[H-GEN] LTSP & ECP Printing

[pat at mutton.dyndns.org]

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On Tue, Jun 17, 2003 at 07:58:45AM +1000, Robert Stanford wrote:
> 
> On Tue, 2003-06-17 at 01:27, pat at mutton.dyndns.org wrote:
> 
> > I'm not a code monkey, so I can't tell if lp_server is intended for
> > bidirectional work.  Actually I'm a bit lost on where to head now and
> > am thinking of setting up a etherbooting cups print server instead.

> As far as I am aware, Bi Directional support is not possible with
> lp_server. Hence the need to specify PRINTER_0_WRITE_ONLY = Y with
> certain printers, including HP laserjets. Did you try building a new
> kernel with ECP support and still specifying  PRINTER_0_WRITE_ONLY = Y ?

I did that, and after adding the module options for parport_pc, it all
works at the correct (fast) speed.

	# modprobe parport_pc io=0x378 irq=7 dma=3
	
So, in summary, to get it all to work you need to...

- Recompile the kernel with the correct paramaters to suit fast
  parallel port printing:

  	CONFIG_PARPORT_PC_FIFO=y
	CONFIG_PARPORT_1284=y

- Add the module options to lts.conf

	MODULE_01       = parport_pc.o io=0x378 irq=7 dma=3

- Hack up start_printer a little so it supports the write only option
  again, as HP Laserjet printers don't work with lp_server in
  bidirectional mode.  I also added the following to lts.conf

  	PRINTER_0_WRITE_ONLY = Y

- Watch your printouts come out at full speed.

It is a wonder that nobody has documented that lp_server doesn't work
with bidirectional mode for some printers in the LTSP documentation.

It is also a wonder that nobody has tried to get printers to work in a
mode other than SPP with ltsp and documented it anywhere.  Feel free
to add this to any faq's or whatever without any attribution.  I don't
need the spam email associated with having my email address included
in a howto or faq.

--
Regards,
Patrick Nichols.

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