How to use Brother HL2240d printer in Wary 5.2?

Problems and successes with specific brands/models of printers
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n9viw
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Joined: Wed 18 Apr 2012, 01:23

How to use Brother HL2240d printer in Wary 5.2?

#1 Post by n9viw »

I'm a complete noob to Linux in general, much less Puppy, although I did manage to install from a LiveCD. I've been using my Pup (Wary 5.2) for a couple months now, and apart from Jscripts freezing Firefox 4 (and occasionally crashing FF, as well as freezing X), it's been fun.

That said, I need to install a printer (in subj line), and I ALMOST have it, but it's still missing something. I followed Brother's instructions, and also some cmd info from an Ubuntu forum that seemed to help. So far, jobs sent to the printer cause it to 'wake up', heat up the toner bar and turn on the fan and whatnot, and the Ready light flashes several times, but then stops, and no printing does it make!

Here's what I've done so far:
* Followed instrux at http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1627516
* Followed Cupswrapper info at http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bs ... prn1a.html
* Followed instrux to install ppd file (http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bs ... prn1c.html)

I'd provide a screen shot of the installed printers page, but... please see line 1 of this message. particularly the first eight words. CUPS does seem to "know" the printer is there, but whatever it's sending the printer isn't getting printed.

I've done a search here on the forum, and found several threads about installing printers, most of which is a rehash of Brother's own instrux.

Any suggestions? Even pointing me to a beginner's *nix tutorial, Puppy-specific or not, would be much appreciated.

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rcrsn51
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#2 Post by rcrsn51 »

I've done a search here on the forum, and found several threads about installing printers, most of which is a rehash of Brother's own instrux.
Have you read here? It contains a link to the Brothers section.

If you still have trouble, post another message and I will build a driver for you.

n9viw
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed 18 Apr 2012, 01:23

#3 Post by n9viw »

rcrsn51, You're a prince. I had to delete the other installed instances of the printer, then shut off and restart CUPS and re-find the printer. I did get the test page out! However, I cannot print from either Geany or AbiWord. (the latter always makes me think of Marty Feldman saying, "Abby... someone.")

When I open a file with either program, then select "Print", I go through all the necessary selections, then hit "Print". The Ready light on the printer flashes once, and that's it. No fan, no warming, no nothing.

Interesting note: when I just opened CUPS, the message by the printer says, "/usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftops failed". What is 'pdftops'? On a lark, I surfed over to that location, found the symlink 'pdftops' pointed over to /usr/bin where the exe sat. I ran it from a command shell, which (of course) gave me the version, usage info, etc. but didn't tell me why it may have failed before- incorrect command, I suppose. I gather this exe is the doohicky that converts my text file into whatever the printer needs in order to spit it out on paper, and something went wrong.

So, now: where and how to find out what went wrong? Is there a folder somewhere where failed commands go to be debugged later, or does it spit out a file from which I could decipher the problem?

n9viw
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed 18 Apr 2012, 01:23

#4 Post by n9viw »

