Printers?

[mspohr]

Didn't seem to have any printer configuration in the default distribution.
I used Synaptic to install CUPS and this found a few network printers. However, no way to configure them so they mostly print blank pages.
I installed system-config-printer but it won't  authenticate. When I go to add a new printer, it asks for username and password (I only have the default) but tells me "not authorized".
Any suggestions for getting printing to work (obviously a newbie here).

[Arwen]

CUPS is a bit annoying, (and this is from someone who used the original before the name change and all the improvements). The username is generally "root", which I don't recall the default password. (You should change the defaults at some point in your Pinebook Pro experimentation.)

In case you don't know, CUPS is generally managed though this web page:

http://localhost:631/

I try to use network attached printers, which are more complicated than USB attached printers. But, it's a reasonable interface to configure printers.

One thing to think about. I create several printers. For example;

 - Default BW text
 - Color text
 - BW text, double sided
 - Color text, double sided
 - Color photograph, 4x6
 - Color photograph 8.5x11

You can change the print parameters on the "fly", but I find it easier to have multiple printer definitions.

[neilman]

CUPS is a bit annoying, (and this is from someone who used the original before the name change and all the improvements). The username is generally "root", which I don't recall the default password. (You should change the defaults at some point in your Pinebook Pro experimentation.)

In case you don't know, CUPS is generally managed though this web page:

http://localhost:631/

I try to use network attached printers, which are more complicated than USB attached printers. But, it's a reasonable interface to configure printers.

One thing to think about. I create several printers. For example;

 - Default BW text
 - Color text
 - BW text, double sided
 - Color text, double sided
 - Color photograph, 4x6
 - Color photograph 8.5x11

You can change the print parameters on the "fly", but I find it easier to have multiple printer definitions.

For CUPS the authorization part needs a/c "root" password "root" if the defaults have not been changed.
CUPS definitely seems to be of "the black arts". The real problem is if your printer is not "in the list"
Yet some Linux's (Mint) manage to find and auto-install the networked printers without trying.

Took me several goes to get my Brother Laser and Epson XP-830 working.
Print jobs to the laser don't always work immediately but several reboots later (normal power off when done then powered up next time) the print queue will get printed.

[hdk]

fixed the authorization problem by:
sudo usermod -a -G lpadmin YOUR_USERNAME

[mspohr]

CUPS is a bit annoying, (and this is from someone who used the original before the name change and all the improvements). The username is generally "root", which I don't recall the default password. (You should change the defaults at some point in your Pinebook Pro experimentation.)

In case you don't know, CUPS is generally managed though this web page:

http://localhost:631/

I try to use network attached printers, which are more complicated than USB attached printers. But, it's a reasonable interface to configure printers.

One thing to think about. I create several printers. For example;

 - Default BW text
 - Color text
 - BW text, double sided
 - Color text, double sided
 - Color photograph, 4x6
 - Color photograph 8.5x11

You can change the print parameters on the "fly", but I find it easier to have multiple printer definitions.

After I installed CUPS, I get this screen which shows my printers when I CTRL-P

This is very encouraging. However, none of these work. They print mostly blank pages. They must need printer drivers.
The localhost:631 doesn't show any of these printers and I can't find them with Search.

[hmuller]

They must need printer drivers.

I think you will find that there isn't a lot of support from printer manufacturers for arm devices. There are cups drivers for both those printers. But it looks like they are only for i386 or x86_64, not for arm devices.

If either of those printers work with Google cloud print, then you can print through the browser. Or you should be able to. Disclaimer, I haven't bothered setting up printing yet so I can't confirm it works with the current modified browser of the default Debian distribution.

However you can try:

In chromium, Ctrl-P.

Click the 'Destination' pull down menu and select 'See more'

At the bottom of the 'Select a destination' window you will see a link to 'sign in' to print to Google cloud print. You click on that link and follow instructions.

I can't take you farther than that because I am not at the point where I want to set up printing on the PBP.

[giav]

I have an HP Envy 5530
After installing CUPS I went round and round for ages, eventually tried
  sudo apt-get install hplip
and then
  sudo hp-setup <ip of printer>
which worked for me.

I never hit on a password for root.

[Arwen]

If you mostly or only print from home, it's possible to setup another computer to be your print server. I have a miniature computer I use as a media server, but it can also be my CUPS print server for home. It's x86/x64 hardware, so better supported.

Or if you print rarely, you can "print to a file" and then copy the file to another computer that does have print services available.

@mspohr, Are either of the Brother or Cannon your printers?
If you don't see them in CUPS menu, you have to add them. I can't walk you through it, as I fumble through it myself.

[Redbeard]

While trying to get my Brother HL-2240 working on my PBP I came across this old thread on the Raspberry Pi forum.  All I needed was to find the PPD file to give to cups, and I was good to go driver wise.  There isn't a separate PPD file for my model Brother, but the search page on openprinting.org pointed me to a PPD file for another model (HL-1250) that works perfectly.

[wdt]

For arm, most of the time (nearly always) you will have to follow apples' lead (ipad, iphone)
and use airprint or driverless, debian wiki has pages on this
So...
the printer must be airprint capable (ie 10 years or newer, and airprint turned on)
cups 2.2.4 (when airprint was added)(stretch only has 2.2.1)
networked,, (usb is possible, harder)
when cups asks for authorization root is by far the best, tell it to remember
The ppd is a bit feeble, but it all works (ppd and drivers (I think) stored in printer firmware)
Or you may have expensive, genuine postscript printer, print job will be converted to ps
which the printer will happily eat, no driver needed
Some of the brother lasers have been reverse engineered, compiling can be a bit painful
--edit-- for airprint, when picking ppd chose generic