Re: apsfilter on Epson Stylus Color... Who can help?

[Bruce Stephens <bruce+debian@cenderis.demon.co.uk>]

Andreas Hetzmannseder <hetzmann@netway.at> writes:

> I've grown a long grey beard (no, not really :) ...) about the
> following problem: Attempting to print a simple text file with
> "lpr filename" on my Epson Stylus Color 600 produces a single line:
> 
>         Unknown device: escp2
> 
> Then it prints the same sentence on new sheets of paper over and over
> again, so that I have to remove the paper to stop the printer.

I also have that printer, and use apsfilter.  (Version 5.1.4-1)

> The standard printcap entry by apsfilter looks like this:
> 
>         lp|lp2|escp2-a4-auto-mono|escp2 auto mono:\
>                 :lp=/dev/lp1:\
>                 :sd=/var/spool/lpd/escp2-a4-auto-mono:\
>                 :lf=/var/spool/lpd/escp2-a4-auto-mono/log:\
>                 :af=/var/spool/lpd/escp2-a4-auto-mono/acct:\
>                 :if=/usr/lib/apsfilter/filter/aps-escp2-a4-auto-mono:\
>                 :mx#0:\
>                 :sh:

Ah, mine looks slightly different:

lp|lp4|uniprint-a4-auto-color|uniprint auto color:\
        :lp=/dev/lp0:\
        :sd=/var/spool/lpd/uniprint-a4-auto-color:\
        :lf=/var/spool/lpd/uniprint-a4-auto-color/log:\
        :af=/var/spool/lpd/uniprint-a4-auto-color/acct:\
        :if=/var/lib/apsfilter/filter/aps-uniprint-a4-auto-color:\
        :mx#0:\
        :sh:

The /dev/lp0 thing is presumably a difference in kernel or something
(I seem to remember the numbering changed).  However, the obvious
difference is uniprint.  Maybe it's worth you trying that driver,
instead?

[...]

> Have I forgotten something? Did I choose the wrong printer driver
> (escp2)? Do I need to install additional packages (like X, which I
> don't have at present)? Who has experience in using apsfilter on an
> Epson?

It's a while since I set this up, but it looks like I'm using
uniprint, not escp2, so that looks like it's worth trying.