I open this new topic because the one linked in following lines regards the build of a slackware package containing the proprietary linux drivers provided by Brother.
After phenixia2003 suggested hpijs-pcl5e driver and I noticed that it works quite well (a part few limitations about max quality and speed), I decided to test all open drivers reported on openprinting page related to Brother HL-2035:
http://www.openprinting.org/printer/...rother-HL-2035
- ljet4:
printer takes sheets but the come out blank, it actually doesn't print anything.
- lj5gray:
printer doesn't even take paper. Any print attempt failed, moreover the printer fan become silent after print is launched. I had to turn off and on power to make it working again.
- lj4dith
printer doesn't take paper and any print attempt failed, nothing happens just flashing led processing jobs. From cups interface I noticed jobs are marked as completed, even if nothing is really printed.
- hpijs-pcl5e
printer seems to work fine, even if jobs are processed a little slower than I remember with brother proprietary drivers. Quality supported is up to 600x600 dpi, instead of HQ1200 dpi reported by brother specs.
- gutenprint
tried both "Brother HL-2030 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.2.11" and "Brother HL-2035 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.2.11"
printer doesn't print at all nor event takes sheets. Jobs result marked as completed anyway...
- gimp-print (obsolete, not tested)
- hl1250 (was recommended on openprinting site)
printer works quite fine if it configure to 600x600 dpi resolution. Higher quality of 1200x600 HQ is available but with that I obtain a wrong printed page: appears divided in a right and left parts each of them contains just the right part of the source document, while the left part of the document is missing. So to make it working it is needed to choose 600x600dpi or lower resolution.
Upper single sheet source is not very well managed, I have had some troubles with the printer not able to take in the sheet and the resulting alarm signaled by the flashing red led.
Recap of steps to manage printer with CUPS:
- my slackware 14.2 linux detects the Brother HL-2035 printer as:
Code:
Bus 001 Device 013: ID 04f9:0027 Brother Industries, Ltd HL-2030 Laser Printer
- from the above link it is possible to generate and download a PPD file (which I have still to understand what exactly is) for each driver listed above. For gimp-print and gutenprint drivers there's no need of PPD file because they are already included in CUPS.
- from cups interface, it could be a good idea to remove previous printer configurations if it was managed with any other driver and restart cups service "/etc/rc.d/rc.cups restart" (we have to set it as executable with "chmod +x" if isn't already).
- Now, we can scan for new printers from cups interface: look at "Administration" "Printers" and select "Find New Printers": it will find "Brother HL-2030 series (Brother HL-2030 series)". Select "Add this printer"
- we asked to confirm or edit name and description (I changes from 2030 to 2035 model number, but it doesn't matter), and press continue
- in this screen we can try to specify which driver to use: model name and related gutenprint built-in cups driver for example and add printer, or "Provide a PPD File" and select the PPD file previously generated and downloaded. Finally select Add Printer.
- Last screen allows to configure default paper format (A4) and quality, both by hand or by inquiring the printer. Anyway we will be able to modify printer default config later, (printers, administration --> set default options).
- Now we can try to print test pages or any other document, but it's better to restart the CUPS service before testing the printer.
Conclusions:
The only working open drivers are the "hl1250" and the "hpijs-pcl5e".
They have both some limitations: max quality up to 600dpi rather than 1200dpi, speed could be better and for hl1250 one would expect a better management of upper single sheet feeder. Anyway with both drivers I had been able to make brother 2035 working quite well.
Doubts:
1.
Why for brother closed drivers are necessary to install two drivers: lp driver and cups wrapper driver? While for these open alternatives I just added a PPD file from openprinting? (I imported it with cups, but I'm also able to print with lp command from the shell and I haven't installed any lp driver... isn't it strange?).
2.
PCL, PS, GDI... How many ways to make my printer work? It should be a GDI printer, but I can manage it also with PCL driver "hpijs-pcl5e", why does it work?
