CUPS printing - installation script - update 13SEP06

[pakt]

I've finally had time to try peppyy's CUPS dotpup. There are problems when running the cups-install script from another script. For example, 'more' doesn't work - pressing 'space' didn't do anything and pressing 'return' closes the window instead of showing the next line. Also it would be good if the script started immediately when the dotpup is opened instead of having to click on the separate installation script.

I'm not sure what's causing the problem aussie is getting when trying to download the CUPS files.

I think the best solution may be to rewrite the CUPS install script and adapt it for use as a dotpup instead of having one script call another. Also include all the files that are currently downloaded by the script so we avoid server problems. The dotpup will probably be around 10MB. After installation, the dotpup can be deleted and only the necessary files will have been added to Puppy.

peppyy's use of MU's perl-midi was a good idea and it can be installed along with missing-perl by the script if it detects that perl is missing altogether.

I will start on this project to modify the CUPS script today and then, if peppyy has no objection, see if I can put together a dotpup. I'll post my progress in this thread.

Paul

[peppyy]

I agree that it would be better to have it open the script directly and that it would be good to include the files in the dotpup. If you could have it check for perl first and download it if needed that would make it even better. I have to admit that I could not figure out how to launch the dotpup directly but I was working on it

I think I also mentioned the exit problem at the end. With one script inside another I think the priority was for the outer script. As soon as the function of the install stopped for any length of time, my script continued its count and went to the exit comand.

This is why we test things right

[pakt]

This is why we test things right

Yep, otherwise Puppy wouldn't be where it is - a great little distro

I have re-worked the CUPS script to work as a program complete with dialog windows. Just click on the install file and the rest is automatic.

I plan on uploading an early version for testing later today. I need to see where we can host it. It will be about 13MB in size. Once it works satisfactorily, we can try to make a dotpup out of it.

Right now I am off to the post office in town to pick up a 3G datacard and a 3G router that will give me not 'broadband' but 'broader-band' to replace my present dial-up. I will be connecting my network to the nearby 3G mobile mast that was erected some months ago. This will give me about 8x faster internet access. I can't get anything else so this will have to do.

[aussie]

pakt

Your eagerly anticipated new automatic CUPS Install script/program, will be a giant step forward for puppykind, and devoteecups, looking forward to testing it.

[pakt]

Thanks for the enthusiasm, aussie

My apologies for not uploading the CUPS install test package sooner but I ran into some problems.

After some early success in getting my 'broader-band' connection working using 3G, my 3G datacard stopped working so it is back to dial-up until I can get a replacement card. The complete package I was going to upload is 13MB, but that just takes too long using dialup so I have removed the CUPS files. If you want to test the early CUPS installation program, download the CUPS files (as shown below) into the cups-install/ directory before clicking on 'cups-install'.

How to test:

1. Copy cups-install.tar.gz to /root

2. Unpack: tar -xzf cups-install.tar.gz

3. cd cups-install/

4. Download these files into cups-install/

wget -c ftp://ftp.linux.cz/pub/linux/slackware/ ... i486-1.tgz
wget -c ftp://ftp.linux.cz/pub/linux/slackware/ ... i486-1.tgz
wget -c ftp://ftp.linux.cz/pub/linux/slackware/ ... i486-1.tgz
wget -c ftp://ftp.linux.cz/pub/linux/slackware/ ... i486-1.tgz

5. Click on cups-install to run the CUPS installation program

Feedback welcome on how the program works in Puppy 1.xx & Puppy 2.xx

When we get the program to run reliably it should be fairly easy to make the program (and the CUPS files) into a dotpup.

Happy testing
Paul

[peppyy]

Nice script! I downloaded the files and put them all together in /usr/local/cups-install and it worked perfectly from there. Forgot I had a couple printers installed but it only took a minute to put them back. I attemtped several times to create a dotpup that ran the script automatically but the best I could get is an open folder with your script waiting for a click. It is a really big dotpup. almost 14mb so perhaps the last thing it should do is remove the temporary files from usr/local/cups-install. Or perhaps it should install from temp?

I put the dotpup up here temporarily

Link removed to avoid confusion.

