Printing on Linux, simple right?
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This document discusses printing solutions for Linux, including CUPS and specialized printer drivers. It covers using CUPS for most printers but developing custom solutions for some printers like card and label printers. It also discusses using lpd as an older standard printing protocol and strategies for connecting printers to Linux systems including using Windows as a printing server.
Printing on Linux, simple right?
- 1. Printing on Linux, simple right? Dobrica Pavlinušić http://blog.rot13.org/ Presentation URL: http://bit.ly/rv-foi-printing
- 2. Content ● CUPS - printing solution for 21st century ○ and why we might need another solutions... ● Specialized printers are different ○ EVOLIS Dualys card printer ○ Zebra S4M label printer ● strategy to develop support for printers ○ print data viewer first to understand protocol ○ converter from standard format to printer protocol ● lpd - older but standard across platforms
- 3. CUPS - Common Unix Printing System http://www.cups.org/ CUPS is the standards-based, open source printing system developed by Apple Inc. for Mac OS® X and other UNIX®-like operating systems. ● all printers are raster devices!
- 4. EVOLIS Dualys card printer http://blog.rot13.org/2010/08/evolis-dualys-pixel-exact-printing-without-cups.html ● have CUPS driver on vendor site ○ problems with duplex printing ● printer is somewhat complex robot ● pixel-exact barcodes! ● development strategy: ○ simulator to preview file ○ driver to produce printer data ● Inkscape to design card ● GhostScript to rasterize
- 5. RFID integration Printer has unsupported RFID reader on internal USB hub, sigh!
- 6. Zebra S4M label printer http://blog.rot13.org/2012/02/printing-from-koha-to-zebra-printers-on-local-windows-machine.html ● have CUPS driver upstream ● ZPL printer language ○ much more than bitmap printer! ● Windows GDI driver ○ configures printer correctly ● pbm2ZPL.pl driver ● ZPL2pbm.pl viewer ● printers connected via usb to Windows
- 7. lpd - Line Printer Daemon ● supported in CUPS as legacy protocol ● all hardware printer servers supports it ● message queue before it was Web2.0y ● Did you know that lpd can play mp3 files? http://vext01.blogspot.com/2010/11/lpd-music-hack-how-its-done.html ● Windows lpd server ○ spooling must be enabled! ○ direct to port option with lpd is /dev/null ○ no authentication (printers on Intranet, OK) ● rlpr - print on remote lpd printers
- 8. So, how to print from Internet directly to printer? 1. Users enter barcode on web page 2. redirect browser to internal URL http: //printer-zebra.intranet/print.cgi? print=12345%20call% 20number&return=http://url 3. print.cgi a. rsvg-convert creates png from Inkscape template b. png2ppm | ppm2ZPL | lrpr to client IP address c. check printer status with rlpq d. redirect browser to return with added station=IP Website includes png picture of label
- 9. Integration of Koha quick spine label creator and Zebra printer connected to Windows via lpd Round trip to internal site which generates ZPL is so fast, it's not shown in this video
- 10. Questions? ● Sometimes, it worth re-thinking conventional wisdom about printer deployment ● Writing printer drives is like reverse engineering with documentation ;-) ● More information on my blog http://blog.rot13.org/