(SOLVED) Tiny Core Print Server Issue

[Drew]

Hello,

After tweaking around, and looking at some other similar issues with CUPS, I got it running, and service starts at boot -- all good there.  I am currently trying to get a thin client to run as a print server of sorts.  The OS that came with the Igel was linux based, and had Thinprint installed to serve in this capacity.  Worked well.  However, with my lack of knowledge, I'm having a hard time getting CUPS to see the printer, as it's connected via parallel port.  I would simply like to show any printer connected to this thin client on the network, and I have that server setting selected on the settings.  It's a thermal printer that should accept jobs from a Windows driver installed on a Win Server 2008R2.  But I at least have to show a path to the printer, and this is where I'm having trouble.  Should I be using the LPD/LPR method of configuration?  If so, how should I create the connection to the printer?  I did see a thread on this, but a bit overwhelming.  Not sure it has the answer anyway.

You guys have been great help so far, am growing fond of TC by the minute.  Taking a little time to get go though.  No matter, once I get a good working configuration, it will be easy to deploy.  Any and all helpful tips would be great.  Thanks.

[gerald_clark]

You have not made it clear as to what is connected to what, and what is running what.

[Drew]

Okay, sorry for the ambiguity.  Thermal printer is connected to thinclient via parallel cable.  Thin client is on network via TCP/IP.  We have a network based label printing solution installed on Windows Server 2008R2.  We would like to spool jobs that are processed on that server to the label printer connected to the thin client, which we had done in the past with the outdated Thinclient OS.

Does this make it more clear?

[gerald_clark]

You said the thin clint was running a linux based OS.
Has this been replaced with core?

I recommend that you use socat to connect the parallel port to ethernet port 9100.
In Windows, choose a deskjet port connection.

[Drew]

Igel is the company that built the thin clients.  They installed a super compact version of linux, and branded it to their liking, but was really not much good for anything but rdp.  The rdp client installed on the TC is now way out of date, and will not play with Windows Server 2008 R2.  Igel no longer supports the devices with firmware/software updates.  But we would still like to make use of them as they are still working just fine -- no hardware issues that we know off.  Enter Tinycore.  I am in the process of testing TC on one now, and rdesktop works fine with latest MS Server tech.  But we also have been using these devices as print servers at certain branch locations to host ticket printers (parallel) and label printers (mostly usb, but some parallel).

That said, I have installed socat but am unfamiliar with its usage, or how to even start it at this point.  Is it CLI, or is there a GUI available for it?

[gerald_clark]

http://linux.die.net/man/1/socat

https://www.linux.com/news/software/developer/17942-socat-the-general-bidirectional-pipe-handler

Try
socat -u tcp-l:5900,fork /dev/lp0 2>/dev/null &

Replace /dev/lp0 with the actual parallel port device.

[Drew]

Okay, you mention replacing lp0 with actual device designation.  So if I do cd /dev/ and then ls, what should I be looking for?  Nothing is standing out in the list that represents this printer, or is there another directory to look in?  I apologize, you may have to do some hand holding here.

[gerald_clark]

Make sure the lp module is loaded.
You should have a /dev/lp0 or something similar.

[Drew]

That's what I was looking for, but no lp0.  How do I load the lp module, and will I have to add this command to boot processes?

[gerald_clark]

You can ( as root ) run 'modprobe lp'.
If you have a compatible parallel port you should find the lp device in /dev.

[Drew]

After that command, I now see lp0.

Two questions -- Will I need to set this up to load at boot?  And in your other post with the socat command, did you mean 9500 instead of 5900?  I take it that is the port?

[gerald_clark]

I pulled that command from one of my print servers, but may have copied it incorrectly.
The standard hp DirectJet port is 9100.
Put the command in /opt/bootlocal.sh.
socat -u tcp-l:9100,fork /dev/lp0 2>/dev/null &

[Drew]

Okay, got a job spooled.  So this means I don't have to fiddle with CUPS at all, which would greatly reduce my extensions.  Could even get by without a browser.

Two more questions:  Some of our printers are usb, should I follow the same basic procedure but replace lp0 with the usb device?  Further, one thin client might be serving up a usb printer and a parallel printer.  In those cases, I believe parallels are ported to 9100, and usb to 15000.  Would I have to make sure the usb printer was plugged into the same physical port?

[gerald_clark]

You will have to find the ttyusb device.
You can use any unused port. such as 9101. ( I assume you are not running bacula on the print server. )

[Drew]

Thanks gerald_clark, because of your patience with my lackitude, I am one step closer to rolling this one out.  Very much appreciated.