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troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa"

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  troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa" albcares <acbangher@gmail.com> - 2017-01-31 12:50 +0100
    Re: troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa" <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2017-01-31 13:00 +0100
      Fwd: troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa" albcares <acbangher@gmail.com> - 2017-02-01 09:40 +0100
        Re: Fwd: troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-02-01 12:30 +0100
          Re: Fwd: troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa" albcares <acbangher@gmail.com> - 2017-02-01 22:30 +0100
            Re: Fwd: troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-02-02 11:40 +0100
              Re: Fwd: troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa" albcares <acbangher@gmail.com> - 2017-02-03 12:20 +0100
                Re: Fwd: troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa" Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-02-03 13:50 +0100
                Re: Fwd: troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa" Mark Fletcher <mark27q1@gmail.com> - 2017-02-03 15:40 +0100

#177162 — troubles running a printer on Mint17.3 "Rosa"

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dear Sirs and Madams
I'm afraid my question could be off-topic; but anyway I try all the same
since Mint appears to have a strong relationship with Debian.

so, the matter is that I own an old laser printer Lexmark Optra e310. Few
months ago I had to reinstall CUPS due to a bad mistake that made it
completely out of service. After having restored CUPS I tried to join my
printer;but although I got PPD from various sites as "nodevice.com" or "
openprinting.org" none of them seems to run correctly.

Finally I set up the Optra as "generic" with PCL5; but this solution is
quite unsatisfactory, too.

Can anyone give me any sort of help?

Thanks in advance.
Alberto

-- 
linux user #521635

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#177163

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On Tue, Jan 31, 2017 at 12:43:06PM +0100, albcares wrote:
> dear Sirs and Madams
> I'm afraid my question could be off-topic; but anyway I try all the same
> since Mint appears to have a strong relationship with Debian.

I'm myself no printer expert, far from that. Besides, I tend to avoid
CUPS whenever I can. So I'm not the most appropriate person to answer
your questions.

Still, a couple of tips:

> so, the matter is that I own an old laser printer Lexmark Optra e310. Few
> months ago I had to reinstall CUPS due to a bad mistake that made it
> completely out of service. After having restored CUPS I tried to join my
> printer;but although I got PPD from various sites as "nodevice.com" or "
> openprinting.org" none of them seems to run correctly.

- - What does "not running correctly" mean? Can you address your
  printer from an application? Does it print anything?

- - Is your printer listed on the list of printers of your desktop
  environment?

- - Most of the time there's a way to print a test page. Does that
  work? Are the results "wrong"? In which way?

> Finally I set up the Optra as "generic" with PCL5; but this solution is
> quite unsatisfactory, too.

- - The printer prints, but it doesn't look good? In which way?

If you are able to answer some of those questions (or any other
you might come up with), this would help people willing to help
to focus their search a bit.

Regards
- -- tomás
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=sNSg
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#177218

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sorry the previous dispatch was personal only. Now I include the mailing
list

2017-01-31 12:57 GMT+01:00 <tomas@tuxteam.de>:

> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> On Tue, Jan 31, 2017 at 12:43:06PM +0100, albcares wrote:
> > dear Sirs and Madams
> > I'm afraid my question could be off-topic; but anyway I try all the same
> > since Mint appears to have a strong relationship with Debian.
>
> I'm myself no printer expert, far from that. Besides, I tend to avoid
> CUPS whenever I can. So I'm not the most appropriate person to answer
> your questions.
>
> Still, a couple of tips:
>
> > so, the matter is that I own an old laser printer Lexmark Optra e310. Few
> > months ago I had to reinstall CUPS due to a bad mistake that made it
> > completely out of service. After having restored CUPS I tried to join my
> > printer;but although I got PPD from various sites as "nodevice.com" or "
> > openprinting.org" none of them seems to run correctly.
>
> - - What does "not running correctly" mean? Can you address your
>   printer from an application? Does it print anything?
>
> - - Is your printer listed on the list of printers of your desktop
>   environment?
>
> - - Most of the time there's a way to print a test page. Does that
>   work? Are the results "wrong"? In which way?
>
> > Finally I set up the Optra as "generic" with PCL5; but this solution is
> > quite unsatisfactory, too.
>
> - - The printer prints, but it doesn't look good? In which way?
>
> If you are able to answer some of those questions (or any other
> you might come up with), this would help people willing to help
> to focus their search a bit.
>
> Regards
> - -- tomás
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.4.12 (GNU/Linux)
>
> iEYEARECAAYFAliQe5MACgkQBcgs9XrR2kbrvwCfZYQfF+S+JRWrDVh1EIgtQXxN
> jOgAn07wIw8UAc9I+xOmyqOpFKOr1EjV
> =sNSg
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
>
>
thanks for Ur fast answer. I'll try to do my best to explain.
I correctly see Optra labelled as "generic" in the printer list. The firs
print I get is generally good. But if I send another one, it jumps out as
wide as if it saw only the first quarter up the sheet: wide fonts, wider
grafics; the white field itself is printed with artefacts like clouds of
black spots. Each time I want to print beyond one document I must turn off
- turn on the printer. I supposed that any process remained hanging
somewhere but I couldn't find out.

