From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2008-12-29 19:19:51
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This is a new one on me: I set up a bunch of payables (using the Cash->Payments menu), then try to print them directly to the printer. Nothing happens. If I select each check individually and print it to the screen (as a .ps file that's saved to disk), I can use lpr to print the check from the disk file. Printing is working, but SL (2.8.18) has suddenly decided to not see the printer. What should I do to trace the source of the problem so I can fix it? Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Jeff R. <je...@jr...> - 2008-12-29 19:28:27
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Hi Rich Start by checking sql-ledger.conf to see if they are all defined properly. You haven't mentioned any recent upgrades, changes or edits that you have done, stuff like this rarely happens all by itself, what have you done recently. Jeff Rich Shepard wrote: > This is a new one on me: I set up a bunch of payables (using the > Cash->Payments menu), then try to print them directly to the printer. > Nothing happens. > > If I select each check individually and print it to the screen (as a .ps > file that's saved to disk), I can use lpr to print the check from the disk > file. > > Printing is working, but SL (2.8.18) has suddenly decided to not see the > printer. What should I do to trace the source of the problem so I can fix > it? > > Rich > > |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2008-12-29 22:12:52
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On Mon, 29 Dec 2008, Jeff Roberts wrote: > Start by checking sql-ledger.conf to see if they are all defined properly. Jeff, -rw-r--r-- 1 nobody nobody 1188 2005-01-27 19:43 sql-ledger.conf hasn't been touched in almost four years now. And the definitions are still valid. > You haven't mentioned any recent upgrades, changes or edits that you have > done, stuff like this rarely happens all by itself, what have you done > recently. About two weeks ago I printed a bunch of checks. I've entered payable invoices. That's it until I tried printing today. Which is why this is so puzzling. Thanks, Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Rolf S. <in...@to...> - 2008-12-29 19:47:57
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Does lpr work with the command you have defined in sql-ledger.conf? R. Rich Shepard schrieb: > This is a new one on me: I set up a bunch of payables (using the > Cash->Payments menu), then try to print them directly to the printer. > Nothing happens. > > If I select each check individually and print it to the screen (as a .ps > file that's saved to disk), I can use lpr to print the check from the disk > file. > > Printing is working, but SL (2.8.18) has suddenly decided to not see the > printer. What should I do to trace the source of the problem so I can fix > it? > > Rich > |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2008-12-29 22:17:51
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On Mon, 29 Dec 2008, Rolf Stöckli wrote: > Does lpr work with the command you have defined in sql-ledger.conf? Rolf, Yes, it does. Thanks, Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Paul T. <pt...@wa...> - 2008-12-30 06:42:18
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Wild guess: I had some very weird and not reproducable errors aftrer updating my dual nboot machine from XP to Vista. The printer no longer worked, and somehow that also gave erratic behaviour under Linux. Not wanting to spend more than an hour to investigate i threw out the HP laserjet 1310 (2 years old, works perfect under XP sec) and bought a new Samsung Laser (black and white). All problems solved for 59 euro, which is less than a new cartidge for the HP would have been. Bad for the scarce envireonment and all, but nice for my wallet and sanity: everything works as it used to do. I KNOW any Vista tricks SHOULD not impact the printer under Linuxc, but maybe onboard cache was puzzeled by Vista driver errors and gives hickups even under Linux, no time to really investigate. Jut thought to mention it, if you have recently upgraded a dual boot to Vista, that might be the explanation. Cure is relatively cheap: either downgrade to XP or buy a Vista certified printer. (Or remove vista alltogether) 2008/12/29 Rich Shepard <rsh...@ap...> > On Mon, 29 Dec 2008, Rolf Stöckli wrote: > > > Does lpr work with the command you have defined in sql-ledger.conf? > > Rolf, > > Yes, it does. > > Thanks, > > Rich > > -- > Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility > Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation > <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: > 503-667-8863 > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > _______________________________________________ > sql-ledger-users mailing list > sql...@li... > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/sql-ledger-users > > |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2008-12-30 14:14:07
