Tip: default printer

[ToddAndMargo]

Hi All,

This is my keeper file on the default printer.

Hope this helps someone else.

-T

Exactly what purpose does the "server default" printer serve?
Is it even possible to send the CUPS server a print job with
no printer specified?    AAAAHHHH!!!!!!

CUPS: manually correct the default printer

Reference(s):
    https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Print_Settings_with_CUPS
    https://github.com/OpenPrinting/cups/issues/818

CUPS Web UI (https://127.0.0.1:631) fails to update /etc/cups/lpoptions
to a new default printer.   Note that this is on purpose,  The Web UI's
default printer is the server's default.  Not the local (client)
computer's default.

The local computer's defaults are found in:
    user:
        ~/.cups/lpoptions

global (if not user default):
        /etc/cups/lpoptions

Fix action:

First, list installed printers:
     $ lpstat -p
     printer Cups-PDF is idle.  ...
     printer HLL2300D ...
     printer HLL2300D_ManualTray ...

To set the system defualt:
     # vi /etc/cups/lpoptions
     Default Printer_Name_from_lpstat_above
     # systemctl restart cups

To set the user's default:
     $ lpoptions -d Printer_Name_from_lpstat_above

To double check:
     $ lpstat -d
     system default destination: Cups-PDF

Note: this is the local user default, not the system default.
reported under:
     lpstat gives incorrect wording for the default printer
     https://github.com/OpenPrinting/cups/issues/819

Example files involved:
     System:
         # cat /etc/cups/lpoptions
         Default HLL2300D

User:
         $ cat ~/.cups/lpoptions
         Default Cups-PDF

[Michael Hennebry]

On Mon, 6 Nov 2023, ToddAndMargo via users wrote:
> Exactly what purpose does the "server default" printer serve?
> Is it even possible to send the CUPS server a print job with
> no printer specified?    AAAAHHHH!!!!!!

For sure, lp and lpr use the default printer if not told otherwise.
I think that vim will only use the default printer,
but configuration might be possible.
Anyone know for sure?

[Stephen Morris]

On 6/11/23 19:48, ToddAndMargo via users wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> This is my keeper file on the default printer.
>
> Hope this helps someone else.
>
> -T
>
> Exactly what purpose does the "server default" printer serve?
> Is it even possible to send the CUPS server a print job with
> no printer specified?    AAAAHHHH!!!!!!

On my system I didn't have any printers defined, so to test things I 
added my network printer which is an Epson ET3700.
Before I started, ~/.cups/lpoptions didn't exist and /etc/cups/lpoptions 
was empty.
To add my printer I went into the cups interface, as I always do, in 
firefox and under Administration I selected "Add Printer". That 
displayed all the print devices cups could see, which included "Epson 
ET3700 Series" and "Epson ET3700 Series Driverless" under "Network 
Printers". I selected "Epson ET3700 Series Driverless, and then in the 
Model selection on the next screen, I selected the "Driverless Driver" 
rather than the "IPP Everywhere Driver", then clicked on "Add Printer".
After defining the printer I checked ~/.cups/lpoptions and it still did 
not exist, and /etc/cups/lpoptions was still empty. Lpstat -p showed my 
printer only and lpstat -d said there was no system default.
Going into KDE's system settings Printer interface shows the printer I 
added in Cups with "Default Printer" not checked, and when I click on 
"Configure" and look at the printer properties it shows me the settings 
I set in cups as the default properties.
If I start Libreoffice Writer and look at file->Printer Properties it 
shows two entries for my printer, one with "Double Sided Printing" 
active, which I set in the default options in Cups, and one entry with 
"Double Sided Printing" turned off, and unfortunately both printer 
entries have the same name.
The double entry that Libreoffice Writer shows is similar to the issue I 
get under Windows. Under windows when I install the Epson printer driver 
and install my printer, the printer installation creates two printer 
definitions, an Epson ET3700 "Local" and an Epson ET3700 Network, where 
the "Local" entry has "Double Sided" printing active and the "Network" 
entry has "Double Sided" printing turned off and Administrator Disabled 
so that it can't be changed. Even though the printer is set up this way 
the "Local" definition still outputs to the network printer anyway.

