Ubuntu
hplip package

The 3.20.3 version of HPLIP for Ubuntu 20.04 fails when it attempts to install the plugin for the HP Laserjet Professional M1212nf MFP scanner

Asked by Phil Hopkins on 2020-06-27

The printer installation works nominally otherwise, but not the scanner plugin.

Attempting to utilize the scanner results in a "failed to open device 'hpaio:/usb/HP_LaserJet_Professional_M1212nf_MFP?serial=0000000000QJ30EPMPR1a': Error during device I/O" message, which is then followed by a "Driver Plug-in Installation is required" pop-up message.

The command line messages are as follows when using the Driver Plug-In Installation panel, selecting "Download and install the plug-in from an HP authorized server (recommended)", and then selecting "Next":

=========================================================

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.20.6)
Diagnose Plugin Utility ver. 1.0

Copyright (c) 2001-18 HP 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 Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.20.6)
Plugin Download and Install Utility ver. 2.1

Checking for network connection...
Downloading plug-in from:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 85, in get_distro_name
os_name = platform.dist()[0]
AttributeError: module 'platform' has no attribute 'dist'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindialog.py", line 248, in NextButton_clicked
    status, download_plugin_file, error_str = self.pluginObj.download(self.plugin_path,self.plugin_download_callback)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/pluginhandler.py", line 254, in download
    core = core_install.CoreInstall()
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/core_install.py", line 240, in __init__
    self.passwordObj = password.Password(ui_mode)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 118, in __init__
    self.__readAuthType() # self.__authType
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 141, in __readAuthType
    distro_name = get_distro_name().lower().replace(" ","")
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 88, in get_distro_name
    os_name = distro.linux_distribution()[0]
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 122, in linux_distribution
    return _distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 677, in linux_distribution
    self.version(),
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 737, in version
    self.lsb_release_attr('release'),
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 899, in lsb_release_attr
    return self._lsb_release_info.get(attribute, '')
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 552, in __get__
    ret = obj.__dict__[self._fname] = self._f(obj)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 1012, in _lsb_release_info
    stdout = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=devnull)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 411, in check_output
    return run(*popenargs, stdout=PIPE, timeout=timeout, check=True,
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 512, in run
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, process.args,
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command '('lsb_release', '-a')' returned non-zero exit status 1.
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 153, in apport_excepthook
    with os.fdopen(os.open(pr_filename,
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/crash/_usr_share_hplip_plugin.py.1000.crash'

Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 85, in get_distro_name
os_name = platform.dist()[0]
AttributeError: module 'platform' has no attribute 'dist'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

=========================================================

The results from the "hp-doctor" utility for my system are as follows:

=========================================================

/usr/share/hplip/check.py:685: SyntaxWarning: "is not" with a literal. Did you mean "!="?
if 'getfacl' not in g and '' is not g and 'file' not in g:

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.20.6)
Self Diagnse Utility and Healing Utility ver. 1.0

Checking for Deprecated items....
No Deprecated items are found

Checking for HPLIP updates....

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.20.6)
HPLIP upgrade latest version ver. 1.0

Latest version of HPLIP is already installed.

Checking for Dependencies....

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

Kernel: 5.4.0-39-generic #43-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jun 19 10:28:31 UTC 2020 GNU/Linux
Host: phil
Proc: 5.4.0-39-generic #43-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jun 19 10:28:31 UTC 2020 GNU/Linux
Distribution: 12 20.04
Bitness: 64 bit

-----------------------
| HPLIP CONFIGURATION |
-----------------------

HPLIP-Version: HPLIP 3.20.6
HPLIP-Home: /usr/share/hplip
HPLIP-Installation: Auto installation is supported for ubuntu distro 20.04 version

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

[hplip]
version=3.20.6

[dirs]
home=/usr/share/hplip
run=/var/run
ppd=/usr/share/ppd/HP
ppdbase=/usr/share/ppd
doc=/usr/share/doc/hplip-3.20.6
html=/usr/share/doc/hplip-3.20.6
icon=/usr/share/applications
cupsbackend=/usr/lib/cups/backend
cupsfilter=/usr/lib/cups/filter
drv=/usr/share/cups/drv/hp
bin=/usr/bin
apparmor=/etc/apparmor.d
# Following values are determined at configure time and cannot be changed.
[configure]
network-build=yes
libusb01-build=no
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=3.20.6
restricted-build=no
ui-toolkit=qt5
qt3=no
qt4=no
qt5=yes
policy-kit=no
lite-build=no
udev_sysfs_rules=no
hpcups-only-build=no
hpijs-only-build=no
apparmor_build=yes
class-driver=no

Current contents of '/var/lib/hp/hplip.state' file:
[plugin]
installed = 1
eula = 1
version = 3.19.8

Current contents of '~/.hplip/hplip.conf' file:
[upgrade]
notify_upgrade = true
last_upgraded_time = 1593294051
pending_upgrade_time = 0
latest_available_version = 3.17.10

[last_used]
device_uri = hp:/usb/HP_LaserJet_Professional_M1212nf_MFP?serial=000000000QJ30EPMPR1a
printer_name = HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP
working_dir = .

[settings]
systray_visible = 1
systray_messages = 2

[commands]
scan = /usr/bin/xsane -V %SANE_URI%

[refresh]
rate = 30
enable = true
type = 1

[polling]
enable = false
interval = 5
device_list =

[fax]
voice_phone =
email_address =

[installation]
date_time = 06/27/20 15:25:36
version = 3.20.6

<Package-name> <Package-Desc> <Required/Optional> <Min-Version> <Installed-Version> <Status> <Comment>

-------------------------
| External Dependencies |
-------------------------

cups CUPS - Common Unix Printing System REQUIRED 1.1 2.3.1 OK 'CUPS Scheduler is running'
gs GhostScript - PostScript and PDF language interpreter and previewer REQUIRED 7.05 9.50 OK -
xsane xsane - Graphical scanner frontend for SANE OPTIONAL 0.9 0.999 OK -
scanimage scanimage - Shell scanning program OPTIONAL 1.0 1.0.29 OK -
dbus DBus - Message bus system REQUIRED - 1.12.16 OK -
policykit PolicyKit - Administrative policy framework OPTIONAL - 0.105 OK -
network network -wget OPTIONAL - 1.20.3 OK -
avahi-utils avahi-utils OPTIONAL - 0.7 OK -

------------------------
| General Dependencies |
------------------------

libjpeg libjpeg - JPEG library REQUIRED - - OK -
cups-devel CUPS devel- Common Unix Printing System development files REQUIRED - 2.3.1 OK -
cups-image CUPS image - CUPS image development files REQUIRED - 2.3.1 OK -
libpthread libpthread - POSIX threads library REQUIRED - b'2.31' OK -
libusb libusb - USB library REQUIRED - 1.0 OK -
sane SANE - Scanning library REQUIRED - - OK -
sane-devel SANE - Scanning library development files REQUIRED - - OK -
libnetsnmp-devel libnetsnmp-devel - SNMP networking library development files REQUIRED 5.0.9 5.8 OK -
libcrypto libcrypto - OpenSSL cryptographic library REQUIRED - 1.1.1 OK -
python3X Python 2.2 or greater - Python programming language REQUIRED 2.2 3.8.2 OK -
python3-notify2 Python libnotify - Python bindings for the libnotify Desktop notifications OPTIONAL - - OK -
python3-pyqt5-dbus PyQt 5 DBus - DBus Support for PyQt5 OPTIONAL 5.0 5.14.1 OK -
python3-pyqt5 PyQt 5- Qt interface for Python (for Qt version 4.x) REQUIRED 5.0 5.14.1 OK -
python3-dbus Python DBus - Python bindings for DBus REQUIRED 0.80.0 1.2.16 OK -
python3-xml Python XML libraries REQUIRED - 2.2.9 OK -
python3-devel Python devel - Python development files REQUIRED 2.2 3.8.2 OK -
python3-pil PIL - Python Imaging Library (required for commandline scanning with hp-scan) OPTIONAL - 7.0.0 OK -
python3-reportlab Reportlab - PDF library for Python OPTIONAL 2.0 3.5.34 OK -

