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Installing a Generic PCL printer via script

  • February 27, 2018
  • 6 replies
  • 34 views
K
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hey All,

Our High Sierra updated lab computers will not print to our pharos instance in word and some PDF documents. Its due to a known issue with PostScript drivers. One of the solutions is to simply change to PCL drivers.

However, Heres the script I use to add a printer with the generic PS driver. I cannot figure out where the PCL driver is located, and have read it may be generated dynamically. How can I use a similar script and also change the driver to a working PCL driver rather than the generic PS driver?

"lpadmin -p PRINTERNAME -o APOptionalDuplexer=True -D "PRINTERNAME" -L "LOCATION" -E -v "//PATH/TO/PRINTER" -P "/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/PrintCore.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Generic.ppd"
#!/bin/sh

    6 replies

    A
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    • analog_kid
    • New Contributor
    • 61 replies
    • February 28, 2018

    Hi Krytos,

    The Generic PCL driver is built into CUPS and can be referenced with the following path: drv:///sample.drv/generpcl.ppd

    --Ben

    K
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    • Krytos
    • Author
    • Contributor
    • 25 replies
    • February 28, 2018

    @analog_kid

    Thanks, this looks promising, but is that drv and sample.drv a variable? My script is unable to find files at that location when i use exactly what was provided.

    I just replaced the PS driver with drv:///sample.drv/generpcl.ppd

    am I missing something?

    A
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    • analog_kid
    • New Contributor
    • 61 replies
    • February 28, 2018

    Sorry, I should have mentioned to use "-m" instead of "-P" in your lpadmin command.

    K
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    • Krytos
    • Author
    • Contributor
    • 25 replies
    • February 28, 2018

    Heres what I've ended up with and seems to be working:

    /usr/libexec/cups/daemon/cups-driverd cat drv:///sample.drv/generpcl.ppd >> /tmp/genericpcl.ppd
lpadmin -p PRINTERNAME -o APOptionalDuplexer=True -D "PRINTERNAME" -L "LOCATION" -E -v "//PATH/TO/PRINTER" -P /tmp/genericpcl.ppd
    A
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    • analog_kid
    • New Contributor
    • 61 replies
    • February 28, 2018

    That's some unessesary contortions you're going through. ;)

    Drop the "-P" switch, and add the "-m" for the Generic PCL driver, like so (simplified):

    lpadmin -p printername -E -v printserver -m drv:///sample.drv/generpcl.ppd

    It's been hectic here so apologies for being quite terse before.

    K
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    • Krytos
    • Author
    • Contributor
    • 25 replies
    • February 28, 2018

    @analog_kid no worries! You've been a great help and I think we've solved our little cups/high sierra/post script issue.

    Thanks again!


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