PCL printing failure Red Hat Linux

Helge Blischke h.blischke at acm.org
Sat Oct 10 03:24:56 PDT 2009


Chris VanDuyn wrote:

>> 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
>>
>>
> Sorry there was a gap in time here, I got pulled off this project to work
> on something else, and am only now getting back to this...
> 
> I tried the above suggestion, and got the same results I've been getting;
> one line and then blank pages. In addition, I set up a shared PCL printer
> on a Windows server and connected cups to it using samba. I get the same
> results there. However, if I take the file linked to above and send it
> directly to the shared Windows printer using PrintFile spooler on the
> Windows server itself, I get perfectly formatted PCL text. So the file
> works if it is sent to the Windows printer from Windows, but not if it is
> sent to the Windows printer from Linux. Or to a cups printer from Linux.
> 
> One thing I wasn't sure of with the Windows share printer though...how
> should I set up the drivers? What I mean is, Windows already has a driver
> set for the printer. If I set up the printer in cups using the smb://
> connection, don't I have to set a driver in cups? When the print job goes
> to the printer from Linux, does it print using the cups driver, the
> Windows driver, or (somehow) both?

Perhaps your printer does not understand PCL? Print and read your printer's 
configuration page to check.

Helge





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