help with printing

[Michael]

On Thu, Jun 05, 2008 at 10:23:33PM -0600, Mark Pecaut wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 5, 2008 at 3:32 PM, Michael <bsd4me at cableone.net> wrote:
> >
> > Is there a good site for setting up/learning lpr/lpd for a printer on OpenBSD?
> > I've never used lpr for printing but need to print some email every so often on this machine.
> > I enabled the lp section in /etc/printcap, set localhost under /etc/hosts.equiv, tried reading man pages for lpd, but guess it's way over my head.
> > I'm just trying to get my HP DJ870 setup to print email with mutt.
> > I'm running 4.3
> >
> > Will the FreeBSD pages work with setting the printer up for OpenBSD?
> 
> I'd bet the FreeBSD pages will work the same for OpenBSD.
> 
> Basically, lpd handles queuing for the printer.  Most programs (such
> as a web browser) output postscript, which is sent to the printer.  So
> it is assumed in the standard setup that your printer can handle
> postscript and/or plain text.  The problem is that many cheap printers
> can't understand postscript or plain text, they have their own special
> printer language.  However, lpd has the ability to handle filters
> (external programs) which can convert either postscript or plain text
> from the programs into printer language for that specific printer.
> This is basically what programs like apsfilter/ghostscript do.
> Honestly, I'm not really sure what cups or LPRng or the others like it
> do.
> 
> I would recommend giving apsfilter a try first and see how that goes.
> If apsfilter/ghostscript can speak your printer's language then it is
> just a matter of setting up the filter correctly with lpd.  I think
> apsfilter even has some sort of script that helps you configure
> everything.
> 
> good luck,
> 
> -Mark


Thanks for your help Mark and Chris. I will try apsfilter.
FWIW, Chris, I'm using icewm, but I do have kde on other machines :)

Mike
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