It is a pretty fast server but no direct linking available without a premium account

[MU]

mirror:
http://dotpups.de/dotpups/Printing/
Mark

[Torymon]

Thanks Mark!
Right nice of you!
Peppyy, pakt, does your script look for existing .ppd files and install them?
I know that Paul started with it looking for existing's and installing but does the
new script cover that as well?...
I'm willing to test but I don't want to lose my (very rare!!!) .ppd file that took
me over 5 or 6 hours to find the "generator" for!
I presume that I could put my "custom" ppd file in the 'cups-install' directory
and the script "will find it and install it automatically". ... Yes?
Hell, I'll make several dozen copies and check this out and see what happens!
I've downloaded the .pup from Mark's site and do the install with my .ppd
moved into the cups-install and see.
Let ya'll know later!
Woof!
Tory

[peppyy]

When in doubt, backup, backup, backup and it might not hurt to backup

I have a custom .ppd on my libranet machine, or did until I updated the apps with synaptic I think it is called and it uninstalled it because it was not part of the original package. (Called it broken). I was never able to make it work again from scratch and I could not find the howto again, (over a year later). Went back to the old driver that comes with cups and just changed the default settings.

Thanks for the Mirror Mark.

Pakt, this 3G network sounds interesting. I wish they had something like that for my dad to get connected to. He suffers the intermitent dialup blues where he lives and is lucky to connect at all. I had to get him an external modem to get online since the line quality is so bad. At times his fax dosn't work correctly even. I am working on getting him a longer range wireless card so he can find some connections with his puptop in town.

Good luck with the network.

[pakt]

@Mark: Yes, thanks for the mirror

It is a really big dotpup. almost 14mb so perhaps the last thing it should do is remove the temporary files from usr/local/cups-install. Or perhaps it should install from temp?

It doesn't really need to be executed from /root. It will actually run from any directory - the script keeps track of where it is. The problem is if a .ppd file needs to be added to the installation directory by the user - the instructions need to tell the user where to put the file.

Here's a solution - have the installation program run from /tmp and tell the user to put the .ppd file in /root where it will be found by the program. That way the .ppd file will be saved while the installation program will be deleted after a reboot.

If this sounds reasonable, I will modify the script and upload it to this thread.

Peppyy, pakt, does your script look for existing .ppd files and install them?
I know that Paul started with it looking for existing's and installing but does the new script cover that as well?...

Yep, the program will even test the .ppd file's validity, ie, if it is acceptable for use by CUPS. If it is, a green window pops up with a 'validation successful' message - if not a red window pops up with a 'validation fail' message telling the user to replace the .ppd file with a valid one.

[Torymon]

pakt,
that's cool!
If a user knew to put the ppd in /root...
As you said, the /tmp could get rid of the superflous install files but still retain
the "priceless" ppd file AND check/confirm it's suitability/validity...
(how do they say in those MasterCard commercials???... oh yeh?)
Priceless!
Sounds good guys! Ain't had the chance to test yet but planning on it!
Thumbs up to the team!!
WoofWoof!
Tory

[aussie]

Well done pakt, peppyy, and MU for the mirror, the cups-install dotpup works like a charm, have now got to get myself a compatible printer and Puppy will be able to bark in print.

[jaxpilot]

Just want to say thanks a million for this script! As a newbie I have struggled with Puppy for 9 months - gave up 3 months ago. came back again this morning and wow! Downloaded 2.10, pupget for perl, ran your scripts after adding perl missing and copying my dell 3100 .ppd file and in 5 minutes had full color duplex laser printing up and running. The script was flawless for me.

Awesome, awesome, awesome.

Thanks,
Paul

[peppyy]

Just want to say thanks a million for this script! As a newbie I have struggled with Puppy for 9 months - gave up 3 months ago. came back again this morning and wow! Downloaded 2.10, pupget for perl, ran your scripts after adding perl missing and copying my dell 3100 .ppd file and in 5 minutes had full color duplex laser printing up and running. The script was flawless for me.

Awesome, awesome, awesome.

Thanks,
Paul

Thanks!
That's what we like to hear. Another happy pup. I am glad it worked for you but the praise belongs to pakt with all the hard work. I just have the fast connection and MU's dotpup wizzard which I need to read a bit more about. The new dotpup includes everything you should need in one package. I still have another test run or two to do but it is looking really good at the moment.

(Trotts off to clean up a couple hard drives)

[pakt]

OK, I have modified the script to only look for a .ppd file in /root. The CUPS install package should be unpacked in /tmp and run from there. That way it is automatically deleted on rebooting.

I discovered a potential bug - if more than one .ppd file exists in /root the script would fail. I have fixed that bug. Now if more than one .ppd file is found, a message pops up reporting the error and suggesting that all except one file be removed.

Attached is the new cups-install script. Just copy it over the old one.

