I have been searching around to find out how to get a printer setup on my new X5000 in OS 4.1, but have found some solutions that seem to be out dated, like google cloud printing that apparently doesn't work anymore.
What is the current best way to connect a printer to an Amigaone x5000? Network printer, lpr, usb, save to file and print on a PC or Mac?
I do own Turboprint from 20 years ago on floppy, not sure how I would get it on this Amiga though.
I really wish that there were a developer or two (other than me) interested in improving the printer system. Printing systems have become a bit more standardized, so creating something new based on CUPS ia feasible. We don't necessarily need a CUPS port; just make something using the same APIs, or at least the underlying standards (e.g., IPP & PPD).
I use LPR: with my networked HP laser printer. I tried a number of different network printer drivers when I first got the printer, and LPR: seemed to work the best (and it's OS4 native, unlike some of the others).
For programs that can generate PostScript output natively (like AmiPDF) I just send the PostScript directly to LPR:. For programs that don't generate PostScript on their own I use the Amiga PostScript printer driver, which is set to send its output to LPR:. (The PostScript driver has a passthrough mode that can send PostScript directly to the printer, but it's easier to just send straight to LPR:.)
My printer has a duplexer that can print on both sides of the page. The Amiga printing system doesn't know about duplexing, so I added a line to the postscript_init.ps file that the PostScript printer driver uses to enable (or, if I edit it, to disable) duplexing. That only works when using the PostScript driver, so I also set the printer to duplex by default, which works when sending PostScript directly to LPR:.
I use LPR: with my networked HP laser printer. I tried a number of different network printer drivers when I first got the printer, and LPR: seemed to work the best (and it's OS4 native, unlike some of the others).
For programs that can generate PostScript output natively (like AmiPDF) I just send the PostScript directly to LPR:. For programs that don't generate PostScript on their own I use the Amiga PostScript printer driver, which is set to send its output to LPR:. (The PostScript driver has a passthrough mode that can send PostScript directly to the printer, but it's easier to just send straight to LPR:.)
My printer has a duplexer that can print on both sides of the page. The Amiga printing system doesn't know about duplexing, so I added a line to the postscript_init.ps file that the PostScript printer driver uses to enable (or, if I edit it, to disable) duplexing. That only works when using the PostScript driver, so I also set the printer to duplex by default, which works when sending PostScript directly to LPR:.
I did write an ipp.device some time back. That should work with an IPP-supporting printer and the PostScript driver, although it was based on old (even at the time) CUPS sources so might not be very compatible.
FWIW, we had an HP LaserJet 4 -- a tank -- that worked great (*) with the Amiga LPR driver for decades.
(*) = don't print too many pages at once. No bufferring in the LPR driver.
When it eventually died, I found that several HP printers would still print from the Amiga if I just changed the HP LJ4 output to the new printer's IP address.
Granted it also seems that HP - while they claim to support Postscript, LIES - if you send a straight postscipt file in color or other than "letter" size (8x11), it ignores all that.
But at least it gives you basic printing most of the time.
Yes, we need at least some part of CUPS..... Hopefully without Weasel Oil on it (that just gums up printers and kills Amigas).
'/Duplex true' enables duplexing. Setting it to false instead disables duplexing, useful if you want to print something single sided and your printer is set to duplex by default.
'/Tumble false' sets the printer to flip the printed pages along the long side, book-style. Setting it to true instead tells the printer to flip the pages along the short side, calendar-style. False seems to be the default setting, at least on my printer, as even files sent directly to LPR: come out flipped on the long side.
It would be nice if a future version of the PrinterPS preferences editor (Enhancer?) had the ability to adjust these settings, and even nicer if the PostScript printer driver knew about duplexing. As it currently stands, you need to manually edit the postscript_init.ps file to change the settings. Fortunately these settings work for me 99% of the time.
Edit: Altered PostScript clip to have proper '<<' in it.
Edited by msteed on 2023/6/9 6:54:39 Edited by msteed on 2023/6/9 6:58:16 Edited by msteed on 2023/6/9 6:58:53
I suggested a port of CUPS already two years ago, when I got my X5000. The question is: is there any developer who would have a look into it (and who could be motivated maybe by some donations...?).
Apparently, terminillis has had Gutenprint ported as part of the FinalWriter project. I wonder if that could be of any help once the OS4 port of FinalWriter is finished?
I did write an ipp.device some time back. That should work with an IPP-supporting printer and the PostScript driver, although it was based on old (even at the time) CUPS sources so might not be very compatible.
I wasn't aware of your ipp.device. I'll check it out some time.
We need a completely updated printing system, though. Setting up an LPR: DOS device is horribly hacky and user unfriendly. I'd like to see proper printer detection & driver installation, printer queues, etc.
@Primax
Quote:
I suggested a port of CUPS already two years ago, when I got my X5000. The question is: is there any developer who would have a look into it (and who could be motivated maybe by some donations...?).
No idea. I've done a bit of research into what printing standards and code are available, but working on the graphics drivers is already more than a full time job.
If we could get the Turboprint authors enthusiastic about AmigaOS again then we'd have a good chance of getting something good.
Is the new Final Writer still being worked on? I hadn't seen any updates in a long time. I am excited about having my favorite word processor updated for the present.
I realize it takes time, but I feared the developer had abandoned it.
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