PrinterDrake: Configuring Printers

Abstract

This tool allows you to configure a newly installed printer on your machine, or to configure your machine to act as a server for a printer that has just been connected to your local network.

If you have just installed a printer that was not available when you installed Mandrake Linux, make sure it is correctly connected and powered on. When launching the PrinterDrake tool, the new printer will be automatically installed and configured, and when complete you will see the tool described below (Figure 16.8), which shows your local printer as it is configured at the present time. You can modify or correct this configuration, or configure printers which were not auto-detected. If your machine is in a local network, you can also configure network printers or printer sharing.

Figure 16.8. Managing Printers

Managing Printers

Warning

If your printer has been automatically added you should now verify its configuration. Select it in the list, click the Edit button and check the Printer options.

The printer configuration tool (Figure 16.8) has two tabs. The first one for locally connected printers (Configured on this machine)), the other one for printers available on the local network (Configured on other machines). Then six buttons on top of this give access to all the available maintenance tasks:

Note

The Options->Expert mode menu check-box will add extra features to the tool. See the section called “Expert Mode”.

The Printer Configuration Wizard

Click the Add printer button and the configuration wizard will come up. To go from one step to another, click on OK or Next ->. Use Cancel to abort the installation.

Figure 16.9. Auto-Detecting Printers

Auto-Detecting Printers

The first screen allows you to enable the auto-detection of locally connected printers, network printers, and finally printers served by SMB (windows) servers. First try to activate auto-detection for the printer types you are looking for. The next step presents which printer(s) was/were detected. If the one you want to set up is listed, select it, click on OK, confirm the printer model, and go to Figure 16.15. If the detected printer is not the correct one check the Manual configuration box and go to Figure 16.12. If auto-detection fails, remove the check mark from all check boxes, click on Next -> and follow the instructions below.

Figure 16.10. The Printer Port

The Printer Port

First, you need determine which port your printer is connected to: either a parallel or a USB port.

Figure 16.11. Multi-Function Device

Multi-Function Device

You will then be asked whether your printer is a multi-function device from HP or Sony. If so, additional packages will be installed on your system and you will be told how to scan and access photo memory cards with your device.

Figure 16.12. Choosing a Name for your Printer

Choosing a Name for your Printer

You then need to provide a name for your printer to easily identify it. Optionally, you can also supply a Printer description and a physical Location (Figure 16.12).

Figure 16.13. Choosing the Printer Model

Choosing the Printer Model

In the next step you will see the list of supported printers. It is a tree view with the manufacturer's name first and then the printer's model. Select the printer you have or a compatible one (Figure 16.13) if yours isn't specifically listed.

Figure 16.14. Configuring the Printer's Options

Configuring the Printer's Options

After that, the options associated with the chosen printer will be shown (Figure 16.14). It is important you choose the proper paper size and the ink type which is currently installed on the printer. If the settings you choose aren't correct, printing may fail to work.

Note

For settings regarding the printout quality, keep in mind that higher quality levels make the printer substantially slower, and consume more ink.

Note

If you already have one or more configured printers, you will be asked whether the printer you're configuring will be the default printer for applications on your system. If you say No, the former default printer will be selected.

Figure 16.15. Test the Printer

Test the Printer

Finally, you will be asked whether or not you you want to test the printer. Two test pages are available (Figure 16.15) so you can adjust the parameters according to your future needs. It is advisable to print at least one test page so you can immediately correct the parameters if something goes wrong. The printer should begin to print almost immediately.

Congratulations, you are ready to print! If you're not satisfied with your test page, answer the appropriate question with No and you are lead to the printer configuration menu (Figure 16.16) in order to correct the settings. See the the section called “Reconfiguring an Existing Printer” section.

Your printer will now appear in the list of available printers in the main window (Figure 16.8).

Reconfiguring an Existing Printer

Double-clicking on a printer's name in the list, or clicking on the Edit button, displays a menu where you can choose actions to take on the selected printer, as shown in Figure 16.16. Each option gives access to a particular step of the wizard we described above (the section called “The Printer Configuration Wizard”) during our example of how to configure a new printer. One difference will be that the current settings will be predefined in all fields, and you may update them where required.

Figure 16.16. Modifying an Existing Printer

Modifying an Existing Printer

There are two additional options:

  1. Learn how to use the printer. Displays a lot of information on how to use that particular model of printer. In the case of a multi-function device from HP, information about scanning and photo memory card access is also displayed.

  2. Remove printer. Use this option to delete that printer's configuration from the system.

Select an option in the dialog and then click on Do it!.

Expert Mode

Abstract

The expert mode (activated with menu Options->Expert mode) basically has three additional features:

  • Choose a Different Driver than the Default One for a Printer. Generally speaking, there are different drivers available for the same printer. In expert mode, a third level appears in the printer model selection list (Figure 16.13) allowing you to change the driver for each printer.

  • Install Many Kinds of Remote Printers. This feature allows you to print on remote printers using the LPD protocol, printers on Windows servers which require a login, or other arbitrary printer types.

Note

If PrinterDrake is in expert mode, it does not automatically configure new local printers on startup. Use the Add printer button to configure the printer.

If you start the new printer wizard in expert mode, there is an additional step at the beginning.

Figure 16.17. Configuring a Remote Printer

Configuring a Remote Printer

Five different connection types are available:

  • Local printer. A printer directly connected to a parallel or USB port on your computer. In most cases, the printer model will be auto-detected.

  • Printer on remote lpd server. A printer already served by another machine on a lpd server.

  • Network printer (TCP/socket). A printer directly connected to your local network. The network can be scanned and printer models automatically detected provided the Printer auto detection box is checked.

  • Printer on SMB/Windows 95/98/NT server. Relevant for printers already connected to a computer running an OS that serves printers with the SMB protocol, including Samba printers (the necessary Samba components will be automatically installed in this case). The network can be scanned provided the Printer auto detection box is checked. However, the printer model will have to be entered manually.

  • Enter a printer device URI. This option allows you to directly enter the printer's Universal Resource Identifier (URI) on your network. It can be used for any of the above remote connections and more. This is useful when your system administrator provides you directly with the printer's URI.