I wonder if anyone can give me an idea as to what I am doing wrong :(
My HP 2550LN color laserjet printer has literally ground to a halt, and I have a spare which has been in storage for two years, is also making some weird grinding noises, so I am looking to get another printer, but modern printers don't have a parallel port.
As the 2550LN has usb as well as parallel and ethernet ports I thought I would try to work out how to get usb and network printing working on my A1XE.
I also have an imac that is also connected to this printer. So I thought I would try to get USB printing working on my A1 first.
Steps I have taken :-
1. Created USBPRT: device by duplicating PRT: and editing the contents to usbprinter.device. RESULT - Pagestream cannot open device.
2. Set usbprinter.device in Turboprefs. RESULT - Workbench message "The driver failed to access the device. Do you want to retry? Pagestream message "USBPRT: could not be opened.
3. Set usbprinter.device in printer prefs. RESULT - Printer protocol 1284.4 is unsupported.
4. Downloaded and installed usbdot4.device. Edited USBPRT: to use usbdot4.device. setenv SAVE usbdot4.device/unit 0 ",,3" RESULT - system is just showing busy icon and eventually freezes.
USB inspector the printer by name under functinality, and under Topology as Roothub (ehci.usbhcd/0).
I tried printing through pagestream as that prints directly to the printer using it's own drivers (PPD file), and then through both Turboprint and workbench printer system. No success in anything I have tried.
I assume I have missed something,or maybe the setenv command is wrong, so any help would be appreciated.
I also get a Guru when I try to set usbdot4.device in printer prefs.
Guru Meditation: 80000003 Task: 0x6fe141f0 ("EHCI Controller Task Unit 0") on address 0x01418c00. Redzone was not damaged. Stackpointer is inside bounds.
I presume the means my setenv, is wrong, but I don't know what I should be entering.
Ok, I deleted Env-Archive/usbdot4.device/unit 0, rebooted and I get the same Guru as above. I then removed Turbostart from WBstartup, and still the same Guru. So it looks like the dot4 driver is the culprit.
I have just set up printer prefs with usbprinter.device and get a usbprinter message "The driver failed to access the device do you want to retry? and a little notification saying "Printer protocol 1284.4 is unsupported" As soon as I try to use usbdot4.device in printer prefs the system blows out.
Right, usbdot4.device is a black art. It was never completed and personally I've never had any luck with it. As you've guessed, the 1284.4 message (hmm, that's an improvement, it used to just silently fail to do anything) means it's a Dot4 printer.
You can try my Dot4Spool. It's an HP printer so it may work.
It was a bit experimental and unreliable here, but it does tend to print at least one thing before giving up.
The method I ended up using, is a Raspberry Pi with CUPS as a print server, and ipp.device with the PostScript driver on the Amiga side. Works flawlessly.
Yes, I got so fed up with not being able to print anything that I wrote the necessary software myself (I never had much luck with LPD either, but I think that was mainly a problem with my router).
1. Created USBPRT: device by duplicating PRT: and editing the contents to usbprinter.device. RESULT - Pagestream cannot open device.
That's wrong. The "usbprinter.device" name is deceptive. It's a port device like the parallel.device; not a printer device. Here is what I did that works:
1. Open Printer prefs "Printer Type" Tab and enter "usbprinter.device" in the "Port device" gadget (which was probably parallel.device previously). You may need to have a USB cable connected to the printer and printer turned on for the usbprinter.device to be accepted.
2. Restore your PRT: to what it was. It should still have the "Device" as printer.device.
3. Duplicate PAR: as USBPAR: device and change the Device from parallel.device to usbprinter.device. You can call the new device USBPRT: but USBPAR: or USBPORT: will make it more obvious that it is the USB equivalent of the PAR: device.
If your printer was working through the parallel port, it should work through USB with the above changes. Any place you previously used PAR: you will now use USBPAR: if you made the above changes.
Amiga X1000 with 2GB memory & OS 4.1FE + Radeon HD 5450
Forget USB with the LN model network is much much easier, plus you can stick the printer away it in another room, on another floor etc.
Factory reset it.
Plug it into your router using a normal cat5 cable.
Interigate the router to see what I.P. address has been assigned to the printer as its DHCP by default.
Login into the printer with muiowb
http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the I.P address given to the printer by the router.
