HPLIP on Slack

[pfeigl]

Does anyone know how to compile HPLIP? Its just a bunch of Python files that I don't know how to handle. The .run version won't work on Slackware. In fact it doesn't work on DEbian, even though its supposed to... I have the latest versions of everything.

Peter

[Dapper Dan]

Hi pfeigl. You can install the .tgz package of hplip with pkgtool. Get hplip for Slackware 12 here.

[Freston]

With any luck you took the full-install and HPLIP is already on your system.

Try to open this link cPanel® in your browser with the printer plugged in and turned on. This opens the CUPS interface that should detect your printer.

What could be a problem on your box is that the CUPS and/or HPLIP services aren't turned on. You can check with this command:

ls -l /etc/rc.d/ | grep hplip ; ls -l /etc/rc.d/ |  grep cups

It should lead to output like this:
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 4777 2007-06-10 07:14 rc.hplip*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 4548 2007-05-09 23:28 rc.cups*

Note the 'x' in this string: "-rwxr-xr-x" stands for executable. If you don't have an 'x'in that string you can add it (as root):

chmod +x /etc/rc.d/rc.hplip /etc/rc.d/rc.cups

Now start both services (/etc/rc.d/rc.hplip start) and you're all set.

[pfeigl]

I got just the output you said, sans the x's. I will fix it tonight. I'm studying for a math exam right now.

Thanks.

Peter

[pfeigl]

I made the changes and everything seems as it should be, but when I click on your Control Panel link I get:

An error occurred while loading http://localhost:631:
Could not connect to host localhost (port 631).

Peter

[pfeigl]

When I tried to configure the printer, I got this dialog:

Unable to retrieve the printer list. Error message received from manager:
Connection to CUPS server failed. Check that the CUPS server is correctly installed and running. Error: localhost: read failed (14).

Peter

[Freston]

Ahum. I said start both services :-p

So: /etc/rc.d/rc.cups start

Although a reboot has the same effect. If you still get that message after a reboot something else is wrong.

[pfeigl]

You Sir, are the cat's pyjamas with Slack! The CUPS page came up. Now how do I invoke that from my machine? I still have to add the printer and its a network printer (shudder) so I may be back...
Thanks.

Peter.

[pfeigl]

I can't believe it. After all these years of heartache with Linux I have:
A working display
A working wheel mouse
A working network printer
A working connection to the Internet
Working Samba services
Almost working USB card reader

It's just like, well, a real computer. I have to try out the sound sometime.
I just may ditch windows after all. I wanted to years ago. I came from the crazed Amiga camp and always laughed at windows "new" features. I still like Macs though. In fact I just bought one.

Thanks ever so much!

Peter