PPC: Printing with Old Macs - Serial Printers

Support knowledgebase (mfrueh_print_oldmac)

SuSE Linux PowerPC: Version 6.4

Symptom:

Cause:

Solution:

1. If you enter as user root one of the following commands
   echo -en "This is a test-text-line\f" >/dev/ttyS0
   or (dpending on the serial interface the printer is connected to)
   echo -en "This is a test-text-line\f" >/dev/ttyS1
   and you do not get one sheet with the words This is a test-text-line printed on it, the low-level-communication to the printer is not possible.
   As long as this doesn't work, it makes normally no sense to make further configurations. It is a prerequisite that the printer is able to print ASCII-text (in this case the test-text-line) - see the article Purchase of printers and compatibility

2. Depending on the printer model you have there are different commands needed to adjust the serial interface.

   • If it is a HP DeskWriter enter the following command as user root:

     stty 57600 raw -echo crtscts </dev/ttySX
     

     Where ttySX is either ttyS1 or ttyS0. The speed 57600 should work for a DeskWriter but you may have to adjust the speed too - normal values are 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200 and 230400.

   • If it is an Epson printer use the following commands (as root)

     stty 230400 raw -echo cstopb </dev/ttySX
     stty ixon ixoff </dev/ttySX
     

     You may have to adjust the parameters for your special printer.

   Using
   man stty
   the possible parameter settings are shown.

3. If you get the test-text-line printed using
   echo -en "This is a test-text-line\f" >/dev/ttySX
   (/dev/ttyS0 or /dev/ttyS1 depending on the serial interface you use)
   the communication via the serial interface works.

4. Configure the printer using YaST or SETUP - see the article Installing a printer for PowerPC

   In case of unsuccessfull attempts it is recommended to move the file /etc/printcap. Log in as root and type
   mv /etc/printcap /etc/printcap.save
   and after this please try to configure again. (With rm /etc/printcap you may delete this file.)

5. The file /etc/printcap has to be changed:
   Delete all lines like

           :br#9600:\
           :ty=ixon -imaxbel -ixany -ixoff -crtscts:\
   

   from /etc/printcap using an editor (e.g. use mcedit /etc/printcap) because this lines would cause unsuitable standard parameter settings for the serial interface.

   Restart the printer spooler using
   /sbin/init.d/lpd restart

6. Test the printer configuration e.g. using
   lpr /etc/fstab
   or to test color-printing e.g. use
   lpr /usr/share/ghostscript/5.50/examples/colorcir.ps

7. If the printer-test was successfull use an editor to append the above command(s) which set the appropriate parameters for the serial interface to the file /sbin/init.d/boot.local for example use
   mcedit /sbin/init.d/boot.local
   By that the appropriate parameters are set when the system boots.

Installing a printer for PowerPC