hp deskjet 5150

[balanga]

Someone gave me an old hp deskjet 5150. How would I go about finding out if I can do anything useful with it from FreeBSD?

 

[atax1a]

It's probably supported by CUPS, and you'll probably need the HPIJS driver.

 

[scottro]

If it connects by network, I'll plug my own page https://srobb.net/cliscanprint.html#FreeBSD

 

[balanga]

usbconfig shows:

It's probably supported by CUPS, and you'll probably need the HPIJS driver.

I've never printed from FreeBSD. I basically hate using printers and have no idea about any drivers. Is this something I can get via pkg install?

 

[balanga]

If it connects by network, I'll plug my own page https://srobb.net/cliscanprint.html#FreeBSD

I'm connected by USB cable.

 

[atax1a]

we were mistaken on hpijs — thats the old'n'busted. the new hotness is hplip

pkg install cups hplip ought to get you somewhere. CUPS is pretty well documented too: https://www.cups.org/documentation.html

 

[balanga]

The process seems error prone.

How would I send a simple text file to a printer which I have set up using lpadmin -p myprinter?

 

[unitrunker]

Not complete but with get you started. Others can fill the gaps.

1. pkg install cups hplip

2. enable CUPS in /etc/rc.conf
cupsd_enable="YES"

3. service cupsd start

4. check dmesg or run lpinfo -v to confirm your host recognizes the USB device.

5. Open a browser and point it to localhost:631

Follow the prompts under Administration to add the printer.

 

[atax1a]

once you set up the printer, /usr/local/bin/lp file.txt will send it to your default printer.

 

[Alain De Vos]

some printers allow directly sending .ps or is it ghostscirpt files.

 

[balanga]

once you set up the printer, /usr/local/bin/lp file.txt will send it to your default printer.

/usr/local/bin/lp /etc/rc.conf:-

/usr/local/bin/lp: Error - No default destination.

Looks like I haven't set it up properly

 

[atax1a]

Use either the web interface or lpadmin -d myprinter to set the default (assuming you named it myprinter)

 

[balanga]

There is supposed to be a USB option.

CUPS comes with several standard backends that communicate with printers:

1. dnssd: The Bonjour (DNS-SD) protocol.
2. ipp: The Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) with optional encryption.
3. ipps: The Internet Printing Protocol with mandatory encryption.
4. lpd: The Line Printer Daemon protocol.
5. socket: The AppSocket (JetDirect) protocol.
6. usb: The Universal Serial Bus (USB) printer class.

but it doesn't come up when I run lpinfo -v. Should it?

 

[MG]

While the problem is unclear to me, what I at least would make sure is that the printer shows up as selectable printer in the cupsd web-interface, and the file /usr/local/etc/cups/printers.conf exists after finishing the "add printer" procedure. Afaik, this has to be done at least 1 time because it contains a unique serial number. It may require foomatic-db, which contains many non-proprietary ppd files for HP printers.

Btw, you know the secret HP hardware testpage triggered by opening the cartidge-hatch 7 times?You can exclude possibe problems of the printer itself. No idea how long this exists...

 

[balanga]

Use either the web interface or lpadmin -d myprinter to set the default (assuming you named it myprinter)

I had lpadmin -p myprinter.

 

[balanga]

Is there any way to try and print a test page?

The printer has not been used for a long time and I don't know what the state of the ink is like.

Maybe I should take it to a cartridge shop and someone may be able to tell me if it works if I buy some ink.

 

[atax1a]

should be a test-page button from the web interface. are you getting any, like, meaningful errors? have you tried any amount of reading the documentation or looking at the web interface?

 

[scottro]

Assuming you got it installed with cups, there's a print test page option. Click the printer, and there will be, to the left a Maintenance option. Click the drop down arrow and there's an option to print a test page.

 

[unitrunker]

but it doesn't come up when I run lpinfo -v. Should it?

Yes it should. You may need a devd rule to make the dev node accessible to CUPS.

Try 'chgrp cups' on the /dev/usb/x.y.0 device node.

To test the printer alone, try this (from the manual):

1. load plain paper in the In tray.
2. Press and hold down the Resume button until the printer starts printing a self-
test page, then release the button.

Source: https://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00043998.pdf

 

[atax1a]

I had lpadmin -p myprinter.

per man lpadmin the -p option is used to configure that specific printer. just above that is where it describes the -d option:

The first form of the command (-d) sets the default printer or class to destination. [snip]
The second form of the command (-p) configures the named printer or class. The additional options are described below.

 

[unitrunker]

From a POSIX shell prompt, this is what works for me:

lpr-cups -P<printer-name> <file>

lp(1) and lpr(1) don't work. lpinfo -v and lpstat -v do work fine.

 

[atax1a]

From a POSIX shell prompt, this is what works for me:


lp(1) and lpr(1) don't work. lpinfo -v and lpstat -v do work fine.

you're probably hitting the lp/lpr in /usr/bin first, which is why we told the OP to use the full path.

 

[unitrunker]

atax1a Is there a way through /etc/printcap to point the stock lp/lpr to the cups versions?

 

[atax1a]

we would probably just chmod 000 /usr/bin/lp /usr/bin/lpr /usr/bin/lpq /usr/bin/lprm and then enforce that with some kind of config management so it persists across upgrades

 

[atax1a]

some printers allow directly sending .ps or is it ghostscirpt files.

we've yet to meet an inkjet printer that allows this.