[PLUG] Printer help needed

[Denis Heidtmann]

On Mon, Aug 10, 2015 at 8:59 PM, King Beowulf <kingbeowulf at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 08/10/2015 03:11 PM, Denis Heidtmann wrote:
> > No test page.  Before I go through deleting and re-adding, I would like
> to
> > understand the relation between CUPS and Hplip.
> >
> > -Denis
>
> CUPS does all the actual printing.  HPLIP is a CLI and GUI front-end to
> ease HP printer administration for those who find the web CUPS admin
> page a bit confusing.
>
> HPLIP will:
> 1. Find HP printers using any interface
> 2. select the correct CUPS back end
> 3. select the correct CUPS driver, or provide its own, newer ppd if CUPS
> doesn't have one.
> 4. make it easier to see printer queues, print status, print ink supply
> 5. make it easier to align and clean print heads,
> 6. make it easier to set default print settings
> 7. If you have a  multifunction printer, HPLIP will set up the SANE
> scaner back end as well.
>
> Thanks for that detailed explanation.  (What is CLI?)

That said, I have noticed that each version of HPLIP prefers certain
> versions of CUPS.  Thus, for distros that auto-update a lot (like
> Ubuntu), you can run into your situation.
>

That  would certainly fit with my observations.  In my 12.04 system I needed
to forgo Ubuntu's older version of HPLIP and install the more recent version
to get support for my printer.  Thus, autoupdate  likely changed CUPS but
not HPLIP.

Since I am in the process of changing my HD due to hits of failure on the
old
one, I am taking that opportunity to change to 14.04.  HPLIP in 14.04's
packages
support my printer.  The printer works fine with the packages, so I am
hoping to
avoid fixing the printer in the soon-to-be-gone 12.04 system.  If the
upgrade gets
delayed I will follow your helpful advice.

Now the only printer-related issue is getting it working in VirtualBox, but
that
is not urgent.  Other things are more pressing.

...

> Have fun!
> -Ed
>
> .Denis