# [SOLVED] printer communication

## cotcot

Finally I got pipslite installed for my epson stylus photo RX640. 

But the communication with the printer fails. Using pipslite-install or ekpstm (ink monitor) or ekpd (communication daemon) returns the message that i have to check the connection with my printer. The printer is well recognised with lsusb. The scanner works. The problem is the same in 32 bit as in 64 bit. I have tried this printer on the same PC under ubuntu and fedora and this functions (32 bit install).

I checked the gentoo guide for usb printing (kernel config) and all is OK. The scanner part of this printer all-in-one works fine in gentoo and other distros.

Any ideas about the communication ?Last edited by cotcot on Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:06 pm; edited 2 times in total

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## wynn

You might like to look at Epson RX620 USB printing hassles. The problem turned out to be that the udev rules installed by iscan (in that instance) set the group on /dev/usb/lp1 to "scanner" while CUPS needs it to be "lp"

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## cotcot

I changed my /dev/usb/lp0 to the lp group (is was in the scanner group), but the contact with the printer is still not possible.

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## wynn

 *cotcot wrote:*   

> I changed my /dev/usb/lp0 to the lp group (is was in the scanner group), but the contact with the printer is still not possible.

 There were some other suggestions in that thread.

With the printer switched on and connected, could you run the commands

```
# lsusb -v -d 04b8

# lpinfo -v

# ls -l /dev/usb/lp*

# /usr/libexec/cups/backend/usb
```

and post the output, please?

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## cotcot

Thanks wynn to follow this thread.

I do not have /udev/rules.d/10-... (cfr link in your previous answer)

I could install pipslite from these sources.

My next step before configuring the printer in cups is generating a ppd file with "pipslite-install". When I run this command, I get the message "Please check connection with a printer and turn ON the power supply of the printer". This makes that the button to continue making the ppd is disabled. 

 *Quote:*   

> sudo lsusb -v -d 04b8:081c
> 
> Bus 001 Device 004: ID 04b8:081c Seiko Epson Corp.
> 
> Device Descriptor:
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> sudo lpinfo -v
> 
> network socket
> 
> network beh
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> ls -l /dev/usb/lp*
> 
> crw-rw---- 1 root scanner 180, 0 mei  5 14:47 /dev/usb/lp0

 

 *Quote:*   

> /usr/libexec/cups/backend/usb
> 
> direct usb://EPSON/Stylus%20Photo%20RX640 "EPSON Stylus Photo RX640" "EPSON Stylus Photo RX640 USB #1" "MFG:EPSON;CMD:ESCPL2,BDC,D4,ESCPR1;MDL:Stylus Photo RX640;CLS:PRINTER;DES:EPSON Stylus Photo RX640;"

 

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## wynn

You have exactly the same problem as Epson RX620 USB printing hassles quoted in a previous post.

Before doing anything (for instance, installing pipslite) with the printer/scanner you will have to change the group of /dev/usb/lp0 from "scanner" to "lp".

Unfortunately, I don't know of any automatic way to do this.

You will probably also have to change the group back to "scanner" again if you want to do any scanning.

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## cotcot

No success. After reboot i changed /dev/usb/lp0 to lp group. Reconfigured pipslite (./configure; make ; makeinstall). Running pipslite gives the same error.

And indeed in ubuntu (32 bit) where the printer is working /dev/usblp0 is set to the lp group.

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## wynn

I think before running pipslite you will have to check that /dev/usb/lp0 is still group lp.

 *cotcot wrote:*   

> And indeed in ubuntu (32 bit) where the printer is working /dev/usblp0 is set to the lp group.

 They probably make special provision to make sure it is "lp" before printing.

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## cotcot

 *wynn wrote:*   

> I think before running pipslite you will have to check that /dev/usb/lp0 is still group lp.

 

I tried this a couple of times but it did not work

I tried reconfiguring cups and a 'couple of other things' I do not remember exactly and I  got the printer printing something. The scanner worked also without changing to group scanner. After reboot I tried to reproduce what I did but could not get the printer working again. It seems I am quite close. EDIT. I have found it again. I have to restart ekpd in /etc/init.d. I also restarted cups (kill _HUP `pidof cupsd`).

So my next step is to narrow down to the strict required instruction to get printer working and find out how to keep /dev/usb/lp0 in the lp group.

Thanks

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## wynn

pipslite-cups and pipslite seem (from Googling) to appear only in connection with Ubuntu and OpenSuSE.

As it isn't in portage you may have a lot of work to do to try and get it to run under Gentoo. You do sound as though you are nearly there though.

There are some comments on OpenPrinting.org on using pipslite and the Ubuntu Forum PPD from http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=2559545&postcount=6

This seems relevant *Quote:*   

> You may have to configure the driver after installing it. That can be done by opening a Applications->Accessories->Terminal:
> 
> $ sudo /usr/local/EPAva/LITE/scripts/setup-cups.sh
> 
> (choose /dev/usblp0 instead of the default /dev/usb/lp0 if you're using usb for the printer).
> ...

 These scripts could contain useful information on setting it up.

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## cotcot

Pips(lite) is not in portage. As there are quite some epson printers it would be usefull to have an ebuild. There are other threads with pips(lite). There is an .rpm of pipslite; this makes it easier in fedora or ubuntu (after changing the .rpm to .deb with alien). It was a long search on how to get pipslite compiled, but finally I got it using sources with patches from suse. As mentioned in my post it is not communicating with the printer. So I copied over the ppd that was generated with the ubuntu (or fedora) installation and installed the printer with cups and the ubuntu ppd. 

I narrowed down what I need to do to be able to print. /dev/usb/lp0 does not need to be changed to another group. I keep it in 'scanner'. The only thing I need to do now is stop and start ekpd before each print instruction. (/etc/init.d/./ekpd stop)

The test page does not work. Only a blank page is passed through the printer. Cups mentions 'guest' as author for the test page and my normal user name for the other prints.

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## cotcot

Problem is solved since gimp-print has support for my RX640 (20th of may 2007) and since I changed the permission in udev rules files to 666 instead of 660. So I do not need pipslite any more.

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## mosh5382

This is true, you no longer need the pips driver.  However, the closed source epson driver will allow you to print at better quality (same as in windoz).  This is true for the RX600.  There is no light version of the driver available for the RX600 and as it is several years old and unmaintained by epson, it is a real pain in the ass to get it working.  I was able to, however ekpd doesn't really work unless I want to use a bastardized version of glibc.  The quality difference is easy to see using the cups print test page when comparing the gimp driver to the pips driver.  If you aren't doing anything that requires high quality printing, just save yourself the headache and use the gimp driver that works out of the box.  

I have a step by step guide on how to install the driver (currently written on bar napkins) for the RX600 that I someday intend to write up a crappy howto on.  I'm not sure when I'll get around to this but chances are it may not help you anyway.

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## mimosinnet

 *mosh5382 wrote:*   

> I have a step by step guide on how to install the driver (currently written on bar napkins) for the RX600 that I someday intend to write up a crappy howto on.  I'm not sure when I'll get around to this but chances are it may not help you anyway.

 

I have an Epson Stylus Photo RX585, and I have been unable to get the pipslite drive working. I am using the RX580 gimp-print drive. Nevertheless, if you have made any progress in your guide, I believe it would be very helpful.

Cheers!

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