Contents
Debian Printing (CUPS)
Keywords: Linux Printing, Debian, cups system, HP Linux and Image software, Install, Add , Change Printers, Print Server.
The Common UNIX Printing System (or CUPS) is a printing system and general replacement for lpd and other older systems. The CUPS Debian packages forms a nice, powerful and relatively easy to use printing system on Debian. (http://www.cups.org/)
Installation
- Install Software:
aptitude update aptitude install cups cups-client
- Start the software:
/etc/init.d/cups start
Add Printer
- Now you can add a printer by going to
http://localhost:631/
- [OPTIONAL]If you are in server environment and you do not have a browser like Firefox, you will need to install a text browser like lynx or elinks.
aptitude install lynx-cur
or
aptitude install elinks
- Now go with the text browser to the same address as specified before.
elinks http://localhost:631/
- Follow the instructions you see on the screen. Set the default printer.
Example, kyocera printer
- Type in:
elinks http://localhost:631/
Click on Do Administration Task, then Add New Printer,
Name: kyocera9520 Location: Back Room Description: High output printer
Click Continue
Click on !AppSocket/HP JetDirect
- If you have a network printer that you can directly print to, select:
LPD/LPR Host Printer
- Then change a device URI to one of the examples:
socket://hostname:9100
Then select Make.Then Model. If your model is not there, you can try picking similar printer number/driver and it should work.
When done go back to original menu. Click on Set Default Printer
Done. Anything below is optional
Printer Status
- Is the printer running?
lpstat -r
- What is the default printer?
lpstat -d
- Printer queue
lpq
Print to a PDF
You may not have a physical printer but need to get a document ready to print then you could to a PDF file.
First you'll need to install cups-pdf by running the following:
aptitude install cups-pdf
Once completed you need to setup the printer in Gnome as follows. Go to:
System--> Administration--> Printing
This will bring up a list of printers and in here you'll see an icon Add Printer
Now follow the steps as defined below:
Select "Local Printer" and use a "detected printer --> PDF printer". Manufacturer --> Generic, Model --> postscript color printer rev4, Driver --> Standard Apply
CUPS Administration
CUPS can also be administered via its web interface (http://localhost:631). You will be asked for the root user login and password.
- Any other setting can be done through the easy web interface or using a print settings program as root:
http://localhost:631/
- Options include: pause, resume, cancel print jobs, etc.
- [Optional]You can also login to the web interface as any user in the "lpadmin" group
No Printer Drivers
Most of the more common printer should already have drivers in cups system. For the newer or more commercial once see the manufacture website. You should look for the PPD file of your printer model. The PPD file describes the capabilities of the printer. For a comprehensive review and database of printer models, drivers and PPD files see http://www.linuxprinting.org
Canon (PPD)
For copier/printer/scanner like Imagerunner 5065
Download the PPD drivers: http://downloads.canon.com/cpr/software/imagerunner/PPD_v241.exe
- Run it using wine. This will unzip the PPD to temp folder. Find your printer and use the QX PPD drivers.
HP
Install hplip package. For new printers, it may be necessary to download and install hplip directly from the project web site. Check your printer here: HPLIP supported printers. This page will show the version of hplip required by your model. Setup the printer by running hp-setup (see below).
Kyoceramita (PPD)
Above Information merged from Lucasmanual.com Printing Section
Alternative Automatic Configuration
system-config-printer (formally 'printconf')
system-config-printer is a printer administration tool which first appeared in Fedora and later in Debian and Ubuntu. The purpose of the tool is to configure a CUPS server (often the local machine) using the CUPS API. The tool is written in Python, using pygtk for the graphical parts and with some Python bindings (pycups) for the CUPS API.
It is largely the same as using the CUPS web interface for configuring printers, but has the advantage of being a native application rather than a web page.
HP printer setup with 'hp-setup'
hp-setup is included with HP Linux Imaging & Printing project package hplip and performs setup of USB, parallel, and network printers and All-in-Ones. Network printers are automatically detected via mDNS (aka Bonjour on Macs). Using hp-setup to install printer also enables hp utilities for checking ink/toner level and printer maintenance. Run 'hp-check -r' to troubleshoot printing or scanning issues.
Printer Sharing
CUPS as Print Server for Windows Machines
You can setup CUPS to allow Windows machines to print to a CUPS server using an http address.
First, install the samba package. When you are asked to use WINS, say yes.
$ aptitude install samba
Next setup your /etc/cups/cupsd.conf file.
# Our private connection we listen to Listen *:49631 # Allow machines on local network to use printers <Location /printers> Order allow,deny Allow 192.168.0.* Allow 192.168.1.* </Location>
This will listen on port 49631 from any network. You may use some other port number besides 631. Note that the dynamic and/or private ports as specified by the IANA are in the range 49152 through 65535. Also, this will only allow computers from the local network to print to the CUPS printers.
Next, restart the CUPS daemon
$ /etc/init.d/cups restart
Now on each Windows machine, Choose that you want to install a network printer and that you want to install a printer on the Internet or home/office network. The URL you will use should be:
http://<cups_server_hostname>:49631/printers/<printer_name>
Lastly, the driver to install is in the Generic section labeled MS Publisher Color Printer.
CUPS and Samba
This section needs updating as you can setup print server via samba print sharing just by uploading drivers.
When printing to windows printers in an NT domain using SMB the Device URI should read
smb://username:password@domain/server/printername
This allows Samba to authenticate against a domain controller for acces to the printer queue.
When printing to a Debian CUPS printer from a machine that connects through Samba, you may need to set up a CUPS class to get things to work.
Printer sharing using Macintosh as the client and Debian as the server
If you have a printer on a debian machine and you want to share it with a Macintosh, so that the Mac can print to the Debian-based printer:
1. Use cups to set up the printer on Debian. You can do this as described above. The Gnome tool for printer configuration works well, and the 100% bullet-proof way is to use the browser-based CUPS configuration.
2. On the Mac (OS 10.4) start Print and Fax from System Preferences. Use the + button to add a printer. Ignore the 'IP Printer' option: the `Default Browser' should already show the Debian-based printer.
Other printing Systems
Debian has several alternatives available for printing:
CUPS. (Instructions above.) The newer Common UNIX Printing System (or CUPS) is a printing system and general replacement for lpd and the like. It supports the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP), and has its own filtering driver model for handling various document types.
LPR. The still commonly used traditional printing system is called lpr which works quite well if you have a postscript printer. Otherwise, it is not very simple to set up and doesn't provide much control for users on the printer settings per print job.
RLPR Remote line printer spooling system.
xpp is designed to be able to take the same command-line arguments as BSD-lpr and SysV-lp so most apps won't realize the difference if you create a symbolic link from /usr/bin/lpr (or /usr/bin/lp) to /usr/bin/xpp. This way, whenever an application sends off a print job to the lpr (or lp) program, xpp will launch its GUI so that you can select the options that you would like for this job.
External links
system-config-printer - Gnome's printers configuration .
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Debian-and-Windows-Shared-Printing/
See also: CUPS