[Samba] Printing problems

[Joel Hammer]

Just some observations while you figure out what is wrong.

I can't comment much about your printcap because I don't use gimp to
print, I use ghostscript. Have you run checkpc -f to look for errors and
adjust permissions on your spool directories?

Your path in your smb.conf looks odd. Usually, that path is put someplace
like /tmp. Could there be a permissions problem?

You have only one print queue. This queue must be able therefore to handle
ALL file types, including those sent from your clients. Now, your linux
server sends postscript files which seem to be printed OK. I do not know if
your linux print queue handles files formatted by the windows
clients. What print driver are you using on your windows clients?
(windows may call it a printer definition). You can test this by printing
to a file on your windows client, and then transferring that file to
your linux server, and then lpr'ing the file. This is what samba does, by
the way.

A very nice and easy work around in this situation is as follows:
If your linux server prints postscript files well, using just that one
queue, then on your clients install the network printer using the HP
laserjet III plus as the printer definition. This driver will send
postscript files to your server, which your server will handle. Postscript
is THE printer language for linux, after all. I do not know why this isn't
considered a general solution for linux print servers.

The other thing to try is to set up a print queue in /etc/printcap which has
NO filter and install the proper drivers on your windows clients for your
printer. Such a raw queue will just dump the print file to your printer. You
will have to negotiate printtool to do this. Or, disable the automatic call
to printtool in your lpd startup script.
 
Here is my smb.conf regarding printing matters. I use guest logins and have
therefore less security but fewer headaches. I use the %J variable to capture
the windows file name. I list all the printing commands explicitly.


# Global parameters
[global]
	security = SHARE
	guest account = ftp
	hosts allow = 192.168.  127.0.0. 
[ps]
	comment = Filtered for Z53
	path = /tmp
	read only = No
	create mask = 0700
	guest ok = Yes
	hosts allow = 192.168.
	printable = Yes
	printing = lprng
 	print command = echo %J %p %s  >>  /tmp/junkJ;\
                       a="`echo '%J' | sed "s/^.*- //"`" ;\
	               echo This is truncated $a >> /tmp/junkJ;\
                       /usr/bin/lpr -Pps  -J"$a"  %s;\
                       rm %s
	lpq command = /usr/bin/lpq -Pps
	lprm command = /usr/bin/lprm -Pps %j
	lppause command = /usr/sbin/lpc hold z53 %j
	lpresume command = /usr/sbin/lpc release z53 %j
	share modes = No
	 use client driver = yes     

You aren't the only one to have trouble with the RedHat printtool. I dumped
mine after it failed to set up my network printer properly.

Joel

On Sun, Jun 16, 2002 at 03:37:47PM -0400, Joe Carmon wrote:
> 
> >1. Your printing system (lprng, etc.)-- LPR
> >2. Your smb.conf
> >3. Your printer EPson Stylus Color 980
> >4. Your /etc/printcap
> >5. The print driver you are using for your printer.-- Gimp
> >6. Your flavor of unix/linux.  Red Hat 7.3
> >7. The client OS. -- Win 2k PRO, Windows 98 SE
> 
> The printcap and smb.conf files are attached.
> 
> 
> 
> >This information may help.
> >Joel
> >
> >On Sun, Jun 16, 2002 at 03:11:25PM -0400, Joe Carmon wrote:
> > > When printing locally the printer works fine, but when I try to print from
> > > a client computer the following message prints out.
> > >
> > > ****Unable to open the initial device, quitting.
> > >
> > > Can any body help with this problem.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
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