Just installed Slackware 9.0 on a non-networked computer. None of the editors/word processors provided with the GUI (KDE) are able to print a text-only file to his HP 1170c on the parallel port. (WinDoze2000 does it.) The output starts with "%!PS-Adobe-1.0..." if I print to "lp". If I print to "HP1170" I get an error.... "The MIME type application/postscript is not supported as input of the filter chain (this may happen with non-CUPS spoolers when performing page selection on a non-PostScript file). Do you want KDE to convert the file to a supported format?" (Do I need a degree in computing science to understand this?) When I try to convert the file to any of the "supported formats" it errors out.

Isn't printing a simple function the OS should provide immediately after installation and hardware setup? So what did I do wrong in the installation? Seems to me several printing methods that don't work are not as good as a single choice that does.

So which should I use? CUPS, LPR, or LPD. They are all available to choose from the KDE printing manager although none work. For that matter how do I find if they are even installed?

Alright, printing is not handled by the OS (although it is in Windows. Difference of philosophies). First, whey you installed did you do a full install? If so this installed both CUPS and lprng. Since lprng was installed last that is what is being used. I suggest using CUPS since KDE (and soon GNOME) provide easy tools to setup up printers. removepkg lprng and upgradepkg --reinstall cups (you'll need to do this with the CUPS package). This will setup everything that CUPS needs to run. Run as root, '/etc/rc.d/rc.cups restart' and try using kups to setup your printer.

If you'd llike to stick with lprng, Slackware comes with the nifty apsfilter, which setups your printer after asking you a few questions. You need to run it as root in a terminal.

Hope this helps.

Yes of course you're right. Printing should not be part of the OS.

Yes I did a full install from the CD set, but when I checked with pkgtool CUPS was not on the list. Anyway I removed lprng and installed CUPS off the Extras CD.

I ran '/etc/rc.d/rc.cups restart' and got "cups: restarted scheduler." Now how do I use it to set up my printer?

You're using KDE right? Look for an app called kups and try from there. Otherwise point your browser to "http://localhost:631" and use the CUPS web interface to setup your printer.

Couldn't find kups. Went the http://localhost:631 route and got as far as the Model/Driver selection but the driver was not listed for any OfficeJet models at all. It's an 1170C. Any suggestions?

By the way thanks for all the help so far.

Install the hpijs package and try again. Make sure you also have the espgs package and the gimp-print package as well.

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Well that worked. Printing fine now. Many thanks.

Nis was exactly right. When I installed Slackware 10.2, I said "Install Everything." This got lprng and CUPS onto the system, and from then on, wireless printing was impossible. I removed lpring, reinstalled CUPS, reinstalled the printer, and all is well. Good work.

This thread was 9 years old. Please do not revive the dead or they will haunt you

Necro-thredging is not cool, man.