From 4474f67fa3f915f7e09fddc3df42cd97403752f9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Jelmer Vernooij Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2003 11:09:12 +0000 Subject: - Patch from John to update PDC-HOWTO, add ServerType and CUPS (not finished yet) - Regenerate docs - Update docs-status (This used to be commit adbb714ade8ab6f4e9b5d80f0f85041746c0edf1) --- docs/docbook/projdoc/CUPS-printing.sgml | 1184 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 1184 insertions(+) create mode 100644 docs/docbook/projdoc/CUPS-printing.sgml (limited to 'docs/docbook/projdoc/CUPS-printing.sgml') diff --git a/docs/docbook/projdoc/CUPS-printing.sgml b/docs/docbook/projdoc/CUPS-printing.sgml new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..bfd23e3c6c --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/docbook/projdoc/CUPS-printing.sgml @@ -0,0 +1,1184 @@ + + + + + + John HTerpstra + + Samba Team +
+ jht@samba.org +
+ + + + KurtPfeifle + +
kpfeifle@danka.de
+ + + (25 March 2003) + + +CUPS Printing Support + + +Introduction + + +The Common Unix Print System (CUPS) has become very popular, but to many it is +a very mystical tool. There is a great deal of uncertainty regarding CUPS and how +it works. The result is seen in a large number of posting on the samba mailing lists +expressing frustration when MS Windows printers appear not to work with a CUPS +backr-end. +/para> + + +This is a good time to point out how CUPS can be used and what it does. CUPS is more +than just a print spooling system - it is a complete printer management system that +complies with HTTP and IPP protocols. It can be managed remotely via a web browser +and it can print using http and ipp protocols. + + + +CUPS allows to creation of RAW printers (ie: NO file format translation) as well as +SMART printers (ie: CUPS does file format conversion as required for the printer). In +many ways this gives CUPS similar capabilities to the MS Windows print monitoring +system. Of course, if you are a CUPS advocate, you would agrue that CUPS is better! +In any case, let us now move on to explore how one may configure CUPS for interfacing +with MS Windows print clients via Samba. + + + + + +CUPS - RAW Print Through Mode + + +When CUPS printers are configured for RAW print-through mode operation it is the +responsibility of the Samba client to fully render the print job (file) in a format +that is suitable for direct delivery to the printer. In this case CUPS will NOT +do any print file format conversion work. + + + +The CUPS files that need to be correctly set for RAW mode printers to work are: + + + /etc/cups/mime.types/etc/cups/mime.convs + + +Both contain entries that must be uncommented to allow RAW mode +operation. + + + +Firstly, to enable CUPS based printing from Samba the following options must be +enabled in your smb.conf file [globals] section: + + + printing = CUPS + + printcap = CUPS + + +When these parameters are specified the print directives in smb.conf (as well as in +samba itself) will be ignored because samba will directly interface with CUPS through +it's application program interface (API) - so long as Samba has been compiled with +CUPS library (libcups) support. If samba has NOT been compiled with CUPS support then +printing will use the System V AT&T command set with the -oraw +option automatically passing through. + + + +Cupsomatic (an enhanced printing utility that is part of some CUPS implementations) +on the Samba/CUPS server does *not* add any features if a file is really +printed "raw". However, if you have loaded the driver for the Windows client from +the CUPS server, using the "cupsaddsmb" utility, and if this driver is one using +a "Foomatic" PPD, the PJL header in question is already added on the Windows client, +at the time when the driver initially generated the PostScript data and CUPS in true +"-oraw" manner doesn't remove this PJL header and passes the file "as is" to its +printer communication backend. + + + +NOTE: editing in the "mime.convs" and the "mime.types" file does not *enforce* +"raw" printing, it only *allows* it. + + + +Print files that arrive from MS Windows printing are "auto-typed" by CUPS. This aids +the process of determining proper treatment while in the print queue system. + + + + Files generated by PCL drivers and directed at PCK printers get auto-typed as + application/octet-stream. Unknown file format types also + get auto-typed with this tag. + + + + Files generated by a Postscript driver and directed at a Postscript printer + are auto-typed depending on the auto-detected most suitable MIME type as: + + + * application/postscript + * application/vnd.cups-postscript + + + + + + + +"application/postscript" first goes thru the "pstops" filter (where the page counting +and accounting takes place). The outcome will be of MIME type +"application/vnd.cups-postscript". The pstopsfilter reads and uses information from +the PPD and inserts user-provided options into the PostScript file. As a consequence, +the filtered file could possibly have an unwanted PJL header. + + + +"application/postscript" will be all files with a ".ps", ".ai", ".eps" suffix or which +have as their first character string one of "%!" or "<04>%". + + + +"application/vnd.cups-postscript" will