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On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Paul Tammes wrote: > Wild guess: I had some very weird and not reproducable errors aftrer > updating my dual nboot machine from XP to Vista. Paul, We've run nothing but linux for more than a decade. > Not wanting to spend more than an hour to investigate i threw out the HP > laserjet 1310 (2 years old, works perfect under XP sec) and bought a new > Samsung Laser (black and white). The LJ 5 works just fine. Your solution, if applied to automobiles, would be to replace your car if the windshield wipers stopped working. The problem that arose here has nothing to do with the printer. I can print from other applications, print from within SL to a PostScript file (which can then be printed using lpr), and had printed directly from within SL for the past four years. Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Jeff R. <je...@jr...> - 2008-12-30 14:56:12
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Hi Rich I agree, buying new printers to solve an upgrade problem is a "Microsoft solution". I'd personally feel like Bill Gates had forced me to spend money I hadn't wanted to. No Way! We've been running Linux/Unix for almost ten years now and all of my HP LJIIIDs still operate fine :-) . Can you post what your sql-ledger.conf has under '# available printers' Are you using CUPS for your printing system? What does it call the printer? What computer is your printer connected to? The server? The desktop? By parallel port? USB port? or on a local network by IP address? The more data the better. I once had my server drop all of the printers that it was supposed to see on the network through CUPS, the names had changed and there was a problem with "concise names" or something like that in the CUPS.conf file. It happened after years of normal operation and all I had to do was make sure the printer names were consistent from the computer where the queue was to the sql-server to the desktop and it all started working again. Remember, also, that sql prints from the server not the desktop that you access it from so while the lpr command may work from the desktop that's not where it's called from. Does the lpr command work from the computer where Apache is running? Jeff Rich Shepard wrote: > On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Paul Tammes wrote: > > >> Wild guess: I had some very weird and not reproducable errors aftrer >> updating my dual nboot machine from XP to Vista. >> > > Paul, > > We've run nothing but linux for more than a decade. > > >> Not wanting to spend more than an hour to investigate i threw out the HP >> laserjet 1310 (2 years old, works perfect under XP sec) and bought a new >> Samsung Laser (black and white). >> > > The LJ 5 works just fine. Your solution, if applied to automobiles, would > be to replace your car if the windshield wipers stopped working. > > The problem that arose here has nothing to do with the printer. I can > print from other applications, print from within SL to a PostScript file > (which can then be printed using lpr), and had printed directly from within > SL for the past four years. > > Rich > > |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2008-12-30 15:27:30
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On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Jeff Roberts wrote: > Can you post what your sql-ledger.conf has under '# available printers' Jeff, Sure. As I posted yesterday, the conf file hasn't been changed in four years. From /usr/local/sql-ledger/sql-ledger.conf: # available printers %printer = ( laser_single => 'lpr -P laser5_single>/dev/null 2>&1', laser_duplex => 'lpr -P laser5_duplex>/dev/null 2>&1', ); > Are you using CUPS for your printing system? What does it call the printer? Yup. Ever since it came out as a replacement for lprng (or whatever it was as the linux default back then). From /etc/cups/printers.conf: <DefaultPrinter laser5_duplex> Info Double-sided printing Location office DeviceURI socket://lj5:9100/ State Idle StateTime 1228186929 Accepting Yes Shared Yes JobSheets none none QuotaPeriod 0 PageLimit 0 KLimit 0 OpPolicy default ErrorPolicy stop-printer </Printer> <Printer laser5_single> Info Single-sided printing Location office DeviceURI socket://lj5:9100 State Idle StateTime 1229378152 Accepting Yes Shared Yes JobSheets none none QuotaPeriod 0 PageLimit 0 KLimit 0 OpPolicy default ErrorPolicy stop-printer </Printer> > What computer is your printer connected to? The server? The desktop? > By parallel port? USB port? or on a local network by IP address? It's a node on the network, connected by a JetDirect card. From /etc/hosts: 192.168.55.192 lj5.appl-ecosys.com lj5 > The more data the better. I once had my server drop all of the printers > that it was supposed to see on the network through CUPS, the names had > changed and there was a problem with "concise names" or something like > that in the CUPS.conf file. It happened after years of normal operation > and all I had to do was make sure the printer names were consistent from > the computer where the queue was to the sql-server to the desktop and it > all started working again. I suspect that this is a CUPS issue