Change the printer to static I.P. working
download and install lpr.device from os4depot
create a file in envarc: called lpr.device
file connents are:
HOST=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx RAW PORT=9100
where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the static IP of the printer.
open devs:NSDPATCH.cfg in notepad
add the line
DEVICE parallel.device UNIT 0 MAPTODEVICE lpr.device MAPTOUNIT 0 MACHINE=ANY
and save
move postcript from storage/printers to devs:printers
do a soft reboot
In printerprefs set parallel.device unit 0 as postcript
You should be sorted now
In turboprefs add the printer and you can set it as lpr.device unit 0 or leave it as parallel as the new style device config has taken care to the device mapping from parallel to lpr for you.
Adding a wireless ethernet bridge can make the printer wireless too.
Hmm, possibly. Post #260 in the other thread provides some pointers.
It's effectively: sudo apt-get install cups (or is it cupsd?) Log in to http://ipofraspberrypi:631 and ensure you can see the printers (my other message says to enable remote admin and printer sharing, but I'm not sure if that's necessary) Install ipp.device on the Amiga makedir envarc:ipp.device (just in case!) setenv save ipp.device/0 ipp://ipofraspberrypi:631/printers/name-of-printer (you can get this address from the above web page) Select ipp.device unit 0 in Printer prefs Select PostScript driver (I think it'll work with any driver but PostScript is native format so recommended)
That's wrong. The "usbprinter.device" name is deceptive. It's a port device like the parallel.device; not a printer device. Here is what I did that works:
1. Open Printer prefs "Printer Type" Tab and enter "usbprinter.device" in the "Port device" gadget (which was probably parallel.device previously). You may need to have a USB cable connected to the printer and printer turned on for the usbprinter.device to be accepted.
I did just that, (see post 1 point 3) and I got the Ringio notification "Printer protocol 1284.4 is unsupported"
Quote:
2. Restore your PRT: to what it was. It should still have the "Device" as printer.device.
3. Duplicate PAR: as USBPAR: device and change the Device from parallel.device to usbprinter.device. You can call the new device USBPRT: but USBPAR: or USBPORT: will make it more obvious that it is the USB equivalent of the PAR: device.
Both PAR: and PRT: mountfiles are exactly the same except for the device, so either can be duplicated and edited, but I do see the relevance of using USBPAR:
Quote:
If your printer was working through the parallel port, it should work through USB with the above changes. Any place you previously used PAR: you will now use USBPAR: if you made the above changes.
The problem is highlighted by post 1 point 3, in that the printer protocol 1284.4 is not supported. It appears my printer is not a "standard" usb printer but a "dot4" usb printer. Seems that is not [Yet] supported on OS4.
Until it is I will have to look at network printing.
What I was trying to do was work out how to get the best out of any new printer I will have to buy to replace my Grinding HP2550LN, and as it has three ways of connecting to your computer, suss them out ahead of time to hopefully pick a printer that I can fully utilise. Unfortunatley, although I have learned how to set up USB printing I haven't actually succeded, because of the type of protocol this usb interface uses.
Right, usbdot4.device is a black art. It was never completed and personally I've never had any luck with it. As you've guessed, the 1284.4 message (hmm, that's an improvement, it used to just silently fail to do anything) means it's a Dot4 printer.
I know I just like talking to myself, but of course anyone can join in. ;)
It seems that Gutenprint is being worked on, but the dot4.device has stalled in development. The thing is, us non-developers, reply on developers to program in their spare time, and while the inspiration is there to do so. If either time or inspiration, is lost then so is the project. I hope one day, given time it will succeed.
Quote:
You can try my Dot4Spool. It's an HP printer so it may work.
It was a bit experimental and unreliable here, but it does tend to print at least one thing before giving up.
The problem is, most of my printing is multiple items. Leaflets, adverts, multi-page doc's, etc so having to re-set, or re-try every time would be a pain, but thanks for the option. I might be able to come back to it.
Quote:
The method I ended up using, is a Raspberry Pi with CUPS as a print server, and ipp.device with the PostScript driver on the Amiga side. Works flawlessly.
Yes, I got so fed up with not being able to print anything that I wrote the necessary software myself (I never had much luck with LPD either, but I think that was mainly a problem with my router).
I saw the ipp.device on OS4depot, but I don't have a raspberry pi, etc. I will give network printing a try and keep these options, to be re-visited. Thanks for your help, anyway.
still getting there but in the mean time here's a "small" thread to get you caught up
OOh!!!! You little liar. :)
I had read that thread but couldn't conclude what I was doing wrong. As you can see from my multiple post when starting this thread. I tried several things. I just couldn't work out why the dot4 device wasn't working.
