Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

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Linux_cat
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Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by Linux_cat »

I never needed to post here before in 10 years of using Puppy Linux but this is terrible and needs a fix. It seems all releases of Focal Fossa and other distros released with broken Ghostscript and therefore broken CUPS are affected. Any printer that needs PDF data to print will fail (HP). Ghostscript is used to make that PDF data but when adobe code was removed for obvious security reasons, a page count function for Ghostscript got omitted. Thus persistent errors generated by CUPS at print time. The error message in CUPS is basically "Filter Failed".

I spent a dozen hours shooting this and here is one web page directly supporting my claim. There are others but I can't find them again (IRC?)... https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepo ... bug=926576

Perhaps the bug was created by mixing Ubuntu and debian code, i dont' know or care. I only care about Puppy Linux, all versions, and hope someone will fix Puppy's printing CUPs, I guess using the corrected release of Ghostscript code. That post is over 2 years old so shame that nobody with new Focal Fossa and an HP printer (ie; Envy 5660) or a brother printer can print a single page. These printers require a PDF be sent to it to print. I believe most pros only use HP printers so most of us must use another OS to print on paper!

Printing a Test page also fails. Dig into DETAILED info in the CUPS logs and "Filter Failed"errors persist, regardless of printer driver used. I think I was able to create a PDF file using that same CUPS, but not 100% sure of the end result as I was getting burned out shooting this bug. However I finally quit shooting after finding the answer in the post link above.

I am actually using the 32bit release of UPupFF+D-20.12+4 with the LXDE ydrv add-in (upupFF20+LXDE-iso) cuz LXDE is the only desktop for me. I test with 3 puppy PC's, all prior versions of puppy print fine with CUPS versions released prior to ~2019. LXPupBionic r19~ is still the greatest distro for me as FocalFossa / CUPS is broken. Otherwise it could have been possibly the greatest Linux distro, performing well for older PCs from 2001 with 1GB ram up to current mobos. Only God knows how many Focal Fossa distros are affected. I am guessing all of them. I attempted to install HPs HPLIP, but that failed. That installer also expected my pc to have GCC installed. Very funny-not.

If anyone thinks I have gone the wrong way in claiming that Linux & CUPS printing is now broken, have at it. I have been known to be wrong once before. But I have installed over 2 dozen versions of puppy without a major issue like this one!
G,day mate.

.Coding since 1972. DEC PDP-11, Rockwell Aim-6502, Xerox 820 + CP/m on 4K ram + 8" floppy. Timex Sinclair.

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Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by p310don »

I'm not going to help you (because I can't), but can you add what version of Puppy you're using, and which particular printer you're trying to get to play nice?

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Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by 666philb »

hi @Linux_cat

try installing hplip from the fossapup64 package manager

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Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by mikewalsh »

Well, in almost 40 years of messing around with these things, I've only ever used Epson. Despite my hardware being mostly HP - or HP-related - I've always stuck with Epson for printing/scanning.

Many people don't like 'em. Some even consider them "agricultural".....not super-swoosh, with tons of flashing lights & nifty features.....but they're built like a brick out-house, are as reliable as they come, and they just KEEP on chugging away, year in, year out. I wouldn't use anything else, and. most importantly, Linux drivers are always easily available.

My old SX218 all-in-one is over 10 years old now, and still functions perfectly, running 9-yr old drivers. ATM, these continue to function (thus far, they still do.....touch wood!), and cartridges are easy to get hold of, AND dirt-cheap; everyone and his dog sells them! :lol: :lol: :roll: :oops:

Plenty of sites out there which specialise in nothing BUT Epson spares, because you can still get cartridges for their inkjet machines dating all the way back to the first-ever units to hit the market......the legendary SQ-2000, launched in 1984.

Mike. ;)

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Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by Linux_cat »

666philb wrote: Wed May 19, 2021 9:52 am

hi @Linux_cat

try installing hplip from the fossapup64 package manager

Thanks Phil, I was hoping you would notice my post. I was going to add that I did install and try both the hpijs driver as well as the HPLip driver via puppys package manager, 3x on 2 PCs, all failing with the same error "filter failed". The logs indicate that the number of pages cannot be determined, which matches the symptoms in the debian bug report post.

1) I am using the 32-bit release of UPupFF+D-20.12+4 (with the LXDE ydrv add-in (upupFF20+LXDE-iso)). I prefer the 32-bit distros for a variety of reasons. Are you suggesting I test the 64-bit version? I am not sure what you want me to try but I will test anything puppy-wise including a 64-bit install to make UPupFF print on paper.

2) Also, have you or anyone successfully printed to an HP printer with any release of FocalFossa? (puppy or non-puppy?)
Upgrading CUPS in my installation seems like the logical thing to do, but I am not sure if that is even possible without a complete rebuild. I am currently a Puppy Linux user/tester, not a developer so I won't be re-building anything.

Note my printer is an HP Envy 5660 (All-in-one). It's firmware is only about a year old. One possible issue is that my printer is not specifically listed in the HPlip driver (under cups) so I manually configure a port 9100 setup and communication seems verified but printing still fails. My HP Envy is listed after I install the HPIJS driver (via package manager). That prints fine in older puppys like LXpupBionic 19.03 but not under UPupFF :( That is the driver I prefer to use if it would print under UPupFF.

Last edited by Linux_cat on Wed May 19, 2021 5:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.

