[cups.general] Probably stupid questions, but I'm confused

[Gerald Britton]

I submitted STR #2560 as suggested

On 10/16/07, Kurt Pfeifle <k1pfeifle at gmx.net> wrote:
> Gerald Britton wrote:
>
> > Hi all.  I just upgraded my ubuntu system running cups to Gutsy with
> > Cups 1.3.2.  I'm playing with printer options and there's a few things
> > I don't get (guess I'm just a little thick!)
> >
> > The help seems to recommend specifying the socket: form of the device
> > URI, then later recommends ipp: if the device supports it:
> >
> > =======================
> > The AppSocket protocol (sometimes also called the JetDirect protocol,
> > owing to its origins with the HP JetDirect network interfaces)
> > is the simplest, fastest, and generally the most reliable network
> > protocol used for printers. AppSocket printing normally happens
> > over port 9100 and uses the socket URI scheme:
>
> This statement is valid.
>
> > [snip]
> >
> >   Internet Printing Protocol (IPP)
> >
> >    IPP is the only protocol that CUPS supports natively, and is also
> > supported by many network printers. We recommend using
> >    this protocol over others whenever the printer or server supports
> > it. IPP printing normally happens over port 631 and uses ...
>
> This statement probably originates from the "early days", when there
> was much hope that the hardware vendors would very quickly add re-
> liable IPP implementation to their protocol stack.
>
> Unfortunately, it turned out that many of them do have rather buggy
> and little-maintained implemenations, with cases where printers even
> go and play dead until after you powercycle them, just because you
> run an IPP query against their open port 631.
>
> So there *are* a few models out there where you may be better off
> with IPP. But you need to test it, and see if it works for your
> printer.
>
> If not, or otherwise from the start, use AppSocket/JetDirect
> "socket://"
>
> So, above statement should prabably be modified/revised. You should
> submit an STR at www.cups.org/str.php
>
> > ======================
> >
> > So, if my printer supports both JetDirect and ipp, should I use Socket
> > since that is "the simplest, fastest, and generally the most reliable
> > network protocol" or ipp, since the document recommends "using  this
> > protocol over others whenever the printer or server supports it" ?
> >
> > In the Set Printer Options screen under General:
> >
> > 1.  Are the values for Media Size, Media Source, Media Type and Duplex
> > supposed to be the default value unless overridden on the lpr command?
>
> What you set via the web interface will be the defaults for each user.
> These will be used unless something else is specified in
> /etc/cups/lpoptions. Settings there will be used unless overridden in
> a user's ~/.cups/lpoptions file. Settings there can be overridden on
> the commandline (or in kprinter, xpp, gtklp, whatever GUI).
>
> > 2. There is an option, "Tray 1 (Manual)" with "True" and "False" radio
> > buttons.  Does this option, if true, mean "Use Tray 1 by default" ?
> > If not, what does it mean?
>
> You don't say which PPD/printer driver you're using. If it is under
> "Installable Options", you need to set it to false in case your device
> didn't ship with a "Manual Tray". Otherwise, set to true.
>
> --
> Kurt Pfeifle
> System & Network Printing Consultant ---- Linux/Unix/Windows/Samba/CUPS
> Infotec Deutschland GmbH  .....................  Hedelfinger Strasse 58
> A RICOH Company  ...........................  D-70327 Stuttgart/Germany
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