HP Color Laserjet Pro MFP M281fdw - unable to scan

[jolexin]

From the web page https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-imag ... ices/index I see that my new printer should work with Linux Mint. Unfortunately the scanner is not recognised. I issued a number of commands to find the cause of the problem, however, I am ultimately confused.
(1) How should I proceed to find the cause of that problem and to solve it?

(2) Did anyone succeed in scanning from the HP Color Laserjet Pro MFP M281fdw?

[cliffcoggin]

From the web page https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-imag ... ices/index I see that my new printer should work with Linux Mint. Unfortunately the scanner is not recognised. I issued a number of commands to find the cause of the problem, however, I am ultimately confused.
(1) How should I proceed to find the cause of that problem and to solve it?

(2) Did anyone succeed in scanning from the HP Color Laserjet Pro MFP M281fdw?

I have that printer and had the same scanning problem as you. The solution was to install a more modern version of HPLIP than the one supplied with the distribution. Look down that list to find the minimum version of HPLIP required for the printer then compare it the version you already have. I downloaded the newer HPLIP from HP via Znet or Sourceforge or some such source and all is now well. Post back if you more detailed guidance.

[brian_p]

From the web page https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-imag ... ices/index I see that my new printer should work with Linux Mint. Unfortunately the scanner is not recognised. I issued a number of commands to find the cause of the problem, however, I am ultimately confused.
(1) How should I proceed to find the cause of that problem and to solve it?

Can you print? If so, say whether it is a USB or network connection and provide the output of

Code: Select all

lpstat -t

[jolexin]

Thank you for your hint, cliffcoggin. The hplip version that comes with Linux Mint 19.1 is hplip v3.17, however, the latest one that I can download from sourceforge is hplip.3.19.10.

(1) I cleaned my system with

sudo apt purge hplip hplip-data

(2) I tried to run the unpack-and-install-script hplip-3.19.10.run:
sh hplip-3.19.10.run

The script asks among others for my user password and for the sudoer password. Apparently the passwords are not recognised, as the following output shows:

Code: Select all

... ... 
ENTER USER PASSWORD
-------------------
/e-a\,m|c/1-
Please enter the sudoer (jjm19)'s password: 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "./install.py", line 241, in <module>
    text_install.start(language, auto, test_depends, test_unknown, assume_network, max_retries, enable, disable)
  File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/installer/text_install.py", line 714, in start
    ok = core.check_password()
  File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/installer/core_install.py", line 1999, in check_password
    if self.passwordObj.getPassword() == "":
  File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/base/password.py", line 392, in getPassword
    self.__validatePassword(pswd_msg)
  File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/base/password.py", line 290, in __validatePassword
    status, output = self.__password_check(cmd)
  File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/base/password.py", line 260, in __password_check
    child.close()
  File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/base/pexpect/__init__.py", line 747, in close
    raise ExceptionPexpect('Could not terminate the child.')
base.pexpect.ExceptionPexpect: Could not terminate the child.
jjm19@achat:~/bin$ 

(3) I repeated to run the script with
sudo hplip-3.19.10.run

After a while the script warns me of running as superuser; nevertheless I continued. It seemed that hplip-3.19.10 was successfully installed.

(4) Next obstacle: hp-setup does not find a printer and does not find a scanner.

With the CUPS administration web page I succeeded in installing the printer function via the USB cable. After that I tried hp-setup again. Nothing found.

I invoked xsane: it does not detect any device.

Confusing, isn't it? What should I do? I have no more idea.

[brian_p]

Confusing, isn't it? What should I do? I have no more idea.

If you ever get round to answering any questions you have been asked, you could also post what you get with

Code: Select all

lpinfo -v

[jolexin]

brian_p asked me to post the output of lpinfo -v:

Code: Select all

jjm19@achat:~$ lpinfo -v
file cups-brf:/
network https
network lpd
network ipps
network socket
network ipp
network beh
network http
direct hp
direct usb://HP/ColorLaserJet%20MFP%20M278-M281?serial=VNBNL1K59K
direct hpfax
network dnssd://HP%20Color%20LaserJet%20MFP%20M281fdw%20(5F6A80)._ipp._tcp.local/?uuid=564e424e-4c31-4b35-394b-80ce625f6a80
network ipp://NPI5F6A80.local:631/ipp/print
jjm19@achat:~$ 

[brian_p]

brian_p asked me to post the output of lpinfo -v

Indeed he did. That was in his second post. However, in his first post he wanted the output of

Code: Select all

lpstat -t

which is a little more important to have.

