kprinter does not show the auto option for the input slot

[Helge Blischke]

helge.hansemann at lrz-muenchen.de wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> we have several printers here with A4 and A3 format.
> Up to now, we could send a job with a chosen format without knowing in which input slot which paper was. The printer knew it and chose the right one.
> 
> This doesn´t work anymore. See for information:
> 
> http://lists.kde.org/?l=kde-print&m=112668128313315&w=2
> 
> The problem seems to be, that kde now uses its own ppd parser which does not offer an auto option anymore.
> 
> There is no solution in sight in the moment.
> 
> What could be done ?
> 
> Greetings and thanks for help,
> 
> hh

As kprinter (as far as I could test it) insists on specifying an input slot, the only workaround 
is to add an additional choice

*InputSlot Auto/Auto: ""

at the appropriate place in the respecive printer's PPD and then, if needed, re-install the printer.

I think it is a design flaw in kprinter to require the specification of all three 
attributes - page size, input slot, and paper type. 
With most modern printers, you may specify a paper type and/or color per tray such that the printer
knows what media is in which tray. For many printers, this even applies to the media size (paper size).
So, to specify more than one of these attributes may lead to contradictory settings.
BTW, that is why CUPS adds the "Auto" choice if there is no choice with empty code.

Perhaps you could forward this to the KDE people.

Helge

-- 
Helge Blischke
Softwareentwicklung
SRZ Berlin | Firmengruppe besscom
http://www.srz.de