cannot install parallel port printer in Mint 11 Katya

[ugobob99]

Hi all,
I just installed Mint 11, but it does not recognize my parallel port printer (HP DeskJet 970Cxi, perfectly working under Mint 9 Isadora): when I open the "install printer" dialog, it does not appear in the list of printers.
I recall no difficulties in Mint 9.
I thought I could use the 'other' section and copy the URI from Mint 9, but turns out I cannot because it contains characters ? and = which are not allowed as input. URI in MInt 9 is as follows: hp:/par/DESKJET_970C?device=/dev/parport0
Packages hpijs, hplip-cups and hplip-data are installed.

I think I am missing something really trivial, as I never had parallel port troubles with printers since I started using linux in 1998.

Thanks for any help.

[AlbertP]

There is only official support for connecting this printer using the USB. Have you tried doing that instead of using the parallel port?
If you can't use USB, isn't /dev/parport0 or /dev/lp0 sufficient as an URI?

Instead of using the add printer program, you can also use HP's program for configuring the printer.

You can install hplip-gui from the repository and then run this command:

Code: Select all

sudo hp-setup

Note that the printer is quite old, and HP is no longer maintaining its driver.

[ugobob99]

I tried the live DVD again and noticed that the printer was indeed listed as attached to the parallel port.
So I re-installed Katya, and, first thing after reboot, tried to add the printer and succeeded.
Then installed updates, nvidia drivers. No problems.
(In the first attempt I first installed nvidia drivers, then updates, then the printer. Possibly this made a difference).

Hpijs driver was recommended during installation and it is working now via parallel port.
But I will try with USB to see if I can get to read the ink levels.

[AlbertP]

You need hplip instead of hpijs to get the ink levels.