Very Computer

I figured out what the problem was with my printer not showing up
on bootup. It's always somethin stupid in the Linux world! :)

I had an extra serial port* off an ISA board that I
wasn't using and it stole the port I/O address on my LPT
port. That's why I didn't get any output from an

cat file > /dev/lp1
(or lp0 or lp2 for that matter).

Now it works, I installed apsfilter 4.91 and chose Laserjet 3
mode as suggested to me by someone. It now handles postscript
files well too. It does print out text files in an enscript
format however.

Does anyone know why I need to push the purple button on
the printer whenever I do a:

ls > /dev/lp1

Or anything other than and lpr filename  (which works fine
as well as a cat filename | lpr). In otherwords a redirection
to the /dev/lp1 hangs the printer, until I push the button
then the data redirected to the printer just prints out
as though it were normal. Hmmm?

I want to thank:

for your responses and I'm sorry that I didn't get back
to you guys.

Rich

: I figured out what the problem was with my printer not showing up
: on bootup. It's always somethin stupid in the Linux world! :)

[snip]

:
: Does anyone know why I need to push the purple button on
: the printer whenever I do a:
:
: ls > /dev/lp1
:
: Or anything other than and lpr filename  (which works fine
: as well as a cat filename | lpr). In otherwords a redirection
: to the /dev/lp1 hangs the printer, until I push the button
: then the data redirected to the printer just prints out
: as though it were normal. Hmmm?
:

[snip]

:
: Rich

Rich, one thing to realize, if you don't print out a full page of data, the
printer will just maintain the data in buffer until the page is full.  THEN,
It will print it out.  When you hit the FORM FEED button (the purple button),
it causes the printer to print anything it has in memory.  Therefore, it
results in just what you mentioned.  Try sending more than a page of 'data'
to the printer, in the same method (ie. ls -l > /dev/lp1 but do it in a LARGE
directory).  You'll probably get your however many pages printed, but you
will have to hit the purple button to get the last little bit.  LaTeR.

--



        of Desolate Weyr        |

Is there a way to make this happen automatically? Is there a line
you can put in printcap to do a form-feed or whatever at the end of the
job?

tel.  + 44 1232 245133 x3519    fax. + 44 1232 438918
*********************************************************************

 >Is there a way to make this happen automatically? Is there a line
 >you can put in printcap to do a form-feed or whatever at the end of the
 >job?
 >

 >

 >> : I figured out what the problem was with my printer not showing up
 >> : on bootup. It's always somethin stupid in the Linux world! :)
 >>
 >> [snip]
 >>
 >> :
 >> : Does anyone know why I need to push the purple button on
 >> : the printer whenever I do a:
 >> :
 >> : ls > /dev/lp1
 >> :
 >> : Or anything other than and lpr filename  (which works fine
 >> : as well as a cat filename | lpr). In otherwords a redirection
 >> : to the /dev/lp1 hangs the printer, until I push the button

 >> [snip]
 >>
 >> :
 >> : Rich
 >>
 >> Rich, one thing to realize, if you don't print out a full page of data, the
 >> printer will just maintain the data in buffer until the page is full.  THEN,
 >> It will print it out.  When you hit the FORM FEED button (the purple button),
 >> it causes the printer to print anything it has in memory.  Therefore, it
 >> results in just what you mentioned.  Try sending more than a page of 'data'
 >> to the printer, in the same method (ie. ls -l > /dev/lp1 but do it in a LARGE
 >> directory).  You'll probably get your however many pages printed, but you
 >> will have to hit the purple button to get the last little bit.  LaTeR.

  >> [snip]

                There are two things you can do to kick out the page AND
                not push the button.

                1) try adding :tr=\f: to the printcap.

                The armor plated way:

                2) add

                :tr=\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\
                    \r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\
                    \r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r\r:
--

        Steinberger:
State of the Instrument