[9fans] lp server

[9fans] lp server

[john]

So I just picked up a parallel-port dot-matrix printer, and I'd like
to try hooking it to my Plan 9 cpu server and providing print services
over the net. Can somebody tell me what I'd need to do in order
to do this?
Thanks

John Floren

Re: [9fans] lp server

[Anthony Sorace]

mostly, just edit /sys/lib/lp/devices and start the network listener.
for the former, the "pcclone" entry should be pretty close to what you
want, although if it's a dot-matrix printer, you almost certainly will
want some other device class for your dot-matrix printer (unless
ghostscript knows how to drive it, you're likely just going to get
text via noproc). for the later, likely just remove the ! from
/rc/bin/service/!tcp515 if you're already running aux/listen (as on a
cpu server); otherwise inspect its contents for handing to
aux/listen1.

Re: [9fans] lp server

[john]

> mostly, just edit /sys/lib/lp/devices and start the network listener.
> for the former, the "pcclone" entry should be pretty close to what you
> want, although if it's a dot-matrix printer, you almost certainly will
> want some other device class for your dot-matrix printer (unless
> ghostscript knows how to drive it, you're likely just going to get
> text via noproc). for the later, likely just remove the ! from
> /rc/bin/service/!tcp515 if you're already running aux/listen (as on a
> cpu server); otherwise inspect its contents for handing to
> aux/listen1.

Well, I ran out of paper testing, finding, and fixing a problem (needed
to set auto-CR), but I think the printer should be able to print now.
No postscript, which is annoying, but it's an old printer (Okidata Microline
320) and I'm pretty sure it doesn't support PS anyway.

John

Re: [9fans] lp server

[Steve Simon]

I am no expert with ghostscript, however it appears there is a driver for
the Okidata Microline 320. Postscript can be interpreted by ghostscript on
plan9 and a bitmap of the page is then sent to the printer (rather than ASCII text).

http://openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Okidata-ML_320

Printing via ghostscript works - I use a cannon bubblejet printer on
plan9, but is it worth the effort supporting such an old printer when
bubblejets are so cheap these days?

this is my bubblejet devices entry:
	canonbjc240l - - /dev/lpt1data - gs!bjc600+nohead generic nospool - - - -

-Steve

Re: [9fans] lp server

[john]

> I am no expert with ghostscript, however it appears there is a driver for
> the Okidata Microline 320. Postscript can be interpreted by ghostscript on
> plan9 and a bitmap of the page is then sent to the printer (rather than ASCII text).
> 
> http://openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Okidata-ML_320
> 
> Printing via ghostscript works - I use a cannon bubblejet printer on
> plan9, but is it worth the effort supporting such an old printer when
> bubblejets are so cheap these days?
> 
> this is my bubblejet devices entry:
> 	canonbjc240l - - /dev/lpt1data - gs!bjc600+nohead generic nospool - - - -
> 
> -Steve

Okay, so it seems I need to recompile ghostscript to get that working... ahh, a
journey of discovery!
The reason I have the dot matrix is that it's so fun ☺ Hard to beat accordion
paper and that dot-matrix screech!

John

Re: [9fans] lp server

[David Leimbach]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 1020 bytes --]

On 10/23/07, john@csplan9.rit.edu <john@csplan9.rit.edu> wrote:
>
> > I am no expert with ghostscript, however it appears there is a driver
> for
> > the Okidata Microline 320. Postscript can be interpreted by ghostscript
> on
> > plan9 and a bitmap of the page is then sent to the printer (rather than
> ASCII text).
> >
> > http://openprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Okidata-ML_320
> >
> > Printing via ghostscript works - I use a cannon bubblejet printer on
> > plan9, but is it worth the effort supporting such an old printer when
> > bubblejets are so cheap these days?
> >
> > this is my bubblejet devices entry:
> >       canonbjc240l - - /dev/lpt1data - gs!bjc600+nohead generic nospool
> - - - -
> >
> > -Steve
>
> Okay, so it seems I need to recompile ghostscript to get that working...
> ahh, a
> journey of discovery!
> The reason I have the dot matrix is that it's so fun ☺ Hard to beat
> accordion
> paper and that dot-matrix screech!
>
> John
>
>
Screech or Preeow!  As Strongbad would say.... ☺

[-- Attachment #2: Type: text/html, Size: 1561 bytes --]

Re: [9fans] lp server

[Douglas A. Gwyn]

john@csplan9.rit.edu wrote:
> No postscript, which is annoying, but it's an old printer (Okidata Microline
> 320) and I'm pretty sure it doesn't support PS anyway.

The general idea is to have ghostscript convert from PostScript to
whatever "language" the printer understands.  Unfortunately, it
probably doesn't support that particular model of printer and so
all you can do is spool "raw" data to it; if you create your own
raster file in the appropriate format, you can create arbitrary
images (modulo the printer resolution).  At BRL we used a lot of
raster-supporting devices for general graphics, and Muus and I
developed a very generic rasterizer that could support mots of
the devices we encountered.  If ghostscript had something like
that, you'd be able to set up a printer description file and then
it would be able to use the printer as a target for PostScript
conversion.  Should be a 1-week project for somebody (not me!).

Re: [9fans] lp server

[john]

> mostly, just edit /sys/lib/lp/devices and start the network listener.
> for the former, the "pcclone" entry should be pretty close to what you
> want, although if it's a dot-matrix printer, you almost certainly will
> want some other device class for your dot-matrix printer (unless
> ghostscript knows how to drive it, you're likely just going to get
> text via noproc). for the later, likely just remove the ! from
> /rc/bin/service/!tcp515 if you're already running aux/listen (as on a
> cpu server); otherwise inspect its contents for handing to
> aux/listen1.

I'm now trying to set the thing up so it works across the network;
I *think* it's listening on port 515, and I get the following in my
/sys/lib/lp/log/lpdaemonl file when I try to print from my linux
box:
Oct 22 22:07:50 [00185] -dqueue -M<linuxbox> -ujohn
Oct 22 22:07:50 [00185] read error; lost connection

If I try to print locally, I get the following error:
cpu% lp -d pcclone /sys/lib/lp/log/lp*
echo: write error: i/o error

It seems that not too many people are printing, especially not with
a parallel-port dot-matrix, but does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

John