Could not connect to network CUPS server

[vajente]

I upgraded to Mint 14 from Mint 12. Everything worked perfectly, except printing.
My computer is connected to a local network with a cups server. I used to connect to it simply adding a /etc/cups/client.conf file with the following line:

ServerName <address-of-the-server>

With Mint 12 everything went smoothly and I could see all printers in the Print dialog of any application. Now I see nothing. If I try to launch system-config-printer I get
the error:

There was an error during the CUPS operation: 'client-error-bad-request'.

I'm running Mint 14 Cinnamon 64 bit.

Thanks for your help, I could not find any solution in the web.

[TheNadger]

I'm having EXACTLY the same issue. After several years of using cups on various linux distros (Debian,Gentoo,Fedora,SciLinux, and Ubuntu), I've never had anything like this before. The print network addresses have not changed, and even with exactly the same cups settings that currenlty work on my other machine (Ubuntu 10.04.4 lucid), I get nothing. I'm able to ping the server just fine, and the localhost:631 html access works fine too (however all internal options return a 403 Forbidden). I've tried pretty much everything I could think of, list is below:

i) Direct copy of working Ubuntu settings to new machine
ii) Manual alteration of cupsd.conf to a variety of different settings
iii) Complete removal and reinstallation of cups

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get purge cups && sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install cups


iv) A CUPS reconfig

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sudo dpkg-reconfigure cups


v) Altering the firewall (which is off anyway) to allow printing with CUPS

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sudo ufw allow CUPS


....and none of it has worked.

For those that might be interested, my cups error log (/var/log/cups/error_log) looks like this:

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W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] Unknown LogLevel warning on line 1.
E [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] Unknown directive SystemGroup on line 2 of /etc/cups/cupsd.conf.
W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] No limit for Validate-Job defined in policy default and no suitable template found.
W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] No limit for Cancel-Jobs defined in policy default - using Pause-Printer's policy.
W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] No limit for Cancel-My-Jobs defined in policy default - using Send-Document's policy.
W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] No limit for Close-Job defined in policy default - using Send-Document's policy.
W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] No limit for CUPS-Get-Document defined in policy default - using Send-Document's policy.
W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] No JobPrivateAccess defined in policy default - using defaults.
W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] No JobPrivateValues defined in policy default - using defaults.
W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] No SubscriptionPrivateAccess defined in policy default - using defaults.
W [18/Mar/2013:16:51:36 -0700] No SubscriptionPrivateValues defined in policy default - using defaults.


I'm running Mint 14, kernel 3.5.0-17

A solution to this would prevent me from killing any more braincells through a combination of banging my head against the desk and drinking excessively.

Cheers,
-Kyle

[TheNadger]

Ok...so I think I FINALLY figured this out. It appears as though the default for the CUPS_SERVER location was not defined on the local machine, so I redefined it and the problem is solved.

For those that have experienced the same problem, try adding

Code: Select all

export CUPS_SERVER=localhost

to your .bashrc (or equivalent), and you should be able to view network printers defined in your client.conf file.

[ddalley]

Since you didn't specify exactly which <path>/file, I searched the hard drive and found four files with ".bashrc" in their names but none with the exact same name, so, please, be a little more specific as to which one is the correct one.

[TheNadger]

Because I use a bash environment (as opposed to say sh, csh, or tcsh), the shell commands that initialize environment variables and procedures are written in a bash script that is executed when an interactive shell is started...this is called .bashrc, and is usually located in your home directory. As far as I can remember, Mint didn't have one natively, so I copied my old one that I have used for years, and simply altered it.

The most definitive explanation of .bashrc is in the bash manual, however, you can also look here:

http://superuser.com/questions/49289/what-is-the-bashrc-file

Since there is no "exact" location (only one that is defined for a given machine and/or shell environment), this is why I wrote "YOUR .bashrc (or equivalent)"

[Mr. P.]

I am having a similar problem with CUPS.

I have a Dell Inspiron 8600 with Linux Mint Debian. I have an old Laserjet 4M Plus which I have been able to configure previously using its Jetdirect card with Linux Mint 13 (on another computer). Can't seem to get there in Debian for some reason. Trying to configure through CUPS I get a "forbidden" message when I try to add a printer. Hplip configured the newer Officejet 5610 with no problem (on the computer with Debian). Actually configuration was a true breeze. Just plugged it in and everything worked automatically. Trying to configure the 4M Plus through Hplip, I get a message at the end that Hplip can't connect to the CUPS server. Odd, as it connected fine to configure the 5610 and shows the printer and fax combination on the CUPS server. I would think it was a problem with the Jetdirect card, but my other computer with Mint 13 prints just fine.

Majorly in the dark here. Really like the Mint Debian distribution. Any ideas?

[Mr. P.]

Additional odd stuff:

The error log says:

E [29/Mar/2013:16:32:34 -0600] cupsdAuthorize: Empty Basic password!
E [29/Mar/2013:16:32:34 -0600] cupsdAuthorize: Empty Basic password!
E [29/Mar/2013:16:32:34 -0600] cupsdAuthorize: Empty Basic password!
E [29/Mar/2013:16:32:34 -0600] cupsdAuthorize: Empty Basic password!
E [29/Mar/2013:16:32:34 -0600] cupsdAuthorize: Empty Basic password!

and then repeats the last line for pages and pages... don't know how many bazillion times.

The access log says:

localhost - - [29/Mar/2013:16:23:33 -0600] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 253 Create-Printer-Subscription successful-ok
localhost - - [29/Mar/2013:16:23:43 -0600] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 401 167 CUPS-Get-Devices successful-ok
localhost - root [29/Mar/2013:16:23:43 -0600] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 1774 CUPS-Get-Devices -
localhost - root [29/Mar/2013:16:23:44 -0600] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 242 CUPS-Get-Devices -
localhost - - [29/Mar/2013:16:25:14 -0600] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 2799386 CUPS-Get-PPDs -
localhost - - [29/Mar/2013:16:27:01 -0600] "POST / HTTP/1.1" 200 15427 CUPS-Get-PPD -
localhost - - [29/Mar/2013:16:27:53 -0600] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 401 15464 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - perry [29/Mar/2013:16:27:53 -0600] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 403 15464 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - - [29/Mar/2013:16:27:53 -0600] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 401 15464 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - - [29/Mar/2013:16:27:53 -0600] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 401 15464 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok
localhost - - [29/Mar/2013:16:27:53 -0600] "POST /admin/ HTTP/1.1" 401 15464 CUPS-Add-Modify-Printer successful-ok

and similarly repeats the last line innumerable times although the "success" doesn't result in an installed printer.

Net result is no install of Laserjet 4mp with Jetdirect card on Linux Mint Debian.

As I say above, in Linux Mint 13, same printer installs without problem and works fine.

Any ideas?

[Mr. P.]

Hmm, resounding response on my last post/question.... Turns out the problem I was having is due to a bug in Debian.
Thought I'd post from the CUPS forum for benefit of others experiencing the same issue:

Brian,
Perfect. The description of the problem in the link you sent is exactly what I was experiencing.

In the terminal, I added:

usermod -a -G lpadmin MyUser

With my username and everything works great now. I am amazed that you found that link.

Thanks again,
Perry

> On Tue 02 Apr 2013 at 15:18:00 -0700, Perry wrote:
>
> > perry@per:~$ dpkg -l | grep "python-cups"
> > ii python-cups 1.9.48-1+b1 i386 Python bindings for CUPS
>
> Debian testing has 1.9.48-1.1, which contains a fix for this bug:
>
> http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=667995
>
> I'm unfamiliar with Linux Mint Debian but you could try updating it.
>