[SOLVED] Unable to print from Firefox

dunric · 10-13-2009, 05:26 AM

Hi fellow Slackers,

can anybody else confirm issue with printing from Firefox in Slackware 13.0 (32bit branch) ?
Firefox is able to create a print preview, even properly print to a file (both PostScript and PDF) but if I select to print to a CUPS printer, printing "silently" fails - no error message, no error or any other record in CUPS logs

Whereas CUPS printer is configured properly, printing works from any other print dialogs in any other application. I even checked printing with lpr and it works too. I've found firefox uses as print command print.postscript.print_command and print.print_command set to lpr ${MOZ_PRINTER_NAME:+-P"$MOZ_PRINTER_NAME"} .
Is there any way how to make Firefox "verbose" so I'd get better chance to figure out what's wrong ?

Thx

David

p.s. Printing from Seamonkey works but I'd like to use Firefox anyway.

tronayne · 10-13-2009, 06:52 AM

Try setting your printer as the default printer in CUPS if you have not already done that.

dunric · 10-13-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tronayne

Try setting your printer as the default printer in CUPS if you have not already done that.

Yep, I've already did it - without an effect.

tronayne · 10-13-2009, 08:48 AM

Generally, Firefox "just works" if, say, you can

Code:

echo "the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog." | lp

and you will see something like

Code:

request id is InkJet-32 (1 file(s))

"InkJet" is the name of the printer in CUPS. If you execute lpstat you should see something like this

Code:

lpstat -t
scheduler is running
system default destination: InkJet
device for InkJet: socket://192.168.1.15
InkJet accepting requests since Tue 13 Oct 2009 09:38:36 AM EDT
printer InkJet is idle.  enabled since Tue 13 Oct 2009 09:38:36 AM EDT

Of course, your settings may vary but your should see something similar -- if you don't, Firefox won't either and it might be worth a

Code:

/etc/rc.d/rc.cups stop
/etc/rc.d/rc.cups start

then

lpstat -t

[EDIT]
You can also open the error console (in the tools drop down or CTRL-SHIFT-J).

Hope this helps some.

dunric · 10-13-2009, 02:00 PM

tronayne> I did everything you suggested, lpstat outputs

Code:

scheduler is running
system default destination: hplj1010
device for hplj1010: ipp://orbit/printers/hplj1010
hplj1010 accepting requests since Tue Oct 13 20:38:31 2009
printer hplj1010 is idle.  enabled since Tue Oct 13 20:38:31 2009

printing through lp to default printer also works

Code:

request id is hplj1010-11 (1 file(s))

.

Unfortunately Firefox error console does not show anything after an unsuccessful print attempt.

But thank you for trying though.

I'd like to try replace firefox default printing dialog with Xfce's xfprint4 or KDE's kprinter helper. Does anybody know how to set it up in current Firefox version ? I did googled instructions about changing mentioned print.postscript.print_command and print.print_command options with printing helper like /usr/bin/xfprint4 but Firefox completely ignores these settings now. At least from the Slackware's stock build.

tronayne · 10-14-2009, 05:34 AM

Something you might want to try -- shut down Firefox, cd ~/.mozilla, mv firefox firefox.bak then start Firefox. That will create a new ~/.mozilla/firefox directory (if you look at the prefs.js file in that directory, there won't be anything about the printer yet). Then just print the page you're on -- that should pop up the printing window and you should see your printer, select it and see if it'll print (and, if it does, who knows what evil lurks in the dark of the night). If that works, you can copy your bookmarks and the like from the back up direcotry; if it doesn't work, well, then I dunno.

dunric · 10-14-2009, 08:54 AM

I've finally discovered the issue was caused by bug in CUPS ipp backend configuration. See STR #2750: auth-info-required not set on browsed printer for details.
Besides updating to current CUPS version 1.4.1 or backporting patch to Slackware stock version 1.3.11, you may also edit /etc/cups/printers.conf and comment in AuthInfoRequired option in IPP printer definition as a workaround.

tronayne · 10-15-2009, 09:42 AM

Glad to know you got it going.