Canon Pixma printer problem (SOLVED)

[Frank_UK]

Hi. I'm a sort of beginner having been on Linux for 12 months. All OK so far. BUT!

I'm running Mint Cinamon 20.3 on a Toshiba Satellite. I have a Canon Pixma MP480 three in one printer. It copies OK. It scans onto a usb flash drive OK. It scans to the pc using Document Scanner OK.

The printer driver comes via installing "cups-backend-bjnp" and selecting the right printer. The printer appears in the Libre Office document print command box. The laptop is connected from a usbA on the laptop to the usbB on the printer.

When I try to print a doc a popup box appears top right telling me that it's "printing" followed shortly after by another telling me "print completed". However there is no reaction from the printer itself. Relevant lights are on but there's nobody home.

Is there something simple I'm missing?

[brian_p]

Install printer-driver-gutenprint and give the outputs of

Code: Select all

lpinfo -v

Code: Select all

lpinfo -m | grep -i mp480

[Frank_UK]

Hi Brian_p

I installed gutenprint

lpinfo -v resulted in:-

network ipps
network ipp
network socket
network https
network lpd
network http
network beh
file cups-brf:/
direct hp
network smb
direct hpfax
network bjnp
network dnssd://EPSON%20XP-442%20445%20Series._ipp._tcp.local/?uuid=cfe92100-67c4-11d4-a45f-9caed3686a69
network lpd://192.168.1.146:515/PASSTHRU
network ipp://EPSON%20XP-442%20445%20Series._ipp._tcp.local/

lpinfo -m | grep -i mp480 gave:-

gutenprint.5.3://bjc-MP480-series/expert Canon MP480 series - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.3.3
gutenprint.5.3://bjc-MULTIPASS-MP480/expert Canon PIXMA MP480 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.3.3
gutenprint.5.3://bjc-PIXUS-MP480/expert Canon PIXUS MP480 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.3.3

Which means nothing to me. Possibly one day it will. Over to you.

[brian_p]

Hi Brian_p

I installed gutenprint

lpinfo -v resulted in:-

network ipps
network ipp
network socket
network https
network lpd
network http
network beh
file cups-brf:/
direct hp
network smb
direct hpfax
network bjnp
network dnssd://EPSON%20XP-442%20445%20Series._ipp._tcp.local/?uuid=cfe92100-67c4-11d4-a45f-9caed3686a69
network lpd://192.168.1.146:515/PASSTHRU
network ipp://EPSON%20XP-442%20445%20Series._ipp._tcp.local/

There isn't any sign of a USB connection (a URI) here. Over to you .

[Frank_UK]

What am I looking for to tell me that there is a connection?

[stevengarland]

I had to use TurboPrint (not free) to get full use out of my Canon printer. Printing using Mint is an ongoing issue.

[Frank_UK]

Ho Brian_p. My fault! Pretty thick sometimes when it comes to computers. When I did the command lines for you I didn't have the printer switched on. So repeating the exercise with it switched on gives

frank@frank-SATELLITE-C70-A:~$ lpinfo -v
network ipps
network ipp
file cups-brf:/
network beh
network http
network lpd
network socket
network https
direct hp
direct usb://Canon/MP480%20series?serial=60A2A1&interface=1
network smb
direct hpfax
network bjnp
frank@frank-SATELLITE-C70-A:~$ lpinfo -m | grep -i mp480
gutenprint.5.3://bjc-MP480-series/expert Canon MP480 series - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.3.3
gutenprint.5.3://bjc-MULTIPASS-MP480/expert Canon PIXMA MP480 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.3.3
gutenprint.5.3://bjc-PIXUS-MP480/expert Canon PIXUS MP480 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.3.3
frank@frank-SATELLITE-C70-A:~$

Hi stevengarland. Having to pay for software rather goes against the grain. Much more acceptable to donate if you think it's worth it. Nothing more annoying that buying software and then finding that it doesn't suit your needs don't you think. But thanks for the tip.

[Frank_UK]

Hi guys. Got it sorted! Out of curiosity I looked in the printers section and a second MP480 printer had appeared called "MP480-series". I selected this as the printer to use and hey presto it worked. No idea where it came from. It wasn't there last time I looked. Puzzling things these computers. Anyway thanks a bunch for responding so quickly to my cries for help.

[stevengarland]

OK

It is also annoying to own a printer and not get its full use

[brian_p]

Hi guys. Got it sorted! Out of curiosity I looked in the printers section and a second MP480 printer had appeared called "MP480-series". I selected this as the printer to use and hey presto it worked. No idea where it came from. It wasn't there last time I looked. Puzzling things these computers. Anyway thanks a bunch for responding so quickly to my cries for help.

Very satisfying all round. Gutenprint gave you the MP480-series PPD and you switched the printer on . Don't forget to edit the subject of your first post and add [SOLVED].

[Frank_UK]

So despite using cups etc it was Gutenprint that gave me what I needed?

[brian_p]

So despite using cups etc it was Gutenprint that gave me what I needed?

Nit quite. CUPS need a PPD and driver to do printing. Gutenprint provides both.