CUPS test page prints, but nothing else will

[upscope]

Colleen wrote:

> A beautiful test page prints to my HP Officejet 3600, but if I try
> and print from firefox, evolution, or openoffice, pages and pages of
> incomprehensible gibberish comes out.
> 
> Why won't any other applications print, but the test page will???
> 
> Here's a log from a failed firefox print:
> 
> I [24/Dec/2009:20:58:27 -0500] Started
> "/usr/libexec/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=16664) I
> [24/Dec/2009:20:58:33 -0500] Started
> "/usr/libexec/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=16667) I
> [24/Dec/2009:20:58:36 -0500] Started
> "/usr/libexec/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=16669) I
> [24/Dec/2009:20:58:36 -0500] [Job 4] Adding start banner page
> "none". I [24/Dec/2009:20:58:36 -0500] [Job 4] Adding end banner
> page "none". I [24/Dec/2009:20:58:36 -0500] [Job 4] File of type
> application/postscript queued by "anonymous". I
> [24/Dec/2009:20:58:36 -0500] [Job 4] Queued on "HP001635530084" by
> "anonymous". I [24/Dec/2009:20:58:36 -0500] [Job 4] Started filter
> /usr/libexec/cups/filter/pstops (PID 16670) I [24/Dec/2009:20:58:36
> -0500] [Job 4] Started filter /usr/libexec/cups/filter/foomatic-rip
> (PID 16671) I [24/Dec/2009:20:58:36 -0500] [Job 4] Started backend
> /usr/libexec/cups/backend/socket (PID 16672) I [24/Dec/2009:20:58:38
> -0500] Started "/usr/libexec/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=16682)
> I [24/Dec/2009:20:58:48 -0500] Started
> "/usr/libexec/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=16683) I
> [24/Dec/2009:20:58:58 -0500] Started
> "/usr/libexec/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=16684) I
> [24/Dec/2009:20:59:08 -0500] Started
> "/usr/libexec/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=16687) I
> [24/Dec/2009:20:59:14 -0500] [Job 4] Completed successfully. I
> [24/Dec/2009:20:59:18 -0500] Started
> "/usr/libexec/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=16688)
> 
> 
> Here's a log from a successful test page print:
> 
> I [24/Dec/2009:21:04:07 -0500] [Job ???] Request file type is
> application/postscript. I [24/Dec/2009:21:04:07 -0500] [Job 5]
> Adding start banner page "none". I [24/Dec/2009:21:04:07 -0500] [Job
> 5] Adding end banner page "none". I [24/Dec/2009:21:04:07 -0500]
> [Job 5] File of type application/postscript queued by "root". I
> [24/Dec/2009:21:04:07 -0500] [Job 5] Queued on "HP001635530084" by
> "root". I [24/Dec/2009:21:04:07 -0500] [Job 5] Started filter
> /usr/libexec/cups/filter/pstops (PID 22256) I [24/Dec/2009:21:04:07
> -0500] [Job 5] Started filter /usr/libexec/cups/filter/foomatic-rip
> (PID 22257) I [24/Dec/2009:21:04:07 -0500] [Job 5] Started backend
> /usr/libexec/cups/backend/socket (PID 22258) I [24/Dec/2009:21:04:47
> -0500] [Job 5] Completed successfully.

What OS are you running?
I don't have an HP printer at this time, but I think you need HPLIP 
installed depending on your distribution.

in searching http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=HPAnd 
looking at the color laserjet 3600 I fine the following information at 
this Link.
  http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=HP-
Color_LaserJet_3600 Make sure you are using the following driver : 
pxljr (Home page). If not you should be able to get it from HPLIP I 
think or from the HP site.
 

Did you install the correct PPD for your printer? Look in 
/etc/cups/ppd and see whats there. Also you can log on to cups from 
the web interface and check everything from there. 

Also in Firefox see if file-->print has the correct printer selected. 

Hope this helps.
-- 
Russ 
[openSUSE 11.2 (2.6.31.5-0.1-desktop, x86_64] KDE 4.3.4 release 2, 
Intel Core 2 Dual E7200, 4 GB RAM, GeForce 8400 GS, 320GB Disc (2)