regards,
Steve
> CUPS: manually correct the default printer
>
> Reference(s):
>    https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Print_Settings_with_CUPS
>    https://github.com/OpenPrinting/cups/issues/818
>
> CUPS Web UI (https://127.0.0.1:631) fails to update /etc/cups/lpoptions
> to a new default printer.   Note that this is on purpose,  The Web UI's
> default printer is the server's default.  Not the local (client)
> computer's default.
>
> The local computer's defaults are found in:
>    user:
>        ~/.cups/lpoptions
>
> global (if not user default):
>        /etc/cups/lpoptions
>
> Fix action:
>
> First, list installed printers:
>     $ lpstat -p
>     printer Cups-PDF is idle.  ...
>     printer HLL2300D ...
>     printer HLL2300D_ManualTray ...
>
> To set the system defualt:
>     # vi /etc/cups/lpoptions
>     Default Printer_Name_from_lpstat_above
>     # systemctl restart cups
>
> To set the user's default:
>     $ lpoptions -d Printer_Name_from_lpstat_above
>
> To double check:
>     $ lpstat -d
>     system default destination: Cups-PDF
>
> Note: this is the local user default, not the system default.
> reported under:
>     lpstat gives incorrect wording for the default printer
>     https://github.com/OpenPrinting/cups/issues/819
>
> Example files involved:
>     System:
>         # cat /etc/cups/lpoptions
>         Default HLL2300D
>
> User:
>         $ cat ~/.cups/lpoptions
>         Default Cups-PDF
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[ToddAndMargo]

On 11/6/23 13:14, Michael Hennebry wrote:
> On Mon, 6 Nov 2023, ToddAndMargo via users wrote:
> > Exactly what purpose does the "server default" printer serve?
> > Is it even possible to send the CUPS server a print job with
> > no printer specified?    AAAAHHHH!!!!!!
>
> For sure, lp and lpr use the default printer if not told otherwise.
> I think that vim will only use the default printer,
> but configuration might be possible.
> Anyone know for sure?

I do believe that lp and lpr will fill in the default
printer for you, if you do not specify a printer.

[ToddAndMargo]

On 11/6/23 14:59, Stephen Morris wrote:
> On 6/11/23 19:48, ToddAndMargo via users wrote:
> > Hi All,
> >
> > This is my keeper file on the default printer.
> >
> > Hope this helps someone else.
> >
> > -T
> >
> > Exactly what purpose does the "server default" printer serve?
> > Is it even possible to send the CUPS server a print job with
> > no printer specified?    AAAAHHHH!!!!!!
> On my system I didn't have any printers defined, so to test things I 
> added my network printer which is an Epson ET3700.
> Before I started, ~/.cups/lpoptions didn't exist and /etc/cups/lpoptions 
> was empty.
> To add my printer I went into the cups interface, as I always do, in 
> firefox and under Administration I selected "Add Printer". That 
> displayed all the print devices cups could see, which included "Epson 
> ET3700 Series" and "Epson ET3700 Series Driverless" under "Network 
> Printers". I selected "Epson ET3700 Series Driverless, and then in the 
> Model selection on the next screen, I selected the "Driverless Driver" 
> rather than the "IPP Everywhere Driver", then clicked on "Add Printer".
> After defining the printer I checked ~/.cups/lpoptions and it still did 
> not exist, and /etc/cups/lpoptions was still empty. Lpstat -p showed my 
> printer only and lpstat -d said there was no system default.
> Going into KDE's system settings Printer interface shows the printer I 
> added in Cups with "Default Printer" not checked, and when I click on 
> "Configure" and look at the printer properties it shows me the settings 
> I set in cups as the default properties.
> If I start Libreoffice Writer and look at file->Printer Properties it 
> shows two entries for my printer, one with "Double Sided Printing" 
> active, which I set in the default options in Cups, and one entry with 
> "Double Sided Printing" turned off, and unfortunately both printer 
> entries have the same name.
> The double entry that Libreoffice Writer shows is similar to the issue I 
> get under Windows. Under windows when I install the Epson printer driver 
> and install my printer, the printer installation creates two printer 
> definitions, an Epson ET3700 "Local" and an Epson ET3700 Network, where 
> the "Local" entry has "Double Sided" printing active and the "Network" 
> entry has "Double Sided" printing turned off and Administrator Disabled 
> so that it can't be changed. Even though the printer is set up this way 
> the "Local" definition still outputs to the network printer anyway.
>
> regards,
> Steve

Hi Steve,

This is exactly what I was seeing.

I did not realize that
     ~/.cups/lpoptions, and
     /etc/cups/lpoptions

had to be set outside the WebUI (https://127.0.0.1:631).
Confused the heck (not my "actual" word) out of me.

The WebUI's default is server only.  For what use, I can not
fathom.

