From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Apr 20 08:59:13 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3245737B401 for ; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 08:59:13 -0700 (PDT) Received: from mail.gmx.net (pop.gmx.net [213.165.64.20]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id B292643FBF for ; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 08:59:11 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from blueeskimo@gmx.net) Received: (qmail 21963 invoked by uid 65534); 20 Apr 2003 15:59:10 -0000 Received: from i216-58-29-174.gta.igs.net (EHLO [216.58.29.174]) (216.58.29.174) by mail.gmx.net (mp017-rz3) with SMTP; 20 Apr 2003 17:59:10 +0200 From: Adam To: doc@FreeBSD.org Content-Type: multipart/signed; micalg=pgp-sha1; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; boundary="=-PR1miS81PzFzw9PS4+B0" Organization: Message-Id: <1050854348.68562.20.camel@jake> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Ximian Evolution 1.2.4 Date: 20 Apr 2003 11:59:08 -0400 cc: FreeBSD Mailing List Subject: Inaccuracy in 'The Handbook' printer setup manual X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2003 15:59:13 -0000 --=-PR1miS81PzFzw9PS4+B0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/printing-intro-setup.html#PRINTING-TEST= ING It says: ***************************************************************************= **** 11.3.1.3.2.1 Checking a Parallel Printer This section tells you how to check if FreeBSD can communicate with a printer connected to a parallel port. To test a printer on a parallel port: 1. Become root with su(1). =20 2. Send data to the printer. =20 * If the printer can print plain text, then use lptest(1). Type: =20 =20 # lptest > /dev/lptN =20 Where N is the number of the parallel port, starting from zero. =20 * If the printer understands PostScript or other printer language, then send a small program to the printer. Type: =20 =20 # cat > /dev/lptN =20 Then, line by line, type the program carefully as you cannot edit a line once you have pressed RETURN or ENTER. When you have finished entering the program, press CONTROL+D, or whatever your end of file key is. =20 Alternatively, you can put the program in a file and type: =20 =20 # cat file > /dev/lptN =20 Where file is the name of the file containing the program you want to send to the printer. =20 You should see something print. Do not worry if the text does not look right; we will fix such things later. ***************************************************************************= **** That last part is not entirely true (where is says you should see something print if you pipe to /dev/lptN). This does *NOT* work with some printers (including my Canon S600). However, once apsfilter+ghostscript are installed, the printer works fine. But piping to /dev/lpt0 (or whatever device you are set up for) does not print anything. On my printer in particular, the light blinks when I write to /dev/lpt0, but nothing comes out. This inaccuracy cost me a good day's worth of troubleshooting, because the handbook strongly advised getting this part working before moving on to config'ing printcap and apsfilter. I eventually gave up on this part and decided to move on, at which point I was amazed when it actually worked. I hope this clarification saves someone some heartache in the future. --=20 Adam --=-PR1miS81PzFzw9PS4+B0 Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name=signature.asc Content-Description: This is a digitally signed message part -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.1 (FreeBSD) iD8DBQA+osPMu3o4GBMSDL4RAjmwAJwLE9BaJ6P0CcTmm5XUUFkvpjKG1QCfQFsA 429mlMdFAy8Vm3fpYn5Gx3I= =8OHT -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --=-PR1miS81PzFzw9PS4+B0--