files which contain the string +"LANGUAGE=POSTSCRIPT" (or similar variations with different capitalization) in the +first 512 bytes, and also contain the "PJL super escape code" in the first 128 bytes +("<1B>%-12345X"). Very likely, most PostScript files generated on Windows using a CUPS +or other PPD, will have to be auto-typed as "vnd.cups-postscript". A file produced +with a "Generic PostScript driver" will just be tagged "application/postscript". + + + +Once the file is in "application/vnd.cups-postscript" format, either "pstoraster" +or "cupsomatic" will take over (depending on the printer configuration, as +determined by the PPD in use). + + + +A printer queue with *no* PPD associated to it is a "raw" printer and all files +will go directly there as received by the spooler. The exeptions are file types +"application/octet-stream" which need "passthrough feature" enabled. +"Raw" queues don't do any filtering at all, they hand the file directly to the +CUPS backend. This backend is responsible for the sending of the data to the device +(as in the "device URI" notation as lpd://, socket://, smb://, ipp://, http://, +parallel:/, serial:/, usb:/ etc.) + + + +"cupsomatic"/Foomatic are *not* native CUPS drivers and they don't ship with CUPS. +They are a Third Party add-on, developed at Linuxprinting.org. As such, they are +a brilliant hack to make all models (driven by Ghostscript drivers/filters in +traditional spoolers) also work via CUPS, with the same (good or bad!) quality +as in these other spoolers. "cupsomatic" is only a vehicle to execute a ghostscript +commandline at that stage in the CUPS filtering chain, where "normally" the native +CUPS "pstoraster" filter would kick in. cupsomatic by-passes pstoraster, "kidnaps" +the printfile from CUPS away and re-directs it to go through Ghostscipt. CUPS accepts this, +because the associated CUPS-O-Matic-/Foomatic-PPD specifies: + + + + *cupsFilter: "application/vnd.cups-postscript 0 cupsomatic" + + + +This line persuades CUPS to hand the file to cupsomatic, once it has successfully +converted it to the MIME type "application/vnd.cups-postscript". This conversion will not +happen for Jobs arriving from Windows which are auto-typed "application/octet-stream", +with the according changes in "/etc/cups/mime.types" in place. + + + +CUPS is widely configurable and flexible, even regarding its filtering mechanism. +Another workaround in some situations would be to have +in "/etc/cups/mime.types" entries as follows: + + + + application/postscript application/vnd.cups-raw 0 - + application/vnd.cups-postscript application/vnd.cups-raw 0 - + + + +This would prevent all Postscript files from being filtered (rather, they will go +thru the virtual "nullfilter" denoted with "-"). This could only be useful for +PS printers. If you want to print PS code on non-PS printers an entry as follows +could be useful: + + + + */* application/vnd.cups-raw 0 - + + + +and would effectively send *all* files to the backend without further processing. + + + +Lastly, you could have the following entry: + + + + application/vnd.cups-postscript application/vnd.cups-raw 0 my_PJL_stripping_filter + + + +You will need to write a "my_PJL_stripping_filter" (could be a shellscript) that +parses the PostScript and removes the unwanted PJL. This would need to conform to +CUPS filter design (mainly, receive and pass the parameters printername, job-id, +username, jobtitle, copies, print options and possibly the filename). It would +be installed as world executable into "/usr/lib/cups/filters/" and will be called +by CUPS if it encounters a MIME type "application/vnd.cups-postscript". + + + +CUPS can handle "-o job-hold-until=indefinite". This keeps the job in the queue +"on hold". It will only be printed upon manual release by the printer operator. +This is a requirement in many "central reproduction departments", where a few +operators manage the jobs of hundreds of users on some big machine, where no +user is allowed to have direct access. (The operators often need to load the +proper paper type before running the 10.000 page job requested by marketing +for the mailing, etc.). + + + + + +The CUPS Filter Chains + + +The following diagrams reveal how CUPS handles print jobs. + + + +######################################################################### +# +# CUPS in and of itself has this (general) filter chain (CAPITAL +# letters are FILE-FORMATS or MIME types, other are filters (this is +# true for pre-1.1.15 of pre-4.3 versions of CUPS and ESP PrintPro): +# +# -FILEFORMAT +# | +# | +# V +# tops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/POSTSCRIPT +# | +# | +# V +# pstops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-POSTSCRIPT +# | +# | +# V +# pstoraster # as shipped with CUPS, independent from any Ghostscipt +# | # installation on the system +# | (= "postscipt interpreter") +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-RASTER +# | +# | +# V +# rasterto (f.e. Gimp-Print filters may be plugged in here) +# | (= "raster driver") +# | +# V +# SOMETHING-DEVICE-SPECIFIC +# | +# | +# V +# backend +# +# +# ESP PrintPro has some enhanced "rasterto" filters as compared to +# CUPS, and also a somewhat improved "pstoraster" filter. +# +# NOTE: