Re: hp laserjet 1200 repeated printer-state-message="/usr/lib/cups/backend/hp failed" usb
On Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:06:21 -0400, Mitchell Laks wrote:
> On 11:40 Tue 16 Mar , Camaleón wrote:
>> 1/ A backend connection method: a) local: usb, lpt b) remote/networked:
>> socket, ipp, samba c) virtual: fax, pdf, etc...
>
> this is the first step on the web page where it 'searchs' for possible
> printers and usually gives me 2 or 3 different copies of my hp printers.
> never understood that till now.
I guess this is because of the "auto-detection" feature.
CUPS tries to detect the available printers attached to the computer. I
also prefer a manually selection, but on these days I'm afraid all is
becoming "auto-stuff" :-)
>> 2/ A driver (PostScript printers are just fine with PPD description
>> files but others need drivers to work)
>
> now i guess you are saying that the backends are failing me.
Yes, the "hp" backend was giving you the error in the log.
>> So, I would try with another backend (if "usb" is available in the
>> wizard when adding a new printer, or by direct input using "lpadmin").
>
> i will look to see what comes up at work this morning and at Dad and
> Mom's tonight
Anyway, I could live with the printer connected via parallel port. It's
slower, yes, but if it works, better not touch it O:-)
>> I see not "direct hal" :-?
>>
>>
> what is direct hal?
"Hal" is the glue for USB devices ("man hald" :-P) but now is being
deprecated by "devicekit" or something similar. So I think "direct hal"
should detect the USB printers. In fact, I've got it listed (Debian
Lenny):
***
stt008:~# lpinfo -v
network socket
network beh
file cups-pdf:/
direct hal
network socket://192.168.0.49
direct hpfax
network socket://192.168.0.29
network socket://192.168.0.39
direct hp
network http
network ipp
network lpd
direct parallel:/dev/lp0
direct scsi
serial serial:/dev/ttyS0?baud=115200
serial serial:/dev/ttyS1?baud=115200
network smb
***
That is, in the event you had an Epson/Canon/Brother/.../ USB printer,
that printer will use the standard "usb" backend, not the "hp" one.
Unless I'm wrong, HPLIP is only for HP devices.
>> In fact, different drivers provide different quality and speed
>> printinting output so many people have several printers added using
>> different drivers in each of them (one hp 1200 printer instance with
>> "PostScript" driver, another hp 1200 instance with "hplip" driver and
>> so on...) :-)
>
> ???? Is hplip a backend or a driver???
X-) Both, I guess.
It's a bundle, a "combo" package that integrates itself into CUPS and
provides PPD drivers *and* HP backend to communicate with HP devices
(inkjet and laserjet printers and also multifunction devices -those that
print/scan/copy/fax/.../make cups of coffee-).
> so which is 'better' or 'faster' the postscript or pxlmono?
Try both and test.
I find that PS drivers provide very high quality images and text but also
are "a bit" (a lot) slow when you select higher resolutions (600/1200ppp).
> I guess some for some stuff and some for others. Any discussion that
> you have found anywhere I notice that my printer is slow at times for
> printing pdfs....
> Any references that you can share?
Yeeees. I mean, yes! :-)
Complex PDFs are a hell to put into CUPS queue (it lasts minutes!). And
we have here, at the office, laserjet colour printers with 96 MiB of ram
but still has nothing to do with the speeds we get from the same printer
when using PCL6 drivers in windows machines. PCL6 driver is faster that
PS one and provides very good results, also.
But in Linux, we have to use PS drivers because allows us to manage
advanced printer controls (duplex, paper trays, watermarks, media
sources, printer quaility levels...). And when printers have very little
ram (<24MiB), it becomes really slow.
> You are very helpful! Thank you for any more light you can share!
You're welcome :-)
Greetings,
--
Camaleón
Reply to: