HPLIP

how to use hp: cups backend?

Asked by N7DR

Trying to debug a printing problem on 64-bit natty and a deskjet 920c, I have installed the current version of hplip, and when I run "hp-check -t" I get the following:

----

DeskJet_920C
------------
Type: Unknown
Device URI: lpd://192.168.0.246/L1
PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/DeskJet_920C.ppd
PPD Description: HP Deskjet 920c, hpcups 3.11.1
Printer /usr/lib/cups/backend/lpd failedidle. enabled since Tue 31 May 2011 06:30:28 PM MDT
warning: Printer is not HPLIP installed. Printers must use the hp: or hpfax: CUPS backend to function in HPLIP.

----

So it's telling me that I need to do something, but what?? How do I force the printer to "use the hp: or hpfax: CUPS backend"?

FWIW, the problem I'm trying to debug concerns the fact that I can no longer (after updating from maverick) print photographs on photo paper. Ordinary text prints fine, as do low-quality photos. The error message about the CUPS backend seems to suggest that nothing should work at all, but it's just the high-quality prints that seem to be failing. In maverick, everything worked fine.

Anyway, if someone could please tell me how to force the printer to use the hp: CUPS backend, maybe that will solve the problem. (If it doesn't, I'll post a complete report at that point.)

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Srikanth (srikanth-lokare) said : 		#1

Hi,

Can you please run "hp-check -t" from the terminal and post the complete output here.

Thanks and Regards,
Srikanth Lokare

Revision history for this message
N7DR (doc-evans) said : 		#2

[HN:hp] hp-check -t

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.11.5)
Dependency/Version Check Utility ver. 14.3

Copyright (c) 2001-9 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP
This software comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to distribute it
under certain conditions. See COPYING file for more details.

Note: hp-check can be run in three modes:
1. Compile-time check mode (-c or --compile): Use this mode before compiling the HPLIP supplied tarball (.tar.gz or .run) to determine
if the proper dependencies are installed to successfully compile HPLIP.
2. Run-time check mode (-r or --run): Use this mode to determine if a distro supplied package (.deb, .rpm, etc) or an already built
HPLIP supplied tarball has the proper dependencies installed to successfully run.
3. Both compile- and run-time check mode (-b or --both) (Default): This mode will check both of the above cases (both compile- and
run-time dependencies).

Saving output in log file: hp-check.log

Initializing. Please wait...

---------------
| SYSTEM INFO |
 ---------------

Basic system information:
Linux homebrew 2.6.38-9-generic #43-Ubuntu SMP Thu Apr 28 15:23:06 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Distribution:
ubuntu 11.04

Checking Python version...
OK, version 2.7.1 installed

Checking PyQt 4.x version...
OK, version 4.8.3 installed.

Checking for CUPS...
Status: scheduler is running
Version: 1.4.6
error_log is set to level: warn

Checking for dbus/python-dbus...
dbus daemon is running.
python-dbus version: 0.83.1

------------------------------------
| COMPILE AND RUNTIME DEPENDENCIES |
 ------------------------------------

note: To check for compile-time only dependencies, re-run hp-check with the -c parameter (ie, hp-check -c).
note: To check for run-time only dependencies, re-run hp-check with the -r parameter (ie, hp-check -r).

Checking for dependency: CUPS - Common Unix Printing System...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: CUPS devel- Common Unix Printing System development files...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: CUPS image - CUPS image development files...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: DBus - Message bus system...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: gcc - GNU Project C and C++ Compiler...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: GhostScript - PostScript and PDF language interpreter and previewer...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: libcrypto - OpenSSL cryptographic library...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: libjpeg - JPEG library...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: libnetsnmp-devel - SNMP networking library development files...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: libpthread - POSIX threads library...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: libtool - Library building support services...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: libusb - USB library...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: make - GNU make utility to maintain groups of programs...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: PIL - Python Imaging Library (required for commandline scanning with hp-scan)...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: PolicyKit - Administrative policy framework...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: PyQt 4 DBus - DBus Support for PyQt4...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: Python DBus - Python bindings for DBus...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: Python devel - Python development files...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: Python libnotify - Python bindings for the libnotify Desktop notifications...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: Python XML libraries...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: Python 2.3 or greater - Required for fax functionality...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: Python 2.2 or greater - Python programming language...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: Reportlab - PDF library for Python...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: SANE - Scanning library...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: SANE - Scanning library development files...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: scanimage - Shell scanning program...
OK, found.

Checking for dependency: xsane - Graphical scanner frontend for SANE...
OK, found.

----------------------
| HPLIP INSTALLATION |
 ----------------------

Currently installed HPLIP version...
HPLIP 3.11.5 currently installed in '/usr/share/hplip'.

Current contents of '/etc/hp/hplip.conf' file:
# hplip.conf. Generated from hplip.conf.in by configure.

[hplip]
version=3.11.5

[dirs]
home=/usr/share/hplip
run=/var/run
ppd=/usr/share/ppd/HP
ppdbase=/usr/share/ppd
doc=/usr/share/doc/hplip-3.11.5
icon=/usr/share/applications
cupsbackend=/usr/lib/cups/backend
cupsfilter=/usr/lib/cups/filter
drv=/usr/share/cups/drv/hp

# Following values are determined at configure time and cannot be changed.
[configure]
network-build=yes
pp-build=no
gui-build=yes
scanner-build=yes
fax-build=yes
dbus-build=yes
cups11-build=no
doc-build=yes
shadow-build=no
hpijs-install=no
foomatic-drv-install=no
foomatic-ppd-install=no
foomatic-rip-hplip-install=no
hpcups-install=yes
cups-drv-install=yes
cups-ppd-install=no
internal-tag=3.11.5
restricted-build=no
ui-toolkit=qt4
qt3=no
qt4=yes
policy-kit=no
hpijs-only-build=no
lite-build=no
udev-acl-rules=yes
hpcups-only-build=no
hpijs-only-build=no

Current contents of '/var/lib/hp/hplip.state' file:
# hplip.state - HPLIP runtime persistent variables.

[plugin]
installed=0
eula=0

Current contents of '~/.hplip/hplip.conf' file:
[installation]
date_time = 05/31/2011 22:08:41
version = 3.11.5

--------------------------
| DISCOVERED USB DEVICES |
 --------------------------

No devices found.

---------------------------------
| INSTALLED CUPS PRINTER QUEUES |
 ---------------------------------

DeskJet_920C
------------
Type: Unknown
Device URI: lpd://192.168.0.246/L1
PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/DeskJet_920C.ppd
PPD Description: HP Deskjet 920c, hpcups 3.11.1
Printer status: printer DeskJet_920C is idle. enabled since Tue 26 Apr 2011 10:00:50 AM MDT
warning: Printer is not HPLIP installed. Printers must use the hp: or hpfax: CUPS backend to function in HPLIP.

HL-1040
-------
Type: Unknown
Device URI: smb://192.168.0.1/BROTHEHL1040
PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/HL-1040.ppd
PPD Description: Brother HL-1040 Foomatic/hl7x0 (recommended)
Printer Backend /usr/lib/cups/backend/smb does not exist! 2008 10:33:25 AM MDT -
warning: Printer is not HPLIP installed. Printers must use the hp: or hpfax: CUPS backend to function in HPLIP.

----------------------
| SANE CONFIGURATION |
 ----------------------

'hpaio' in '/etc/sane.d/dll.conf'...
OK, found. SANE backend 'hpaio' is properly set up.

Checking output of 'scanimage -L'...
device `epson2:libusb:005:002' is a Epson Perfection1200 flatbed scanner

---------------------
| PYTHON EXTENSIONS |
 ---------------------

Checking 'cupsext' CUPS extension...
OK, found.

Checking 'pcardext' Photocard extension...
OK, found.

Checking 'hpmudext' I/O extension...
OK, found.

Checking 'scanext' SANE scanning extension...
OK, found.

---------------
| USER GROUPS |
 ---------------

n7dr adm lp dialout cdrom plugdev lpadmin admin sambashare kqemu

-----------
| SUMMARY |
 -----------

error: 2 errors and/or warnings.

Please refer to the installation instructions at:
http://hplip.sourceforge.net/install/index.html

Done.
[HN:hp] ls -al
total 48
drwxr-xr-x 2 n7dr n7dr 4096 2011-05-31 22:08 .
drwxrwxrwt 85 root root 32768 2011-05-31 22:08 ..
-rw-r----- 1 n7dr n7dr 11122 2011-05-31 22:08 hp-check.log
[HN:hp]

Revision history for this message
Srikanth (srikanth-lokare) said : 		#3

Hi,

Please delete the existing printer queue and re-configure it using "hp-setup" from the terminal. If the problem still persists post the output of "hp-check -t" again.

Thanks for using HPLIP.