Gimp-Print and some other 3rd-Party-Filters (like TurboPrint) to +# CUPS and ESP PrintPro plug-in where rasterto is noted. +# +######################################################################### + + + +######################################################################### +# +# This is how "cupsomatic" comes into play: +# ========================================= +# +# -FILEFORMAT +# | +# | +# V +# tops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/POSTSCRIPT +# | +# | +# V +# pstops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-POSTSCRIPT ----------------+ +# | | +# | V +# V cupsomatic +# pstoraster (constructs complicated +# | (= "postscipt interpreter") Ghostscript commandline +# | to let the file be +# V processed by a +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-RASTER "-sDEVICE=" +# | call...) +# | | +# V | +# rasterto V +# | (= "raster driver") +-------------------------+ +# | | Ghostscript at work.... | +# V | | +# SOMETHING-DEVICE-SPECIFIC *-------------------------+ +# | | +# | | +# V | +# backend <------------------------------------+ +# | +# | +# V +# THE PRINTER +# +# +# Note, that cupsomatic "kidnaps" the printfile after the +# "APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-POSTSCRPT" stage and deviates it through +# the CUPS-external, systemwide Ghostscript installation, bypassing the +# "pstoraster" filter (therefor also bypassing the CUPS-raster-drivers +# "rasterto", and hands the rasterized file directly to the CUPS +# backend... +# +# cupsomatic is not made by the CUPS developers. It is an independent +# contribution to printing development, made by people from +# Linuxprinting.org. (see also http://www.cups.org/cups-help.html) +# +# NOTE: Gimp-Print and some other 3rd-Party-Filters (like TurboPrint) to +# CUPS and ESP PrintPro plug-in where rasterto is noted. +# +######################################################################### + + + +######################################################################### +# +# And this is how it works for ESP PrintPro from 4.3: +# =================================================== +# +# -FILEFORMAT +# | +# | +# V +# tops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/POSTSCRIPT +# | +# | +# V +# pstops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-POSTSCRIPT +# | +# | +# V +# gsrip +# | (= "postscipt interpreter") +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-RASTER +# | +# | +# V +# rasterto (f.e. Gimp-Print filters may be plugged in here) +# | (= "raster driver") +# | +# V +# SOMETHING-DEVICE-SPECIFIC +# | +# | +# V +# backend +# +# NOTE: Gimp-Print and some other 3rd-Party-Filters (like TurboPrint) to +# CUPS and ESP PrintPro plug-in where rasterto is noted. +# +######################################################################### + + + +######################################################################### +# +# This is how "cupsomatic" would come into play with ESP PrintPro: +# ================================================================ +# +# +# -FILEFORMAT +# | +# | +# V +# tops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/POSTSCRIPT +# | +# | +# V +# pstops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-POSTSCRIPT ----------------+ +# | | +# | V +# V cupsomatic +# gsrip (constructs complicated +# | (= "postscipt interpreter") Ghostscript commandline +# | to let the file be +# V processed by a +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-RASTER "-sDEVICE=" +# | call...) +# | | +# V | +# rasterto V +# | (= "raster driver") +-------------------------+ +# | | Ghostscript at work.... | +# V | | +# SOMETHING-DEVICE-SPECIFIC *-------------------------+ +# | | +# | | +# V | +# backend <------------------------------------+ +# | +# | +# V +# THE PRINTER +# +# NOTE: Gimp-Print and some other 3rd-Party-Filters (like TurboPrint) to +# CUPS and ESP PrintPro plug-in where rasterto is noted. +# +######################################################################### + + + +######################################################################### +# +# And this is how it works for CUPS from 1.1.15: +# ============================================== +# +# -FILEFORMAT +# | +# | +# V +# tops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/POSTSCRIPT +# | +# | +# V +# pstops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-POSTSCRIPT-----+ +# | +# +------------------v------------------------------+ +# | Ghostscript | +# | at work... | +# | (with | +# | "-sDEVICE=cups") | +# | | +# | (= "postscipt interpreter") | +# | | +# +------------------v------------------------------+ +# | +# | +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-RASTER <-------+ +# | +# | +# V +# rasterto +# | (= "raster driver") +# | +# V +# SOMETHING-DEVICE-SPECIFIC +# | +# | +# V +# backend +# +# +# NOTE: since version 1.1.15 CUPS "outsourced" the pstoraster process to +# Ghostscript. GNU Ghostscript needs to be patched to handle the +# CUPS requirement; ESP Ghostscript has this builtin. In any case, +# "gs -h" needs to show up a "cups" device. pstoraster is now a +# calling an appropriate "gs -sDEVICE=cups..." commandline to do +# the job. It will output "application/vnd.cup-raster", which will +# be finally processed by a CUPS