related to the distribution upgrade. I never before had to modify /etc/cups/client.conf, but after the upgrade nothing would go to the printer from that host. When I type at the command line (even as root) 'lpq' I now get this: [root@salmo ~]# lpq lpq: Unable to connect to server That's never before been the case. Also, lpr wasn't working. I tracked that down to the new need for another environment variable: export CUPS_SERVER=localhost which I had to put in ~/.bash_profile because specifying the server in /etc/cups/client.conf did not work. That the print queue status command still does not work suggests that there are still unresolved CUPS issues, one of which is affecting SL printing directly. But, doesn't printing to 'screen' (really to a PostScript file on disk) also get processed through CUPS? Or does it bypass CUPS and use only ghostscript to produce the output file. And, if it is a CUPS issue, why will lpr work from the command line (or within xpdf or gv), but not printing directly from within SL? Curious minds want to know. > Remember, also, that sql prints from the server not the desktop that you > access it from so while the lpr command may work from the desktop that's > not where it's called from. Does the lpr command work from the computer > where Apache is running? Yup. The desktop is my combined server (httpd, postfix, etc.) and workstation. Many thanks, Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Jeff R. <je...@jr...> - 2008-12-30 15:45:53
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Hi Rich I agree, getting lpq resolved should also fix the sql problem. I don't think print to screen uses CUPS. Can you confirm that CUPS is running? I once had both CUPS and LPR installed on a machine and the lpr command would still work when CUPS was shut down. LPR had been installed on the machine when it was built and I had added CUPS later. So don't get tripped up into thinking that because a command line lpr works that CUPS is running. Also, can you print a web page from within Firefox? Jeff Rich Shepard wrote: > On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Jeff Roberts wrote: > > >> Can you post what your sql-ledger.conf has under '# available printers' >> > > Jeff, > > Sure. As I posted yesterday, the conf file hasn't been changed in four > years. > > From /usr/local/sql-ledger/sql-ledger.conf: > > # available printers > %printer = ( laser_single => 'lpr -P laser5_single>/dev/null 2>&1', > laser_duplex => 'lpr -P laser5_duplex>/dev/null 2>&1', > ); > > >> Are you using CUPS for your printing system? What does it call the printer? >> > > Yup. Ever since it came out as a replacement for lprng (or whatever it was > as the linux default back then). From /etc/cups/printers.conf: > > <DefaultPrinter laser5_duplex> > Info Double-sided printing > Location office > DeviceURI socket://lj5:9100/ > State Idle > StateTime 1228186929 > Accepting Yes > Shared Yes > JobSheets none none > QuotaPeriod 0 > PageLimit 0 > KLimit 0 > OpPolicy default > ErrorPolicy stop-printer > </Printer> > <Printer laser5_single> > Info Single-sided printing > Location office > DeviceURI socket://lj5:9100 > State Idle > StateTime 1229378152 > Accepting Yes > Shared Yes > JobSheets none none > QuotaPeriod 0 > PageLimit 0 > KLimit 0 > OpPolicy default > ErrorPolicy stop-printer > </Printer> > > >> What computer is your printer connected to? The server? The desktop? >> By parallel port? USB port? or on a local network by IP address? >> > > It's a node on the network, connected by a JetDirect card. From > /etc/hosts: > > 192.168.55.192 lj5.appl-ecosys.com lj5 > > >> The more data the better. I once had my server drop all of the printers >> that it was supposed to see on the network through CUPS, the names had >> changed and there was a problem with "concise names" or something like >> that in the CUPS.conf file. It happened after years of normal operation >> and all I had to do was make sure the printer names were consistent from >> the computer where the queue was to the sql-server to the desktop and it >> all started working again. >> > > I suspect that this is a CUPS issue related to the distribution upgrade. I > never before had to modify /etc/cups/client.conf, but after the upgrade > nothing would go to the printer from that host. > > When I type at the command line (even as root) 'lpq' I now get this: > > [root@salmo ~]# lpq > lpq: Unable to connect to server > > That's never before been the case. Also, lpr wasn't working. I tracked > that down to the new need for another environment variable: > > export CUPS_SERVER=localhost > > which I had to put in ~/.bash_profile because specifying the server in > /etc/cups/client.conf did not work. That the print queue status command > still does not work suggests that there are still unresolved CUPS issues, > one of which is affecting SL printing directly. > > But, doesn't printing to 'screen' (really to a PostScript file on disk) > also get processed through CUPS? Or does it bypass CUPS and use only > ghostscript to produce the output file. And, if it is a CUPS issue, why will > lpr work from the command line (or within xpdf or gv), but not printing > directly from within SL? Curious minds want to know. > > >> Remember, also, that sql prints from the server not the desktop that you >> access it from so while the lpr command may work from the desktop that's >> not where it's called from. Does the lpr command work from the computer >> where Apache is running? >> > > Yup. The desktop is my combined server (httpd, postfix, etc.) and > workstation. > > Many thanks, > > Rich > > |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2008-12-30 16:46:33
