PPD not file found, hplip refusing to work even after hours of kicking it

browny_amiga · 06-12-2009, 05:10 AM

Hi

I have a Laserjet P2055dn, attached over the network and it hp-setup is just plain simple refusing to install it with the above message (literally, with the funny "not file found" message)
This works on another Debian Lenny system without problems. I select the printer (entering the IP number), but it fails on this system, that I upgraded from Debian Etch.

So same distro, in one it works, in the other it does not.
Suspecting that there must be old config files fouling up the install, I removed all of cups and all of hplip (with purge), but strangely enough had to erase the hp directory in /etc, since it was not erased (against my explicit order to PURGE it (don't know what that option (erase all configuration) is for, when it in fact DOES NOT ERASE ALL CONFIGURATIONS. ;-)

I am totally stuck now, don't know what this upgraded system is so different that it still does not work. Is there a way to manually find the PPD file? I looked, but there is no PPD for the P2055.

This is surely an issue with some old stuff lingering around (from before the distro upgrade) How can I hunt it down and erase it?

Markus

browny_amiga · 06-12-2009, 05:13 AM

Well, what do you know:

PPD files for HP's PostScript printers, supplied by HP
There's actually no dedicated PPD file for the P2055, but the PPD for the P2015 works perfectly.

browny_amiga · 06-12-2009, 05:24 AM

As suspected, even when feeding it the PPD file of the 2015, which MUST work, it still fails.
Error:
Printer Queue setup failed.

Please restart cups and try again.

Very dumb, totally unconclusive and the solution fit for a Windows system: restart and hope that it works.
Well, restarting Cups does not help.

I expect that HPLIP does have the proper PPD file from the start, but that the error message is just bogus. So what is going wrong? Why is HPLIP being so difficult????? I have it running on 2 other Debian lenny systems with this driver and no problems.

Markus

H_TeXMeX_H · 06-12-2009, 08:06 AM

Don't use 'hp-setup' to setup the printer, it rarely if ever works. Go here and set it up:
http://localhost:631/
Choose the printer with serial number in the name, that will allow scanning if it has a scanner.

browny_amiga · 01-28-2010, 06:30 PM

Now it works, but it was a royal PITA.

Cups is unfortunately also very very user unfriendly.
Especially which URL are you supposed to use? Nobody is telling.

In my case,

socket://10.10.10.25
worked for a Laserjet P2055dn connected on the network interface.
As protocol, select jetdirect.

This just in case somebody is running into the same problem.