Printing from Linux in UCD

alan4cult

Hi,

Just wondering does anybody use Linux to print in UCD, I'm running Ubuntu 9.10 and would like to know how to set up printing?

ironclaw

The system is very much set up for Windows. Mac is just about supported and Snow Leopard drivers are hard to come by.

I would be amazed if Ubuntu could integrate into the system. I know Staff can print from Linux but its a different system to my knowledge.

Sad Professor

ironclaw wrote: »

Mac is just about supported and Snow Leopard drivers are hard to come by.

Don't mean to hijack, but do you know where I might get these? The ones online don't work.

ironclaw

I emailed Ricoh but no joy. Apparently if you drop into their office but I'm never passing that way.

Red Alert

Even on Windows I don't like the idea of having to install some proprietary "management" application just to print - it's yet another thing to go wrong. There are loads of ways they could have done it that would make it easy to print from Windows and doable on Macs/Linux.

OTNiner

alan4cult wrote: »

Hi,

Just wondering does anybody use Linux to print in UCD, I'm running Ubuntu 9.10 and would like to know how to set up printing?

Not fully familar with this system but the following link may be of some assistance.

I will try and ascertain if this (or similar solution) is feasible in UCD as the Pharos system is a franchise and post results

http://www.byui.edu/wireless/linuxprint.htm

bnt

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I've just been able to get this working, and want to write this up before I forget. I'm using currently the Ubuntu Maverick Netbook beta, but this shouldn't make any difference to the procedure. It goes like this:

• Connect to WaveLAN (of course);
• start the process of adding, a new printer as normal;
• select Network Printer / LPD / LPR Host or Printer;
• hostname: nrgpr.ucd.ie
• Queue: A4BWPRINTER;
• In my case it goes off and searches for a driver;
• When asked for a Driver, manually select Ricoh Afficio SP4110N, which is one B&W model used at UCD;
• If asked about a Duplex Unit, say Yes - they do have duplexer (double-sided printing). Descriptions can be changed if you like (optional);
• Don't print a test page yet: there's still one more change.

At this point you should be back on the main Printer Settings page - if not, go there. The Device URI will look something like this:
lpd://nrgpr.ucd.ie/A4BWPRINTER

To tie your print jobs to you, so that you can retrieve them, you have to modify the URI as follows:
lpd://userid@nrgpr.ucd.ie/A4BWPRINTER
(Replace userid with your UCD login ID)

You should be able to do the same for the other printer queues, though I haven't tested this (yet): use the same Ricoh B&W driver for the A3BW printer, use a Colour driver (e.g. Ricoh Aficio SP C420) for the Colour printer queues. The drivers don't have to match the printer precisely, it's all PostScript anyway.

PS: regarding that link to byui.edu that OTNiner posted - as far as I can see, it's based on old advice from Pharos, in that it asks you to set up and configure your own LPD server on your laptop. It appears that nrgpr.ucd.ie is a LPD server already, so that step is not needed, the main trick is to put your user id in the LPD address.

alan4cult

Thanks for this advice, I shall give it a try when I return to UCD. Looks like it should work.

bnt

Just a quick addendum: while having a look at what's going on under the scenes, I saw a reference to a LPD server on my netbook in the queue details. In other words, the method I'm trying may actually be using a local LPD server, so be sure to have all the standard CUPS printing components installed if you try this.

PS; This is weird: back at UCD this morning, tried printing, and found the printer was disabled in settings. I enabled it and it worked after that. But when I go in to the Properties, I see the URI doesn't show my login ID. It must be stored somewhere else on the machine, because it's definitely working.