raster driver "rasterto" +# Note the difference to "cupsomatic", which will *not* output +# CUPS-raster, but a final version of the printfile, ready to be +# sent to the printer. cupsomatic also doesn't use the "cups" +# devicemode in Ghostscript, but one of the classical devicemodes.... +# +# NOTE: Gimp-Print and some other 3rd-Party-Filters (like TurboPrint) to +# CUPS and ESP PrintPro plug-in where rasterto is noted. +# +######################################################################### + + + +######################################################################### +# +# And this is how it works for CUPS from 1.1.15, with cupsomatic included: +# ======================================================================== +# +# -FILEFORMAT +# | +# | +# V +# tops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/POSTSCRIPT +# | +# | +# V +# pstops +# | +# | +# V +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-POSTSCRIPT-----+ +# | +# +------------------v------------------------------+ +# | Ghostscript . Ghostscript at work.... | +# | at work... . (with "-sDEVICE= | +# | (with . " | +# | "-sDEVICE=cups") . | +# | . | +# | (CUPS standard) . (cupsomatic) | +# | . | +# | (= "postscript interpreter") | +# | . | +# +------------------v--------------v---------------+ +# | | +# | | +# APPLICATION/VND.CUPS-RASTER <-------+ | +# | | +# | | +# V | +# rasterto | +# | (= "raster driver") | +# | | +# V | +# SOMETHING-DEVICE-SPECIFIC <------------------------+ +# | +# | +# V +# backend +# +# +# NOTE: Gimp-Print and some other 3rd-Party-Filters (like TurboPrint) to +# CUPS and ESP PrintPro plug-in where rasterto is noted. +# +########################################################################## + + + + + + +CUPS Print Drivers and Devices + + +CUPS ships with good support for HP LaserJet type printers. You can install +the driver as follows: + + + + lpadmin -p laserjet4plus -v parallel:/dev/lp0 -E -m laserjet.ppd + + + +(The "-m" switch will retrieve the "laserjet.ppd" from the standard repository +for not-yet-installed-PPDs, which CUPS typically stores in +filename>/usr/share/cups/model. Alternatively, you may use +"-P /absolute/filesystem/path/to/where/there/is/PPD/your.ppd"). + + + + +Windows printing involves some more steps.... + +But let me first point out some more general things about printer "drivers" +for Linux/Unix (yes, and for Mac OS X now!), be it you use CUPS or one of +the venerable (I'd even call them "ancient" and "rusty" now...) printing +systems. + +You -- and everybody else, for that matter -- should always also consult the +database on linuxprinting.org for all recommendations about "which driver +is best used for which printer": + + http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi + +There select your model and click on "Show". You'll arrive at a page listing +all drivers working with your model. There will always be *one* "recommended" +one. Try this one first. In your case ("HP LaserJet 4 Plus"), you'll arrive +here: + + http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=75104 + +The recommended driver is "ljet4". It has a link to the page for the ljet4 +driver too: + + http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_driver.cgi?driver=ljet4 + +On the driver's page, you'll find various important and detailed infos about +how to use that driver within various spoolers. You can generate a PPD for +CUPS. The PPD contains all the info about how to use your model and the driver; +this is, once installed, working transparently for the user -- you'll only +need to choose resolution, paper size etc. from the web-based menu or from +the print dialog GUI or from the commandline... + +On the driver's page, choose to use the "PPD-O-Matic" online PPD generator +program. Select your model and click "Generate PPD file". When you safe the +appearing ASCII text file, don't use "cut'n'past" (as it will possible corrupt +line endings and tabs), but use "Save as..." in your browser's menu. Save it +at "/some/path/on/your/filesystem/somewhere/my-name-for-my-printer.ppd" + +Then install the printer: + + "lpadmin -p laserjet4plus -v parallel:/dev/lp0 -E -P /some/path/on/your/filesystem/somewhere/my-name-for-my-printer.ppd" + +Note, that for all the "Foomatic-PPDs" from Linuxprinting.org, you also need +a special "CUPS filter" named "cupsomatic". Get the latest version of +"cupsomatic" from + + http://www.linuxprinting.org/cupsomatic + +This needs to be copied to "/usr/lib/cups/filter/cupsomatic" and be made world +executable. This filter is needed to read and act upon the specially encoded +Foomatic comments, embedded in the printfile, which in turn are used to +construct (transparently for you, the user) the complicated ghostscript command +line needed for your printer/driver combo. + +You can have a look at all the options for the Ghostscript commandline supported +by your printer and the ljet4 driver by going to the section "Execution details", +selecting your model (Laserjet 4 Plus) and clicking on "Show execution details". +This will bring up this web page: + + http://www.linuxprinting.org/execution.cgi?driver=ljet4&printer=75104&.submit=Show+execution+details + +The ingenious thing is this: the database is kept very current. If there +is a