Paul

[pakt]

Pakt, this 3G network sounds interesting. I wish they had something like that for my dad to get connected to. He suffers the intermitent dialup blues where he lives and is lucky to connect at all. I had to get him an external modem to get online since the line quality is so bad. At times his fax dosn't work correctly even. I am working on getting him a longer range wireless card so he can find some connections with his puptop in town.

Good luck with the network.

Thanks, peppyy. I now have the new 3G datacard and am using it. I have it plugged into my laptop without an external antenna which isn't ideal for reception. In spite of that, I'm currently getting 348kb/s in the download direction. That's quite a bit better than the ~40kbp/s I was getting with dialup. Potentially, I can get 384 kb/s which is max for normal 3G. The reason I went this route is that I'm in rural Sweden with no possibility of getting ADSL. Luckily, a 3G mast popped up some months back about 1.5km (~3miles) from here giving me this break

I also bought a Linksys WRT54G3G wireless router. This has a PCMCIA slot for the 3G datacard and will allow me to share the 3G connection with my home network. (It also runs Linux ). The only problem is that the router is made for the Vodaphone (ISP) datacard, but I have information from the net that I can get it to work with my '3' datacard. ('3' is the name of my ISP). So far I haven't been successful, but I haven't had time to try more settings.

[peppyy]

Isn't it nice to break that dialup marker and actually see some speed.

OK, I have modified the script to only look for a .ppd file in /root. The CUPS install package should be unpacked in /tmp and run from there. That way it is automatically deleted on rebooting.

Well I modified the dotpup to install to tmp but there is a problm with that so catch 22 is that although we can extract the files there they cant be automatically started there from the dotpup. In the default location the preinstall.sh and postinstall script work fine allowing the installer to run automatically. I would try a rm from the end of the post install but i don't think it would work becauseit would run before the instalation was finished.

It liiks like we may have to add that to the end of your script to remove the install files.

[pakt]

Isn't it nice to break that dialup marker and actually see some speed.

Not to mention the cost savings. I figure that in about 3 months time I will have gotten back my investment in new equipment. After that, I'll be saving 75% of my monthly internet costs.

Well I modified the dotpup to install to tmp but there is a problm with that so catch 22 is that although we can extract the files there they cant be automatically started there from the dotpup.

Would it be worth trying another dotpup maker? Mark has done a fantastic job with his Dotpupmaker, but it may not be that suitable for this application. We are not trying to install a program that will be run from the menu, but a one time installation of files. Also the pupget registration would be unnecessary here IMO. Have you looked at GuestToo's dotpup maker? I believe he wrote the original one.

Now that I'm not working on the CUPS program, I'll have a little more time to look into making a dotpup - something I haven't either done before.

[peppyy]

You might be right, I have everything working perfectly now except for the removal of the installer files. Is there a way to close the rox window /usr/local/cups-install before the line rm -R /usr/local/cups-install to avoid the error missing or deleted directory. I don't want to leave those files on the system when they are no longer needed.

I remember the first dotpup maker was a template that you modified and it was much simpler. That might be just the ticketor perhaps I can find the line that opens the directory and remove that. I never thought it would be difficult to close a directory in command line

I will have a look and see this afternoon.

[Béèm]

Pakt, this 3G network sounds interesting. I wish they had something like that for my dad to get connected to. He suffers the intermitent dialup blues where he lives and is lucky to connect at all. I had to get him an external modem to get online since the line quality is so bad. At times his fax dosn't work correctly even. I am working on getting him a longer range wireless card so he can find some connections with his puptop in town.

Good luck with the network.

Thanks, peppyy. I now have the new 3G datacard and am using it. I have it plugged into my laptop without an external antenna which isn't ideal for reception. In spite of that, I'm currently getting 348kb/s in the download direction. That's quite a bit better than the ~40kbp/s I was getting with dialup. Potentially, I can get 384 kb/s which is max for normal 3G. The reason I went this route is that I'm in rural Sweden with no possibility of getting ADSL. Luckily, a 3G mast popped up some months back about 1.5km (~3miles) from here giving me this break

I also bought a Linksys WRT54G3G wireless router. This has a PCMCIA slot for the 3G datacard and will allow me to share the 3G connection with my home network. (It also runs Linux ). The only problem is that the router is made for the Vodaphone (ISP) datacard, but I have information from the net that I can get it to work with my '3' datacard. ('3' is the name of my ISP). So far I haven't been successful, but I haven't had time to try more settings.

Hi pakt,
Can you say something about the cost for such a way of connection to your Internet Provider and Telecom provider?
(just say it in your local currency, no problem)