To see what the Server's default is, check /etc/cups/printers.conf
as root.

su root -c "less /etc/cups/printers.conf | grep -i DefaultPrinter"

<DefaultPrinter HLL2300D>
</DefaultPrinter>

I reported the problem over on CUPS:
    CUPS UI (631) fails to update the default printer in /etc/cups/lpoptions
    https://github.com/OpenPrinting/cups/issues/818
They explained the misunderstanding to me.

I did ask on the bug report if they would included some
declaration on the Web UI's page that this was the server's
default and not the local machine's default so that
it would be intuitive to those without developer's level
knowledge of the situation.

"..it is not intuitively obvious to the lay user. It
     took me two years to figure it out. Would you consider
     removing the confusion for lay people by adding some
     wording to the Web UI to the affect that "This is
     the service side default printer. For your local
     computer, set the default printer with lpoptions:
     lpoptions -d printer-name.

Okay, and I know I may be pushing it here, but it would
     be capitol if you added a client side setting for
     default printer to the  Web UI too."

I have not heard back from them, but it has not been that
long yet.

-T

[Stephen Morris]

On 7/11/23 11:14, ToddAndMargo via users wrote:
> On 11/6/23 14:59, Stephen Morris wrote:
> > On 6/11/23 19:48, ToddAndMargo via users wrote:
> > > Hi All,
> > >
> > > This is my keeper file on the default printer.
> > >
> > > Hope this helps someone else.
> > >
> > > -T
> > >
> > > Exactly what purpose does the "server default" printer serve?
> > > Is it even possible to send the CUPS server a print job with
> > > no printer specified?    AAAAHHHH!!!!!!
> > On my system I didn't have any printers defined, so to test things I 
> > added my network printer which is an Epson ET3700.
> > Before I started, ~/.cups/lpoptions didn't exist and 
> > /etc/cups/lpoptions was empty.
> > To add my printer I went into the cups interface, as I always do, in 
> > firefox and under Administration I selected "Add Printer". That 
> > displayed all the print devices cups could see, which included "Epson 
> > ET3700 Series" and "Epson ET3700 Series Driverless" under "Network 
> > Printers". I selected "Epson ET3700 Series Driverless, and then in 
> > the Model selection on the next screen, I selected the "Driverless 
> > Driver" rather than the "IPP Everywhere Driver", then clicked on "Add 
> > Printer".
> > After defining the printer I checked ~/.cups/lpoptions and it still 
> > did not exist, and /etc/cups/lpoptions was still empty. Lpstat -p 
> > showed my printer only and lpstat -d said there was no system default.
> > Going into KDE's system settings Printer interface shows the printer 
> > I added in Cups with "Default Printer" not checked, and when I click 
> > on "Configure" and look at the printer properties it shows me the 
> > settings I set in cups as the default properties.
> > If I start Libreoffice Writer and look at file->Printer Properties it 
> > shows two entries for my printer, one with "Double Sided Printing" 
> > active, which I set in the default options in Cups, and one entry 
> > with "Double Sided Printing" turned off, and unfortunately both 
> > printer entries have the same name.
> > The double entry that Libreoffice Writer shows is similar to the 
> > issue I get under Windows. Under windows when I install the Epson 
> > printer driver and install my printer, the printer installation 
> > creates two printer definitions, an Epson ET3700 "Local" and an Epson 
> > ET3700 Network, where the "Local" entry has "Double Sided" printing 
> > active and the "Network" entry has "Double Sided" printing turned off 
> > and Administrator Disabled so that it can't be changed. Even though 
> > the printer is set up this way the "Local" definition still outputs 
> > to the network printer anyway.
> >
> > regards,
> > Steve
>
> Hi Steve,
>
> This is exactly what I was seeing.
>
> I did not realize that
>     ~/.cups/lpoptions, and
>     /etc/cups/lpoptions
>
> had to be set outside the WebUI (https://127.0.0.1:631).
> Confused the heck (not my "actual" word) out of me.
>
> The WebUI's default is server only.  For what use, I can not
> fathom.
>
> To see what the Server's default is, check /etc/cups/printers.conf
> as root.
>
> su root -c "less /etc/cups/printers.conf | grep -i DefaultPrinter"
>
> <DefaultPrinter HLL2300D>
> </DefaultPrinter>

