question concerning cat /dev/lp0 with parport

["Gustavo G. Parma" <parma@cpdee.ufmg.br>]

Hi,

We have a quite old printer server machine with linux 2.2.13 (Mandrake)
with parport (default configuration) compiled into the kernel that
works fine as a printer server. The printer attached to lp0 is an HP
laserjet series printer and if we ask for the page count we got the
following answer:
__________________________________________________
printerserver:~# echo  -e "\33%-12345X@PJL\n@PJL INFO
PAGECOUNT\n\33%-12345X" > /dev/lp0
printerserver:~# cat /dev/lp0
@PJL INFO PAGECOUNT
285783
printerserver:/~#
__________________________________________________
Please, pay attention at the last line, the cat /dev/lp0 finished itself
and return to the command line (ok, this is not the best word but,
whatever...)

The question is that we are configuring a new machine to be our newer
printer server. We have the 2.4.19 linux kernel (Debian) with parport
compiled into the kernel. When we do the same test in this new machine,
we receive the following answer:

________________________________________________
cupserver:~# echo -e "\33%-12345X@PJL\n@PJL INFO PAGECOUNT\n\33%-12345X"
 > /dev/lp0
cupserver:~# cat /dev/lp0
@PJL INFO PAGECOUNT
470
_______________________________________________
Which means that the cat remain trying to read something and does not
return to the command line (I need to use ^c to finish it)!! This is a
major breakdown in our printer accounting system !!

Please, can anyone assist us (we really don't know the answer, that's
why we are asking for help.)

Best regards,

Parma

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