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  • From: "Anthony Albert" <albert AT umpi.maine.edu>
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [BL] postscript network printers
  • Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2005 08:22:58 -0500

On 6 Dec 2005 at 17:26, sindi keesan wrote:
>>> No menus until the OS is installed. There is a menu button.
>>
>> This is very strange - normally, the OS is built-in in EPROM, never
>> need to install it to get the menus on the printer LCD.
>
>
>Thanks. That explains why support suggested that I have to replace the
>'flash ROM' after copying 10MB of 'operating system' to hard disk.
>You can either upgrade an existing OS or install it from scratch on a new
>hard drive. The board was able to format the hard drive, and only
>complained after I sent it the OS. Must be in two pieces, most of it on
>hard drive, like a computer.

Could be that this is how the upgrade process works... I haven't seen
one, myself, but there are odder things out there...

[SNIP]

>>> I would prefer to avoid printcaps and spools, and just send files to the
>>> printer with cat (parport) or ftp (ethernet), either of which can be used
>>> for QMS to upgrade the operating system. copy /b to lpo1 for DOS - to
>>> install or upgrade. cat filename.ps > /dev/lp0 or ftp filename.ps 'IP
>>> number' after assigning the IP number via the menu?
>>
>> Sure, if you're going to hook it up to just one computer, then you can
>> certainly use the parallel port of the printer, and use cat to lp0
>> You will will need to set up the printcap, though, as that's how Linux
>> figures out what kind of printer it is, and what commands to use to
>> print to it. You might be able to use just a very generic one, though.
>
>I print with cat and gs to > /dev/lp0, with no printcap. Steven explained
>how to use print filters to print from CLI. Insmod lp, and run the script
>printdj filename.pdf (or .ps), which consists of
>deskjet.filter < $1 > /dev/lp0
>
>I have not figured out how to just use CLI gs for this:
>gs -q -dSAFER -sDEVICE=deskjet -r300x300 -sPAPERSIZE=letter filename.ps
>-sOutputFile=- - > /dev/lp0 ???? I could not get various permutations of
>this to work. With a ps printer I should not need any of this but I would
>need some way to set resolution. Maybe the menu will do this for me.
>
>First I need an EEPROM. They sent me an 800 number that did not work and
>just wrote again.

This I can't help you with - I haven't really worked with printers
under Linux, except for dot-matrix, and that only in the most minor
way.

[SNIP]
>> I, too, get annoyed at ink-jet printers which continually dry up before
>> I need to use them again.
>
>The trick is to put them for 30 sec in some superhot water (microwave a
>small dish of it). Rather a nuisance. The older Epsons have the
>printhead built in and that is worse.

Thanks for the tip!

Anthony Albert
===========================================================
Anthony J. Albert albert AT umpi.maine.edu
Systems and Software Support Specialist Postmaster
Computer Services - University of Maine, Presque Isle
"This is only temporary, unless it works."
--- Red Green






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