bug fix and an improvement somewhere in the database, you will +always get the most current and stable and feature-rich driver by following +the steps described above... Till Kamppeter from MandrakeSoft is doing an +excellent job here, and too few people still know about it. (So if you use +it often, please send him a note of your appreciation sometime...) + +(The latest and greatest improvement now is support for "custom page sizes" +for all those printers which support it...) + +"cupsomatic" is documented here: + + http://www.linuxprinting.org/cups-doc.html + +More printing tutorial info may be found here: + + http://www.linuxprinting.org/kpfeifle/LinuxKongress2002/Tutorial/ + +Note, that *all* the Foomatic drivers listed on Linuxprinting.org (now +approaching the "all-time high" number of 1.000 for the supported models) +are using a special filtering chain involving Ghostscript, as described +in great detail in the Samba CVS sources (for 2.2.x) in + + docs/textdocs/CUPS-PrintingInfo.txt + +To sum it up: + +* having a "foomatic+" PPD is not enough to print with CUPS + (but it is *one* important component) +* you also need the "cupsomatic" filter script (Perl) in "/usr/lib/cups/filters/" +* you need Perl to make cupsomatic run +* you also need Ghostscript (because it is called and controlled by the + PPD/cupsomatic combo in a way to fit your printermodel/driver combo...) +* your Ghostscript *must*, depending on the driver/model, contain support + for a certain "device" (as shown by "gs -h") + +In the case of the "hpijs" driver, you need a Ghostscript version, which +is showing a "ijs" amongst its supported devices in "gs -h". In the case of +"hpijs+foomatic", a valid ghostscript commandline would be reading like this: + + gs -q -dBATCH -dPARANOIDSAFER -dQUIET -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=ijs \ + -sIjsServer=hpijs -dDuplex= \ + -r,PS:MediaPosition= -dIjsUseOutputFD \ + -sOutputFile=- - + +Note, that with CUPS and the "hpijs+foomatic" PPD (plus Perl and cupsomatic) +you don't need to remember this. You can choose the available print options +thru a GUI print command (like "glp" from ESP's commercially supported +PrintPro software, or KDE's "kprinter", or GNOME's "gtklp" or the independent +"xpp") or the CUPS web interface via human-readable drop-down selection +menus..... + +If you use "ESP Ghostscript" (also under the GPL, provided by Easy Software +Products, the makers of CUPS, downloadable from http://www.cups.org/software.html, +co-maintained by the developers of linuxprinting.org), you are guaranteed to +have in use the most uptodate, bug-fixed, enhanced and stable version of a Free +Ghostscript. It contains support for ~300 devices, whereas plain vanilla +GNU Ghostscript 7.05 only has ~200.... + +>>/ However, I can only print a Cups test page, from the web interface. when I +/>>/ try to print a windows test page, it acts like the job was never sent. +/ + * Can you print "standard" jobs from the CUPS machine? + + * Are the jobs from Windows visible in the Web interface on CUPS + (http://localhost:631/)? + +*Most important:* What kind of printer driver are you using on the Windows clients??? + +You can try to get a more detailed debugging info by setting "LogLevel debug" in +"/etc/cups/cupsd.conf", re-start cupsd and investigate "/var/log/cups/error_log" +for the whereabouts of your Windows-originating printjobs: + + * what does the "auto-typing" line say? which is the "MIME type" CUPS thinks + is arriving from the Windows clients? + * are there "filter" available for this MIME type? + * are there "filter rules" defined in "/etc/cups/mime.convs" for this MIME type? + + + + + + + +Limiting the number of pages users can print + + +The feature you want is dependent on the real print subsystem +you're using. Samba's part is always to receive the job files +from the clients (filtered *or* unfiltered) and hand it over +to this printing subsystem. + +Of course one could "hack" things with one's own scripts. + +But there is CUPS (Common Unix Printing System). CUPS supports "quotas". +Quotas can be based on sizes of jobs or on the number of pages or both, +and are spanning any time period you want. + +This is an example command how root would set a print quota in CUPS, +assuming an existing printer named "quotaprinter": + + + + lpadmin -p quotaprinter -o job-quota-period=604800 -o job-k-limit=1024 -o job-page-limit=100 + + + +This would limit every single user to print 100 pages or 1024 KB of +data (whichever comes first) within the last 604.800 seconds ( = 1 week). + +For CUPS to count correctly, the printfile needs to pass the CUPS +"pstops" filter, otherwise it uses a "dummy" count of "1". (Some +printfiles don't pass it -- f.e. image files -- but then those are +mostly 1 page jobs anyway). This also means, proprietary drivers for +the target printer running on the client computers and CUPS/Samba +then spooling these files as "raw" (i.e. leaving them untouched, not +filtering them), will be counted as "1-pagers" too! + +You need to send PostScript from the clients (i.e. run a PostScript +driver there) for having the chance to get accounting done. If the +printer is a non-PostScript model, you need to let CUPS do the job to +convert the file to a print-ready