WelcomeWelcome | FAQFAQ | DownloadsDownloads | WikiWiki

Author Topic: Parallel Port Printers  (Read 3068 times)

Offline perthie

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 118
Parallel Port Printers
« on: October 12, 2009, 10:35:41 AM »
I finally got around to testing a parallel port printer with TC and discovered that I had to "modprobe lp". It's not a big deal, but I'm curious why this module is not loaded along with the other parallel port modules.


Offline Juanito

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14819
Re: Parallel Port Printers
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2009, 11:14:44 AM »
Whilst I have an old desktop with a parallel port, I do not have a printer with a parallel port - does the printer need to be connected a boot maybe?

Offline roberts

  • Retired Admins
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7361
  • Founder Emeritus
Re: Parallel Port Printers
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2009, 12:15:48 PM »
Because printing is not part of the base system but instead is supported by extensions.
Yes, I modprobe lp in my /opt/bootlocal.sh on the one computer that I have that still has a parallel port.

FYI In the base is a tiny script that I use for cupsless, spoolerless, direct printing of text files, i.e,. my programs and scripts, it might be useful to some

text2lp0

Of course, it only prints plain text directly to lp0
 
10+ Years Contributing to Linux Open Source Projects.

Offline beerstein

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 530
Re: Parallel Port Printers
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2011, 08:20:35 AM »
Hi: I have the same problem now. I can not see lp in /dev

But here is my question: To be able to "modprobe lp" that lp modul needs to in
the module folder (kernel)

I only can see paraport_pc, ppdev and paraport

Can you help me - Thank you so much
t(w)o be(ers) or not t(w)o be(ers) that is the question

Offline beerstein

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 530
Re: Parallel Port Printers
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2011, 09:10:27 AM »
Hi: Thanks
Now my HP LJ 5P works on LPT#1
The key was to bring that lp (lp0) into /dev
$ sudo lsmod | grep lp             ; this input did not generate an output at all
$ sudo modprobe lp                ;did the trick
$sudo lsmod | grep lp             ; now I got an output - WOW
$lp                               5052     0
parport                      18560    3

then I started:

$ sudo /usr/local/etc/init.d/dbus start
and
$ sudo /etc/init.d/cups start
cups: started scheduler
tc@box:~$

Question: Now I have to make these inputs permanent. In which file do I have to put them?
Is .filetool.lst correct?


t(w)o be(ers) or not t(w)o be(ers) that is the question

Offline Juanito

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14819
Re: Parallel Port Printers
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2011, 09:50:36 AM »
$ sudo /usr/local/etc/init.d/dbus start
and
$ sudo /etc/init.d/cups start

With the cups extension, starting the cups service will automatically start dbus, so you don't need to start both of them separately. The cups1311 extension perhaps requires them to be started separately, but I also don't think dbus is essential for cups1311

Quote
Question: Now I have to make these inputs permanent. In which file do I have to put them?
Is .filetool.lst correct?

If you look at the cups1311 or cups info files, it explains which files to add to filetool.lst to make your printer settings permanent.

If the parport and lp modules do not load automatically on boot, then you'll need to add the commands to bootlocal.sh, for example "modprobe lp", one per line

If you'd like the cups service to start automatically on boot, you can also add "/etc/init.d/cups start" or "usr/local/etc/init.d/cups start" for the cups extension to bootlocal.sh