Problems Printing with Firefox

Mon May 14 18:43:56 MST 2012

Hi Lisa,

Thanks so much for your great emails regarding firefox not showing any
printers in the print dialog. I never got it to work, so I stopped using
it. I was on version 10, and not that version 12 is out, I thought I would
give it a try....well the same thing is happening - no printers in the
print dialog.

I am running  Linux version 3.1.0-1-amd64 (Debian 3.1.8-2) (
ben at decadent.org.uk) (gcc version 4.6.2 (Debian 4.6.2-11) ) #1 SMP Tue Jan
10 05:01:58 UTC 2012 with firefox 12 and Cups 1.5.2. I have a network
connected HP Officejet Pro L7670 all in one printer at ip 192.168.25.102
(my local network). All my other browsers and application on all the
machines on the network can see this printer and print to it. gtklp version
1.2.7

my ~./gtkrc-2.0 has the following
gtk-print-backends = "file,lpr,cups"

I have no errors reported in /var/log/cups/errors/log when I try to print
from firefox (ie bring up the empty print dialog)

Firefox is running under the user mark, and mark is part of the group
lpadmin

My default printer is Officejet_Pro_L7600, and I can print from the command
line using lp

I did not have a print.print_printer, so I added one to the firefox config
(about:config) and used Officejet_Pro_L7600 as the name. If I reset the
value as recommended in some posts, it defaults to an empty string, and
then on a restart of firefox, that config element is no longer there. I
also have:
print.postscript.print_command /usr/bin/gtklp
print.print_command /usr/bin/gtklp

I have these installed:
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/printbackends/libprintbackend-cups.so
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/printbackends/libprintbackend-file.so
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/printbackends/libprintbackend-lpr.so
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/printbackends/libprintbackend-test.so

/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/printbackends/libprintbackend-cups.so
/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/printbackends/libprintbackend-file.so
/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/printbackends/libprintbackend-lpr.so
/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/printbackends/libprintbackend-test.so

Somewhere I read they are important...;)

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Mark

On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 4:15 PM, Lisa Kachold <lisakachold at obnosis.com>wrote:

