Installing printer drivers for Brother (and HP) problems

[bitbucketman]

Hi there,

I'm relatively new to Tiny Core (and what I'd call an intermediate linux user) and everything has been going fantastically as I set up my build but one thing has me stumped.

I've been trying to install drivers for two printers, attached via USB and I simply cannot get them to work.

Specifically, for the Brother I'm seeing errors in CUPS about install scripts and I've tried symlinks, ghostscript, foomatic, gutenprint and a few other attempts but I can't get the printer to work. Has anyone managed to get a Brother printer to install - specifically the Brother HL-2240D (and HP Laserjet 2035)?

I've tried symlinking with great hope:

/usr/lib/cups -> /usr/local/lib/cups
/usr/share/cups -> /usr/local/share/cups

But still received the same install script error in CUPS when trying to add the driver.

Can anyone help point me in the right direction? Thanks

[Rich]

Hi bitbucketman
Posting the actual errors you are receiving would be a better way to get help than just saying you are getting errors.

[aus9]

well we may have an issue with the PPD for a start.

online list of printers supported by gutenprint or foomatic-db for brother has no hits
http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/p_Supported_Printers.php

online list of HP has a hit but not match to your exact model
http://hplipopensource.com/hplip-web/models/laserjet/hp_laserjet_p2035n.html

Our current hplip-2.7 will be updated after CUPS is updated and that may take a number of weeks. But our current TCZ has a PPD for p2035 but needs a plugin (probably firmware) as per image attached

However, you may be better off trying out a generic laser driver such from hplip-2.7 such as
laser series pcl 4/5 or 6
hopefully your specs tell you which version of PCL it supports?

###############

Brother have some drivers from another distro that may convert to our build but I can't guarantee it

see
http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public_s/id/linux/en/download_prn.html#HL-2240D

you will need a distro converter tool, I suggest you try  dpkg-deb.tcz because my other distro is debian so I know a little about it.

so download the debian file ...from apps download our dpkg-deb
and the rest I will leave until I know what your plan is.

My recommendation, try the easy one first which is generic HP laser PPD

good luck

[bitbucketman]

Thanks so much for the help so far, I'll try and post some more details of the errors when I get to the Tiny Core box at home.

Oh and to be specific they're the:

Brother 2240D
HP Laserjet P2035

Thanks so much. I'll post more details hopefully tonight.

[aus9]

Python experts pls read if you get a chance

HP Laserjet P2035

well that makes a difference.

hplip-2.7 has the plugin command altho I have never tried  it before.

start your printer and try

Code: [Select]

tce-load -i hplip-2.7
sudo hp-plugin
Enter option (d=download*, p=specify path, q=quit) ? d
(errors are talked about below as well)
error: option -i not recognized
error: Python gobject/dbus may be not installed
----(mentions that to run it ----hplip-plugin-install [OPTIONS]
(downloads go to /tmp so)
sudo chmod +x /tmp/hplip-3.11.5-plugin.run
sudo /tmp/hplip-3.11.5-plugin.run

(with errors talked about below)
Plug-in version: 3.11.5
Installed HPLIP version: 3.11.5
Number of files to install: 36

error: Unable to load pkit...is HPLIP installed?

ERRORS
#######
1) first errors...option -i not recognized  AND Python gobject/dbus may be not installed
I tried to load dbus-python-2.7 but I am not a python expert to resolve the gobject/dbus

2) in next error=Unable to load pkit...is HPLIP installed
--I deliberately did not install into CUPS my hp 3050, because you can't install yours

but pkit may refer to pkit.py from hplip-2.7 so
I know zip about python so tried

Code: [Select]

python /usr/local/share/hplip/base/pkit.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/share/hplip/base/pkit.py", line 34, in <module>
    from base.logger import *
ImportError: No module named base.logger


Code: [Select]

python /usr/local/share/glib-2.0/gdb/gobject.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/share/glib-2.0/gdb/gobject.py", line 1, in <module>
    import gdb
ImportError: No module named gdb