Hi. I'm relatively new to Slackware (since Sept 2019), was looking for another non-systemd alternative in addition to Devuan (non-systemd fork of Debian). To be very clear I'm not posting here to address the systemd debate. Rather to speak about one of two issues encountered with Slackware (the second I'll post separately).

I very much enjoy Slackware in general, as it has a truly hands-on feel and seems true to the original spirit of Linux (for those of us who remember using it in the 90s). It seems very solid and despite the lack of package dependency resolution I've had few issues installing all my favourite software using the SlackBuild scripts.

However there was an issue with my printer configuration as follows:
When adding my default printer using the CUPS web-based interface (http://localhost:631/admin), my printer (11-yr old HP Photosmart C4480) was found and the driver installed successfully, BUT printing fails with the error message "filter failed". I could not get this version of the driver (/usr/share/cups/drv/HP/hpijs.drv, filesize = 1278149) to work, and eventually solved the problem by substituting the driver file from my Devuan installation since it was known to be good with this printer. This is version: hpijs 3.16.11, filesize = 1303998, 1.3M c-source. Simply renamed the original file hpijs.drv.orig and copied the good version to /usr/share/cups/drv/HP/hpijs.drv. Whereupon all was well. On the Devuan system this driver file can be found at /usr/share/cups/drv/hpijs.drv.

If anyone else has this printer and is having difficulty getting it to work with Slackware, perhaps this will help. If you don't have access to a Devuan/Debian system I suspect the driver could be obtained from the HP website.

Cheers.

Yes Amen to all of that. The real Achilles Heel is a large Python thing where no AppImages are available, and you need to go through some real hoops. For those few, I keep Mint (=Ubuntu with go-faster stripes) but I've got appimages for everything I use now. I rarely need a bleeding edge version on anything anyhow unless it's in development. I remember using it in the 90s. I go back as far as kernel-2.0.1(?) or thereabouts. I got a fright when my kids managed to find 175 cpopies of CIH virus just in time to prevent 1 pc& 1 laptop being ruined, so I got the internet in linux.

Hplip is good normally for setting hp printers up in linux.

good to know, i now check the linux support before i buy a printer

maybe you can post on the current request to upgrade hplib.
i used hplip-3.16.5 on my 14.2 system, are your running current ?

https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-i.../release_notes

The most recent version is 3.19.12 and was added to -current on 31 December 2019.

I'm not running _current_, maybe that's why I've got the older 3.16.5 version same as you. According to cwizardone,
hplip has been upgraded as of Dec 2019 but not sure if he means for Slackware64. I'm running 14.2 32-bit (from the install_dvd_iso).
I'm hoping they'll upgrade it on the next version but who knows if 32-bit will continue to be supported.
Thanks.

I can confirm that HP C4480 works flawlessly with hplip-3.19.12 shipped with Slackware64-current. I've installed that particular printer in my mother-in-law's laptop a couple of weeks ago. Both the printer and the scanner work. I've not setup the fax.

Slackware64 14.2 ships with hplip-3.16.5. I've inspected the tarball and it includes hp_photosmart_c4440_series.ppd.gz which is the PPD used by hplip-3.19.12. Hence, HP C4480 should work on both -current or 14.2.

1 members found this post helpful.

I always add HP printers via "HP Device Manager" rather than cups since hplip is installed by default in slackware.

Could you pastebin /var/log/cups/error_log ?
Have you updated your Slackware-14.2 install with patches?