[cups.general] HP LaserJet 5 Si MX and multiple paper sizes

[Kurt Pfeifle]

Phil Reynolds wrote:
> I have recently acquired a second hand HP LaserJet 5Si MX.

Is that thingie PostScript-enabled? What interfaces does it have?
Parallel? Network as well?

> I am wondering how, if possible, I can have a single name for the
> printer and cope with the automatic selection of trays (and duplex once
> fitted).

I don't know what you mean with "automatic selection of trays".

> If it is not possible, it seems I shall just have to have multiple
> printer names. 

Hey, we don't live in the 80s or 90s of the last century any more. We
can do a *lot* of stuff now in the *nix world (even things that make
the Windows users and admins envious)            ;-)

> Is there any specific reason against this?

You may or may not have installed a lot of PPDs already on your system.
You can manually search for them in /usr/share/cups/model/ and subdirs.

Or do this (as root):

  lpinfo -m | grep -i 5si

  # This tells you if and how many suitable drivers/PPDs are available
  # for your model. If you have a PostScript model, and see a PPD that
  # is for PostScript, use that. (It is part of a package provided by
  # your Linux distro, not by CUPS). You may see lines like these:
  #
  #    manufacturer-PPDs/hplip/HP-LaserJet_5Si-hpijs.ppd.gz HP LaserJet 5Si Foomatic/hpijs
  #    manufacturer-PPDs/hp/HP_LaserJet_5Si_Mopier.ppd.gz HP LaserJet 5Si Mopier Postscript
  #    manufacturer-PPDs/hp/HP_LaserJet_5Si.ppd.gz HP LaserJet 5Si/5Si MX Postscript
  #


  lpinfo -m | grep "HP LaserJet Series"|grep -i cups

  # If you have a PCL-only model, use the generic 'laserjet.ppd" that
  # ships with CUPS. You may see lines like these:
  #
  #    laserjet.ppd.gz HP LaserJet Series PCL 4/5 CUPS v1.2
  #    pxlmono.ppd HP LaserJet Series PCL 6 CUPS
  #


  lpinfo -v

  # To see which backends (print connectivity interfaces) your CUPS has
  # enabled. If you had your printer plugged in and switched on, CUPS may
  # even have autodiscovered the thingie, if you point your browser to
  # http://localhost:631/admin (and if you were lucky enough to choose an
  # OS distro that does not sabotage CUPS' advanced features in the name
  # of supposedly increased security...   You may see lines like these:
  #
  #    network socket              # Generic form to show socket backend
  #    network socket://10.11.4.6  # This one is auto-discovered
  #    direct parallel:/dev/lp0    # Parallel port backend
  #


Now install the thingie:

  lpadmin -p hp5si -v socket://10.11.4.6:9100 -E -m manufacturer-PPDs/hp/HP_LaserJet_5Si.ppd.gz

  # for an ethernet-connected printer. Note -- you have to type the
  # "-m ..." parameter exactly as previously shown in "lpinfo -m ..."
  # Otherwise use "-P /path/to/my/PPD.ppd"
  #

  lpadmin -p hp5si -v parallel:/dev/lp0 -E -m manufacturer-PPDs/hplip/HP-LaserJet_5Si-hpijs.ppd.gz

  # for an parallel port-connected printer. Note -- you have to type the
  # "-m ..." parameter exactly as previously shown in "lpinfo -m ..."
  # Otherwise use "-P /path/to/my/PPD.ppd"
  #


-- 
Kurt Pfeifle
System & Network Printing Consultant ---- Linux/Unix/Windows/Samba/CUPS
Infotec Deutschland GmbH  .....................  Hedelfinger Strasse 58
A RICOH Company  ...........................  D-70327 Stuttgart/Germany