Arch Linux

CopiousCoffee

Member

From: United Kingdom

Registered: 2016-08-02

Posts: 20

[Solved] hplip can't find the "*.ppd" file for LaserJet 400 m401n

Just replaced the formatter board in my old USB-only LaserJet 400 so that it has networking. This means that it is now a m401n. One of my other machines uses Linux Mint and it works absolutely fine with hplip and 'hp-setup'. It is able to find the right "*.ppd" and the printer works.

However, on Arch Linux it detects the printer on the network via 'hp-setup' but when I click on it the PPD file field is yellow and says the following: "(Not found. Click browse button to select a PPD file.)". I did as it instructed and search through the "/usr/share/ppd/HP" directory. I found "hp-laserjet_400_m401dne-ps.ppd.gz" but this seems to be incompatible with my model (m401n) since it just closes the PPD file selection screen and continues to display the same yellow text field.

Do I need to manually download something like "hp-laserjet_400_m401n-ps.ppd.gz"?  Or should it be included in the default hplip package?

It is listed on the hplip "supported printer models" page as "m401n". It's even listed on h-node.

Thanks.

Last edited by CopiousCoffee (2018-12-04 22:14:20)

severach

Member

Registered: 2015-05-23

Posts: 192

Re: [Solved] hplip can't find the "*.ppd" file for LaserJet 400 m401n

% pacman -Qo /usr/share/ppd/HP/*m401*
/usr/share/ppd/HP/hp-laserjet_400_m401dne-ps.ppd.gz is owned by hplip 3.17.11-1
/usr/share/ppd/HP/hp-laserjet_400_m401-ps.ppd.gz is owned by hplip 3.17.11-1

You can independently verify where files should be from the package page. hplip and click View the file list for hplip

It's there. Try installing hplip again. I never use the GUI. Try

hp-setup -i -b net

Last edited by severach (2018-02-06 08:53:08)

Mr.Elendig

#archlinux@freenode channel op

From: The intertubes

Registered: 2004-11-07

Posts: 4,092

Re: [Solved] hplip can't find the "*.ppd" file for LaserJet 400 m401n

After installing hplip, just start cups, open the cups management web page, add printer, and just select the model?

---

Evil #archlinux@libera.chat channel op and general support dude.
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pypi

Wiki Maintainer

Registered: 2014-04-22

Posts: 250

Re: [Solved] hplip can't find the "*.ppd" file for LaserJet 400 m401n

This sounds a bit like https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/CU … ed_printer

Have you started CUPS or verified that it is running? If not, considering reading the relevant wiki pages.

CopiousCoffee

Member

From: United Kingdom

Registered: 2016-08-02

Posts: 20

Re: [Solved] hplip can't find the "*.ppd" file for LaserJet 400 m401n

This sounds a bit like https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/CU … ed_printer

Have you started CUPS or verified that it is running? If not, considering reading the relevant wiki pages.

I didn't reply to this in shame. I had forgotten to start the CUPS service. All works fine.