Two-sided printing?

Problems and successes with specific brands/models of printers
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kenbanistu
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Joined: Thu 08 Jan 2009, 19:51

Two-sided printing?

#1 Post by kenbanistu »

Is there any way to get CUPS to do two-sided printing? Even though paper is dirt cheap I hate to waste it.

If it matters, I am using Puppy 4.2.1 retro.

--Ken

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mikeb
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#2 Post by mikeb »

That is usually determined by the particular printer ppd/driver....
make/model.?
mike

kenbanistu
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#3 Post by kenbanistu »

It's a hp deskjet 845c.
When I first set the printer up in CUPS I didn't see an option anywhere for two-sided printing, but I can do two-sided printing with it in Windows so it seems like I should be able to do so in linux too.

--Ken

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rcrsn51
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#4 Post by rcrsn51 »

Which driver package did you use to install the printer?

I did a simulated install of your 845C with both the Gutenprint and HPIJS packages and neither showed double-sided printing as an option.

Maybe the full HPLIP driver has this feature.

kenbanistu
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#5 Post by kenbanistu »

rcrsn51 wrote:Which driver package did you use to install the printer?

I did a simulated install of your 845C with both the Gutenprint and HPIJS packages and neither showed double-sided printing as an option.

Maybe the full HPLIP driver has this feature.
I used the driver that came with Puppy. I think it's a HPLIP driver, but I'm not sure.

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8-bit
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#6 Post by 8-bit »

As a work around, if you are using Abiword,
Load your document
Select printer
Select Print
Select Page Setup
Click the down triangle pointer next to Print Only
Select Odd Sheets
Print

Turn output page stack over and reinsert into printer as next paper to be printed Header on paper facing in.
Select Print
Select Page Setup
Click on the down triangle next to Print Only
Select Even Sheets
Print.

This is the way we do it when we do not have a printer that can print both sides with a sheet turning attachment.

kenbanistu
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Joined: Thu 08 Jan 2009, 19:51

#7 Post by kenbanistu »

8-bit wrote:As a work around, if you are using Abiword,
Load your document
Select printer
Select Print
Select Page Setup
Click the down triangle pointer next to Print Only
Select Odd Sheets
Print

Turn output page stack over and reinsert into printer as next paper to be printed Header on paper facing in.
Select Print
Select Page Setup
Click on the down triangle next to Print Only
Select Even Sheets
Print.

This is the way we do it when we do not have a printer that can print both sides with a sheet turning attachment.
I was hoping to use the WP in softmaker office 2008 that I just installed a few days ago, but it doesn't seem to have an option for only even or odd pages. I think if i export as a pdf i should be able to use the pdf viewer to print using your odd-even method. I would rather be able to do the odd-even thing in Softmaker, though. Maybe it's not the improvment over Abiword that I thought it would be.

I still feel that the printer driver should have a two-sided option. The Windows version does, so why not include it in the linux one.

--Ken

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mikeb
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#8 Post by mikeb »

Have you looked on the HP site..their linux support for printers is supposed to be good.
The canon driver gives me double sided and a better print than the gutenprint one at the moment.
mike

kenbanistu
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#9 Post by kenbanistu »

mikeb wrote:Have you looked on the HP site..their linux support for printers is supposed to be good.
The canon driver gives me double sided and a better print than the gutenprint one at the moment.
mike
They have HPLIP packages available for several Linux distros, but Puppy isn't one of them. The Debian package is some sort of .run package that I would have no idea how to use, or even if it can be used in puppy.

And the version number of the latest HPLIP package appears to be the same as what Puppy came with, so downloading it seems pointless, even if I did know what to do with a .run file.

In all honesty, it seems to me that two-sided printing should be a feature of CUPS, not the printer driver.

--Ken

kenbanistu
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Joined: Thu 08 Jan 2009, 19:51

#10 Post by kenbanistu »

8-bit wrote:As a work around, if you are using Abiword,
Load your document
Select printer
Select Print
Select Page Setup
Click the down triangle pointer next to Print Only
Select Odd Sheets
Print

Turn output page stack over and reinsert into printer as next paper to be printed Header on paper facing in.
Select Print
Select Page Setup
Click on the down triangle next to Print Only
Select Even Sheets
Print.

This is the way we do it when we do not have a printer that can print both sides with a sheet turning attachment.
I think I will just go ahead and do it this way. It is almost the same as what the windows driver does. It prints the even pages then puts a dialog on the screen telling me to put the paper back into the feed tray so the odd pages can be printed. The only difference from your manual way is that it is slightly more automated. I can live with that.

--Ken

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mikeb
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#11 Post by mikeb »

So even in windows its not true auto double sided ...perhaps that's why its not included. The canon I have does it all internally and I have the option in linux as well as windows.
The driver is from Hewlet packard not cups...cups is just the spooler...so complain to HP

mike

Rope
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#12 Post by Rope »

I have an Epson Stylus C79 and the two sided option is grayed.
How can I enable two side printing?
I don't remember installing any driver.
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rcrsn51
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#13 Post by rcrsn51 »

What Puppy version are you using?

What application program are you trying to print from?

In the Print dialog, there is an option called Print Only. It gives you a choice of Odd or Even pages. Have you tried it?

Rope
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#14 Post by Rope »

rcrsn51 wrote:What Puppy version are you using?

What application program are you trying to print from?

In the Print dialog, there is an option called Print Only. It gives you a choice of Odd or Even pages. Have you tried it?
Slacko 5.5
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I don't want odd or even ( I see the option) but two side.
Thanks.
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rcrsn51
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#15 Post by rcrsn51 »

Rope wrote:I don't want odd or even ( I see the option) but two side.
The intent is to print the odd pages first, then flip the stack of sheets over and print the even pages.

I don't believe that this printer does auto duplexing. How else were you planning to do two-sided?

Rope
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#16 Post by Rope »

rcrsn51 wrote:
Rope wrote:I don't want odd or even ( I see the option) but two side.
The intent is to print the odd pages first, then flip the stack of sheets over and print the even pages.

I don't believe that this printer does auto duplexing. How else were you planning to do two-sided?
When windows worked I used the two sides option.
Thanks for the suggestion anyway.
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rcrsn51
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#17 Post by rcrsn51 »

Rope wrote:When windows worked I used the two sides option.
Please explain. How did you handle the paper? Did the printer flip it over automatically?

Rope
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#18 Post by Rope »

rcrsn51 wrote:
Rope wrote:When windows worked I used the two sides option.
Please explain. How did you handle the paper? Did the printer flip it over automatically?
No. I had to turn it manually. But the setting is easier. I will try your suggestion.
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