Some help, please, to understand

[peter]

> On Aug 4, 2010, at 3:36 AM, peter wrote:
> >> On Aug 2, 2010, at 1:44 AM, peter wrote:
> >>> ...
> >>> The O/S : Oracle Unbreakable Linux 5 aka RHEL 5
> >>> The CUPS version : 1.2.4
> >>> [As supplied with the release]
> >>
> >> This version shouldn't delay writes to printers.conf; do you see any =
> >> errors in /var/log/cups/error_log?
> >>
> >>> Rebboting is via : shutdown -h now
> >>> from the console
> >>
> >> You really just want to use "reboot" - halting doesn't give programs a =
> >> chance to cleanup or save their state...
> >>
> >> ________________________________________________________________________
> >> Michael Sweet, Senior Printing System Engineer, PWG Chair
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> > Michael,
> > Thanks I think I have found the source - but not yet the fix -
>
> Do you have SELinux enabled?
>
> Any messages in the /var/log?
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> Michael Sweet, Senior Printing System Engineer, PWG Chair
>
No SELinux is not enabled

I have tried setting permissions on /etc/cups/printers.conf
to 666  and for /etc/cups to 777

But I still get messages as follows when I add a printer via lpadmin

I [04/Aug/2010:12:48:29 +0100] New printer "ppp" added by "root".
I [04/Aug/2010:12:48:29 +0100] Setting ppp printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 0.)
I [04/Aug/2010:12:48:29 +0100] Setting ppp printer-state to 3 (was 5.)
E [04/Aug/2010:12:48:29 +0100] Unable to backup printers.conf - Permission denied
E [04/Aug/2010:12:48:29 +0100] Unable to save printers.conf - Permission denied
E [04/Aug/2010:12:48:29 +0100] Unable to restore printers.conf - Permission denied
I [04/Aug/2010:12:48:29 +0100] Printer "ppp" modified by "root".
E [04/Aug/2010:12:48:38 +0100] CUPS-Delete-Printer: Unauthorized
I [04/Aug/2010:12:48:38 +0100] Printer "ppp" deleted by "root".
E [04/Aug/2010:12:48:38 +0100] Unable to backup printers.conf - Permission denied
E [04/Aug/2010:12:48:38 +0100] Unable to save printers.conf - Permission denied
E [04/Aug/2010:12:48:38 +0100] Unable to restore printers.conf - Permission denied

Also if I restart cupsd
the permissions on printers.conf go to -rw-------

Is there any document anywhere that tells me how to set this up ?

NB The group for printers.conf is lp
but on an unmodifed, albeit little used  server the group is sys.

Which is correct ?

thanks