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  • From: sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [BL] postscript network printers
  • Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2005 20:05:39 +0000 (UTC)

We were given two postscript-capable network printers, the older one (working) an HP with parport, BNC and RJ45 connectors (probably 10Mbit) and the newer one (not yet working - gets a checksum error when I load the printer software to the hard drive we put into it) a color laser printer with parport and RJ45 that is 10 or 100MBit (the printer came with either option, post 1998). Even 10MBit would be faster than parport.

I could download a 32MB network management program to send files to the printer over a network, but I think I can also ftp them over a crossover cable if I can assign an IP number to the printer - how can I do that with BL? The manual assumes an ethernet hub, which I also have but have not used. ftp 192.168.1.x, bin, put filename.ps, bye. Presumably I could also set up a plip connection - does ftp work via plip? There is even a serial port. The thing has a 133MHz cpu and 4 SIMM slots and a scsi controller. But no keyboard (just a few menu type buttons) and a very minimal screen.

The printers can do postscript 2 and pcl 5 (HP?). Can I simply cat filename.ps > /dev/lp0? And with netpbm: jpegtopnm filename.ps|pnmtops [options for resolution] > /dev/lp0? (or pbmtolj for monochrome files). I don't think I need ghostscript, which is for printing ps or pdf on a non-ps printer.

How would I write a printcap for a ps printer on lp0? If I use the ethernet connection do I replace /dev/lp0 with /dev/eth0 (and for serial with ttyS0) and ifconfig eth0 and what else needs changing?

A friend got these from a warehouse that was going to dump them and they are huge (2' cubes) so he gave them to us, knowing we have a bit of floor space left.

keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org
SDF Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf.lonestar.org




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