as lp0, lp1 ... If you have this then try typing from a terminal window the command "printtool &" without the quotes. From that website:

Open up an XTerm (or other terminal emulator of your choice) and type: printtool &. Click on the Add button down at the bottom "Local Printer" should be selected, so click Ok. Now click in the text box beside "Printer Device," and type in /dev/usb/lp0. Now click the select button and select a driver that works with your printer and set the options as needed. Most of them are explained in the Printing HOWTO. Once that's done, click Ok again. Now highlight the printer and print the ASCII and Postscript test pages. If you've got to swap cartriges to be able to print color, do this before printing the Postscript test page."

If printtool is not available on your machine try this command:

/usr/share/apsfilter/SETUP

Just saw that printtool has been changed to printconf, so might try the command 'printconf' or ' printconf-gui'

[Sulaphat]

Colin,

I found a live CD with Ubuntu 5.04 and booted my pc with it. I then turned on my usb printer (Epson R310).

In System>Administration>Printing I clicked on "New Printer".

I then had a dialogue box titled "step 1 of 2" with options of local or network printer and a check button for "use a detected printer". My Epson had been detected and the appropriate buttons already checked. I clicked on the "forward" button. The next step was to select from a list of printer drivers already in Ubuntu. I selected the relevant driver and clicked "Apply". End of printer setup.

Just to be sure I had not overlooked something, I started Open Office, created a document and printed it out. No problems.

Does your version of Ubuntu have the same New Printer dialogue, and did it detect your printer?

[Niloc]

Tywais, tried all your suggestions but none gave me any encouragement, looks like the cable is the only way to go....

Sulaphat, I have done all that several times except that my printer was not in the list. After I downloaded and selected to install the driver, it appeared on the list. Everything looks OK except that the printer doesn't print anything! The documents all appear in the queue, it says it is printing something but the printer is as still as a stone....

I am going to see if the friendly cyber cafe man will lend me a printer cable.

Thanks for all your help both or you....

[Sulaphat]

Colin,

In the Print Manager, did you start the printer?

I think that even after the printer is installed, it needs to be started in Print Manager.

Don't have Ubuntu booted up right now, so am not sure about this. I know it is the case in KDE.

[Niloc]

Sulaphat, I have not seen 'Start Printer' anywhere, I can pause it and 'un pause' it but I can't see anywhere to 'Start' it....

I can't find anything called 'Print Manager' either, just "System/Administartion/Printing' then it goes into the 'New Printer' page and shows the printer and my printer shows 'Printing : Job - Printing' but nothing is happening....