Sharing a windows printer problem

[Dominic Y. Deferia]

----- Original Message -----
From: Joel Hammer <Joel at HammersHome.com>
To: Dominic Y. Deferia <ddeferia at yahoo.com>; <samba at lists.samba.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 09, 2001 7:16 PM
Subject: Re: Sharing a windows printer problem

Joel,

Thanks for your response. (I included original posting below for those who
want to contribute ideas. thanks.)


> What happens when you try to run smbprint from the command line?
> Joel

I get a black screen waiting for input.  I am new to linux and I still don't
know how scripts work. I tried to rename the
smbprint script to a different file name and create my own smbprint file
(executable) with command echo >> /tmp/test.txt
just to see if i print from windows if it will recreate the file but it did
not. I just put back the original script since
i know it does not execute it.

>Are you trying to print from a windows PC to a printer attached to a unix
>samba server?
>If so, you don't need this smbprint script.
>Joel

I am trying to  use the linux server as a gateway to print to a windows
machine that has the printer.

.............
here is the smbprint file

#!/bin/sh

# This script is an input filter for printcap printing on a unix machine. It
# uses the smbclient program to print the file to the specified smb-based
# server and service.
# For example you could have a printcap entry like this
#
# smb:lp=/dev/null:sd=/usr/spool/smb:sh:if=/usr/local/samba/smbprint
#
# which would create a unix printer called "smb" that will print via this
# script. You will need to create the spool directory /usr/spool/smb with
# appropriate permissions and ownerships for your system.

# Set these to the server and service you wish to print to
# In this example I have a WfWg PC called "lapland" that has a printer
# exported called "printer" with no password.

#
# Script further altered by hamiltom at ecnz.co.nz (Michael Hamilton)
# so that the server, service, and password can be read from
# a /usr/var/spool/lpd/PRINTNAME/.config file.
#
# Script further modified by Richard Sharpe to fix some things.
# Get rid of the -x on the first line, and add parameters
#
#    -t  now causes translate to be used when sending files
#
# In order for this to work the /etc/printcap entry must include an
# accounting file (af=...):
#
#   cdcolour:\
# :cm=CD IBM Colorjet on 6th:\
# :sd=/var/spool/lpd/cdcolour:\
# :af=/var/spool/lpd/cdcolour/acct:\
# :if=/usr/local/etc/smbprint:\
# :mx=0:\
# :lp=/dev/null:
#
# The /usr/var/spool/lpd/PRINTNAME/.config file should contain:
#   server=PC_SERVER
#   service=PR_SHARENAME
#   password="password"
#
# E.g.
#   server=PAULS_PC
#   service=CJET_371
#   password=""

#
# Debugging log file, change to /dev/null if you like.
#
logfile=/tmp/smb-print.log
# logfile=/dev/null


#
# The last parameter to the filter is the accounting file name.
#   Extract the directory name from the file name.
#   Concat this with /.config to get the config file.
#
TRANS=0
eval acct_file=\${$#}                     ; i cannot comprehend these lines
spool_dir=`dirname $acct_file`
config_file=$spool_dir/.config

# Should read the following variables set in the config file:
#   server
#   service
#   password
eval `cat $config_file`

while getopts t c; do
  case $c in
    t)
       TRANS=1
       ;;

    '?')  # Bad parameters, ignore it ...
       ;;
  esac
done
#
# Some debugging help, change the >> to > if you want to same space.
#
echo "server $server, service $service" >> $logfile

(
# NOTE You may wish to add the line `echo translate' if you want automatic
# CR/LF translation when printing.
 if [ $TRANS -eq 1 ]; then
          echo translate
        fi
 echo "print -"
 cat
) | /usr/bin/smbclient "\\\\$server\\$service" $password -U $server -N -P >>
$logfile

.............................

this is the original post to mailing lists


Hello. I have been trying to print to a windows printer share with no
success.

So far I have found out that the smbprint does not execute. I verified this
by looking at the
logfile=/tmp/smb-print.log (from smbprint script) after printing from
windows - this logfile
was  not created. Also, i verified the path of smbclient and it points to
the proper directory.
I am using Debian , and samba 2.0.7.



my printcap entries are :

winprt:\
    :sd=/var/spool/winspl:\            ; this exists, chmod 1777 ....winspl
    :af=/var/spool/winspl/acct:\      ; this exists, chmod 1777 ....acct
    :if=/usr/sbin/smbprint:\            ;this seems not to execute, verifed
the logfile from smbprint
    :mx#0:\
    :sh:

.................


my smb.conf

[global]

    load printers = yes
    printcap name = /etc/printcap
    printing = bsd

[printers]

    print ok = yes
    printable = yes
    path = /tmp/samba/spool       ;chmod 777 for spool directory
    gues ok = yes
    browseable = no

.............

Under /var/spool/winspl directory, I have .config as


server=PAPA   ; windows machine
service=HP      ; printshare name
password=""


............

Everytime I print, i can see files  dumped into the /var/spool/winspl
directory. I see status file which states
"winprt is ready and printing", and sometimes lock file where it has numbers
in it. The problem i guess is the
smbprint itself b/c i do not see the log file created everytime i print. I
also tried to print manually using the smbclient program by
connecting to the printer and putting in a file and it prints fine. I also
did testparm and no errors there. Also I did
testprns printername and the printer name is found.  Any ideas on this
problem is highly appreciated.