Help with Linux and usb-printer?

[ernokaikkonen 0]

I have some experience with Unix/Linux machines, but this one I can't hack:

I can't get the printer(Epson stylus C42 UX) to work. Princonf-gui recognizes the printer at /dev/usb/lp0, and makes a new print-queue as requested, but there are no changes in /etc/printcap. Attempt to print a test-page returns "There was an error trying to print the test-page". Well duh.

Any ideas?

[jfields 0]

Erno,

This is amusing. Every time somebody posts about an MS Windows computer crash or about a virus they got, it is absolutely inevitable that one of the responses is along the lines of, "That crap doesn't happen with Linux."

I'm not picking on you personally, but I'm sure you can see the humor in the role reversal. Is this when I say, "That crap doesn't happen with Windows"?

Sorry to be so unhelpful, but I have no idea how to fix your computer problem.

[SkyDaemon 0]

Erno,
The linux implementation of /etc/printcap is relatively well done considering your other options in the unix world. Although understanding it is still difficult. You may try to enter the /etc/printcap entry yourself:

/etc/printcap
lp0|ps|psc42|Epson Stylus C42:\
:sd=/var/spool/lpd/lp0:\
:af=/var/spool/lpd/lp0/lpacct:\
:mx#0:\
:lp=/dev/null:\
:if=/usr/local/lib/stc600pl:\
:sh:


As a side note, printer setup projects, are the biggest enemy of all programmers and admins. They all require proprietary drivers, are almost completely unsupported by the manufacturer, and require fine tuning which demands the OS, applications, and printer all be able to talk to one another. However, the printer has no API, is usually undocumented, and isn't made to work with unix.

Postscript network printers are you friends :-) You pay more at the store for them, but they really are, almost plug and play and they work well! When you add up the hours you spend trying to make a cheaper model work with parallel or usb, you can easily eat up many hours of effort, often for a result you're still unhappy with, and if you assign yourself a salary of $5/hr, at the end of the week, it would have been cheaper to just get the postscript/network model.


Check the newsgroups, mailing lists, man pages, and search engines. Linuxhelp.org has saved me many hours of tweaking. :-)

Good luck.

find / -name jumpers -print; cat jumpers $USER > manifest; cd /dev/airplane; more altitude; make jump; cd /pub; more beer;

[SkyDaemon 0]

Jfields,
Nothing personal, and I'm not trying to start a platform fight but... these problems happen quite often in the windows world. Printers are proprietary to their manufacturer, and although they often work via parallel cable, trying sharing them over a windows netbios network with multiple versions of windows. Or attaching them a "print server" so they'll be networked. Or even making them print within the specs they were advertized to be able to. Try finding driver support for the NEC SuperScript 1450N, or some other proprietary printer that one buys at a discount sale.
Printers are a headache all platforms get to share.
Want rant about it over a beer? :-)

find / -name jumpers -print; cat jumpers $USER > manifest; cd /dev/airplane; more altitude; make jump; cd /pub; more beer;

[jfields 0]

SkyDaemon,

Oh, I know plenty of printer problems happen on Windows. I'm a net admin at a company using all Wintel, so believe me, I know things don't always work well. One of the reasons so many people stick to printers like HP is the driver support. Plenty of other stuff works well, but if the company doesn't keep the drivers up to date for multiple platforms and situations, it doesn't matter.

I was just making light of the people (not Erno) that pop into every computer discussion with a comment about how Linux is the Holy Grail and solves all problems instantaneously. Things like, "Linux is virus-proof", "Linux has all the free software you'll ever need", "Linux never crashes", "Linux is easiest", etc., etc. We both rationally know that Linux is really just like Windows. It is a computer operating system. It is a chunk of complicated software that usually works, but not always. The same people that always have problems keeping their Wintel boxes running would have equal problems with Linux. Those that can keep a Wintel box humming nicely and reliably would do fine with Linux.

I'd be happy to have a computer rant over a beer, or two, or three...

• Quote

[MarkM 0]

Printers are probably THE hardest thing to setup in Linux.

[ernokaikkonen 0]

>This is amusing. Every time somebody posts about an MS Windows computer
>crash or about a virus they got, it is absolutely inevitable that one
>of the responses is along the lines of, "That crap doesn't happen with
>Linux."

Well, it doesn't really. The thing is, once you get Linux running, it's stable as bedrock. But, it can be ridiculously difficult to get running...

>I'm not picking on you personally, but I'm sure you can see the humor
>in the role reversal. Is this when I say, "That crap doesn't happen with
> Windows"?

Please do... but remember me the next time you stare at the blue screen of death...

[adamT 0]

I have responded to a few thread with pro linux comments, so maybe im one of the people you are refering to. I would never call linux the holy grail of everyones operating system needs. I think it is the holy grail if you are the type of person who may want to know exactly how your computer works and would like the option to customize it any way you see fit. I wouldn't recommend linux(in its current state) to anyone who just wanted to be able to use their computer without knowing anything about it, like you can most household appliances. Linux isn't 'virus proof' but viruses arn't targeted at it, and would not have nearly as much sucess as they do on windows if they were. Unix was designed with the network and multiple users in mind. Windows wasn't.
Blah, there was some more ranting i wanted to do but it looks like i actually have to do some work. Im just thankful that linux exists and is a choice. This slippery thing called open source is microsoft's only real compition in years. It is forcing them to actually compete on merit, something they hate and try to avoid doing at all costs. Compitition is a good thing for the consumers.
adam

[SkyDaemon 0]

Justin,
You're quite right in that an Operating System is an Operating System and they call have their advantages and disadvantages and unix isn't the "Holy Grail" for all, but it is for some just like windows is the "Holy Grail" for some, and Mac, and Sun, and DEC, SGI, etc, etc, etc. (damn I'm showing my age and nerdiness).
Linux is a wonderful hobby and its open source and hoard of contributors makes it a great playground and powerful work environment for those who wish to delve deep into the core of the operating system and who have the brain power required to manipulate it to their needs. A stock install still has advantages over windows in that its offers security features, an open source environment, and several feature which give the end user a lot of control. However linux also has its disadvantages.
Its relatively user hostile, the hardware support is not up to par with windows and the amount of support available from manufacturers is largely absent in the linux world. Linux requires the end user to be computer savvy and independent, windows provides a large cushion of tech support numbers, hardware guides, setup guides, and downloadable material. Although things are changing...
COM objects and even some of the new .NET stuff has its place. C++ can do some neat things and MS has done some impressive things, but its closed source, tends to run slow, works ok, some of the time, and is inherently insecure.
Picking the right OS for the task is what's important. Don't tell your little old mother to install NetBSD and expect her to understand why her TCP stack is causing her grief. Don't ask your paino playing friend to understand how to compile netscape from source. And don't tell your net admin friends that windows is easy to secure and makes a wonderful web server. Pick the right tool for the task.
Don't limit your available options, keep unix around, keep sun around, keep Mac around, and even (groan) keep windows around. It has its place....
So about those beers.... we should talk over beers...
-=SkyDaemon# kill -9 `cat /var/run/whining.pid`

find / -name jumpers -print; cat jumpers $USER > manifest; cd /dev/airplane; more altitude; make jump; cd /pub; more beer;

[ltdiver 3]

  Quote

Please do... but remember me the next time you stare at the blue screen of death...

SHUTTER...
Been there, done that with my pc.

Now I have a Mac.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon