Samba printing on networked Windows machine?

Using applications, configuring, problems
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Rhino
Posts: 263
Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 13:28
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Samba printing on networked Windows machine?

#1 Post by Rhino »

Has anyone had any luck printing on a networked Windows machine?

I want to be able to print from Puppy using the Printer on my networked Windows machine. I have configured LinNeighborhood to mount the Windows machine and the Linux compatible printer shows up just fine. I used the printer wizard to configure the printer and tried a couple of the connection settings without so much as a peep from the printer...so they are not talking. Is this even possible using Samba, or must I have the printer attached locally?

Thanks!

noip
Posts: 93
Joined: Fri 07 Oct 2005, 00:45
Location: Sydney

#2 Post by noip »

Rhino,

I had a brief look at that a couple of months ago - I got as far as sending a file to the printer using the command line smbclient - which printed. From what I worked out before my lack of knowledge overcame me at the time, there is a script called smbprint (or something like that) which comes with the standard Samba suite that is used for printing.

Perhaps getting that script / program might be a way forward?

(all the above from memory - excuse any lapses)

GS

ftgs

Auda
Posts: 131
Joined: Sun 08 May 2005, 20:08
Location: New Zealand ( Christchurchish )

#3 Post by Auda »

I havent tried this with a windows printer but it does work connected to a linux fire wall ( Freesco ) running samba.
Copy this next bit and save as samba-1.0 in /.etc/pdq/interfaces run the printer setup wizard and select samba in xpdq.

Code: Select all

interface samba {

   help = "Use this interface if your printer is connected 
           to a Samba server"

   required_args "WHICH_PRINTER"

   argument {
      var = "WHICH_PRINTER"
      desc = "Which printer ?" 
      help = "What your printer is called and the name of the computer its attacted to  enter them as //computername/printername"
   }  

 send_exec { smbclient -N "$WHICH_PRINTER"  -c "print -" <$INPUT } 

   }

This is basicly a copy of /.etc/pdq/interfaces/appletalk-1.0 withe the main command changed to use smbclient rather than pap. I'm no script writer this is working for me with 2 different printers so I'm happy.
appletalk-1.0 has a couple of lines at the end

Code: Select all

   #status_exec {}
   #cancel_exec {}
which I figure could send a command to your printer to test its status or cancel the print job I havent looked at them yet, if you know what to do feel free.
sbmclient -L //computersname in rxvt will list what printers are available.
Thanks noip for seeing if smbclient worked
Auda

etienne
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun 09 Apr 2006, 03:29

printing to Windows shared printer with Samba

#4 Post by etienne »

Wow i got printing to work by using this.

One tricky part is reading the instructions carefully when using the printer wizard. When it says " ...and from the "Printer/Add Printer" menu you must select printer ijs-pcl-601..." (your specific name will be different" you must make sure you do select this, and follow the rest of what it says on that screen.
One confusing thing is that your printer name doesn't show up in applications when printing. In my system it shows up as "postrscript" or "generic/Postscript" but it does actually use the printer.

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