Re: Does anyone know how to configure a Brother MFC-J5720DW with cups?
On Tue 15 Mar 2016 at 09:46:26 -0500, David Wright wrote:
> On Mon 14 Mar 2016 at 13:20:25 (+0000), Brian wrote:
> >
> > "PDF filter" would be a suitable substitute for "PDF converter". But not
> > "PDF interpreter".
>
> OK. Debating what to call what happens between PDF and ink-on-paper
> is "less important" (I'm learning) than my trying to tie down whether
> that process takes place entirely in the printer, ie the box we bring
> back from the store.
I thought we had established that the filtering process takes place
entirely on the printer. After all, there are no drivers on the sending
device.
> > Yes. But maybe my understanding of what an onboard PS/PCL/PDF interpreter
> > does (stated in an earlier mail) is different from yours.
>
> OK. Debating... (ditto as above).
Ok, yes. But I have said what I mean by an interpreter. You haven't.
> > We seem to be both agreed that a PDF arriving at an AirPrint-compatible
> > printer has to be dealt with in some way to ready it for printing. Let's
> > leave it there. It is interesting to speculate how a printer processes a
> > PDF sent from a driverless device but ultimately it is of no great
> > consequence because it is not under our control.
>
> It's of the greatest consequence if there's a way of getting a linux
> box to send PDF files to an AirPrint printer and have them print.
CUPS is not involved in printing to an AirPrint printer. Debian CUPS has
been patched to enable an iOS device to send to any printer (AirPrint
capable or not). The principles to do it have been worked out and it is
Bonjour broadcasting which is the key.
> It means you can walk into a store and just buy something, take it
> home and it works. A bit like when I worked in a university: the
> printers understood PDF files so I knew I could just send stuff to the
> queue and it would print it.
>
> Here's my old methodology for buying a printer:
> -Go to the store and look and printers.
> -Persuade wife to "check reviews" rather than buy straight away.
> -Go home and look at linuxprinting-type websites for linux compatibility.
> -Search forums for complaints/difficulties.
> -List some linux-compatible models.
> -Go back to store only to find that all these model numbers are out of
> date and unavailable, replaced by shiny new models.
> -Persuade wife that the shiniest model she wants is going to be a great
> doorstop (or else she's going to have to print all my wants from a stick).
> -Buy a printer.
> -Find a driver that kind-of works.
> -Work round the problems that the driver throws up.
Since it is mentioned twice, your major tussle with printer purchase
appears to be with your wife. Driver choice and adaptation pales into
insignificance compared with this, :)
> > It really should. Without Bonjour broadcasting by the printer AirPrint
> > would not exist.
>
> I wrote "in this discussion". Drivers, not discovery. AFAICT I'm
> already using avahi to print now. I'm not, however, sending raw PDFs
> to the discovered printer.
Unless the printer has a PDF interpreter you will be disappointed with
the result.
> > as a solution to Jarle Aase's issue. All we need is someone with an
> > AirPrint printer to test it. :).
>
> Yes. Has noone else on this list bought one? There's a huge list of
> models. Unfortunately my model is HP Officejet Pro 85xx and one
> needs 86xx for AirPrint inclusion.
Gene Haskett has an HL-3170CDW, which he now knows does AirPrint. I
believe he is someone who is up for a challenge. Compared with flooded
basements, lightning strikes, falling trees and power cuts this is small
beer. If he is amenable he could
1. Install avahi-daemon and avahi-utils.
2. Do
avahi-browse -art > discovered
and post the file "discovered" here. Then we might progress.
Your printer cannot deal with files sent directly from an iOS device.
Through the mediation of Debian CUPS it can.
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