Note these instructions are for the cups1311 extension for TC3. For the cups.tcz extension in TC4 see the instructions here

First we install the packages. Suggest keyword could be: cups.

For me, I install cups1311 and gutenprint.

Then start the daemons….means start the service or backends, for me that means both dbus and cups.

sudo /usr/local/etc/init.d/dbus start
sudo /etc/init.d/cups start

Now turn on your printer then

Open a browser and type

http://localhost:631

TIP save that as a bookmark

Click on Adminstration and find printers. Hopefully it finds a printer….for me, parallel cable and usb cable. I choose usb and then rename it.

You may be like me and CUPS has no printer ppd file for your printer? If you do have one, click it and then click the……. add printer ….button.Otherwise enjoy how I set up an Epson Stylus all-in-one…also known as a multi-fuctional model TX110

I could try out each printer in the tx range starting with the oldest model for the tx100 series. If the cups printer works, great. For you click on the ….default button to fix or set it. The correct one is TX100 but Knoppix 6.3 built one for me which I saved for re-use here.

There are also a couple of ways of getting new PPD files. Including searching

google or http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/openprinting

If you have a HP printer, you may be better off installing the hp packages through the appsbrowser.

Otherwise I agree with perthie…..and suggest you install the gutenprint package.

Gutenprint does not have an “exact” PPD for my printer but tx100 works ok.

If you have a tx110 try at own risk this PPD link. In Firefox click save page as…..to save the ppd file.

http://stashbox.org/859655/Epson_Stylus_TX110.ppd

After you have installed Gutenprint and set the default printer, (optional made changes to the defaults such as paper size, ink to be grayscale or color etc) you can see your progress here.

CUPS does not handle ink levels. These can be handled by other applications depending on your make and model.

If you need to stop the daemons for any reason do it in reverse order to how you start them please.

Please post the forum or go to IRC if you are having any issues.

With the latest TC editon you can choose Ondemand or Onboot. If you frequently print and have the RAM onboot might be the preferred way to go.

But cups1311 does not depend on foomatic or gutenprint packages. Therefore if you download a certain package please add that file to your Right hand pane list for cpanel - Apps Audit …..onboot or ondemand list.

I am a TC newbie and use a grub kernel line that includes

home=sda2 opt=sda2 tce=sda2

You can either manually start dbus and cups or have it start automatically for each boot,depending on your computer resources. I use automatic.

Therefore suggest you edit your /opt/bootlocal.sh with root powers to amend it to read (Placed in code box to prevent wiki format error)

#!/bin/sh
  - put other system startup commands here
/usr/local/etc/init.d/dbus start
/etc/init.d/cups start

If you prefer to go manual for each print then run those last 2 commands as

sudo /usr/local/etc/init.d/dbus start
sudo /etc/init.d/cups start

The above manual or automatic commands are needed for me to get my printer working. But it does not backup my printer files so we add these to /opt/.filetool.lst

Information on backup is found at this wiki backup

Try

etc/cups/printers.conf
etc/cups/ppd

Above was placed in a code box for wiki display reasons.

Consider wiki Backup-check and then do next bit please.

Check that daemons are running as explained below please. Check your Cups web page, that settings have been restored. Test printer works.

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General Tips

Before installing, start the daemons….then turn on the printer. This should reduce any issues with printer being on during bootup and kernel not having time to get the information.

You know, your printer company makes more money out of selling you refills so they tend to run of ink.

If its an usb printer….you may need to install the usb-utils package. I did not need it, but there is no harm in installing it and following the info guide please.

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Nothing prints and this is my cups error

a) Using root powers, you started cups and forgot to start dbus or mixed up the order. So stop cups then start dbus then start cups ….as shown in above commands

• –

Printer is on….nothing prints….cups page does not load

a) Check your daemons but better still manually turn off cups then dbus then manually start dbus then cups

(Assuming you need dbus….which is my situation)

Now check the status of those daemons

sudo /usr/local/etc/init.d/dbus status
sudo /etc/init.d/cups status

b) You have installed a firewall and stopped http access

c) Your hardware cables are loose

• –

Printer is on…cups page loads ok….print job says job prints but nothing prints

a) Check your printer settings. Especially page format US letter may be the USA option while Australians use A4.

Naturally if you load different paper to setting, you are going to have some trouble.

• –

Printer on etc…print quality is terrible

a) Consider getting a better fonts package

b) Change the resolution dots per inch (DPI) for output in Cups page

c) Change the “Quality” setting in Cups page

d) Change to “photograph” setting if printing photos otherwise make “text and graphics”

(By the way, if you can not see any of these setting in your Cups setup, I suggest you look for a better PPD file)