Printer setup in Slackware

[Nekopa]

Hi All!
I just wanted to know how to set up a printer in Slack. I have read the NHFs, HOWTOs and I've searched through this forum, but I cannot find one program, console or X based that will allow me to tell the system I have a lexmark printer on lpd1 :(

All the references I have read say use this tool, or that tool, and I don't have any of these tools they are talking about. The closest I have come is apsfilter, but when I run it, I get a list of all the printers ghostscript is compatable with, (my printer is listed) but then when I try to choose from a list in the program, my printer is no longer listed!!!

I have Gnome 1.4 and KDE 2.1, but somehow neither of these desktops have a printer configuration tool, just programs for listing the print queue :(

dmesg shows that my system is talking to the printer, it even has found its name, but still no joy when trying to print. parport has been compiled into the kernel, with pc style parallel printer too

I am at a complete loss, any ideas?

Lee

[jaygee432]

In my experience, you can use apsfilter, but you will not necessarily be able to choose your specific printer. Rather, you choose a driver your printer is compatible with. Using my case for an example, I have a BJC-4400 which is in the list for the BJC-600 driver, which I use.

[Nekopa]

Thanks, I will try that when I get back from work

Lee

[Evil Jeff]

If I'm not mistaken, the first time you log in as root into your slackware system there is an email from Pat Volderking (the guy who makes slackware) that tells you to use apsfilter :)

[Nekopa]

As I am a newbie to all this, I have yet to figure out how to read that email, but it is still sitting there whenever I log in as root

:D

Lee

[Nekopa]

Okay...
I am still having no luck. But I am so close I can almost touch it. Now when I run apsfilter ti has an option to use Gimp /STP printer, and my printer is listed in this, but when I try to select it apsfilter throws back an error that stp is not compiler into ghostscript, and that only the following printers are supported. AND IT LISTS MY PRINTER AGAIN!?!?

Now when I ask apsfilter to list printers that GS supports, it shows mine printer, I am guessing that apsfilter asks GS for a list of compatible printers... But when I go in to select my printer, apsfilter doesn't have it listed. I am thinking that maybe I need to update (somehow) apsfilters list of supported printers to make it match the list of supported printers in GS. But running around the file system I cannot find where these files may be located.

Now does slackware use its own method for placing printer files, or does it follow some standard? Or if I download Redhats PrintTool will that allow me to configure the printer in X?

I finally read the email that was lying around in root, but it just says use apsfilter and everything will be okay. But it isn't

Anyhelp would be well appreciated, as I have both monitors running, my CD-RW working, mousewheel, sound, compiled the kernel, but I am completely frustrated on just getting the printer working :(

Lee