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Topic: printing, setting up printers

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DrWatt

Group: Members
Posts: 91
Joined: Nov. 2003

Posted: Dec. 03 2003,04:40

Thanks John, but Hallelujah I am printing away on my non-postscript printer as we speak. Its an old Okidata OL400 (non postscript dos printer). I'm a newbie, so I may have run around more than I needed to but here is what I did:

- used apt-get to install ghostscipt (gs)
- used apt-get to install magicfilter
- ran magicfilterconfig and told it I had a laserjet (the OL400 is compatible with the old laserjet)

It works like a charm now. I can print graphics, nice fonts, even 4 pages per page.

To other noobs who want to do the same, you do have to find a printer in the filters that is compatible with your printer.

DrWatt

Group: Members
Posts: 91
Joined: Nov. 2003

Posted: Dec. 03 2003,04:44

For anyone who can use it, here is a copy of the pertinant parts of /etc/printcap that magicfilterconfig generated:

# @(#)etc.printcap 5.2 (Berkeley) 5/5/88
#
# This file was generated by /usr/sbin/magicfilterconfig.
#
lp|hplj|hplj:\
:lp=/dev/lp0:sd=/var/spool/lpd/hplj:\
:sh:pw#80:pl#66:px#1440:mx#0:\
:if=/etc/magicfilter/laserjet-filter:\
:af=/var/log/lp-acct:lf=/var/log/lp-errs:

libretto

Group: Members
Posts: 336
Joined: Oct. 2003

Posted: Dec. 03 2003,17:30

DrWatt

I aptgetted gs and magicfilter as you suggested with no probs.

But after tying some settings of printers with the magicfilterconfig (even tried the 'gdi' printer to emulate my Samsung), I got some error messages:

Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/sbin/magicfilterconfig line 204, <STDIN> line6.
Use of uninitialized value in concatenation (. ) or string at /usr/sbin/magicfilterconfig line 205, <STDIN> line 6
Paper size is , page length is 66 lines.
Can't write /var/tmp/printcap: No such file or directory at /usr/sbin/magicfilterconfig line 207, <STDIN> line6

Im not sure what is going on as the above file does exist and I dont think there were any errors created apt-getting the magicfilter.

Any ideas?

P.S.: The printer doesn't work under Mandrake 9.2, despite it working under Redhat 7.3!

--------------
Small Radio, Small Laptop, DSL Linux

DrWatt

Group: Members
Posts: 91
Joined: Nov. 2003

Posted: Dec. 03 2003,18:10

I'm not exactly sure what is going on. I got the same type errors a few times, while switching between printtool and magicfilter. They both do the same thing, so if one doesn't work, you might try the other. I think John suggested another filter program that writes /etc/printcap earlier in this thread, as well.

The errors you are getting refer to errors magicfilter is seeing in the printcap it is trying to write. According to the error messages, it never wrote a new printcap.

One other emergency type solution is to google for your printer and printcap. I found several people who posted their /etc/printcaps for a printer similar to mine. It was instructive reading them.

Keep at it, and hopefully you will get it working very soon. Let us know how it works out.

DrWatt

Group: Members
Posts: 91
Joined: Nov. 2003

Posted: Dec. 03 2003,18:12

You might also try reading the /etc/printcap that RedHat 7.3 wrote for your printer, if you still have that somewhere. You may be able to just copy it.

12 replies since Oct. 23 2003,12:35

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