maemo.org - Talk - Printing with N900

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- - Printing with N900 (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=56932)

Re: Printing with N900

I'm not sure which provide the links in Lenny, but I know none of them do it on the N900. :) I'd bet it's part of the setup script for one or more of the packages, probably the package(s) that provides the connectivity. (eg. if there's a cups-smb-backend.deb, it probably provides the link for smb). It could also be part of the dbconf package, which I think is a placeholder package for the N900, since it revolved around configuring an actual Debian system, which is not quite how Maemo is laid out.

All said though, running the link statement above does cause the dropdown in the web interface to populate, where a clean package install doesn't. The fact that that's all it takes to get this working is amazing. (Well, that and all the work you and BruceL have put into porting it!)

Thanks again to everyone who's worked on it for getting cups up and running! Only a few things use it right now, but I see this being as integral to the N900 in the future as fMMS has become for the phone side, if not more so. As more app developers learn that cups exists and add the minimal support needed to print via cups, the N900 is going to really start replacing my laptop. ;)

Re: Printing with N900

Ok, I will have a look at this.
The backend folder is there, but it is empty.
So before making the symlink, you will have to remove
the empty folder.
I am trying to find out, how it is created.

Re: Printing with N900

Another thing:
You have to type
lppasswd -a <username>
and the pw twice to add a user to the cups-digest.

Re: Printing with N900

I found this in the postinst-script:

Code:

        # Set up backends

        db_get cupsys/backend && SELECTED=$RET

        list=`echo $SELECTED | sed -e 's/, /,/g'`

        save_IFS=$IFS

        IFS=,

        (cd /usr/lib/cups/backend && rm -f http ipp lpd parallel scsi serial socket usb snmp dnssd)

        for module in $list; do

          ln /usr/lib/cups/backend-available/$module /usr/lib/cups/backend/$module

          if [ "$module" = "ipp" ]; then

            ln /usr/lib/cups/backend/ipp /usr/lib/cups/backend/http

          fi

        done

        IFS=$save_IFS



        # activate new backends on upgrades

        db_fset cupsys/backend changed false

        

        if dpkg --compare-versions "$2" lt-nl "1.3.4-2"; then

            for module in snmp scsi serial dnssd; do

                [ -e /usr/lib/cups/backend/$module ] || \

                ln /usr/lib/cups/backend-available/$module /usr/lib/cups/backend/$module

            done

        fi

Seems that this fails. But I get no configure error, but the backend folder stays
empty. For me the symlink is an ugly workaround.

Re: Printing with N900

It is difficult for me to judge the present status of this project, as the thread's structure is developmental not illustrative or functional.

Is it successful in its current state?

Part of a how-to

Here comes the right steps I think that drive me to the success:

1. Install packages:

Code:

apt-get install cups cups-client

2. Fix interface backends with:

Code:

if [ "$(ls /usr/lib/cups/backend/)" = "" ] ; then ln -s /usr/lib/cups/backend-available/* /usr/lib/cups/backend/ ; fi

2. Create cups' admin permission with:

Code:

lppasswd -g lpadmin -a root

3. Add printers with the web interface (works with iceweasel):

Code:

http://localhost:631/

With this I had enough for printing to a network postscript printer.

Now the main problem I see is the lack of printing support in the well integrated applications (specific Maemo applications).

Re: Printing with N900

The main problem is the right self configuring
of the package. The backend folder should
be set up automatically.

Re: Printing with N900

I had a problem in http://localhost:631 of being asked at the end of Add a Printer for a user name and password for a network printer which requires no password.

I am not sure if the printer was asking for the password, or the setup program. I tried root and the root password, and some others, with no acceptance. The printer was not added.

I notice that if you use the Firefox browser on the N900, select a location, then click "print this map", it will give you a screen to select a printer (no good for me, since I don't have one added yet).

Re: Printing with N900

rotoflex, have you tried to add the printer with the cups web interface from another computer? (ex. Ubuntu PC)

Re: Printing with N900

@rotoflex
Did you try the lppasswd command?
If this does not help, try the entries in cupsd.conf I've posted here.