Why is printing in Linux so flaky?

Red Squirrel · 02-28-2017, 08:12 PM

I was thinking, I'd like to eventually setup a real print server and use networking, how is that setup and would it perhaps solve this issue? Ex: is the protocol used for network printing more univerversal so that the printer does not matter? I know in Windows it's as simple as typing the UNC path to print server and double click the printer and then it shows up on the system and you can print to it, how is that done in Linux?

Worse case I guess I can look at buying a new printer and go with HP but I want to avoid that. Good excuse to go with a colour laserjet though, they've gone down in price.

TB0ne · 03-01-2017, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Squirrel

I was thinking, I'd like to eventually setup a real print server and use networking, how is that setup and would it perhaps solve this issue? Ex: is the protocol used for network printing more univerversal so that the printer does not matter? I know in Windows it's as simple as typing the UNC path to print server and double click the printer and then it shows up on the system and you can print to it, how is that done in Linux?

Worse case I guess I can look at buying a new printer and go with HP but I want to avoid that. Good excuse to go with a colour laserjet though, they've gone down in price.

It's done exactly the same way. Most network printers can be printed to via port 9100, or you can set CUPS up to share printers to other systems, providing you the same UNC path.

rknichols · 03-01-2017, 12:30 PM

If you set up CUPS to share the printers and allow incoming port 631/udp (Internet Printing Protocol) in the clients, the shared printers will show up in applications in the client systems.

Red Squirrel · 03-04-2017, 04:21 PM

That's good to know, I will have to research how to set that up and try that. Hopefully that will fix the problem too as it should rule out a driver issue.

Red Squirrel · 03-10-2017, 05:35 PM

Ok so there's definitely some weird issue going on with my system, how can I make this work properly?

I gave up trying to print anything off the internet so I just copy and paste the part I need, reformat it in Libre Office and print from there. Makes for a cleaner print anyway. (recipes and stuff) The printer has been sitting at "receiving data" for the past minute now. Why is it so slow? It's never this slow in Windows to print something to that printer so I know it's not the printer. God forbid I try to print something that has a picture lol. At least it actually does print... anything in Firefox, and PDFs are hit and miss, and it just prints that error instead.

ferrari · 03-10-2017, 05:50 PM

Examining the CUPS error_log might shed light on this. Are you using the Brother proprietary driver?

ferrari · 03-10-2017, 06:45 PM

Just to add to my last post, some users have found that using foomatic/postscript drivers do not work well when converting PDF files (especially with images).

For example, an Ubuntu guide for a similar Brother model where similar behaviour was observed and it is recommended to use the Brother LPR and CUPS-wrapper drivers...
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/MFC-7820N

So if you're not already using them, that's the first thing to try.

It doesn't just affect Brother printers either. Here's one of many bug reports outlining slow printing on an HP LaserJet when using a foomatic driver. Reports suggest that it can generate verbose PostScript output which can tie up the network and overload the printer memory with the volume of data being sent. The alternative gutenprint and HPLIP drivers apparently generate PCL code which improves printing performance for affected HP printers.

Red Squirrel · 03-10-2017, 09:57 PM

The printer just worked (well in the sense that I can make a page come out. lol) when I installed so never looked further than that. This issue never existed in previous distros though.

I will try that guide for installing the proprietary driver and see if it solves it. The error log does not have much to go by:

Code:

E [10/Mar/2017:07:35:01 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:08:03:33 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:09:01:53 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:10:00:13 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:10:58:33 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:11:56:53 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:12:55:13 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:13:53:33 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:14:51:53 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:15:50:13 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:16:48:33 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:17:46:53 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:17:55:42 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:17:55:47 -0500] [cups-deviced] PID 12559 (gutenprint52+usb) stopped with status 1!
E [10/Mar/2017:18:07:32 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:18:29:12 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.
E [10/Mar/2017:18:45:13 -0500] Missing value on line 11 of /var/cache/cups/job.cache.

ferrari · 03-10-2017, 10:08 PM

There's not enough posted to go on anyway. Yes, give the proprietary driver packages a go. (Don't forget to configure CUPS to use the new drivers as well.)

Red Squirrel · 03-11-2017, 12:40 AM

How do I make cups use the new driver? I just did the apt-get command, is there more to it?

I did a test print from a web page and it worked, but the issue seems to really be hit and miss. Well, "worked". It took like 2 minutes just to load the print job into the printer. Something is still clearly wrong I don't do lot of printing but it's just frustrating that Linux has issues with stuff like this when it works fine in Windows. I can't try to tell people that Linux is better when these things keep happening.

ferrari · 03-11-2017, 01:15 AM

Quote:

How do I make cups use the new driver? I just did the apt-get command, is there more to it?

Yes. You need to configure CUPS to use that driver, either via the web interface
http://localhost:631/admin
or the printer config utility that your distro provides eg system-config-printer

https://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1200

Quote:

I can't try to tell people that Linux is better when these things keep happening.

Unless you're using a paid-for enterprise Linux (RHEL or SLES/SLED), then using Linux is a lot like owning a custom kit car, where you have to be the mehacinic and panel-beater, as well as the driver ie sometimes it takes effort to keep it on the road.

ferrari · 03-11-2017, 01:42 AM

BTW, when configuring to use the vendor printer driver look for model titled 'Brother MFC7840W for CUPS'. That's how it appears when I search models using the CUPS web interface or 'system-config-printer'

Red Squirrel · 04-08-2017, 01:14 AM

I thought this was fixed but still have issues, it's very random. some things print fine, some just print that error, while others just take bloody ages to process.

What is the password for the cups page? Anything I try to do such as view error log prompts for a password. I don't see anything in there about making it use the driver, but maybe I need a different access level as it would be kinda a security issue if it just let you change stuff there.

Is this an issue because my printer is old, would buying a new one fix this? If yes what is a good brand to go with, if i was to buy new I'd probably go with a colour laser as they are decently cheap so may as well go colour. I can always keep this printer for a Windows machine or something.

ferrari · 04-08-2017, 03:14 AM

Quote:

What is the password for the cups page?

It should be your root credentials ie user root, and the root password.

Quote:

I don't see anything in there about making it use the driver, but maybe I need a different access level as it would be kinda a security issue if it just let you change stuff there.

Well that's why it needs to be done as the administrator.

The driver selected (from the make/model list) determines the PPD used, and therefore the underlying printer filter (driver).

Quote:

Is this an issue because my printer is old, would buying a new one fix this?

It's unlikely to be a hardware issue if that's what you mean, but buying a new one may well provide you with a better experience. Or you could just try using the proprietary driver for your existing printer.

Quote:

If yes what is a good brand to go with, if i was to buy new I'd probably go with a colour laser as they are decently cheap so may as well go colour. I can always keep this printer for a Windows machine or something.

Your choice. Yes, a colour laser is worth considering. HP and Brother brands are both good options IMO.

Shadow_7 · 04-08-2017, 03:01 PM

If the user is in the lp and lpadmin group, then the users password works to administrate the localhost:631 admin part of cups. At least in debian jessie. I just use gimp to print, since I can optimize things to be more print friendly (B&W if I'm out of color ink). Older things tend to use lp/lpr to print and might need the cups-bsd package installed. Which may not be a package installed by default.