PPC: USB-printer

Support knowledgebase (jsmeix_print-ppc-usb-64)
Applies to

SuSE Linux PowerPC: Version 6.4

Symptom:

The USB-printer is not accessible - i.e. as user root you cannot get any reaction from the printer using the command
echo -en "Hello\f" >/dev/usblp0

Normally you should get one sheet with the word Hello printed on it. As long as the printer doesn´t react, it makes normally no sense to make further configurations. It is a prerequisite that the printer is able to print ASCII-text (in this case the word Hello followed by the ASCII-character \f which initiates a form feed). Printers that are not able to print ASCII-text, are mostly so called GDI-printers, but there are printers which cannot print ASCII-text but are usable under Linux nevertheless - see the article Purchase of printers and compatibility

Cause:

The printer kernel module is not loaded - i.e. as user root this module is not listed using the command
lsmod

Solution:

  1. As user root do a
    modprobe printer
    to load the module.

  2. Now you should get one sheet with the word Hello printed on it using
    echo -en "Hallo\f" >/dev/usblp0
    provided the printer is able to print ASCII-text.

  3. Now you could do the printer configuration using YaST2 or SETUP - see the article Installing a printer for PowerPC

    In case of unsuccessfull attempts it is recommended to move the file /etc/printcap. Log in as root and type
    mv /etc/printcap /etc/printcap.save
    and after this please try to configure again. (With rm /etc/printcap you may delete this file.)

  4. Restart the printer spooler using
    /sbin/init.d/lpd restart

  5. Test the printer configuration e.g. using
    lpr /etc/fstab
    or to test color-printing e.g. use
    lpr /usr/share/ghostscript/5.50/examples/colorcir.ps

  6. If the printer-test was successfull use an editor to append the command modprobe printer
    to the file /sbin/init.d/boot.local for example use
    mcedit /sbin/init.d/boot.local
    By that the printer module is loaded automatically when the system boots.

See also:
o Installing a printer for PowerPC
o Purchase of Printers and Compatibility

Keywords: PPC, PRINTING, PRINTER, USB, POWERPC, MACINTOSH, APPLE

Categories: Power PC

SDB-jsmeix_print-ppc-usb-64, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 17. Aug 2000
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 17. Aug 2000 by jsmeix (sdb_gen 1.40.0)