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On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Jeff Roberts wrote: > Can you confirm that CUPS is running? Jeff, Yes, it is running. > I once had both CUPS and LPR installed on a machine and the lpr command > would still work when CUPS was shut down. LPR had been installed on the > machine when it was built and I had added CUPS later. So don't get tripped > up into thinking that because a command line lpr works that CUPS is > running. Way back when CUPS first came out the instructions to install it involved removing lpr first. While I wasn't sure if I would regain the ability to print, it all came out just fine when I followed the instructions. > Also, can you print a web page from within Firefox? Yup. And from OO.o, and from xpdf/acroread, etc. Think I've found the problem and fixed it. For some reason, the upgrade from cups-1.3.7 to -1.3.9 left the former version installed. I removed -1.3.7 and can print a screen from SL directly to the printer. In a few days I'll have more checks to print and will be able to see if those print directly to the printer, too. Thank you very much for your suggestions, Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Jeff R. <je...@jr...> - 2009-01-05 05:30:37
|
Hi Rich Did you ever get this resolved? Jeff Hi Rich Doesn't printing an SL screen just prove that firefox works? Why don't you load the printer with plain white paper and see if you can reprint some old cheques and invoices to see if it's really fixed. Also, does lpq work again? Jeff Rich Shepard wrote: > On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Jeff Roberts wrote: > > >> Can you confirm that CUPS is running? >> > > Jeff, > > Yes, it is running. > > >> I once had both CUPS and LPR installed on a machine and the lpr command >> would still work when CUPS was shut down. LPR had been installed on the >> machine when it was built and I had added CUPS later. So don't get tripped >> up into thinking that because a command line lpr works that CUPS is >> running. >> > > Way back when CUPS first came out the instructions to install it involved > removing lpr first. While I wasn't sure if I would regain the ability to > print, it all came out just fine when I followed the instructions. > > >> Also, can you print a web page from within Firefox? >> > > Yup. And from OO.o, and from xpdf/acroread, etc. > > Think I've found the problem and fixed it. For some reason, the upgrade > from cups-1.3.7 to -1.3.9 left the former version installed. I removed > -1.3.7 and can print a screen from SL directly to the printer. In a few days > I'll have more checks to print and will be able to see if those print > directly to the printer, too. > > Thank you very much for your suggestions, > > Rich > > |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2009-01-05 14:50:56
|
On Sun, 4 Jan 2009, Jeff Roberts wrote: > Did you ever get this resolved? Jeff, No, I'm still trying to determine if it's related to httpd (upgraded from 1.3.37 to 2.2.9 with the distribution upgrade), SL, CUPS, or something else. One local SysAdmin suggested that script permissions in the latest httpd might not allow running by users. I've no idea where to check this since once I get the server set up I ignore it and use it for only local apps, which currently is limited to SL. Wish I could resolve this quickly and move my focus to business. Thanks, Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Jeff R. <je...@jr...> - 2008-12-30 18:23:15
|
Hi Rich Doesn't printing an SL screen just prove that firefox works? Why don't you load the printer with plain white paper and see if you can reprint some old cheques and invoices to see if it's really fixed. Also, does lpq work again? Jeff Rich Shepard wrote: > On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Jeff Roberts wrote: > > >> Can you confirm that CUPS is running? >> > > Jeff, > > Yes, it is running. > > >> I once had both CUPS and LPR installed on a machine and the lpr command >> would still work when CUPS was shut down. LPR had been installed on the >> machine when it was built and I had added CUPS later. So don't get tripped >> up into thinking that because a command line lpr works that CUPS is >> running. >> > > Way back when CUPS first came out the instructions to install it involved > removing lpr first. While I wasn't sure if I would regain the ability to > print, it all came out just fine when I followed the instructions. > > >> Also, can you print a web page from within Firefox? >> > > Yup. And from OO.o, and from xpdf/acroread, etc. > > Think I've found the problem and fixed it. For some reason, the upgrade > from cups-1.3.7 to -1.3.9 left the former version installed. I removed > -1.3.7 and can print a screen from SL directly to the printer. In a few days > I'll have more checks to print and will be able to see if those print > directly to the printer, too. > > Thank you very much for your suggestions, > > Rich > > |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2008-12-30 18:40:09
