Hi all,

Anyone who's as good at helping out... I was hoping for a hand - perhaps a big one.

I have just bought a Zonerich (Chinese Brand) POS Receipt Printer Model No. AB-T88 (USB).

I have connected it to an XP Virtual Machine (Maverick 64-bit host laptop, XP 32-bit Guest) and been able to install it easily and successfully printed a test message from there.

I have been unable to install it, however, in Ubuntu Maverick (32-bit desktop) as I am unsure of the process to follow. I have tried in CUPS and it doesn't seem to be recognised. I have tried restarting CUPS and it never shows a USB Printer option when I have it connected.

As well as installing it in Maverick I want to make use of it through FloreantPOS. I didn't actually try to print a receipt from the printer with Floreant installed in the XP VM yet.

I have Floreant installed and working in Ubuntu Maverick 32-bit Desktop but without the printer it's virtually useless.

Can you direct me as to how I can install this printer. Do I need drivers? I have some drivers provided by the manufacturer though I didn't need them when installing in XP. It was instantly recognised and installed. (They are windows drivers with a gpd file)

Can I build drivers from the Windows Drivers? Is this a complex task if it is possible?

I also noticed in the Virtualbox USB connections that the printer was being recognised as Zonerich Printer - so some connection was being made there... but how do I get from that to adding it as a printer and being able to print from it using Floreant in Maverick? At the moment I can't see or select the printer to configure it in Floreant. Floreant is java-based. And can't get it to appear when using Ubuntu Printing menu to add a new printer. My existing USB HP Full-Sized printer installed just fine. Automatically.

I also used command but it's not recognized/can't be seen in the output.

The manufacturer told me it should work fine with any OS... ?

Any help or direction is much appreciated.

Big cheers,

Nick

Here is where you need to understand a virtual machine a bit more. (or I do!)

A VM can interact with the host one of two ways. One is to take over a usb device so that the host no longer can use it and only the VM can use it. The other way is to use the VM's ability to share the printer that the host has installed. It may be that you have only tested it that way and never installed it to the client.

Not even sure you have to use vm additions or tools to get it to work. Usually I do if I need the host and VM to work more closely.

Hey Jefro,

Thanks for getting back to me...

I am sorry I may have clouded the issue by talking about VM's. My real goal/concern is connecting the POS Printer (Zonerich AB-T88) to a Ubuntu Maverick 32-bit desktop install. No VM's involved...

I put the bit in about the VM's just to give potential repliers a little more info. about what was going on. ie the printer works fine and connects fine on XP. The printer (I thought, but your points may have corrected me here) was being recognised somehow by the Ubuntu Maverick host OS because it's name was appearing in the USB list of Virtualbox. It appears I was wrong here for two reasons... One because of your point regarding the VM taking total control of it so it is not really the Maverick OS recognising it and two because when I run lsusb it does not appear.

Hope this clear things up and again thanks for your info.

Cheers,

Nick

How about running a live cd and trying it that way?

Hey Jefro,

Do you want to know how many drink coasters I have created trying to burn a useful Live CD out of the last two versions of Ubuntu...??? (no offence). On atleast four different platforms and I had no success... I still have a desktop, that is a little old, but I can't load Ubuntu on to it because it doesn't boot from USB and I have been many times unsuccessful at burning an Ubuntu install to CD or DVD using Ubuntu. There I said it... Though strangely do not feel much better!

Anyways, I wouldn't see a Live CD as anything more than a short-term testing option. The desktop I have setup is used to run the business which is why I want the POS Printer installed and working. Booting from a Live CD every day permanently is not a real option though I defer to you here in case you were about to offer me some gleaning light of knowledge...

Cheers for your thoughts on this,

Nick

I suggest things as I would do. I too have old Knoppix 3.x cd's and all sorts of ones in between, but I usually can burn a good copy of something or get it on a usb. That is why I suggested it. It would be in my toolbox.

Ultimately you want (as I understand it) some linux distro to use this printer for. I didn't want to get into the issue is vm correct or not. I understand that you only have xp on some computer right now. You options are limited. You have to either be sure you are have the VM correct and it's connection to the printer.

How about an older computer that could be used for a test?

Below is the syslog output when I connect the USB printer. PLease can someone take a look at this and tell me what the problem is... I can almost see it myself. How do I fix it?

Thanks,

NN

Double Post - Sorry....