Pissed at Linux rant........:(

M$ISBS · 07-04-2005, 03:16 PM

It took around 3 hours to finally get my printer working (samsung ML-1210) Finally got it working. I had to install something called foomatic, still dont know what the heck that is and no one could ever tell me what it is. Linux is funny like that, install this and that but what the heck for, and why? It seems like theres never an answer as to what something is on linux.
I installed the samsung driver for my printer and got the usb ports working. This was about a month ago and have printed only a few things in that time. I try to pring something today and I get nothing, I try a test print from the browser program and from KDE and the dialog box says its sent to printer but nothing prints? WHY? I switched to try Linux to do away with this bizarre windows behaviour but to no avail, Sure linux is much more stable and is great for web browsing but its a pain to setup.
Can someone answer these questions for me as I have been searching online and I cannot get a clear answer? Thank you.

What is cups?
What is foomatic?

darkleaf · 07-04-2005, 03:42 PM

CUPS = common unix printing system.

It's basically the printer drivers or so I understood. I haven't played around with it much as it 'just worked' when I installed the proper drivers for my printer in debian. You can try to see if you can set anything up. Open a browser and type as address:
localhost:631

Foomatic is a printer support package.

esteeven · 07-04-2005, 04:02 PM

Hello. I understand your frustration --- things do seem a little arcane with Linux at the beginning. When you say "Sure linux is much more stable and is great for web browsing but its a pain to setup." you are both right and wrong. You are right in that sometimes more effort is required to set something up ie it's not possible to click a button and walk away, returning to find your hardware set up. You are wrong in that you think this process is a pain. It's a pain if you don't plan and read. And read some more. My intention is NOT to patronise you here -- just to point out a truth. A search on Google reveals answers to your questions. Also, it is very very helpful if you tell us which distro you are using so that you can be given distro-specific advice if necessary. Edit your profile!! Good luck.

M$ISBS · 07-04-2005, 04:39 PM

I have tried setup at localhost:631 and the printer will not start, it shows this:

Description: SAMSUNG ML-1210 gdi
Location:
Printer State: stopped, accepting jobs.
"Unable to open USB device "usb:/dev/usb/lp0": Not a directory"
Device URI: usb:/dev/usb/lp0

But the printer was working fine, how could a directory disappear?

esteem:
I have been online searching for info online and everytime I find what I think is an answer I end up having to research a related topic because to understand the answer you have to understand the way 5 other related things work along with the original answer.

Thanks guys

craigevil · 07-04-2005, 04:58 PM

"Foomatic is a database-driven system for integrating free software printer drivers with common spoolers under Unix. It supports CUPS, LPRng, LPD, GNUlpr, PPR, PDQ, CPS, and direct printing with every free software printer driver known to us and every printer known to work with these drivers." http://www.linuxprinting.org/foomatic.html

"Troubleshooting-CUPS-and-Asking-for-Help HOWTO (A Guide For The Desperate)"

"CUPS: Common UNIX Printing System"
http://www.cups.org/documentation.php

CUPS Software Users Manual
http://localhost:631/sum.html

M$ISBS · 07-05-2005, 12:07 AM

So I only need to use either the driver i downloaded or CUPS? not both?

vharishankar · 07-05-2005, 01:07 AM

You need the drivers as well as CUPS.

CUPS is the printing interface which replaces the old printing system.

The driver is what runs your printer. You still need to install the driver. Then configure the printer from the CUPS web interface:

Type http://localhost:631 In a web browser.

Now, for this problem:

Quote:

Printer State: stopped, accepting jobs.
"Unable to open USB device "usb:/dev/usb/lp0": Not a directory"
Device URI: usb:/dev/usb/lp0

This is quite a common issue. Usually you have to restart CUPS with the command: As root issue:

Code:

/etc/init.d/cupsd restart

or if you're using a BSD-style init system (Slackware),

Code:

/etc/rc.d/rc.cups restart

M$ISBS · 07-09-2005, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Harishankar
You need the drivers as well as CUPS.
Type http://localhost:631 In a web browser.

Now, for this problem:

This is quite a common issue. Usually you have to restart CUPS with the command: As root issue:

Code:

/etc/init.d/cupsd restart

or if you're using a BSD-style init system (Slackware),

Code:

/etc/rc.d/rc.cups restart

Yes I am using slackware and I did the above as root at a console but it still will not start, I keep getting that same message in localhost:631

Also, I hit the start printer button at the localhost:631 start printer section and it says its started but its not.