--------------
| COMPILEDEP |
--------------

libtool libtool - Library building support services REQUIRED - 2.4.6 OK -
gcc gcc - GNU Project C and C++ Compiler REQUIRED - 9.3.0 OK -
make make - GNU make utility to maintain groups of programs REQUIRED 3.0 4.2.1 OK -

---------------------
| Python Extentions |
---------------------

cupsext CUPS-Extension REQUIRED - 3.20.6 OK -
hpmudext IO-Extension REQUIRED - 3.20.6 OK -

----------------------
| Scan Configuration |
----------------------

hpaio HPLIP-SANE-Backend REQUIRED - 3.20.6 OK 'hpaio found in /etc/sane.d/dll.conf'
scanext Scan-SANE-Extension REQUIRED - 3.20.6 OK -

------------------------------
| DISCOVERED SCANNER DEVICES |
------------------------------

device `hpaio:/usb/HP_LaserJet_Professional_M1212nf_MFP?serial=000000000QJ30EPMPR1a' is a Hewlett-Packard HP_LaserJet_Professional_M1212nf_MFP all-in-one

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

  Device URI Model
  -------------------------------- --------------------------------
  hp:/usb/HP_LaserJet_Professional HP LaserJet Professional M1212nf
  _M1212nf_MFP?serial=000000000QJ3 MFP
  0EPMPR1a

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

HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP
------------------------------------
Type: Printer
Device URI: hp:/usb/HP_LaserJet_Professional_M1212nf_MFP?serial=000000000QJ30EPMPR1a
PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP.ppd
warning: Failed to read /etc/cups/ppd/HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP.ppd ppd file
PPD Description:
Printer status: printer HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP is idle. enabled since Sat 27 Jun 2020 02:56:08 PM PDT
Communication status: Good

HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP-Fax-3
------------------------------------------
Type: Fax
Device URI: hpfax:/usb/HP_LaserJet_Professional_M1212nf_MFP?serial=000000000QJ30EPMPR1a
PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP-Fax-3.ppd
warning: Failed to read /etc/cups/ppd/HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP-Fax-3.ppd ppd file
PPD Description:
Printer status: printer HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP-Fax-3 is idle. enabled since Mon 16 Sep 2019 10:34:35 AM PDT
Communication status: Good

Stylus-Photo-RX580
------------------
Type: Unknown
Device URI: usb://EPSON/Stylus%20Photo%20RX580?serial=L55010608080024440&interface=1
PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/Stylus-Photo-RX580.ppd
warning: Failed to read /etc/cups/ppd/Stylus-Photo-RX580.ppd ppd file
PPD Description:
Printer status: printer Stylus-Photo-RX580 is idle. enabled since Sun 15 Sep 2019 05:32:10 PM PDT
warning: Printer is not HPLIP installed. Printers must use the hp: or hpfax: CUPS backend for HP-Devices.

--------------
| PERMISSION |
--------------

USB HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP Required - - OK Node:'/dev/bus/usb/001/009' Perm:' root lp rw- rw- rw- rw- r--'

Checking Permissions....

Checking for Configured Queues....
warning: Fail to read ppd=/etc/cups/ppd/HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP.ppd file
warning: Insufficient permission to access file /etc/cups/ppd/HP-LaserJet-Professional-M1212nf-MFP.ppd
warning: Could not complete Queue(s) configuration check

Checking for HP Properitery Plugin's....
No plug-in printers are configured.

Diagnose completed...

More information on Troubleshooting,How-To's and Support is available on http://hplipopensource.com/hplip-web/index.html

===================================================

If the automatic installer can't install the correct plug-in, can you provide the correct scanner plug-in for manual installation?