[cliffcoggin]

Thank you for your hint, cliffcoggin. The hplip version that comes with Linux Mint 19.1 is hplip v3.17, however, the latest one that I can download from sourceforge is hplip.3.19.10.

(1) I cleaned my system with

sudo apt purge hplip hplip-data

(2) I tried to run the unpack-and-install-script hplip-3.19.10.run:
sh hplip-3.19.10.run

The script asks among others for my user password and for the sudoer password. Apparently the passwords are not recognised, as the following output shows:

... ...
ENTER USER PASSWORD
-------------------
/e-a\,m|c/1-
Please enter the sudoer (jjm19)'s password:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./install.py", line 241, in <module>
text_install.start(language, auto, test_depends, test_unknown, assume_network, max_retries, enable, disable)
File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/installer/text_install.py", line 714, in start
ok = core.check_password()
File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/installer/core_install.py", line 1999, in check_password
if self.passwordObj.getPassword() == "":
File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/base/password.py", line 392, in getPassword
self.__validatePassword(pswd_msg)
File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/base/password.py", line 290, in __validatePassword
status, output = self.__password_check(cmd)
File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/base/password.py", line 260, in __password_check
child.close()
File "/home/jjm19/bin/hplip-3.19.10/base/pexpect/__init__.py", line 747, in close
raise ExceptionPexpect('Could not terminate the child.')
base.pexpect.ExceptionPexpect: Could not terminate the child.
jjm19@achat:~/bin$

(3) I repeated to run the script with
sudo hplip-3.19.10.run

After a while the script warns me of running as superuser; nevertheless I continued. It seemed that hplip-3.19.10 was successfully installed.

(4) Next obstacle: hp-setup does not find a printer and does not find a scanner.

With the CUPS administration web page I succeeded in installing the printer function via the USB cable. After that I tried hp-setup again. Nothing found.

I invoked xsane: it does not detect any device.

Confusing, isn't it? What should I do? I have no more idea.

Jolexin.
I don't have a clue about the procedure you followed and I am ignorant of terminal commands etc. Being congenitally lazy I took the easy way out and followed the instructions on the HP site and downloaded HPLIP 3.18.6. That launched a long stream of terminal data to which I typed "y" when prompted for a yes or no answer. At the end of that process all functions of the printer worked wirelessly.

[brian_p]

The result of the lpinfo -v command indicates that scanning with something like simple-scan is doomed to failure when replying on an HPLIP printer setup. lpstat- t would probably confirm this.

[jolexin]

Brian P asked:

Can you print? If so, say whether it is a USB or network connection and provide the output of lpstat -p

Yes I can print; I installed the printer in the CUPS admin web page; it is attached via USB cable. lpstat -p yields:

jjm19@achat:~$ lpstat -p
Drucker HP_CLJ_MFP_M281@usb-achat ist im Leerlauf. Aktiviert seit Mo 04 Nov 2019 20:15:20 CET
jjm19@achat:~$

[brian_p]

The command is not lpstat -p, it is

Code: Select all

lpstat -t

[jolexin]

Ok Brian ...

jjm19@achat:~/bin/hplip-3.19.10$ lpstat -t
Zeitplandienst läuft
systemvoreingestelltes Ziel: HP_CLJ_MFP_M281@usb-achat
Gerät für HP_CLJ_MFP_M281@usb-achat: usb://HP/ColorLaserJet%20MFP%20M278-M281?serial=VNBNL1K59K
HP_CLJ_MFP_M281@usb-achat akzeptiert anfragen seit Mo 04 Nov 2019 20:15:20 CET
Drucker HP_CLJ_MFP_M281@usb-achat ist im Leerlauf. Aktiviert seit Mo 04 Nov 2019 20:15:20 CET
jjm19@achat:~/bin/hplip-3.19.10$

[brian_p]

Thank you, jolexin.

The M281fdw is documented by HPLIP as not requiring a plugin for scanning. However, it does require one. Please see https://bugs.launchpad.net/hplip/+bug/1822762 and, in particular, at Message #13.

The command

Code: Select all

hp-plugin -i 

is one way of installing the plugin. How do you go on with scanning now?

