[cups] Acquire paper and tray info

[Michael Sweet]

Paul,

Unfortunately, "forms" support in printers is highly printer-specific and is not something that CUPS supports directly. Moreover, as soon as you go the "raw" printer route you eliminate any driver-supplied information from the mix - there is no driver, PPD, or other information available to get the information from.

> On Jan 8, 2015, at 12:44 PM, Paul Mitchell <pmitchel at email.unc.edu> wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> I'm attempting to print to a Konica Minolta bizhub printer, from Windows, using CUPS as the spooler.  This, in itself, is not so difficult as I can easily send text (from say, notepad) to the CUPS printer via IPP.
> 
> The reason I am trying this is because the default software that the vendor has supplied us with has started failing and acting wonky. This software, when working, allows us to place jobs on hold, move them between printers, and acquire tray and paper (form definitions) from said printer.
> 
> The problem I'm having is that while CUPS can accomplish the first two of these requirements (holding jobs, moving them between printers) it seems to have no ability to import a set of FORMS from the printer.
> 
> Form definitions are defined in the PPD file, however, I'm declaring this printer a "raw" printer so as to be able to process PJL statements. Thus, I bypass using the Minolta-PagePro_1250E-Postscript.ppd file.
> 
> Is there some method for querying a printer and exporting definitions, or creating Form definitions for a "raw" device?  I can't believe I'm the first person who has run into this problem.  Obviously, since Windows drivers are able to querry the printer, there must be some API somewhere which defines how to do this?
> 
> Any advice (save buy a commercial product!) is appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Paul Mitchell
> ==============================================================================
>        Paul Mitchell
> 	ITS Systems
>        email: pmitchel at email.unc.edu
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_________________________________________________________
Michael Sweet, Senior Printing System Engineer, PWG Chair