I went back into CUPS and nosed around, found the logs, and cracked open the error and access logs. Since I still don't know how to give you a screenshot, here's a clipping from my error log, just the last couple jobs (Geany and AbiWord):
I [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] [Job ???] Request file type is application/pdf.
I [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] [Job 23] Adding start banner page "none".
I [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] [Job 23] Adding end banner page "none".
I [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] [Job 23] File of type application/pdf queued by "root".
I [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] [Job 23] Queued on "Brother_HL-2240D_series_USB_1" by "root".
I [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] [Job 23] Started filter /usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftops (PID 18717)
I [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] [Job 23] Started filter /usr/lib/cups/filter/brlpdwrapperHL2240D (PID 18718)
I [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] [Job 23] Started backend /usr/lib/cups/backend/usb (PID 18719)
E [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] PID 18717 (/usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftops) stopped with status 1!
I [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] Hint: Try setting the LogLevel to "debug" to find out more.
E [22/Apr/2012:19:08:58 -0500] [Job 23] Job stopped due to filter errors.
I [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] [Job ???] Request file type is application/pdf.
I [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] [Job 24] Adding start banner page "none".
I [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] [Job 24] Adding end banner page "none".
I [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] [Job 24] File of type application/pdf queued by "root".
I [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] [Job 24] Queued on "Brother_HL-2240D_series_USB_1" by "root".
I [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] [Job 24] Started filter /usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftops (PID 22122)
I [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] [Job 24] Started filter /usr/lib/cups/filter/brlpdwrapperHL2240D (PID 22123)
I [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] [Job 24] Started backend /usr/lib/cups/backend/usb (PID 22124)
E [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] PID 22122 (/usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftops) stopped with status 1!
I [22/Apr/2012:19:11:32 -0500] Hint: Try setting the LogLevel to "debug" to find out more.
E [22/Apr/2012:19:11:33 -0500] [Job 24] Job stopped due to filter errors.
Don't know if that's too much, or not enough, but hopefully you'll know what it all means- I sure don't!

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rcrsn51
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#5 Post by rcrsn51 »

Wary 5.2 had a problem with printing. Read here for the solution.

n9viw
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed 18 Apr 2012, 01:23

Success!

#6 Post by n9viw »

That's got it exactly, thank you again! Off and printing...

n9viw
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed 18 Apr 2012, 01:23

Woops, spoke too soon...

#7 Post by n9viw »

My wife just asked me to print a page from our bank account, and the computer woke up the printer, but didn't send the job. A check on CUPS said, "PDFTOPS FAILED". (running Firefox 11)

I managed to save the page as a text file, and that printed out just fine.

Any suggestions?

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rcrsn51
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#8 Post by rcrsn51 »

I set up Wary 5.2 with the pdftops patch and installed a printer. I then installed Firefox 701 along with the dbus stuff that Wary needs to run it.

I could print some web pages but not others and it was slow.

I then repeated the procedure with Slacko. It has a newer CUPS and dbus built-in.

I could print the web pages that Wary could not.

I then went back to Quirky. It has almost the identical print chain as Wary and contains dbus. It printed fine from FF 701.

[Edit] Install the PET below. It makes Wary's print system work more like Quirky's. It worked in my tests with FF701.
Attachments
gtk_printbackend-2.10.0.pet
(24.86 KiB) Downloaded 964 times

n9viw
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed 18 Apr 2012, 01:23

Success! (Again)

#9 Post by n9viw »

That's got it, I just printed off the first page of this thread to test. Thank you again ever so much... I really would like to learn how to do such things, but I'm no programmer, and I just need the blasted thing to do what I tell it! :lol: Your expertise is much appreciated.

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rcrsn51
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Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

Re: Success! (Again)

#10 Post by rcrsn51 »

n9viw wrote:That's got it, I just printed off the first page of this thread to test.
Just to be sure, please print off the bank statement that caused the original problem.

n9viw
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed 18 Apr 2012, 01:23

Well, crap!

#11 Post by n9viw »

Apropos of absolutely nothing, the printer is refusing to cooperate again. It HAD been working, but now when I select File-> Print... or hit CTRL-P, I get the print options window, hit "Print", I get the "Printing xxx..." progress window, and... nothing.

I've tried reinstalling the files suggested here, but no luck. A new wrinkle I just discovered: Since accidentally uninstalling Firefox (foolishly trying to 'clean up old files', didn't think the FF 4.0 entry in PPM meant my FF11.0!), then reinstalling Firefox, I've 'lost' the factory linkset "Browse" that used to be on the desktop. As a result, CUPS does not load into my browser! I get the Help Surfer, which provides links to this forum, and it says a CUPS interface should open in my default browser in "3-30 seconds", but it never does.

What the heck did I do? Any Linux gurus in the Springfield, MO area who will work for beer? Please don't tell me to go back to Microsoft, I couldn't bear the shame...

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