So am I right in thinking that Gutenprint is an alternative to the dot4.device, or will both be needed?
I have set up the printer connected to an ethernet switch, to which I have my Amiga, My Imac, and my wife's PC (XP) also attached to.
It was very simple to get the Imac to connect to the printer over ethernet, I just deleted the old printer and re-installed it. I didn't need any disc's or software the mac just found the printer on the network, and installed it correctly.
The PC was a bit different, I coudn't download drivers, or anything for it from the HP site, so I had to go hunting in the attic for the original device cd. I have now got it installed on the PC succesfully, and I can print to it from both machines.
Tackling the A1 is next. When I installed the printer on the PC, I got the IP address as 192.168.1.79, I am hoping that is the one I can use on my amiga, or does each computer allocate there own IP address for each device.
My router is downstairs in the living room, powering the youview box, etc, and I have installed (by myself ;) ) an external ethernet cable, into the upstairs office (3rd bedroom), hence the necessity of the four-port switch.
I don't have muiowb installed, I use ReactionOWB, but I am also not sure how to interegate the router (It is a BT one), but if 192.168.1.79 IP address is usable, I might not have to.
I don't have the time tonight to sort this out, and I am going climbing tomorrow night so I won't be able to look at this until the weekend. I would be grateful,if I could give you a shout if I have any problems. Thanks.
I saw the ipp.device on OS4depot, but I don't have a raspberry pi, etc. I will give network printing a try and keep these options, to be re-visited.
Well, you have a network printer so you should be able to directly connect it (to the network) and then use IPP or LPR to print to it. If you use IPP you might get away with using a PostScript driver.
It took me a while to find it, but the address to use will be ipp://192.168.1.79:631/ipp/port1 for any HP printer. You might need to update the JetDirect firmware on it.
Alternatively, use LPR. netprinter.device, although not native, is much easier to set up than lpr.device. You just need to give it the IP address 192.168.1.79.
Quote:
So am I right in thinking that Gutenprint is an alternative to the dot4.device, or will both be needed?
Both are needed. Gutenprint only replaces the printer driver part, not the communication protocol part.
@Chris Well on my second attempt I have managed to print from ImageFX4 with my Epson Stylus DX4050 printer/scanner using a Raspberry Pi (512MB model B) with CUPS and your ipp.device driver.
My first try resulted in printing a page of ASCI PS-Adobe-2l0 EPSF-2.0 instructions as I had selected format: EPS (the default) instead of Format: PS Mode: ASCII.
So as this is the first time I have printed under OS4 I would say using the IPP.device driver and a Raspberry Pi is worth a try to anyone else having problems printing under OS4. You can even run AROS hosted at the same time using AEROS like I am doing if you want your print server to feel like an Amiga as well
Edit: It would seem I can even print from PageStream3 using the postscript module but it looks like I will need to 1. learn how to use PageStream again as its rather complex and I have not used it much since the 90's, 2. Tweak the print settings a bit as the output was no were near as good as from ImageFX4.5.
Edited by Dwyloc on 2014/1/9 23:26:35
Sam440ep 667mhz 512megs OS4.1 + Minimig, 4MB RAM, ARM add-on board WinUae 2.3.2, OS 3.9, BB2, Catweasel MkIV Amiga 1200, BlizzardPPC 060/200 with SCSI, mediatorSX, Voodoo3, pci lan
you can confirm that by opening the cli and typing shownetstatus or use my netup tool on os4depot (shameless plug )
put that address into owb or a browser on the pc and the homehub management page should open.
The IP address should be listed on the homepage, if not on the advanced settings under home network.
If your using a homehub 3,4 or 5 there is a little white card with the admin password printed on it attached to the rear of the homehub.
Your can force the homehub to always give out the .79 address to the printer or set the printer to static by logging into the printer at http://192.168.1.79
Well, you have a network printer so you should be able to directly connect it (to the network) and then use IPP or LPR to print to it. If you use IPP you might get away with using a PostScript driver.
It took me a while to find it, but the address to use will be ipp://192.168.1.79:631/ipp/port1 for any HP printer. You might need to update the JetDirect firmware on it.
Alternatively, use LPR. netprinter.device, although not native, is much easier to set up than lpr.device. You just need to give it the IP address 192.168.1.79.
I intend to give lpr a try, but I'll also look at network.printer, and ipp.
Quote:
Both are needed. Gutenprint only replaces the printer driver part, not the communication protocol part.
OK, thanks for that. I'll look out for when it is completed/useable.
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