.Coding since 1972. DEC PDP-11, Rockwell Aim-6502, Xerox 820 + CP/m on 4K ram + 8" floppy. Timex Sinclair.

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Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by Grey »

I am using Samsung ML-1860 printer with Fossapup. BUT. It is worth noting that HP bought the printer business from Samsung about three years ago.
Therefore, I downloaded drivers from the HP support site - there are programs and PostScript Printer Description(*.ppd) files. And everything is fine.

Fossapup OS, Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, 64 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB, Sound Blaster Audigy Rx with amplifier + Yamaha speakers for loud sound, USB Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro V3 + headphones for quiet sound.

perdido

Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by perdido »

666philb wrote: Wed May 19, 2021 9:52 am

hi @Linux_cat

try installing hplip from the fossapup64 package manager

My experience as a demining dog just now
--------------------------------------------------

HP Deskjet 1510 that has no gutenprint driver in CUPS

Downloaded fossapup64
made a save folder
updated ppm repositories
searched for hplip, it shows 3 items
chose top (1st) item and did auto install of package(s) - it installed a bunch of stuff and gave no errors.

Went to CUPS setup in menu,
searched for my printer, found it
chose the newly added driver for HP Deskjet 1510 series (or named something like that)

Printed a test page, no errors. Demining dog lives to tell the tale. :o

I don't usually use a 64-bit puppy and I never use an HP printer.
For what its worth. fossapup64 was a real pleasure to use.
------
Additional testing will be conducted using a peebee released 32-bit groovy gorrilla on the hp deskjet 1510

perdido

Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by perdido »

Using peebee's 32-bit groovy gorrilla worked.
Groovy here, it uses JWM viewtopic.php?f=144&t=1176

First tested CUPS PDF printer. That works.
CUPS does not see the HP Deskjet 1520 until I installed the HPLip package.
Updated the PPM repositories
searched for hplip

Three packages showed up, chose bottom package
hplip_3.21.2+dfsg1-2

Used auto install in PPM (not classic install)
Lots of missing stuff reported, (see attached file)

CUPS searched and found the printer
Installed & chose the HP Deskjet 1510 series driver
Test page printed.

overall_install_report-hplip.txt.gz
(803 Bytes) Downloaded 28 times

On fossapup64 it found the printer before installing but had no gutenprint driver, there were no missing packages after the hplip install and it printed.
On GG-32 it did not find the printer until after installing hplip and there were many missing packages after the install, and it printed.

I decided to not try the brother since the HP printed.

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Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by Linux_cat »

perdido wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 9:16 pm

Using peebee's 32-bit groovy gorrilla worked.
Groovy here, it uses JWM viewtopic.php?f=144&t=1176
.........

Very nice test scenario. I was planning on a test with the 64-bit Fossapup but after viewing your test result I plan to replicate your 32-bit GG test with my printer. The reason I was trying to get UpupFF to do printing as FocalFossa has LTS out a few more years than GG.

Just one thing you may want to try... print a text file via Geany. I am thinking that the Test page you printed is generated within the printer, not via CUPs.

.Coding since 1972. DEC PDP-11, Rockwell Aim-6502, Xerox 820 + CP/m on 4K ram + 8" floppy. Timex Sinclair.

perdido

Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken

Post by perdido »

Linux_cat wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 10:13 pm
perdido wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 9:16 pm

Using peebee's 32-bit groovy gorrilla worked.
Groovy here, it uses JWM viewtopic.php?f=144&t=1176
.........

Very nice test scenario. I was planning on a test with the 64-bit Fossapup but after viewing your test result I plan to replicate your 32-bit GG test with my printer. The reason I was trying to get UpupFF to do printing as FocalFossa has LTS out a few more years than GG.

Just one thing you may want to try... print a text file via Geany. I am thinking that the Test page you printed is generated within the printer, not via CUPs.

Both systems print using Geany.
fossapup64 has Geany 1.35 & GG-32 has Geany 1.29 , no errors.
This is using an HP Deskjet 1512 using the hplip from the repositories in PPM
Both systems were fresh .iso installs with no added software except for the printer.

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Re: Linux can't print - now that CUPS is broken - solved

Post by Linux_cat »

I tried to replicate your test using FF 32-bit.

Clean install using UPupFF+D-20.12+4 with the LXDE ydrv add-in,
updated PPM repos, no errors,
attempt to install the same hplip_3.21.2+dfsg1-2 via PPM, but many error/failures to download, and one shared lib not found (libsane.so.1) . I uninstalled the hplip in PPM, then re-downloaded to install and no more errors except the libsane.so.1 shared lib is still missing. That is not shown in your install log file.

But then Puppy printed on paper! Good 32-bit Puppy !

I guess my original save file was screwed up from not having a good install of HPlip under Puppy package manager (PPM). The only package installed before hplip was VLC in my original (failing) setup, but this time only hplip was installed (2x, no reboots) then it printed. CUPS also found my printer on the Lan automatically when configuring CUPS to add my HP Envy 5660 printer.

Looking back in time, what may have caused my trouble was installing hpijs (which failed to print), then hplip on top of that. I guess one should completely remove ALL printer drivers and dependancies before installing new ones under PPM.

Thank you @perdido

.Coding since 1972. DEC PDP-11, Rockwell Aim-6502, Xerox 820 + CP/m on 4K ram + 8" floppy. Timex Sinclair.

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