Arch Linux

solarwind

Member

From: Toronto

Registered: 2008-03-18

Posts: 546

General Simple Linux Printing Questions

So, I'm using Arch Linux with XFCE. In Ubuntu, it's relatively simple to set up printing. However, on Arch Linux, I don't know how to do it. I have a few simple questions:

* Are all those "easy to use" printing setup GUIs just configurators/frontends for cups?
* I have an HP printer, should I use hplip?
* What is hplip exactly? Is it another printing system like cups? Is it a cups addon?
* Is it easy to set up printing in Linux given that you have a pretty good printer that is "linux compatible"?

.:B:.

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2006-11-26

Posts: 5,819

Website

Re: General Simple Linux Printing Questions

1. Yes, afaik.
2. Rhetorical question, no?
3. First answer to such a question: Check google/the wiki. 'What is...' questions are answered easily, robotic, and have been/are being asked over and over .
4. Depends on whether it's networked or not, but in general: yes.

Last edited by B (2008-05-07 23:10:56)

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utore

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2008-01-27

Posts: 67

Website

Re: General Simple Linux Printing Questions

Yeah. hplip works best for hp printers, in fact, I just configured a deskjet 3650 today and it only took about 10 minutes; it works flawlessly.

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Something witty.

iBertus

Member

From: Greenville, NC

Registered: 2004-11-04

Posts: 2,228

Re: General Simple Linux Printing Questions

So, I'm using Arch Linux with XFCE. In Ubuntu, it's relatively simple to set up printing. However, on Arch Linux, I don't know how to do it. I have a few simple questions:

* Are all those "easy to use" printing setup GUIs just configurators/frontends for cups?
* I have an HP printer, should I use hplip?
* What is hplip exactly? Is it another printing system like cups? Is it a cups addon?
* Is it easy to set up printing in Linux given that you have a pretty good printer that is "linux compatible"?

1.) Yes, most are simply CUPS frontends.
2.) Yes, you should.
3.) It's a set of printer drivers for HP printers. It supports most printers and their functions.
4.) Yes, you just need to find the correct driver for the printer and set it up using the CUPS web-gui.
     Remember, after running CUPS, you can access the interface from http://localhost:631 in a web browser.

solarwind

Member

From: Toronto

Registered: 2008-03-18

Posts: 546

Re: General Simple Linux Printing Questions

So, I'm using Arch Linux with XFCE. In Ubuntu, it's relatively simple to set up printing. However, on Arch Linux, I don't know how to do it. I have a few simple questions:

* Are all those "easy to use" printing setup GUIs just configurators/frontends for cups?
* I have an HP printer, should I use hplip?
* What is hplip exactly? Is it another printing system like cups? Is it a cups addon?
* Is it easy to set up printing in Linux given that you have a pretty good printer that is "linux compatible"?

1.) Yes, most are simply CUPS frontends.
2.) Yes, you should.
3.) It's a set of printer drivers for HP printers. It supports most printers and their functions.
4.) Yes, you just need to find the correct driver for the printer and set it up using the CUPS web-gui.
     Remember, after running CUPS, you can access the interface from http://localhost:631 in a web browser.

Thanks! I set it up for my HP and it worked great!

However, when I run any of the hp-* tools from the command line, the copyright notice gets shown, then after a few milliseconds to a few seconds depending on which hp tool I run, another copyright notice gets shown and it freezes.