Hey all,

I'm new to the forum. I'm hoping someone might be able to help me.

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I noticed today that at the top of the PDF I was printing, where the 2D postage code should appear, all that shows there is the word "Button" That's no good, USPS uses the barcode for scanning in the package when it is processed to be shipped.

My current Linux environment:

Distributor ID: Debian
Description: Debian GNU/Linux 7.6 (wheezy)
Release: 7.6
Codename: wheezy

Any ideas? I can't seem to figure out what the problem is. I use my Raspberry Pi to do e-commerce business on.

Problem example:

Hello and welcome.

My guess is that one or both system or printer can't print the graphics.

Or

The apps that USPS uses to generate that is failing for some reason. A connection to external site, even fedex. Some app or process normally on systems.


Boot a x86 type computer to a usb or cd and see if you can't get to the proper print preview to see if it is on the preview.

Not sure I know anyone that might have an account to test how it works.

Thanks for welcoming me I appreciate it.

No, it was working fine. I don't think that's the problem. I save the label as a PDF, previewing it shows the barcode. Printing, the barcode disappears. My printer is fine. I think it has something to with how the document viewer parses the information and translates it to send to the printer through the que. I'm guessing it's a bug within the application HP offers for printing on Linux called HPLIP. I failed to mention it's an HP Photosmart printer. So, between HPLIP and the document viewer?? I'm just not sure at this point. It's frustrating...

Is the barcode being downloaded from a web site? Perhaps I'm getting too used to embedded content in email but that's what occurs to me.

Yes, from USPS.com through their Click-n-Ship business portal. As I mentioned the PDF saves fine. The barcode appears to be intact, but when I print the barcode disappears and instead prints out the word 'Button' which, I suppose is an embedded image within the PDF.

Hmmm maybe HPLIP has trouble processing certain types of embedded image files??

Sorry I meant that I wonder whether the barcode is an image served by a web server and displayed in the PDF client in the same manner that embedded images are used in email.

Try converting the PDF to PS and then printing.

Well, that's a good theory. However, I'm not sure that's the case. I'm definitely curious how to check that though. I'm not sure how to debug a PDF?

---------- Post added 11-08-14 at 07:52 PM ----------

What is a PS? PostScript?

Are you able to transfer the file to a Windows machine with Adobe Reader that is not online?
The above begs the question how do you know that the part which says "button" is, in fact, a barcode? As I would suggest you take whichever reader that was and clear its cache, take it off-line and test from there.

If the pdf preview shows it then you have it at your computer. It's the print ability or printer then. Some reason the graphic can't print or is being printed in wrong place.


Can you save the pdf?

Yes, it prints fine on a Windows machine.

I know it's a barcode, because I've compared labels between Windows and Linux.

I'm not sure what reader or readers Linux uses? Or which reader is integrated with HPLIP.

Yes, I can.

I am probably wrong but:

Hmmm. How does one clear the cache?

Yeah. If I remember right this may fix some images not printing on HP printers. I don't really remember the fix, but I remember I had to do some conversion to another format before it would print.