I did a sudo cat /etc/cups/printers.conf and that has an entry for my 
printer only (no cups-pdf) and it does not have a DefaultPrinter entry, 
and my assumption is, as I only have one printer definition, by default 
that is the default printer.
One other thing I noticed is if you go into cups in your browser via 
localhost:631 and go into the printer definition, in the 
"Administration" dropdown there is an entry to set the default printer 
but the entry says "Set the Server Default", so cups is actually telling 
you that the default printer set in cups is the server default.
I suspect that when printing is done via cups, it is the cups server 
that is using the driver for the server defined printer on the server to 
do all the printer specific translations, rather than that being done on 
the client side (It has always been my interpretation that when using 
cups for printing that you are interfacing to a server and it is the 
server that is doing all the printing work, whereas if printing is being 
done via lpr then the environment where lpr is being invoked from is 
doing all the printing work). It has also always been my experience that 
if you set your printer up to use cups drivers, and cups is down for 
whatever reason, you can't do any printing.
One thing that is interesting, if I use KDE's system settings to add a 
printer, and I select the Epson ET3700 Series network printer entry 
which uses IPP Anywhere, when I'm prompted for the driver I get offered 
two Epson categories (Epson and EPSON), the second category has the 
driverless driver and the first category has all the cups supplied 
drivers, of which there isn't one for the printer I have. I've had the 
printer for several years, but I guess it is still too new for cups to 
support.

regards,
Steve
> I reported the problem over on CUPS:
>    CUPS UI (631) fails to update the default printer in 
> /etc/cups/lpoptions
>    https://github.com/OpenPrinting/cups/issues/818
> They explained the misunderstanding to me.
>
> I did ask on the bug report if they would included some
> declaration on the Web UI's page that this was the server's
> default and not the local machine's default so that
> it would be intuitive to those without developer's level
> knowledge of the situation.
>
> "..it is not intuitively obvious to the lay user. It
>     took me two years to figure it out. Would you consider
>     removing the confusion for lay people by adding some
>     wording to the Web UI to the affect that "This is
>     the service side default printer. For your local
>     computer, set the default printer with lpoptions:
>     lpoptions -d printer-name.
>
> Okay, and I know I may be pushing it here, but it would
>     be capitol if you added a client side setting for
>     default printer to the  Web UI too."
>
> I have not heard back from them, but it has not been that
> long yet.
>
> -T
> _______________________________________________
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[George N. White III]

On Tue, Nov 7, 2023 at 5:54 PM Stephen Morris 
wrote:
> One thing that is interesting, if I use KDE's system settings to add a
> printer, and I select the Epson ET3700 Series network printer entry
> which uses IPP Anywhere, when I'm prompted for the driver I get offered
> two Epson categories (Epson and EPSON), the second category has the
> driverless driver and the first category has all the cups supplied
> drivers, of which there isn't one for the printer I have. I've had the
> printer for several years, but I guess it is still too new for cups to
> support.

https://openprinting.github.io/cups/ Says:

OpenPrinting CUPS

The current standards-based, open source printing system developed by
OpenPrinting for Linux® and other Unix®-like operating systems. CUPS uses
IPP Everywhere™ to support printing to local and network printers.

I doubt anyone will be working on legacy CUPS drivers for printers that
support IPP/AirPrint/<other verndors' IPP implemenations>.

[Stephen Morris]

On 8/11/23 09:02, George N. White III wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 7, 2023 at 5:54 PM Stephen Morris 
>  wrote:
> One thing that is interesting, if I use KDE's system settings to
> add a
> printer, and I select the Epson ET3700 Series network printer entry
> which uses IPP Anywhere, when I'm prompted for the driver I get
> offered
> two Epson categories (Epson and EPSON), the second category has the
> driverless driver and the first category has all the cups supplied
> drivers, of which there isn't one for the printer I have. I've had
> the
> printer for several years, but I guess it is still too new for
> cups to
> support.
>
>
> https://openprinting.github.io/cups/ Says:
>
> OpenPrinting CUPS
>
> The current standards-based, open source printing system developed by 
> OpenPrinting for Linux® and other Unix®-like operating systems. CUPS 
> uses IPP Everywhere™ to support printing to local and network printers.
>
> I doubt anyone will be working on legacy CUPS drivers for printers 
> that support IPP/AirPrint/<other verndors' IPP implemenations>.

