[Samba] "advanced printing features" setting not saved [Samba] "advanced printing features" setting not saved

[Kurt Pfeifle]

Alexander Geraldy <geraldy at informatikdotuni-kldotde> wrote on Samba-Digest:


> [Samba] "advanced printing features" setting not saved
> 
>     * To: samba at listsdotsambadotorg
>     * Subject: [Samba] "advanced printing features" setting not saved
>     * From: Alexander Geraldy <geraldy at informatikdotuni-kldotde>
>     * Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 20:59:21 +0200
> 
> Hello,
> 
> we run SuSE8.2 with Samba 2.2.7a-78 (SuSE's own version?!) and Windows XP
> clients. After an update to 3.0.0, everything works well (user access on
> file services and printing), but we can't save the "advanced printing
> features(?)" (german: "Erweiterte Druckfunktionen aktivieren") flag
> (WinXP -> Settings -> any printer -> Advanced) anymore.

It better doesn't!

Since Samba nor the underlying Unix print subsystem (like CUPS or
LPRng) can not process "EMF"-type print data from the Windows GDI
(as are sent over the network from the clients to the print server
if "advanced printing features" are "on"), it *should* be disabled.

I am glad it is disabled by default now (wasn't the case in earlier
versions, IIRC), and that you can not really enable it. It just makes
no sense with Samba.

Clients sending EMF expect the print server to execute the Windows
driver (which Samba obviously can't) and generate PCL or PostScript
or whatever from that EMF input. That is what the "advanced printing
features" is for....

> This holds for all our (HP-)printers while the duplex option is stored
> on the samba server.

But duplex *printing* works for the clients?

> This one flag is always reset to disabled without
> any warning or error message.
> 

I think a warning would be even more confusing. (You are the first
person in a very long time I see asking this on the list. A warning,
or worse, an error message, would have provoked a myriad of
investigations.... ;-)

However, that is now explained in the much extended printing chapters
of the "Samba 3.0 HOWTO Collection". These chapters are well worth
reading even if you don't plan to run Samba-3.0 in the near future,
for most of the stuff applies 1:1 for Samba 2.2.x.

> A clean install of samba 3.0.0 did not change anything about this
> problem. Since no user can print duplex or n-to-1 with samba 3.0.0,

I am confused now. Does duplex printing work or not?

The n-to-1 printing depends on the driver type you are using
for the clients and on the way you installed drivers and tried
to save the settings.

> I had to install the old samba version again.
> 
> Is there any known solution for this problem?
> In which files are the printer settings stored on the samba server?
> I didn't find anything about that topic.
> 

OK -- see the Samba-3.0 HOWTO Collection!

> thanks for your help!
> - Alexander
> 

Cheers,
Kurt