Thanks and Regards,
Srikanth Lokare

Revision history for this message
N7DR (doc-evans) said : 		#4

I'm sorry, but how do I "delete the existing printer queue"? I can't find anything about deleting printer queues anywhere I've looked (I tried the web interface to CUPS and the lpadmin command; in neither case was there any obvious reference to deleting queues).

Revision history for this message
Srikanth (srikanth-lokare) said : 		#5

Hi,

Please follow the below instructions to delete the queue.
1. Launch "hp-toolbox" from the terminal.
2. In the toolbox you can see "+" and "-" buttons.
3. Click on the "-" button.
4. Select all the existing queues and click on the Remove button.

Please let us know on the same.

Thanks and Regards,
Srikanth Lokare

Revision history for this message
N7DR (doc-evans) said : 		#6

1. Launch "hp-toolbox" from the terminal.

OK

2. In the toolbox you can see "+" and "-" buttons.

First I get is a box whose contents I can't cut-and-paste but which says there are "no installed HP devices found". I don't know how to interpret that, since there most definitely is an installed HP device. I found the "+" and "-" buttons on the "HP Device Manager" screen; the "-" is greyed out. There are no queues listed.

If I then type" hp-setup" It tells me to do a device discovery; but when I run that it reports that no device was found.

FWIW, CUPS reports the connection to the DeskJet device (which is on a lLinksys print server) as:
  lpd://192.168.0.246/L1 (actually, I guess you knew that: it was in the output from hp-check -t)

Judging from the above, something seems to be seriously wrong with the configuration. But I stress that it all worked perfectly until the upgrade from maverick to natty, and I can still print text and low-resolution colour just fine; it just seems to be high-resolution-colour-to-glossy paper that fails.

Revision history for this message
Srikanth (srikanth-lokare) said : 		#7

Hi,

From the above comment, it seems the device is not configured. Lets us try the following.

1. Reboot your machine and the printer.
2. Ping to the IP address of the printer after reboot.
3. If able to ping execute "hp-setup -g > output.txt" to setup device.
4. Now select "Network/Ethernet/Wireless Network (Direct Connection..)" option under "Connection IO Types"
5. Click on the "Show Advanced option" button.
6. Select "Manual Discovery" check-box.
7. Enter the IP Adress noted and click on the Next button.
8. Continue the setup complete the configuration.

If the problem still persists, paste the content of output.txt here.

Thanks and Regards,
Srikanth Lokare

Revision history for this message
N7DR (doc-evans) said : 		#8

1. Reboot your machine and the printer.

OK, everything powered off and back on.

2. Ping to the IP address of the printer after reboot.

OK:

[HN:~] ping 192.168.0.246
PING 192.168.0.246 (192.168.0.246) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.0.246: icmp_req=1 ttl=30 time=2.11 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.246: icmp_req=2 ttl=30 time=2.22 ms

3. If able to ping execute "hp-setup -g > output.txt" to setup device.

OK.

4. Now select "Network/Ethernet/Wireless Network (Direct Connection..)" option under "Connection IO Types"

OK.

5. Click on the "Show Advanced option" button.

OK.

6. Select "Manual Discovery" check-box.

OK.

7. Enter the IP Adress noted and click on the Next button.

OK; entered 192.168.0.246.

8. Continue the setup complete the configuration.

"No devices found".

If the problem still persists, paste the content of output.txt here.

Here it is:

----

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.11.5)
Printer/Fax Setup Utility ver. 9.0

Copyright (c) 2001-9 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP
This software comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to distribute it
under certain conditions. See COPYING file for more details.

hp-setup[26523]: debug: param=
hp-setup[26523]: debug: selected_device_name=None
hp-setup[26523]: debug: Sys.argv=['/usr/bin/hp-setup', '-g'] printer_name=None param= jd_port=1 device_uri=None remove=False
hp-setup[26523]: debug: Starting GUI loop...
hp-setup[26523]: debug: Trying IP address 192.168.0.246
hp-setup[26523]: debug: Not found.
hp-setup[26523]: debug: Trying serial number 192.168.0.246
hp-setup[26523]: debug: Probing bus: usb
hp-setup[26523]: debug: Probing bus: par

Done.

----

FWIW, when I send a high-resolution colour photo to the printer, I can see the light on the print server flashing to indicate that it is receiving data... it's just that nothing prints. Ordinary text and low-res colour still works fine.

Revision history for this message
N7DR (doc-evans) said : 		#9

Since I have heard nothing more on this problem in over a month, I have (temporarily, I hope) switched to a completely different (non-HP) driver.

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask N7DR for more information if necessary.

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