[Samba] Resolution Re: Automatic driver downloads

[Jesse Becker]

In a display of terrible form, I'll reply to my own message with the 
results of my second foray into the world of printer driver downloads.

The problem turned out to be both a Samba, CUPS, and PPD issue.

System refresher:  Samba 2.2.5, HP4550N printer, and Win2K clients.

Step 1)  Start with a (mostly) clean slate.  I stopped Samba and 
CUPS, moved /var/cache/samba to /var/cache/samba.old (just in in case), 
and nuked /etc/samba/drivers/*.  I kept my existing shares, [printers] and 
[print$] settings.

Step 2)  Reread, and followed, the printer_driver2.txt file.  After 
messing with permissions a bit, I got the drivers to correctly upload and 
download to the Win2K clients.  However, nothing would actually print with 
those drivers.

Step 3)  I tried using the HP postscript drivers (from lj598.exe on their
website), as well as ones from lj602.exe that support PCL5 and 6, as well
as postscript.  After much trial and more error, I scrapped them all, and 
used Adobe's generic Postscript printer driver.  This was uploaded to the 
samba server, and downloaded to the clients.

Step 4)  Test the printers...and it works! <cheer>  But only in black and 
white <boo> (the 4550 is a color laserjet printer--very nice).

Step 5)  Here, the problem turned out to be CUPS--I think.  The .ppd file
that was being used by both CUPS, and that was being fed to the clients 
simply didn't grok color (or I couldn't get it to, one of the two...).  I 
grabbed a new .ppd that was developed in part by HP from http://hp.sf.net, 
and manually placed that on the server in place of the old .ppd files.  I 
also replaced the one CUPS was using as well (just to be safe).  Restarted 
everything, and nuked/redownloaded the drivers for the windows clients.

Step 6)  Print.  It works.  I have several wonderful printouts of images 
from http://www.irtc.org adorning my walls now. :-)

Thanks to people who emailed me.

--Jesse



On Wed, 10 Jul 2002, Jesse Becker wrote:

> On Wed, 10 Jul 2002, Gerald Carter wrote:
> 
> > Sounds like you did not read the HOWTO.  It says to click "no" if you are
> > installing the drivers on the server.
> 
> Now that I have the box in front of me, perhaps I can explain what 
> happens.  As a general rule, I always read HOWTOs, mailing lists and other 
> documentation before posting.
> 
> 
> > On Tue, 9 Jul 2002, Jesse Becker wrote:
> > 
> > > What I cannot do is twofold:
> > > 
> > > 1)  Automatically download drivers to clients.  When I try to add the
> > > printer, I get a pop-up box reading: 
> > > 
> > > 	"The server on which the printer resides does not have the correct
> > > 	printer driver installed.  If you want to install the driver on
> > > 	your local computer, click OK."
> > > 
> > > On clicking OK, you get the usual 'add printer wizard' dialogue box, and 
> > > if I choose, I can add the correct drivers.
> 
> I have already uploaded the drivers to the Samba server, and they have 
> been copied into \\$print\W32X86\* as appropriate.  This was done by 
> choosing the "no" option from the dialogue box I mentioned above.  As I 
> said, this appears to work correctly.
> 
> Now, when I try to install this printer for use on a computer--either the 
> same windows box used to upload the drivers, or a different one--the 
> problems start.
> 
> On the Windows box, using Either the "Add Printer" icon in the 
> Printers folder, or simply dragging the printer icon from the Samba 
> printers share, I get a message 
> 	"The server on which the printer resides does not have the correct
> 	printer driver installed.  If you want to install the driver on
> 	your local computer, click OK."
> Clicking "Cancel"  stops the process completely, and clicking "OK" prompts
> me for the driver location.
> 
> If I choose the "Properties" option for the printer icon located on the 
> Samba server share, I get this message:   
> 	"Device settings cannot be displayed.  The driver for the
> 	specified printer is not installed.  Only spooler properties will
> 	be displayed.  Do you want to install the driver now?"
> Clicking "No" displays just the spooler properties.  Clicking "Yes" brings 
> up the "Add printer driver wizard", and prompts for a driver location.
> 
> In the spooler properties window, under the "Advanced" tab, I *ALREADY* 
> have the printer drivers listed.  Remember, this is *after* uploading the 
> drivers to the server (or so I thought).  When I try to select the driver 
> from the list, and hit "apply"  I then get a small pop-up box reading:
> 	"Printer settings could not be saved. Access is denied."
> There is only an "OK" button.
> 
> Furthermore, if I choose the "Server Properties" context menu option from
> the Printers share on the Samba server, the "Drivers" tab shows all the
> drivers that I have installed.
> 
> So, I'm going to try again, but hopefully that clarifies the problem a 
> bit. :-/
> 
> --Jesse
> 
> P.S.  I don't mean to come off sounding displeased--just frustrated.  I'm 
> actually very happy with Samba. :)
> 
> 
>