Re: [gentoo-user] Sipix Pocket Printer A6

[Grant]

>>> I can get the Sipix Pocket Printer A6 installed in CUPS and it will
>>> get about 20% through a CUPS test page, but it always stops in the
>>> same spot and the LED just blinks.
>>
>> Does it do the same with standard printing jobs? I ask because I have an
>> Epson printer that failed on the CUPS test page, no matter what I tried,
>> but then I tried printing a photo from KDE and it worked perfectly.
>
> It works!  The thing just needed new batteries.  For anyone else
> reading this, flashing LED = replace batteries.
>
> It has a few problems:
>
> 1. The printer doesn't show up in Print dialogs.  It shows up in
> localhost:631 and prints the test page and via lpr.  Why wouldn't it
> show up in the Print dialogs?  Is it because it's a serial printer?
>
> 2. I'm using a USB->serial converter and I get a permissions error
> when trying to print unless I chmod /dev/ttyUSB0.  The file shows up
> before chmod as:
>
> crw-rw---- 1 root uucp
>
> The problem with chmod is it resets after unplug/plug.  My user is in
> the uucp group.  How can I enable printing after unplug/plug without
> chmod?
>
> 3. lpr doesn't work unless I set:
>
> # export CUPS_SERVER=localhost
>
> which resets after reboot.  This wouldn't really be a problem if I
> could get #1 fixed above because then I could use the Print dialogs
> instead of lpr.
>
> 4. The printer feeds a lot of paper before it starts to print.  Should
> that be fixed in the .upp or .ppd?
>
> 5. Quality isn't great, but there's probably not much to do about that.
>
> - Grant

I should include info about how I got it to work.  Just follow the
Gentoo Printing Guide and additionally emerge foomatic-filters-ppds
(if it is not already pulled in by cups) and psutils.  After adding
the printer at localhost:631, the device URI should look like this:

serial:/dev/ttyUSB0?baud=115200+bits=8+parity=none+flow=hard

Although your serial port device file would be different if you're
using a real serial port instead of a USB->serial adapter.  The device
URI can be verified and edited in /etc/cups/printers.conf.  Restart
cups after editing that file.

The sipixa6.upp file is required and is included with ghostscript-gpl
which should be pulled in by foomatic-filters which should be pulled
in by foomatic-filters-ppds.

- Grant