format for the target printer. This +will be working for currently ~1.000 different printer models, see + + + + http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi + + + +Before CUPS-1.1.16 your only option was to use the Adobe PostScript +Driver on the Windows clients. The output of this driver was not always +passed thru the "pstops" filter on the CUPS/Samba side, and therefor was +not counted correctly (the reason is that it often --- depending on the +"PPD" being used --- did write a "PJL"-header in front of the real +PostScript which made CUPS to skip the pstops and go directy to +the "pstoraster" stage). + + From CUPS-1.1.16 onward you can use the "CUPS PostScript Driver +for Windows NT/2K/XP clients" (it is tagged in the download area of +http://www.cups.org/ as the "cups-samba-1.1.16.tar.gz" package). +It is *not* working for Win9x/ME clients. But it.... + + ...it guarantees to not write an PJL-header; + ...it guarantees to still read and support all PJL-options named + in the driver PPD with its own means; + ...it guarantees the file going thru the "pstops" filter on the + CUPS/Samba server; + ...it guarantees to page-count correctly the printfile... + +You can read more about the setup of this combination in the +manpage for "cupsaddsmb" (only present with CUPS installed, only +current with CUPS 1.1.16). + +These are the items CUPS logs in the "page_log" for every single +*page* of a job: + +* Printer name +* User name +* Job ID +* Time of printing +* the page number +* the number of copies +* a billing info string (optional) + +Here is an extract of my CUPS server's page_log file to illustrate +the format and included items: + +infotec_IS2027 kurt 40 [22/Nov/2002:13:18:03 +0100] 1 2 #marketing +infotec_IS2027 kurt 40 [22/Nov/2002:13:18:03 +0100] 2 2 #marketing +infotec_IS2027 kurt 40 [22/Nov/2002:13:18:03 +0100] 3 2 #marketing +infotec_IS2027 kurt 40 [22/Nov/2002:13:18:03 +0100] 4 2 #marketing +infotec_IS2027 kurt 40 [22/Nov/2002:13:18:03 +0100] 5 2 #marketing +infotec_IS2027 kurt 40 [22/Nov/2002:13:18:03 +0100] 6 2 #marketing + +This was Job ID "40", printed on "infotec_IS2027" by user "kurt", +a 6-page job printed in 2 copies and billed to "#marketing"... + +Which flaws or shortcomings are there? + + * the ones named above; + * CUPS really counts the job pages being *processsed in software* + (going thru the "RIP") rather than the physical sheets successfully + leaving the printing device -- if there is a jam while printing + the 5th sheet out of 1000 and the job is aborted by the printer, + the "page count" will still show the figure of 1000 for that + job; + * all quotas are the same for all users (no flexibility to + give the boss a higher quota than the clerk) + * no support for groups; + * no means to read out the current balance or "used-up" + number of current quota; + * a user having used up 99 sheets of 100 quota will still be + able to send and print a 1.000 sheet job; + * a user being denied a job because of a filled-up quota + doesn't get a meaningful error message from CUPS other than + "client-error-not-possible". + +But this is the best system out there currently. And there are +huge improvements under development: + +--> page counting will go into the "backends" (these talk directly + to the printer and will increase the count in sync with the + actual printing process -- a jam at the 5th sheet will lead + to a stop in the counting...) + +--> quotas will be handled more flexibly; + +--> probably there will be support for users to inquire their + "accounts" in advance; + +--> probably there will be support for some other tools around + this topic... + +Other than the current stage of the CUPS development, I don't +know any other ready-to-use tool which you could consider. + + + +You can download the driver files from http://www.cups.org/software.html. It +is a separate package from the CUPS base software files, tagged as "CUPS 1.1.16 +Windows NT/2k/XP Printer Driver for SAMBA (tar.gz, 192k)". The filename to +download is "cups-samba-1.1.16.tar.gz". Upon untar-/unzip-ping it will reveal +the files + + cups-samba.install + cups-samba.license + cups-samba.readme + cups-samba.remove + cups-samba.ss + +These have been packaged with the ESP meta packager software "EPM". The +*.install and *.remove files are simple shell script, which untars the +*.ss (which is nothing else than a tar-archive) and puts its contents +into "/usr/share/cups/drivers/". Its contents are 3 files: + + cupsdrvr.dll + cupsui.dll + cups.hlp + +[ ATTENTION: due to a bug the current release puts the "cups.hlp" into + "/usr/share/drivers/" instead of "/usr/share/cups/drivers/". To work + around this, copy/move the file after running the "./cups-samba.install" + script manually to the right place: + + "cp /usr/share/drivers/cups.hlp /usr/share/cups/drivers/" ] + +This new CUPS PostScript driver is currently binary-only, but free (as in +free beer); no source code is provided (yet). The reason is this: it has +been developed with the help of the Microsoft Driver Developer Kit (DDK) +and compiled with Microsoft Visual Studio 6. It is not clear to the driver +developers if they are allowed to distribute the whole of the source code +as Free Software. However, they will likely release