Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[dbd400@gmail.com]

I am using Puppy Linux Slacko 5.5. I have read everything I could, and I am still mystified as to what to do. Here is what I've already done:
1. Searched for, but cannot find my printer disk, which somewhere, but where?
2. Read all the CUPS documents I could.
3. Read all the HP documents I could.
4. Determined that at some recent year after I bought my printer (a long time ago), HP has consolidated ALL printer support into a module called "HPLips"
5. Verified that HPLips does support my printer, HP PSC 1210 All-In-One, although it says support is 'partial'. Since the printer is also a copier and a scanner, I am guessing that support for one or both of those functions is missing.
6. Learned how to invoke CUPS.
7. Tried to add a printer.
8. Scrolled through the printers offered by CUPS, but HP PSC 1210 is missing, In fact ALL models of the HP PSC 1200, the ENTIRE family, are missing from the selectable list of printers offered by CUPS.

Now, if I call HP, they have done their job -- 1210 support is in HPLips. But if I consider CUPS, where is it? CUPS says it uses HPLips for HP printers. I have not installed a new CUPS, but used what is there. Would I need to do so? How? I am not sure how to proceed with downloading and installing a new HPLips, but would that do the job? Because of the separation between printing, copying, and scanning, it is quite possible that telling CUPS that I have another HP printer will work, but if so, which one? This forum is full of talk about the HP 1200 family of printers, so apparently many of you are really successful with it.

HELP, Please!

Thanks much for any inkling of how to proceed.

[rcrsn51]

[dbd400@gmail.com]

Thanks for the reply.

Well, I have done all that and the printer is not yet working. I had read the cited reference before, arriving at it in a different way (by search). I had also downloaded the referenced pets. Upon receiving the reply I downloaded and installed them again. Attached is an image of the printers I see upon being prompted by CUPS add printer.

When I issue command: 'cups-config --version', the response is: bash: command not found. PPM says the installed version is cups-1.4.8-w5c, but to not install the later version, cups-1.5.4.

Another post says hpijs works perfectly with the printer, but there is no .pet for it. I haven't even found where to download a version not intended for a mac.

Is there any way to clean out and remove all printer drivers and start over? (Without reverting all the way back to the .iso?) My new theory is that whatever is installed is blocking things so that any driver which I install is not seen.

[rcrsn51]

In some recent Puppies, the command "cups-config --version" does not work.

Run the Puppy Package Manager and confirm that you have actually installed the hplip_print-3.12.10a.pet. Look under "Uninstall".

Try a temporary clean install. Boot off your Live CD. At the initial 5-second pause, type "puppy pfix=ram".

Download and install the driver PET.

Run CUPS.

[dbd400@gmail.com]

Understanding that the 'uninstall' also presented a list of installed packages was the key. Using it, I discovered that I had installed the patch by mistake. I uninstalled the patch, and installed the pet, added the printer (it was there on the list), and printed a sample document.

Many, many thanks!

Now, towards getting the scanner working: the list showed also that I had installed the matching scan pet towards enabling the scanner function of the printer. PPM shows that hplip_scan-3.12.10a is installed. I installed PeasyScan, and tried scanning something. Upon hitting 'Save' after an appropriate interval, I get the message: "Nothing was scanned." and in another window:

"Failed to open device:'hpaio:/usb/psc_1200_series?
serial=MY37ED71CF5H': Invalid argument"

PPM shows that xsane-0.997-patched-1-w5c is also installed, and that xsane-0.998 exists. I tried xsane from the menu, but after it said "scanning for devices", it gave exactly the same message as above.

[rcrsn51]

You didn't need to install PeasyScan. It's already included in Slacko.

1. Reboot your computer and your printer. Try again.

2. If that doesn't help, try the temporary clean install as described above.