-- 
linux user #521635

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#177226

On Wed 01 Feb 2017 at 09:35:20 +0100, albcares wrote:

> thanks for Ur fast answer. I'll try to do my best to explain.
> I correctly see Optra labelled as "generic" in the printer list. The firs
> print I get is generally good. But if I send another one, it jumps out as
> wide as if it saw only the first quarter up the sheet: wide fonts, wider
> grafics; the white field itself is printed with artefacts like clouds of
> black spots. Each time I want to print beyond one document I must turn off
> - turn on the printer. I supposed that any process remained hanging
> somewhere but I couldn't find out.

Did printing work before you "re-adjusted" CUPS? Try using the USB
and parallel connections to print. Is there a significant difference?

Get yourself a few small PostScript files from different sources.
pdf2ps and Firefox are two ways to produce one. Plug the printer
into a USB port and check the device in /dev/usb (lp0, lp1?). Send a
file directly to the printer with

 cat <PS_file> > /dev/usb/lp0

How does that go?

-- 
Brian.

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#177258

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2017-02-01 12:27 GMT+01:00 Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk>:

> On Wed 01 Feb 2017 at 09:35:20 +0100, albcares wrote:
>
> > thanks for Ur fast answer. I'll try to do my best to explain.
> > I correctly see Optra labelled as "generic" in the printer list. The firs
> > print I get is generally good. But if I send another one, it jumps out as
> > wide as if it saw only the first quarter up the sheet: wide fonts, wider
> > grafics; the white field itself is printed with artefacts like clouds of
> > black spots. Each time I want to print beyond one document I must turn
> off
> > - turn on the printer. I supposed that any process remained hanging
> > somewhere but I couldn't find out.
>
> Did printing work before you "re-adjusted" CUPS? Try using the USB
> and parallel connections to print. Is there a significant difference?
>
> Get yourself a few small PostScript files from different sources.
> pdf2ps and Firefox are two ways to produce one. Plug the printer
> into a USB port and check the device in /dev/usb (lp0, lp1?). Send a
> file directly to the printer with
>
>  cat <PS_file> > /dev/usb/lp0
>
> How does that go?
>
> --
> Brian.
>
> well, I checked as you Brian had adviced me. Firstly, I have no parallel
port on my tiny motherboard. Then my System identifies the printer after
"sudo lsusb" as Lexmark Optra E312, which could be correct. And indeed I
remember that before smashing CUPS I sometimes had the same problem.
the .ps files are printed via command-line.
furthermore, as I am not exactly a proper device-tester, I changed the
"driver" from *PCL-5 Printer CUPS+Gutenprint* to a *PCL-5 Printer Foomatic*
both provided by the OS itself. And it appears running better. I want to go
on printing a bit more before crowing.
What do You think? could the origin of the mistakes be in one of these
"drivers"? Has anyone the same or similar printer?


-- 
linux user #521635

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#177284

On Wed 01 Feb 2017 at 22:27:11 +0100, albcares wrote:

> 2017-02-01 12:27 GMT+01:00 Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk>:
> 
> > On Wed 01 Feb 2017 at 09:35:20 +0100, albcares wrote:
> >
> > > thanks for Ur fast answer. I'll try to do my best to explain.
> > > I correctly see Optra labelled as "generic" in the printer list. The firs
> > > print I get is generally good. But if I send another one, it jumps out as
> > > wide as if it saw only the first quarter up the sheet: wide fonts, wider
> > > grafics; the white field itself is printed with artefacts like clouds of
> > > black spots. Each time I want to print beyond one document I must turn
> > off
> > > - turn on the printer. I supposed that any process remained hanging
> > > somewhere but I couldn't find out.
> >
> > Did printing work before you "re-adjusted" CUPS? Try using the USB
> > and parallel connections to print. Is there a significant difference?
> >
> > Get yourself a few small PostScript files from different sources.
> > pdf2ps and Firefox are two ways to produce one. Plug the printer
> > into a USB port and check the device in /dev/usb (lp0, lp1?). Send a
> > file directly to the printer with
> >
> >  cat <PS_file> > /dev/usb/lp0
> >
> > How does that go?
> >
> > --
> > Brian.
> >
> well, I checked as you Brian had adviced me. Firstly, I have no parallel
> port on my tiny motherboard. Then my System identifies the printer after
> "sudo lsusb" as Lexmark Optra E312, which could be correct. And indeed I
> remember that before smashing CUPS I sometimes had the same problem.
> the .ps files are printed via command-line.
> furthermore, as I am not exactly a proper device-tester, I changed the
> "driver" from *PCL-5 Printer CUPS+Gutenprint* to a *PCL-5 Printer Foomatic*
> both provided by the OS itself. And it appears running better. I want to go
> on printing a bit more before crowing.
> What do You think? could the origin of the mistakes be in one of these
> "drivers"? Has anyone the same or similar printer?