the "diff" in source +code under the GPL, so anybody with a license of Visual Studio and a DDK +will be able to compile for him/herself. + +Once you have run the install script (and possibly manually moved the +"cups.hlp" file to "/usr/share/cups/drivers/"), the driver is ready to be +put into Samba's [print$] share (which often maps to "/etc/samba/drivers/" +and contains a subdir tree with WIN40 and W32X86 branches), by running +"cupsaddsmb" (see also "man cupsaddsmb" for CUPS 1.1.16). [Don't forget to +put root into the smbpasswd file by running "smbpasswd" should you run +this whole procedure for the first time.] Once the driver files are in the +[print$] share, they are ready to be downloaded and installed by the +Win NT/2k/XP clients. + +NOTE 1: Win 9x/ME clients won't work with this driver. For these you'd + still need to use the ADOBE*.* drivers as previously. + +NOTE 2: It is not harming if you've still the ADOBE*.* driver files from + previous installations in the "/usr/share/cups/drivers/" directory. + The new cupsaddsmb (from 1.1.16) will automatically use the + "newest" installed driver (which here then is the CUPS drivers). + +NOTE 3: Should your Win clients have had the old ADOBE*.* files and the + Adobe PostScript drivers installed, the download and installation + of the new CUPS PostScript driver for Windows NT/2k/XP will fail + at first. + It is not enough to "delete" the printer (as the driver files + will still be kept by the clients and re-used if you try to + re-install the printer). To really get rid of the Adobe driver + files on the clients, open the "Printers" folder (possibly via + "Start --> Settings --> Control Panel --> Printers"), right-click + onto the folder background and select "Server Properties". A + new dialog opens; select the "Drivers" tab; on the list select + the driver you want to delete and click on the "Delete" button. + (This will only work if there is no single printer left which + uses that particular driver -- you need to "delete" all printers + using this driver in the "Printers" folder first...) + +NOTE 4: Once you have successfully downloaded the CUPS PostScript driver + to a client, you can easily switch all printers to this one + by proceeding as described elsewhere in the "Samba HOWTO + Collection" to change a driver for an existing printer.... + + +What are the benefits with the "CUPS PostScript driver for Windows NT/2k/XP" +as compared to the Adobe drivers? + 9 +* no hassle with the Adobe EULA; no hassle with the question "where do I + get the ADOBE*.* driver files from?" + +* the Adobe drivers (depending on the printer PPD associated with them) + often put a PJL header in front of the core PostScript part of the print + file (thus the file starts with "<1B>%-12345X" or "%-12345X" + instead of "%!PS"). This leads to the CUPS daemon autotyping the + arriving file as a print-ready file, not requiring a pass thru the + "pstops" filter (to speak more technical, it is not regarded as the + generic MIME type "application/postscript", but as the more special + MIME type "application/cups.vnd-postscript"), which therefore also + leads to the page accounting in "/var/log/cups/page_log" not receiving + the exact mumber of pages; instead the dummy page number of "1" is + logged in a standard setup...) + +* the Adobe driver has more options to "mis-configure" the PostScript + generated by it (like setting it inadvertedly to "Optimize for Speed", + instead of "Optimize for Portability", which could lead to CUPS being + unable to process it....) + +* the CUPS PostScript driver output sent by Windows clients to the CUPS + server will be guaranteed to be auto-typed as generic MIME type + "application/postscript", thusly passing thru the CUPS "pstops" filter + and logging the correct number of pages in the page_log for accounting + and quota purposes... + +* the CUPS PostScript driver supports the sending of additional print + options by the Win NT/2k/XP clients, such as naming the CUPS standard + banner pages (or the custom ones, should they be installed at the time + of driver download), using the CUPS "page-label" option, setting a + job-priority and setting the scheduled time of printing (with the option + to support additional useful IPP job attributes in the future). + +* the CUPS PostScript driver supports the inclusion of the new + "*cupsJobTicket" comments at the beginnig of the PostScript file (which + could be used in the future for all sort of beneficial extensions on + the CUPS side, but which will not disturb any other application as those + will regard it as a comment and simply ignore it). + +* the CUPS PostScript driver will be the heart of the fully fledged CUPS + IPP client for Windows NT/2k/XP to be released soon (probably alongside + the first Beta release for CUPS 1.2). + + + + + +Advanced Postscript Printing from MS Windows + + +* Let the Windows Clients use a PostScript driver, to produce + PostScript as their print output sent towards the Samba print + server (just like any Linux or Unix Client would also use + PostScript to send to the server...) + +* make the Unix printing subsystem which is underneath Samba + convert the incoming PostScript files to the native print + format of the target printers (would likely