Missing printer driver error message in printing troubleshooter
 

I am trying to install a HP deskjet 1000-J110a. I downloaded a driver package thing, and I guess I unpacked it, and I made it, and I thought I installed it. I am totally confused and my brain hurts.

The printing troubleshooter is telling me:

Missing Printer Driver

Printer 'Deskjet-1000-J110-series' requires the 'foomatic-rip-hplip' program but it is not currently installed.

Huh? I found something that is the 'foomatic-rip-hplip', but what the heck do I do with it?

This may help you look at the last post
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=36213

I am completely new at this. I don't write crap unless it's with a pen and paper; I plug and play. Please take pity on me and give me a bit more instruction. I assume I put all those directions in the terminal, but then it says command not found. I am missing a few pieces of my puzzle here. The only thing I could manage to do is the download. After that I've hit a wall again.

I think it would be better to install hplip from the repository (if it isn't yet installed).

Markus

Step 2: Run the Automatic Installer

Running the installer requires that you open a command shell to enter commands. To do this, open a terminal or console window (how do I open a terminal?).

In the terminal/console, enter the following commands (type all the text after the $ character and then press enter):

OK. Right here, I seem to be missing something. There is no following command to enter.

Note

These instructions assume that the hplip-3.11.3a.run file was downloaded to your Desktop directory. You may have to adjust the 'cd' command based on where your web browser saved the file on your system.

Step 3: Select the Install Type

I don't have any idea what a repository is.

in Mint you have a program which can install softwarepackages. I don't know exactly the name of this program, but when Mint has just been started, it is on the "frontpage" of your desktop, something like "software-center" or similar. I'd strongly recommend to read the documentation for your distribution (Mint) http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial
You will not understand anything people tell you in this forum if you don't read the documentation.

Markus

Thank you for this information. I understand a bit more now, but would you please understand that I am the newest of the noobs. I have been using Windows for 15 years, and all of a sudden.... I'm thrown into Linux. I would really love to keep it. Windows drives me crazy for many reasons. My children have stopped downloading viruses, but my father still does. So now I have this PC that I purchased barebones from Newegg.com, which is running only Linux.

I will happily continue to read and learn about Linux, but keep in mind please, I have only been on Linux for about a week and this is my very first experience with it. I desperately NEED my printer to work (which only adds to my frustration and brain mushedness). So desperately that I almost installed Windows, which I really do not want to do.

Although helpful, your answer still does not confirm that the links that I was provided with before are in fact missing information, as I replied above, nor does it help to discern the information which seems to have been precluded by the author. This, to me, is like getting a cake recipe which needs flour but omits it from the written instructions.

Hello carley828,

unfortunately your posts lack a description about how you've tried to install the printer. In Linux we normally use cups. cups comes with a webinterface. You open it in a browser with the address there you can manage your printer(s).

Don't forget to add the user (yourself) to the users who are permitted to print.

The hplip comes into play since your printer is a HP, normally if hplip (which is an opensource softwarepackage by HP which is provided for Linux) is installed you should have the necessary drivers for a HP-printer. Printerdrivers for cups are the "ppd" files, they reside in the /usr/share/cups or /usr/share/hplip directory.

Markus