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The Printer Configuration Tool allows users to configure a printer. This tool
helps maintain the printer configuration file, print spool directories, and print
filters.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 uses the CUPS printing system. If a system was
upgraded from a previous Red Hat Enterprise Linux version that used CUPS, the
upgrade process preserved the configured queues.
Using the Printer Configuration Tool requires root privileges. To start the
application, select Applications (the main menu on the panel) => System
Settings => Printing, or type the command systemconfigprinter. This
command automatically determines whether to run the graphical or textbased
version depending on whether the command is executed in the graphical desktop
environment or from a textbased console.
To force the Printer Configuration Tool to run as a textbased application,
execute the command systemconfigprintertui from a shell prompt.
Important
Do not edit the /etc/printcap file or the files in the /etc/cups/
directory. Each time the printer daemon (cups) is started or restarted,
new configuration files are dynamically created. The files are
dynamically created when changes are applied with the Printer
Configuration Tool as well.
Figure 341. Printer Configuration Tool
The following types of print queues can be configured:
• Locallyconnected — a printer attached directly to the computer
through a parallel or USB port.
• Networked CUPS (IPP) — a printer that can be accessed over a
TCP/IP network via the Internet Printing Protocol, also known as IPP
(for example, a printer attached to another Red Hat Enterprise Linux
system running CUPS on the network).
• Networked UNIX (LPD) — a printer attached to a different UNIX
system that can be accessed over a TCP/IP network (for example, a
printer attached to another Red Hat Enterprise Linux system running
LPD on the network).
• Networked Windows (SMB) — a printer attached to a different system
which is sharing a printer over an SMB network (for example, a printer
attached to a Microsoft Windows™ machine).
• Networked Novell (NCP) — a printer attached to a different system
which uses Novell's NetWare network technology.
• Networked JetDirect — a printer connected directly to the network
through HP JetDirect instead of to a computer.
Important
If you add a new print queue or modify an existing one, you must
apply the changes for them to take effect.
Clicking the Apply button saves any changes that you have made and restarts the
printer daemon. The changes are not written to the configuration file until the
printer daemon is restarted. Alternatively, you can choose Action => Apply.
34.1. Adding a Local Printer
To add a local printer, such as one attached through a parallel port or USB port
on your computer, click the New button in the main Printer Configuration Tool
window to display the window in Figure 342. Click Forward to proceed.
Figure 342. Adding a Printer
In the window shown in Figure 343, enter a unique name for the printer in the
Name text field. The printer name cannot contain spaces and must begin with a
letter. The printer name may contain letters, numbers, dashes (), and
underscores (_). Optionally, enter a short description for the printer, which can
contain spaces.
Figure 343. Selecting a Queue Name
After clicking Forward, Figure 344 appears. Select Locallyconnected from the
Select a queue type menu, and select the device. The device is usually
/dev/lp0 for a parallel printer or /dev/usb/lp0 for a USB printer. If no devices
appear in the list, click Rescan devices to rescan the computer or click Custom
device to specify it manually. Click Forward to continue.
Figure 344. Adding a Local Printer
Adding an IPP Printer
An IPP printer is a printer attached to a different Linux system on the same
network running CUPS or a printer configured on another operating system to
use IPP. By default, the Printer Configuration Tool browses the network for any
shared IPP printers. (This option can be changed by selecting Action =>
Sharing from the pulldown menu.) Any networked IPP printer found via CUPS
browsing appears in the main window under the Browsed queues category.
If you have a firewall configured on the print server, it must be able to send and
receive connections on the incoming UDP port, 631. If you have a firewall
configured on the client (the computer sending the print request), it must be
allowed to send and accept connections on port 631.
If you disable the automatic browsing feature, you can still add a networked IPP
printer by clicking the New button in the main Printer Configuration Tool window
to display the window in Figure 342. Click Forward to proceed.
In the window shown in Figure 343, enter a unique name for the printer in the
Name text field. The printer name cannot contain spaces and must begin with a
letter. The printer name may contain letters, numbers, dashes (), and
underscores (_). Optionally, enter a short description for the printer, which can
contain spaces.
