Baslinux mailing list

[baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org]

On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

> I've lost track of where exactly we are with printing.
> Sindi, were you ever able to print from Opera (as root)
> without using lpd?  If not, here is the way I've been
> able to do it.
>
> First, create the following file:
> ------------------------------------------------
> #!/bin/sh
> gs -q -dSAFER -sDEVICE=deskjet -r300x300 \
>   -sPAPERSIZE=letter -sOutputFile=- - >/dev/lp0
> ------------------------------------------------
> Call it ps-print.
> Make it executable (chmod +x ps-print)
> Put it in /usr/local/bin

This is working.  What I had to do was leave out the < $1 in my printdj 
script (printdj file.ps) instead of using the printdj script itself, to 
make this new script, and then print not from the window you get from 
choosing the third tab (where I filled in the name of the printer program 
and chose Apply rather than Print) but from the first tab (where I arrowed 
down from the default lp to the custom script and hit the Enter key).

I had tried this before by just entering the above line into Printer 
Program instead of the script.  That does not work.  I think you need 
something executable.  I also tried gs on the first line and the rest as 
parameters, which did not work either.

> Then go to Opera and click on File->Print->Printer Program.
> Use the Choose button to select /usr/local/bin/ps-print.

> There are no parameters.
> Click on Destination and select ps-print for output.
> Print.

It printed.  I can add other scripts for draft or 600dpi.
Have you also printed from Abiword?

One of the TAG people at linuxgazette that I wrote for help making lpr 
work as root suggested su (which I compiled as part of busybox).  It did 
not work to load Xvesa and rxvt as root and then to login as user and run 
Opera (cannot connect to X server), but I could load Xvesa and rxvt as 
root and then 'su user opera' without password, and print with default 
'lp'.  The three people trying to help there each have different 
approaches, but they all think we should be doing most things as a local 
user, and one thinks lpr is outdated and we should use CUPS.  I prefer to 
use neither.

The su approach would require adding 'su', changing /dev/null to allow 
user to write, adding user, and making /home/user writeable by user.  And 
also adding lpr and lpd.  But dialing, Xvesa, rxvt as root.

This way does not even require struggling with printcap.

Thanks to you (and David, who probably also suggested the solution.)

I wonder if the lpr/root problem may be related to permissions (in 
/var/spool/lpd/postscript?  - it seems to be writeable only by user).

The people we were going to set up linux/opera for (with printing of 
webpages) if their computer could not be made to boot had a power supply 
problem.  The voltage was a bit too low (11.4 instead of 12V), which the 
professionals had not bothered to measure when they pronounced it okay. 
So they are back to XP but interested in using my electronic piano to 
record midi files, maybe to my linux computer.

> Cheers,
> Steven