|
On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Jeff Roberts wrote: > Doesn't printing an SL screen just prove that firefox works? Yes. > Why don't you load the printer with plain white paper and see if you can > reprint some old cheques and invoices to see if it's really fixed. Because I haven't found where on the menu system I go to reload a check for reprinting. > Also, does lpq work again? Unfortunately, no. Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2008-12-30 18:45:02
|
On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Jeff Roberts wrote: > Why don't you load the printer with plain white paper and see if you can > reprint some old cheques and invoices to see if it's really fixed. Jeff, Well, I wrote too soon. I found my way to the proper place and displayed an invoice from yesterday. Changing the type from transaction to check, I tried printing. No output. Back to transaction and tried printing, still no output. So, it's not fixed and I'm more puzzled than ever. If it's a CUPS issue I'd have difficulties printing from everything. So, it must be a SL issue since the only problem is printing to the printer from one of the views. Back to square one. Thanks, Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Rolf S. <in...@to...> - 2008-12-31 14:07:48
|
Rich Shepard schrieb: > -rw-r--r-- 1 nobody nobody 1188 2005-01-27 19:43 sql-ledger.conf nobody.nobody is a strange permission. Has your webserver process write access to the directories users, templates, css and spool? Maybe the printing fails becaus SL is not able to create a tex-file. Rolf |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2008-12-31 14:21:40
|
On Wed, 31 Dec 2008, Rolf Stöckli wrote: > nobody.nobody is a strange permission. Has your webserver process write > access to the directories users, templates, css and spool? Maybe the > printing fails becaus SL is not able to create a tex-file. Rolf, httpd is owned by nobody in group nobody. It's been this way for years. Regardless, I'll look at ownership and permissions, but they've not changed since before SL stopped direct printing. Thanks ... and my wishes for a Happy New Year, Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Jeff R. <je...@jr...> - 2009-01-08 16:51:23
|
Hi Rich I had a thought... could this be a perl problem? Can you create a perl script (text file) with the print command and run it from the command line? The other thought I've had was to change your sql-ledger.conf file from >/dev/null to a file that will capture any output, print something and then read what is being dumped after the command executes. Jeff Rich Shepard wrote: > On Sun, 4 Jan 2009, Jeff Roberts wrote: > > >> Did you ever get this resolved? >> > > Jeff, > > No, I'm still trying to determine if it's related to httpd (upgraded from > 1.3.37 to 2.2.9 with the distribution upgrade), SL, CUPS, or something else. > > One local SysAdmin suggested that script permissions in the latest httpd > might not allow running by users. I've no idea where to check this since > once I get the server set up I ignore it and use it for only local apps, > which currently is limited to SL. > > Wish I could resolve this quickly and move my focus to business. > > Thanks, > > Rich > > |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2009-01-08 17:18:06
|
On Thu, 8 Jan 2009, Jeff Roberts wrote: > I had a thought... could this be a perl problem? Jeff, Could well be. > Can you create a perl script (text file) with the print command and run > it from the command line? > > The other thought I've had was to change your sql-ledger.conf file from > >/dev/null to a file that will capture any output, print something and > then read what is being dumped after the command executes. I'll need to get a perl monger to work on this. For various reasons I've avoided perl; C and Python meet all of my needs. Thanks, Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |
From: Rich S. <rsh...@ap...> - 2009-02-10 02:56:54
|
On Thu, 8 Jan 2009, Rich Shepard wrote: > I'll need to get a perl monger to work on this. For various reasons I've > avoided perl; C and Python meet all of my needs. Actually, it turned out to be a CUPS problem. Not before now have I needed to define CUPS_SERVER, but now I need to export that from ~/.bash_profile and also put it in /etc/cups/client.conf. Most importantly, the hostname must be the same in both places. I had 'localhost' in one and the full host.domain.tld name in the other. As soon as I changed both to localhost the printing worked once again. Rich -- Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D. | Integrity Credibility Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. | Innovation <http://www.appl-ecosys.com> Voice: 503-667-4517 Fax: 503-667-8863 |