Hi George,
     I was pointing this out because I don't use the IPP Anywhere 
interface, and cups has never supplied drivers for my printer, I've had 
to always the Epson supplied driver to enable printing in Linux. This 
was just an observation with, when adding a printer, cups shows me two 
entries under the "Discovered Network Printer" section, one for IPP 
Anywhere and one for the "Driverless" option, where the IPP Anywhere 
shows two separate driver definitions for cups drivers and the 
driverless option, whereas the "Driverless" selection displays all 
drivers in the one list with the driverless driver listed first and all 
the cups drivers then listed in alphabetical order.

regards,
Steve
> -- 
> George N. White III
>
> users mailing list [e-mail]
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[ToddAndMargo]

On 11/14/23 13:58, Stephen Morris wrote:
> On 8/11/23 09:02, George N. White III wrote:
> > On Tue, Nov 7, 2023 at 5:54 PM Stephen Morris 
> >  wrote:
> > One thing that is interesting, if I use KDE's system settings to
> > add a
> > printer, and I select the Epson ET3700 Series network printer entry
> > which uses IPP Anywhere, when I'm prompted for the driver I get
> > offered
> > two Epson categories (Epson and EPSON), the second category has the
> > driverless driver and the first category has all the cups supplied
> > drivers, of which there isn't one for the printer I have. I've had
> > the
> > printer for several years, but I guess it is still too new for
> > cups to
> > support.
> >
> >
> > https://openprinting.github.io/cups/ Says:
> >
> > OpenPrinting CUPS
> >
> > The current standards-based, open source printing system developed by 
> > OpenPrinting for Linux® and other Unix®-like operating systems. CUPS 
> > uses IPP Everywhere™ to support printing to local and network printers.
> >
> > I doubt anyone will be working on legacy CUPS drivers for printers 
> > that support IPP/AirPrint/<other verndors' IPP implemenations>.
>
> Hi George,
>      I was pointing this out because I don't use the IPP Anywhere 
> interface, and cups has never supplied drivers for my printer, I've had 
> to always the Epson supplied driver to enable printing in Linux. This 
> was just an observation with, when adding a printer, cups shows me two 
> entries under the "Discovered Network Printer" section, one for IPP 
> Anywhere and one for the "Driverless" option, where the IPP Anywhere 
> shows two separate driver definitions for cups drivers and the 
> driverless option, whereas the "Driverless" selection displays all 
> drivers in the one list with the driverless driver listed first and all 
> the cups drivers then listed in alphabetical order.
>
> regards,
> Steve
> > -- 
> > George N. White III

Hi George,

Try the ppd list for a driver:

http://openprinting.org/printers

That being said, my Brother HLL-2300D was not in the list
and I had to use Brother's ppd.

-T

[George N. White III]

On Tue, Nov 14, 2023 at 5:58 PM Stephen Morris 
wrote:
> [...]

Hi George,
> I was pointing this out because I don't use the IPP Anywhere
>
> interface, and cups has never supplied drivers for my printer, I've had to
> always the Epson supplied driver to enable printing in Linux. This was just
> an observation with, when adding a printer, cups shows me two entries under
> the "Discovered Network Printer" section, one for IPP Anywhere and one for
> the "Driverless" option, where the IPP Anywhere shows two separate driver
> definitions for cups drivers and the driverless option, whereas the
> "Driverless" selection displays all drivers in the one list with the
> driverless driver listed first and all the cups drivers then listed in
> alphabetical order.

I wonder if we are in a transitional phase where legacy CUPS is mixing with
IPP.   Some manufacturers may provide legacy support in their printers when
they add IPP,
but (until Apple changes AirPrint), most manufacturers' networked printers
will provide IPP because they want Apple AirPrint to work for customers
using IOS.

[Stephen Morris]

On 16/11/23 02:20, George N. White III wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 14, 2023 at 5:58 PM Stephen Morris 
>  wrote:
> [...]
>
> Hi George,
>     I was pointing this out because I don't use the IPP Anywhere
> interface, and cups has never supplied drivers for my printer,
> I've had to always the Epson supplied driver to enable printing in
> Linux. This was just an observation with, when adding a printer,
> cups shows me two entries under the "Discovered Network Printer"
> section, one for IPP Anywhere and one for the "Driverless" option,
> where the IPP Anywhere shows two separate driver definitions for
> cups drivers and the driverless option, whereas the "Driverless"
> selection displays all drivers in the one list with the driverless
> driver listed first and all the cups drivers then listed in
> alphabetical order.
>
>
> I wonder if we are in a transitional phase where legacy CUPS is mixing 
> with IPP.   Some manufacturers may provide legacy support in their 
> printers when they add IPP,
> but (until Apple changes AirPrint), most manufacturers' networked 
> printers will provide IPP because they want Apple AirPrint to work for 
> customers using IOS.

I have never used IPP Anywhere with this printer, IPP Anywhere seems to 
be a relatively recent innovation in cups. It used to be just IPP among 
other options, which seem to have disappeared now, but I was never able 
to get IPP to work with my Epson printer.

regards,
Steve
> -- 
> George N. White III
>
> users mailing list [e-mail]
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