PCL printing failure Red Hat Linux

[Helge Blischke]

Chris VanDuyn wrote:

>> Chris VanDuyn wrote:
>>
>> >>
>> >> --=-oGZX9DhlC3l6rRFBrs5i
>> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>> >> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>> >>
>> >> On Tue, 2009-10-06 at 08:10 -0700, Chris VanDuyn wrote:
>> >> > Also, we are in the middle of migrating our systems from AIX to
>> >> > Linux. If I take a Linux generated PCL file, move it to an AIX box
>> >> > and print using "lp -d <printer> <filename> I get correct output.
>> >> > The AIX box is not using CUPS.
>> >>
>> >> What is the actual source format?  If you didn't generate PCL from it,
>> >> what format would it be in?
>> >>
>> >> The standard CUPS filters don't process PCL input -- all they can do
>> >> is pass it through raw, or generate PCL output from other types of
>> >> input file.
>> >>
>> >> Tim.
>> >> */
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --=-oGZX9DhlC3l6rRFBrs5i
>> >> Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name="signature.asc"
>> >> Content-Description: This is a digitally signed message part
>> >>
>> >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
>> >> Version: GnuPG v1.4.10 (GNU/Linux)
>> >>
>> >> iD8DBQBKy2I+BLQafZpK2tcRAvSFAJ4+cphvt5nkPrDXBkUVK3bJcPtHdgCcD9vw
>> >> pEFQgJkLbCJC23ZPZA/Y+K4=
>> >> =MCU3
>> >> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
>> >>
>> >> --=-oGZX9DhlC3l6rRFBrs5i--
>> >>
>> >
>> > The PCL file is being generated from a PICK/Unibasic program which
>> > embeds the PCL formatting within the text file as the file is being
>> > created. During normal operations the resulting text file is sent to
>> > the printer using the "lpr" command by the running program executing a
>> > "close printer", but for testing purposes I've captured one of those
>> > files and am just sending the file to the printer from the command
>> > line. The result isn't any different regardless of which method is used
>> > to get the file to the printer.
>> >
>> > Hopefully I've answered your question. In case it's not obvious, I'm an
>> > analyst and programmer by trade and have no real experience with Linux
>> > or CUPS prior to two days ago. Basically, no one else could figure this
>> > out so it was dumped on...er, I mean assigned to me. :-)
>>
>> Perhaps you could post (an URL to) a sample file. Maybe you could tweak
>> your CUPS by editing the mime stuff only ...
>>
>> Helge
>>
>  Try this link for one of the files I'm using in testing...
> 
>     http://www.4shared.com/dir/21313220/fcd75e44/sharing.html
> 
> My company deals with protected health information, so I've had to scrub
> the file of all identifying information, but only the text has been
> edited, none of the escape sequences have been touched.
> 
> I'm sorry, but as I indicated I'm completely new to CUPS. I don't
> understand what "editing the mime stuff only" means. :-(

Try the following:
(1) In the /etc/cups directory, insert a file named
	custom.types
containing the single line
application/pcl	istring(0,<1b450d0a1b26>)

(2) Edit your printer's PPD (in /etc/cups/ppd/<queuename>.ppd) as follows:
    locate the line(s) beginning with *cupsFilter" and insert before or 
    after these lines the folowing line:
*cupsFilter: "application/pcl 0 -"

This should safely bypass any filter chains specified  otherwise.
If your encounter "homegrown" PCL files that do not print as
expected, make a hexdump of the 1st 1 to 3 lines and mail it to me.

Helge