Re: Cups, Gutenprint, and Plain Text

[Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk>]

On Sat 02 Jan 2016 at 11:49:44 -0600, John Hasler wrote:

> Brian writes:
> > The printer name and model would be useful to know; as would the PPD
> > presently being used.
> 
> It's a HP LaserJet 5MP connected to a parallel printer port.  Lpoptions
> says "printer-make-and-model='HP LaserJet 5MP - CUPS+Gutenprint
> v5.2.10'"

The question is whether the gray bar is an artifact produced by CUPS
(unlikely), by cups-filters (possible, but unlikely), the Gutenprint
driver (could be) or the printer (one never knows). Or it could be part
of the original file. We assume the file is something produced by a
text editor, vim etc.

Your printer is a PostScript printer. Obtain the URI of the parallel
port with

  lpstat -v

and set up a print queue with

  lpadmin -p HP5M-test1 -v <URI> -E -m drv:///sample.drv/generic.ppd

Print with

  lp -d HP5M-test1 <text_file>

You could also try

  lpadmin -p HP5M-test2 -v <URI> -E -m lsb/usr/cupsfilters/textonly.ppd

> > There is no difference in using lp or lpr.
> 
> Yes.  That's unimportant.

Not for the people who think there is a significant difference.