PPC: Printing with Old Macs - Serial Printers

Support knowledgebase (mfrueh_print_oldmac)
Applies to

SuSE Linux PowerPC: Version 6.4

Symptom:

You configured the printer but you get no output or you get only some strange characters. If you get readable output there may be an error message like "Data Buffer overrun" or similar.

Cause:

The parameters of the serial interface are not properly adjusted.

Solution:

  1. If you enter as user root one of the following commands
    echo -en "This is a test-text-line\f" >/dev/ttyS0
    or (dpending on the serial interface the printer is connected to)
    echo -en "This is a test-text-line\f" >/dev/ttyS1
    and you do not get one sheet with the words This is a test-text-line printed on it, the low-level-communication to the printer is not possible.
    As long as this doesn't work, it makes normally no sense to make further configurations. It is a prerequisite that the printer is able to print ASCII-text (in this case the test-text-line) - see the article Purchase of printers and compatibility

  2. Depending on the printer model you have there are different commands needed to adjust the serial interface.

    Using
    man stty
    the possible parameter settings are shown.

  3. If you get the test-text-line printed using
    echo -en "This is a test-text-line\f" >/dev/ttySX
    (/dev/ttyS0 or /dev/ttyS1 depending on the serial interface you use)
    the communication via the serial interface works.

  4. Configure the printer using YaST or SETUP - see the article Installing a printer for PowerPC

    In case of unsuccessfull attempts it is recommended to move the file /etc/printcap. Log in as root and type
    mv /etc/printcap /etc/printcap.save
    and after this please try to configure again. (With rm /etc/printcap you may delete this file.)

  5. The file /etc/printcap has to be changed:
    Delete all lines like
            :br#9600:\
            :ty=ixon -imaxbel -ixany -ixoff -crtscts:\
    
    from /etc/printcap using an editor (e.g. use mcedit /etc/printcap) because this lines would cause unsuitable standard parameter settings for the serial interface.

    Restart the printer spooler using
    /sbin/init.d/lpd restart

  6. Test the printer configuration e.g. using
    lpr /etc/fstab
    or to test color-printing e.g. use
    lpr /usr/share/ghostscript/5.50/examples/colorcir.ps

  7. If the printer-test was successfull use an editor to append the above command(s) which set the appropriate parameters for the serial interface to the file /sbin/init.d/boot.local for example use
    mcedit /sbin/init.d/boot.local
    By that the appropriate parameters are set when the system boots.

See also:
o Installing a printer for PowerPC

Keywords: PPC, PRINTING, PRINTER, SERIAL, POWERPC, MACINTOSH, APPLE

SDB-mfrueh_print_oldmac, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 17. Aug 2000
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 04. Jan 2001 by jsmeix (sdb_gen 1.40.0)