[jolexin]

Hello Brian!

I am sorry to say that no scanner can be found. Strange that different commands seemingly yield contradictory results:

On the one hand:

Code: Select all

jjm19@achat:~$ sudo sane-find-scanner -q
[sudo] Passwort für jjm19:            
found USB scanner (vendor=0x06cb, product=0x00a2) at libusb:001:006
found USB scanner (vendor=0x03f0 [HP], product=0xad2a [HP ColorLaserJet MFP M278-M281]) at libusb:001:003
jjm19@achat:~$ 

On the other hand:

Code: Select all

jjm19@achat:~/bin$ scanimage -L
No scanners were identified. If you were expecting something different, ....

Code: Select all

jjm19@achat:~/bin$ sudo hp-setup -i
[sudo] Passwort für jjm19:            

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.19.10)
Printer/Fax Setup Utility ver. 9.0

(Note: Defaults for each question are maked with a '*'. Press <enter> to accept the default.)

--------------------------------
| SELECT CONNECTION (I/O) TYPE |
--------------------------------

  Num       Connection  Description                                               
            Type                                                                  
  --------  ----------  ----------------------------------------------------------
  0*        usb         Universal Serial Bus (USB)                                
  1         net         Network/Ethernet/Wireless (direct connection or JetDirect)

Enter number 0...1 for connection type (q=quit, enter=usb*) ? 

Using connection type: usb

error: No device selected/specified or that supports this functionality.
jjm19@achat:~/bin$ 

[brian_p]

Hello jolexin,

I hope I come bearing good news!

Your lpinfo -v output shows

direct hp

Otherwise it is empty of content. It should not be. This is an indication that your device cannot be found in /usr/share/data/models/models.dat. Your lpstat -t output has

usb://HP/ColorLaserJet%20MFP%20M278-M281?serial=VNBNL1K59K

There is nothing wrong with this but note ColorLaserJet. There is no space (a %20) between Color and LaserJet.

Looking in models.dat we see [hp_color_laserjet_mfp_m278-m281]. An underbar (_)replaces a space. The space should not be there. It is a bug introduced by hplip-3.19.10. Edit the file to remove the underbar and have [hp_colorlaserjet_mfp_m278-m281].

You should now be able to scan. Please keep us updated (and make sure the plugin is installed; it is needed).

[jolexin]

Success!

I re-installed hplip and also the plugin. Version 3.19.10 vanished in favor of 3.19.11.

The models.dat file resides at /usr/share/hplip/data/models/models.dat. In that file I see a section titled

[hp_color_laserjet_mfp_m278-m281]

In that section I can find an entry

model1=HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M281fdw

I noticed that the model name is written exactly in the same way as on the outside of my new printer.

I changed ONLY the section header as you proposed to:

[hp_colorlaserjet_mfp_m278-m281]

I repeated the scanimage command:

Code: Select all

jjm19@achat:~$ scanimage -L
device `hpaio:/usb/HP_ColorLaserJet_MFP_M278-M281?serial=VNBNL1K59K' is a Hewlett-Packard HP_ColorLaserJet_MFP_M278-M281 all-in-one
device `hpaio:/net/hp_colorlaserjet_mfp_m278-m281?ip=169.254.92.46&queue=false' is a Hewlett-Packard hp_colorlaserjet_mfp_m278-m281 all-in-one
jjm19@achat:~$ 

After that I invoked simple-scan and it worked. I rebooted PC and printer, invoked simple-scan again. It continues working.

Thanks to your help, Brian, I succeded! Congratulations! You know the SW architecture around print & scan quite well, otherwise you would not have found that inconspicuous SW glitch.

[gittiest personITW]

You know the SW architecture around print & scan quite well,

Quite well?

I think BrianP has helped pretty much everyone in the Northern hemisphere get their printer/scanner working, and a fair few in the Southern hemisphere also.

[LongJohnSilver]

Hello,
first of all: Thank you all!
By reading in this post I could find the place where to look for the "models.dat".
In my case everything was written okay but I found
"plugin=1
plugin-reason=64"
I compared this to my second computer (both connected by LAN to the same HP MFP-M281 and both do print) which is able to scan
and changed it to
"plugin=0
plugin-reason=0"

Now simple scan shows a new scaning device to choose and it works.
(LM20.1Mate with hplib 3.20.11)