There is no PPD specifically for your printer, so one of the Generic
PostScript or PCL ones is what you choose from. Problems could lie
in a number of places: the transport of data over the USB link, the
printer itself etc. The Debian wiki deals with debugging.

-- 
Brian.

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#177336

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2017-02-02 11:34 GMT+01:00 Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk>:

> On Wed 01 Feb 2017 at 22:27:11 +0100, albcares wrote:
>
> > 2017-02-01 12:27 GMT+01:00 Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk>:
> >
> > > On Wed 01 Feb 2017 at 09:35:20 +0100, albcares wrote:
> > >
> > > > thanks for Ur fast answer. I'll try to do my best to explain.
> > > > I correctly see Optra labelled as "generic" in the printer list. The
> firs
> > > > print I get is generally good. But if I send another one, it jumps
> out as
> > > > wide as if it saw only the first quarter up the sheet: wide fonts,
> wider
> > > > grafics; the white field itself is printed with artefacts like
> clouds of
> > > > black spots. Each time I want to print beyond one document I must
> turn
> > > off
> > > > - turn on the printer. I supposed that any process remained hanging
> > > > somewhere but I couldn't find out.
> > >
> > > Did printing work before you "re-adjusted" CUPS? Try using the USB
> > > and parallel connections to print. Is there a significant difference?
> > >
> > > Get yourself a few small PostScript files from different sources.
> > > pdf2ps and Firefox are two ways to produce one. Plug the printer
> > > into a USB port and check the device in /dev/usb (lp0, lp1?). Send a
> > > file directly to the printer with
> > >
> > >  cat <PS_file> > /dev/usb/lp0
> > >
> > > How does that go?
> > >
> > > --
> > > Brian.
> > >
> > well, I checked as you Brian had adviced me. Firstly, I have no parallel
> > port on my tiny motherboard. Then my System identifies the printer after
> > "sudo lsusb" as Lexmark Optra E312, which could be correct. And indeed I
> > remember that before smashing CUPS I sometimes had the same problem.
> > the .ps files are printed via command-line.
> > furthermore, as I am not exactly a proper device-tester, I changed the
> > "driver" from *PCL-5 Printer CUPS+Gutenprint* to a *PCL-5 Printer
> Foomatic*
> > both provided by the OS itself. And it appears running better. I want to
> go
> > on printing a bit more before crowing.
> > What do You think? could the origin of the mistakes be in one of these
> > "drivers"? Has anyone the same or similar printer?
>
> There is no PPD specifically for your printer,


which is exactly what I tried to be assured of: thanks


> so one of the Generic PostScript or PCL ones is what you choose from.
> Problems could lie
> in a number of places: the transport of data over the USB link, the
> printer itself etc.


the weird is that I've been running also OpenSuSE on the same engine,
obviously with the same hardware; Optra is working fine with it.


> The Debian wiki deals with debugging.
>
> --
> Brian.
>
> anyway it can be ok for now. I'll pay attention to my prints and I'll
check the Debian. Thanks to all.

One more thing: do these answers mean that Mint is considered compatible
with the mailing-list?

Best regards
Alberto
-- 
linux user #521635

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#177337

On Fri 03 Feb 2017 at 12:16:47 +0100, albcares wrote:

> 2017-02-02 11:34 GMT+01:00 Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk>:
> 
> > There is no PPD specifically for your printer,
> 
> 
> which is exactly what I tried to be assured of: thanks
> 
> > so one of the Generic PostScript or PCL ones is what you choose from.
> > Problems could lie
> > in a number of places: the transport of data over the USB link, the
> > printer itself etc.
> 
> the weird is that I've been running also OpenSuSE on the same engine,
> obviously with the same hardware; Optra is working fine with it.

Debian and OpenSuse both use CUPS but it is maintained in different ways
in both distributions. The same is probably true (for all we know) of
Mint. So you are not comparing like with like.

You need a file which *consistently* gives a poor output on Debian and
then run through the debugging techniques on Debian and OpenSuse. How
to test the printer was given in an earlier mail. Don't assume it does
not have bugs in its PostScript or PCL interpreters.

-- 
Brian.

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#177340

On Fri, Feb 03, 2017 at 12:16:47PM +0100, albcares wrote:
> 
> One more thing: do these answers mean that Mint is considered compatible
> with the mailing-list?
> 

Not really. Mint has its own support structure and while it is based on 
Debian, it isn't Debian. That said, the denizens of this mailing list 
are a tolerant bunch in general, and if you approach them with respect 
and with decent-quality evidence of what the problem is and what you 
have done so far, as you did, there is usually someone who can help :)

I'd say if there is a Mint question that seems like a general Linux 
question and/or is not related to something you KNOW to be different 
between Mint and Debian, it isn't outrageous to ask here, if you can't 
get help from the Mint community for some reason. Worth acknowledging at 
the outset that it is related to Mint though, as you did.

I've done worse, by approaching the list for problems with a LFS box, 
where the Debian connection was tangential to say the least, and got 
help. I was very upfront about that fact though, and if I had been told 
to eff off, I would have taken my medicine and effed off. Didn't happen.

Mark

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