Hello,

I am using slackware 10.2 with KDE.

I want to print something in Gimp.

However, when i open the print dialogue the printer that i have set up in Kde (cups) does not appear. So i select the appropriate printer in "new printer" and try to print. but nothing happens at all other than it saying "printing".

how does one set up printers for apps such as the gimp. (abi word doesnt work either).

I have seen this problem in the past. As I remember, Gimp needs to print to STDOUT, but for some reason fails to do so. I do not remember the exact details.
I fixed my printing problems with Gimp as follows;

Using KDE, a quick fix is to use kprinter.

In the printer dialogue select Setup Printer. In the command field type kprinter. This will open the KDE print GUI when you select print in Gimp - you can print from there. However, be careful with orientation of images. Basically, if you set Landscape in Gimp, leave KDE print in Portrait. It requires a little experimentation.

To set up printing in Gimp. Set print command to lp or lpr (this depends on your distro I think). PPD file for the printer in use, here - http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi

This may get you going, but you may wish to refine your print command.

Hope this is of some help.