be PCL? + I understand you have mainly HP models?) + +* You're afraid, that this would just mean a *Generic* PostScript + driver for the clients? With no Simplex/Duplex selection, + no paper tray choice? But you need them to be able to set up + their jobs, ringing all the bells and whistles of the printers? + + --> Not possible with traditional spooling systems! + + --> But perfectly supported by CUPS (which uses "PPD" files to + describe how to control the print options for PostScript and + non-PostScript devices alike... + + CUPS PPDs are working perfectly on Windows + clients who use Adobe PostScript drivers (or the new CUPS + PostScript driver for Windows NT/2K/XP). Clients can use + them to setup the job to their liking and CUPS will use + the received job options to make the (PCL-, ESC/P- or + PostScript-) printer behave as required. + +* You want to have the additional benefit of page count logging + and accounting? In this case the CUPS PostScript driver + is the best choice (better than the Adobe one). + +* You want to make the drivers downloadable for the clients? + "cupsaddsmb" is your friend. It will setup the [print$] + share on the Samba host to be ready to serve the clients + for a "point and print" driver installation... + +"What strings are attached?", I hear you asking... + +You are right, there are some. But, given the sheer CPU power +you can buy nowadays in German supermarkets, these can be +overcome easily. + +The strings: Well, if the +CUPS/Samba side will have to print a *lot* onto 40 printers +serving 500 users, you probably will need to set up a second +server (which can do automatic load balancing with the first +one, plus a degree of fail-over mechanism). Converting the +incoming PostScript jobs, "interpreting" them for +non-PostScript printers, amounts to the work of a "RIP" +(Raster Image Processor) done in software. This requires +more CPU and RAM than for the mere "raw spooling" task +your current setup is solving... It all depends on the +avarage and peak printing load the server should be +able to handle.... + + + + + +Auto-Deletion of CUPS spool files + + +Samba print files pass thru 2 +different "spool" directories. Once the incoming directory +managed by Samba, (set f.e. in the "path = /var/spool/samba" +directive in the [printers] section of "smb.conf"). Second is +the spool directory of your UNIX print subsystem. For CUPS it is +normally "/var/spool/cups/", as set by the cupsd.conf directive +"RequestRoot /var/spool/cups". + +I am not sure, which one of your directories keeps the files. + From what you say, it is most likely the Samba part. + +For the CUPS part, you may want to consult: + + http://localhost:631/sam.html#PreserveJobFiles and + http://localhost:631/sam.html#PreserveJobHistory and + http://localhost:631/sam.html#MaxJobs + +There are the settings described for your CUPS daemon, which +could lead to completed job files not being deleted. + +"PreserveJobHistory Yes" -- keeps some details of jobs in +cupsd's mind (well it keeps the "c12345", "c12346" etc. files +in the CUPS spool directory, which do a similar job as the +old-fashioned BSD-LPD control files). This is set to "Yes" +as a default. + +"PreserveJobFiles Yes" -- keeps the job files themselves in +cupsd's mind (well it keeps the "d12345", "d12346" etc. files +in the CUPS spool directory...). This is set to "No" as the +CUPS default. + +"MaxJobs 500" -- this directive controls the maximum number +of jobs that are kept in memory. Once the number of jobs +reaches the limit, the oldest completed job is automatically +purged from the system to make room for the new one. If all +of the known jobs are still pending or active then the new +job will be rejected. Setting the maximum to 0 disables this +functionality. The default setting is 0. + +(There are also additional settings for "MaxJobsPerUser" and +"MaxJobsPerPrinter"...) + +For everything to work as announced, you need to have three +things: + + * a Samba-smbd which is compiled against "libcups" (Check + on Linux by running "ldd `which smbd`") + + * a Samba-smb.conf setting of "printing = cups" + + * another Samba-smb.conf setting of "printcap = cups" + +Note, that in this case all other manually set printing-related +commands (like "print command", "lpq command", "lprm command", +"lppause command" or "lpresume command") are ignored and they +should normally have no influence what-so-ever on your printing. + +If you want to do things manually, replace the "printing = cups" +by "printing = bsd". Then your manually set commands may work +(haven't tested this), and a "print command = lp -d %P %s; rm %s" +may do what you need. + +You forgot to mention the CUPS version you're using. If you did +set things up as described in the man pages, then the Samba +spool files should be deleted. Otherwise it may be a bug. On +the CUPS side, you can control the behaviour as described +above. +If you have more problems, post the output of these commands: + + grep -v ^# /etc/cups/cupsd.conf | grep -v ^$ + grep -v ^# /etc/samba/smb.conf | grep -v ^$ | grep -v "^;" + +(adapt paths as needed). These commands sanitize the files +and cut out the empty lines and lines with comments, providing +the "naked settings" in a compact way. + + -- cgit