# unable to print to lexmark z53

## mlybarger

i'm having troubles setting up my printer.  i have a lexmark z53 printer.  i have emerged gimp-print and gimp-print-cups as mentioned in the print manual. my printer is connected to lp0 (parallel port).  i see the following from dmesg about the parallel port:

parport0: PC-style at 0x378 [PCSPP(,...)]

lp0: using parport0 (polling).

plip: parport0 has no IRQ. Using IRQ-less mode,which is fairly inefficient!

NET3 PLIP version 2.4-parport gniibe@mri.co.jp

i've read that this is ok, but when i try to send output to the printer:

$ cat test.txt > /dev/lp0

the printer doesn't do anything.  the printer does do a little reset when i power cycle the machine so i think it's got a good connection.  i started cupsd and used the web tool to add my printer.  when i print from a kde application, i see the following in my cups error log file:

I [23/Sep/2002:10:08:51 +0000] Job 6 queued on 'Lexmark43' by 'mark'.

E [23/Sep/2002:10:08:51 +0000] Unable to convert file 0 to printable format for jo

b 6!

any suggestions would be most appreciated !!!

 :Confused: 

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## dpryden

Try making sure you have the right cups driver... you can either try to install foomatic (which AFAIK does not yet have a working ebuild) or else just download one from http://www.linuxprinting.org/

In fact, here's a link to the available drivers:  http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=Lexmark-Z53

Hope this helps....

- Daniel.

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## mlybarger

i'll give installing foomatic a shot... but i'm leary that that will solve the problem. the cat command to /dev/lp0 should do something to the printer, no?

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## dpryden

 *Quote:*   

> the cat command to /dev/lp0 should do something to the printer, no?

 

If cat > /dev/lp0 doesn't do anything, I'd say the next step is to check that everything's all right in your kernel's parallel config and in your bios.

Now, you don't get an error, do you?  It just has no effect?  The other possibility is that the printer needs a specific code, and won't dump ASCII.  I'm no expert on Lexmarks... you may want to ask around and see if that's the issue.

If foomatic gives you trouble, just download the driver from linuxprinting.org and drop it into /usr/share/cups/model .  Then just configure cups to use that driver (if you're using KDE, there's an easy GUI tool that automates this whole process, but there's also a web-based interface to cups... check the cups manpage for details).

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## Kento

I recently got one of these printers from Staples. Catting to the port won't help because it's not a postscript printer. I did have problems getting it to work with Cups when I first got it, but I solved the problem using first the lexmark foomatic kit (no ebuild available, get it from linuxprinting.org), but found that to be too restrictive for my use. I finally fixed it by emerging the GIMP-Print system, which has native drivers for the Z53. Hope this helps.

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## mlybarger

Well I haven't actually seen the printout yet, but the logs look good, and the test printing seems to go ok.  I now actually have completed jobs in the output.  I'll check later to see how the printing looks.  This was a royal pita, so i'll post what i've found along the way.  My printer is on the parallel port.  I vaguely followed a post (link at bootom) of getting this to work on debian.  The procedure is similar for gentoo. I am using the Lexmark binary drivers with cups.  Someday, i'll end up putting a usb cable on the thing and have to go through this all again  :Smile: 

Install Lexmark Z53 on Gentoo:

1. Get the lexmark binary rpm file from lexmark.com, install with --nodeps (need to have gimp-print, cups, etc installed).

2. get lexmark-foomatic-kit.tar.gz, probably from the foomatic area on linux printing.org

3. run the install in lexmark-foomatic-kit area (need to add /usr/local/sbin to path)

4. go through lexmarkinstall, may need to be able to run x applications (xhost localhost).

5. get foomatic-2.0-current.tar.gz from foomatic folks. untar, and go into folder. run make, make install?

6. run foomatic-compiledb, creates all ppd files.  

7. copy ./ppd/Lexmark-Z53-lexmarkinkjet.ppd to /usr/share/cups/model

8. restart cupsd

9. go to localhost:631 and add printer, print test page!!

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&threadm=20020710164644.29e2d861.paul%40pinheiro.tcimet.net&rnum=2&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dlexmark%2Bz53%2Bcups%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26start%3D0%26sa%3DN

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