Re: [tlug] Parallel port driving me nuts

[Ian Barwick <ianb@example.com>]

On Tue, 6 Aug 2002, Godwin Stewart wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I'm trying to get my Slackware 8.0 box (2.4.18 kernel) to run as a print
> server. For this, it obviously has to be able to print...
>
> Apart from the steps which follow, I've managed to boot the box from a
> floppy with the "other" O/S  (...)

You mean one of the *BSDs? ;-)

> It is detected by the kernel upon startup. Extract from /var/log/messages:
>
> Aug  6 17:54:55 spider kernel: parport0: PC-style at 0x378 [PCSPP,TRISTATE]
> Aug  6 17:54:55 spider kernel: parport0: Printer, EPSON Stylus COLOR 600

Does /var/log/messages include something like

Jul  7 00:54:56 ianb kernel: lp0: using parport0 (polling)

and do you have the lp module?

> # lsmod
> Module                  Size  Used by
> n_hdlc                  6128   1 (autoclean)
> ipt_MASQUERADE          1328   1 (autoclean)
> iptable_nat            13616   1 (autoclean) [ipt_MASQUERADE]
> ip_conntrack           14192   1 (autoclean) [ipt_MASQUERADE iptable_nat]
> iptable_filter          1728   1 (autoclean)
> ip_tables              10720   5 [ipt_MASQUERADE iptable_nat iptable_filter]
> usb-uhci               21872   0 (unused)
> parport_pc             12432   0 (unused)
> parport                13760   0 [parport_pc]
> rtc                     6112   0 (autoclean)

Doesn't look like it, although it may be compile into the kernel (I don't
know Mandrake though).

> The /dev/lp? device nodes *do* exist:
>
> # ls -ls /dev/lp?
>    0 crw-rw----    1 root     lp         6,   0 Apr 28  1995 /dev/lp0
>    0 crw-rw----    1 root     lp         6,   1 Apr 28  1995 /dev/lp1
>    0 crw-rw----    1 root     lp         6,   2 Apr 28  1995 /dev/lp2
>
> So, in theory, I should be able to eject a sheet of paper by sending a form
> feed to the printer, right?
>
> # echo -n -e "\x0C" > /dev/lp0
> bash: /dev/lp0: No such device

Yup. Well, works here, at least with SuSE 7.0.

Maybe try insmod lp ?


Ian Barwick