LPRng - I give up!!

[Chuck Stickelman <stick@richnet.net>]

This is just too much!

I've wasted an entire day messing around with this and just can't/won't
spend anymore time on it.

All I wanted was to setup LPRng to use the nice, new remote printer
server I bought (and the one my client bought...).  I wanted to use
magicfilter so we didn't have to worry about setting-up all of the
applications to output in PCL (one can't...)  Or have multiple queues
for one printer - the client  just doesn't seem to get the idea that
they can have multiple "printers" to choose from even though they only
have one *physical* printer...

But come on.  This should not be that hard!  I've read every message on
the list recently that delt with this issue.   (And tried each and every
suggested solution) I've read every imaginable HOWTO and man page.
Still, I get the same bleepin error message...

job 'cfA825Bertha' transfer to hp@Bertha failed

(Those who've read my previous posts may recognize this as a *slightly*
different error message than before...I've been playing around with
different queue/printer/host names...)

I've down-loaded the latest  lprng_3.5.2-1.3.  I've purged and
re-installed it all again.  (Even lost all of my copies of
/etc/printcap.* durring the purge...?)  Still the same error message.

Here's what I know.
Yes, I can ping the remote server.  (I can even telnet into it...it's a
BSD box no less...)
Yes, I can send print jobs (no relation to steve...) to it when I use
"lpr -P lps <somefile>".
Yes, I can have it all working when the printer is attached to the
parallel port - can even use magicfilter...unfortunately my client's
printer is about 40-50' from their server so a parallel cable is out of
the question...and I DO NOT want to get into making this a serial
connection just because some SW doesn't/can't perform as advertised...

No, I can not get "Bounce Queues" to work for love-nor-money.
Again, I've tried every example give by all of the gracious and kind
volunteers.  Still the same freekin error message.

job 'cfA344Bertha' transfer to hp@Bertha failed


The only thing I haven't done (and am real loath to do) is edit the
/etc/magicfilter/ file to re-submit the job from the one queue to the
other.  There are at least two reasons why I have not yet done that: 1)
it shouldn't have to be this kludgy.  and 2) I honestly don't know how.
(Just where would one put the "| lpr -P lps" statement...?)

If *anyone* knows what's needed, **PLEASE** let me know. [Specifically,
anyone who's gotten the "bq=" statement to work and shares the knowledge
gets a virtual bear and a GREAT BIG THANK YOU!]

Here's the printcap entries in question:
lps|Lantronix Print Server LPS1:\
        :rm=lps_260923:\
        :rp=lps_260923_pcl:\
        :sd=/var/spool/lpd/lps_prt:\

This is the entry that sends the output straight to the remote server -
it works, so long as the job is in PCL.  The LPS1 does have mutiple
queues, but some of the applications my client uses are fairly
brain-dead about printers [a.k.a. "DOS applications"], so having only
one queue is more than a necessity.

This entry don't work for crap:

hp|hpljet5l|HP LaserJet 5L:\
        :lp=hp@Bertha:\
        :bq=lps_260923_pcl@lps_260923:\
        :sd=/var/spool/lpd/hplj5l:\
        :sh:\
        :bk:\
        :pw#80:\
        :pl#60:\
        :px#1440:\
        :mx#0:\
        :if=/etc/magicfilter/ljet4l-filter:\
        :af=/var/log/lp-acct:\
        :lf=/var/log/lp-errs:

I've tried using lp=/dev/null, lp=hp@localhost, lp=localhost,
lp=practical.richnet.net and lp=hp@practical.richnet.net with no change
in behavior.  I've added the :bk: from a comment made by
magicfilterconfig, still no dice.

The real pisser is that I've scheduled tomorrow to go to the client's
site and install their cute little printer server...how I'm going to
make it work is another story.   Aaaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!!

I've also tried stripping /etc/lpd.perms of everything except
DEFAULT ACCEPT and *still* I get that flippin error message.  What is
going wrong!?  What am *I* doing wrong!?  Why is this so hard!?

</rant>

Let me end by saying that I love Debian - have been using it since
before 0.91 - and I know that I've gotten lazy with being able to just
install packages and have them work.  But I also know that I've been
working with computers since 1977 (old Kaypro II running CP/M...) and
with several versions of Unix since 1985 or 1986.  I'm fairly sure I've
forgotten more about computers than the average Windows geek
knows...but...

help.

Thanks!
Chuck

--
Chuck Stickelman, Owner                 E-Mail:
Practical Network Design                Voice:  +1-419-529-3841
9 Chambers Road                         FAX:    +1-419-529-3625
Mansfield, OH 44906-1301 USA