After clicking Forward, Figure 345 appears. Select Networked CUPS (IPP) from
the Select a queue type menu.
Figure 345. Adding an IPP Printer
Text fields for the following options appear:
• Server — The hostname or IP address of the remote machine to which
the printer is attached.
• Path — The path to the print queue on the remote machine.
Click Forward to continue.
Next, select the printer type. Refer to Section 34.7
Selecting the Printer Model
and Finishing for details.
Important
The networked IPP print server must allow connections from the local
system. Refer to Section 34.13
Sharing a Printer
for more information.
Adding a Remote UNIX (LPD) Printer
To add a remote UNIX printer, such as one attached to a different Linux system
on the same network, click the New button in the main Printer Configuration
Tool window. The window shown in Figure 342 appears. Click Forward to
proceed.
In the window shown in Figure 343, enter a unique name for the printer in the
Name text field. The printer name cannot contain spaces and must begin with a
letter. The printer name may contain letters, numbers, dashes (), and
underscores (_). Optionally, enter a short description for the printer, which can
contain spaces.
Select Networked UNIX (LPD) from the Select a queue type menu and click
Forward.
Figure 346. Adding a Remote LPD Printer
Text fields for the following options appear:
• Server — The hostname or IP address of the remote machine to which
the printer is attached.
• Queue — The remote printer queue. The default printer queue is
usually lp.
Click Forward to continue.
Next, select the printer type. Refer to Section 34.7
Selecting the Printer Model
and Finishing for details.
Important
The remote print server must accept print jobs from the local system.
Adding a JetDirect Printer
To add a JetDirect printer, click the New button in the main Printer Configuration
Tool window. The window shown in Figure 341 appears. Click Forward to
proceed.
In the window shown in Figure 343, enter a unique name for the printer in the
Name text field. The printer name cannot contain spaces and must begin with a
letter. The printer name may contain letters, numbers, dashes (), and
underscores (_). Optionally, enter a short description for the printer, which can
contain spaces.
Select Networked JetDirect from the Select a queue type menu, and click
Forward.
Figure 349. Adding a JetDirect Printer
Text fields for the following options appear:
• Printer — The hostname or IP address of the JetDirect printer.
• Port — The port on the JetDirect printer that is listening for print jobs. The
default port is 9100.
Next, select the printer type. Refer to Section 34.7
Selecting the Printer Model
and Finishing for details.
Selecting the Printer Model and Finishing
After selecting the queue type of the printer, the next step is to select the printer
model.
A window similar to Figure 3410 appears. If it was not autodetected, select the
model from the list. The printers are divided by manufacturers. Select the name
of the printer manufacturer from the pulldown menu. The printer models are
updated each time a different manufacturer is selected. Select the printer model
from the list.
Figure 3410. Selecting a Printer Model
The recommended print driver is selected based on the printer model selected.
The print driver processes the data that you want to print into a format the printer
can understand. Since a local printer is attached directly to your computer, you
need a print driver to process the data that is sent to the printer.
If you are configuring a remote printer (IPP, LPD, SMB, or NCP), the remote print
server usually has its own print driver. If you select an additional print driver on
your local computer, the data is filtered multiple times and is converted to a
format that the printer can not understand.
To make sure the data is not filtered more than once, first try selecting Generic
as the manufacturer and Raw Print Queue or Postscript Printer as the printer
model. After applying the changes, print a test page to try out this new
configuration. If the test fails, the remote print server might not have a print driver
configured. Try selecting a print driver according to the manufacturer and model
of the remote printer, applying the changes, and printing a test page.
Tip
You can select a different print driver after adding a printer. To do this,
start the Printer Configuration Tool, select the printer from the list,
click Edit, click the Driver tab, select a different print driver, and then
apply the changes.
Click the Apply button in the main window to save your changes and restart the
printer daemon. After applying the changes, print a test page to ensure the
configuration is correct. Refer to Section 34.8
Printing a Test Page
for details.
If you need to print characters beyond the basic ASCII set (including those used
for languages such as Japanese), you must review your driver options and select
Prerender Postscript. Refer to Section 34.9
Modifying Existing Printers
for
details. You can also configure options such as paper size if you edit the print
queue after adding it.