> Also,  I forgot to clarify which gtkrc you needed to edit:
>
> This should go into ~/.gtkrc-2.0:
>
> gtk-print-backends = "file,lpr,cups"
>
> This is supposedly important.  Be sure to save the original so you can roll back.
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 4:09 PM, Lisa Kachold <lisakachold at obnosis.com>wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 2:07 PM, Mark Phillips <
>> mark at phillipsmarketing.biz> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 12:53 PM, Lisa Kachold <lisakachold at obnosis.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi Mark
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 11:51 AM, Mark Phillips <
>>>> mark at phillipsmarketing.biz> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 10:01 AM, Lisa Kachold <
>>>>> lisakachold at obnosis.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Mark
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 7:49 AM, Mark Phillips <
>>>>>> mark at phillipsmarketing.biz> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I have Firefox 11.0 installed, as well as Google Chrome 17.0.963.65,
>>>>>>> Opera, and of course, Epiphany on my Debian testing machine. I use cups for
>>>>>>> printing over the network to my hp printer. Chrome, Opera, Epiphany all
>>>>>>> recognize all the installed printers on my network, but Firefox does not
>>>>>>> see any of them. I don't even have the print to file option that most posts
>>>>>>> on the subject talk about. When I look in firefox's about:config at all the
>>>>>>> print* settings, the printer is there, but it does not show up in the print
>>>>>>> dialog and I cannot print from firefox.
>>>>>>> Anyone else have this problem, and know how to solve it?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Mark
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Reference:  http://wiki.debian.org/SystemPrinting
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A) Have you logged into Cups to see if there is an error?
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> http://localhost:631
>>>>>>
>>>>>> WHAT IS THE ERROR message in the logs?
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes, I have looked at the cups error logs as well as the admin portal.
>>>>> There are no errors from firefox, since it never sees any of the printers.
>>>>> All other applications (browsers, libreoffice, etc.) print without errors.
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> <snip>
>>
>>>
>>>>>> B) If this is a "permissions issue", you might have to add the
>>>>>> Firefox invoking user to the group file:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> sudo usermod -a -G lpadmin tom
>>>>>>
>>>>>> firefox is running under user mark, and I am in the lpadmin group
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> C) Are you using a postscript printer?  I see you are using printers
>>>>>> that require postscript, but cups and GTK should work.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> gnome gtklp runs and finds all the printers.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Also, why would the type of printer make a difference? If cups can
>>>>> print to that printer, why would firefox care, unless firefox doesn't use
>>>>> cups?
>>>>>
>>>>
>> Firefox (like all prebuilt binaries) can be sensitive to GTK issues.
>>
>>>
>>>>>> Firefox:
>>>>>> 1. First, if you haven't done so, you need to print to PostScript in
>>>>>> order for the needed entry in prefs.js to be populated. This will be done
>>>>>> automatically the first time you print. Open any web page and go to:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> File --> Print --> choose PostScript/default (it should be the
>>>>>> default if you haven't installed any printers yet) --> click "Print"
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> The problem is that there are no printers int he File --> Print
>>>>> dialog, so nothing to print to.
>>>>>
>>>>
>> There are known issues with Mozilla and GTK that present this SAME way:  https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=430818
>> <https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=430818>
>> If you read that post they discuss reinstalling another version of GTK.
>>
>>>
>>>>>> Did you verify the GTK?
>>>>
>>>> Did you check for the gtkrc file?
>>>>
>>>
>>> I have a lot of gtkrc files -
>>> locate gtkrc
>>>
>> <snip>
>>
>> Please try:
>>
>>> # "locate gtk-2.0"
>>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>> You didn't give us your exact distro (there are many debian testing
>>> versions) so I could not be sure this was not the Firefox gtk bug:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> E.  If you have an older version of debian (known gtk bug issues) you
>>>>> might try (verify) this:
>>>>>
>>>>> 1. From the terminal change into the gtk-2.0 directory...
>>>>> cd /etc/gtk-2.0  [if you have a different version,check for the gtkrc
>>>>> file as in 2.]
>>>>>
>>>>> 2. Use sudo and a text editor (my editor of choice is "vi") to create
>>>>> the gtkrc file in the /etc/gtk-2.0 directory...
>>>>> sudo vi gtkrc
>>>>>
>>>>> 3. Add the following to your newly-created gtkrc file...
>>>>> gtk-print-backends="lpr,file"
>>>>>
>>>>> 4. Exit the text editor and save your newly-created gtkrc file.
>>>>>
>>>>> 5. Re-start your computer to incorporate the changes.  [Not sure why
>>>>> they suggest this step, but it's in all the posts...]
>>>>>
>>>>> 6. Re-open firefox and you should be able to print to "lpr" from it!
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Set the default printer:
>>>
>>> lpoptions -d printer-name
>>>
>>> The ‘d’ option sets the default printer.
>>>
>>> If your shell is bash (which is the most common), you’d use the syntax
>>> in your *~/.bashrc* file:
>>>
>>> export PRINTER=printer-name
>>>
>>>
>>>> I can print from the command line with lpr with no problem. If I go to
>>>> about:config in firefox, my printer is there with all its different
>>>> options. But the line print.printer_list is empty. The print.print_command
>>>> has lpr ${MOZ_PRINTER_NAME:+-P"$MOZ_PRINTER_NAME"}, so I know it is trying
>>>> to use lpr (same as the print.postscrip.print_command). But lpr works from
>>>> the command line.
>>>>
>>>
>> A command line print to lpr is a completely different program etc.
>> If you didn't do the two options above, adding your default printer
>> name, how can you expect it to be inherited in firefox as the variable name
>> MOZ_PRINTER_NAME? Also add to your ~.bashrc file:
>>
>> export MOZ_PRINTER_NAME=printer-name
>>
>> There are a few links that indicate an UPGRADE will break printers.  Is
>> this a Firefox upgrade?
>>
>>
>>>>
>>>> It seems to be that firefox is not finding the list of printers from
>>>> wherever it is supposed to find them, and so it cannot print.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Right....let's reset the printer:
>>>
>>> As a first step, reset the selected printer in your Firefox preferences:
>>>
>>>    1. Type *about:config <http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config>* in
>>>    the Location Bar and press Enter. A list of preferences will appear.
>>>    2. Find the preference *print.print_printer* (Note: this preference
>>>    is missing in Firefox profiles where you've never used the printer.)
>>>    3. Right-click (context-click) that preference and select *Reset*.
>>>    (Some users may need to reset all the *print.printer* preferences
>>>    for a particular printer, if resetting this one master preference doesn't
>>>    solve the problem.)
>>>    4. Restart Firefox and see if the problem is resolved.
>>>
>>> about:config does not have a print.print_printer entry.
>>
>> Correct, Mark, if you upgraded Mozilla or never used this Firefox printer
>> yet, you are not going to see it (that's what that red means up there...)
>>
>>
>> I tried adding a print.print_printer entry, and then reset it, but it is
>> just an empty string. There are no instructions on how to manually add the
>> printer.....the red text was not very helpful. (I don't mean you are not
>> helpful, just I ran across this info earlier in one of my many google
>> searches on this problem, and found the red text somewhat humorous and not
>> very helpful).
>>
>> Try setting your print.print_printer to Officejet_Pro_L7600
>>
>>> Note: If you get the warning dialog, "Printing failed when starting the
>>> document" and if the *print.print_printer* preference has no printer
>>> shown, either you don't have a printer selected, or Firefox doesn't know it
>>> is installed on your system.
>>>
>> Be sure you have added the ~/.bashrc entries above.
>>
>>>
>>> Follow this instruction to reset by double clicking on
>>> print.print_printer and setting your default:
>>> http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/firefox-not-seeing-cups-printers-869422/
>>> My default printer is already installed, since I can print from the command
>>> line using lpr.
>>>
>>> Mark, your printer is not installed for FIREFOX!  Forget your lpr
>> command line printing <laugh>!
>>
>>> It is not installed for Firefox.
>>>
>>>
>>> When I run lpoptions, I get
>>> auth-info-required=none collate=false ColorModel=RGB copies=1
>>> device-uri=hp:/net/Officejet_Pro_L7600?ip=192.168.25.102 Duplex=None
>>> finishings=3 InputSlot=Auto job-hold-until=no-hold job-priority=50
>>> job-sheets=none,none marker-change-time=0 MediaType=Automatic number-up=1
>>> number-up-layout=btlr OptionDuplex=False OutputMode=Normal
>>> outputorder=normal PageSize=Letter position=center printer-commands=none
>>> printer-info=Officejet_Pro_L7600 printer-is-accepting-jobs=true
>>> printer-is-shared=true printer-location=office printer-make-and-model='HP
>>> Officejet Pro l7600, hpcups 3.11.12' printer-state=3
>>> printer-state-change-time=1332096319 printer-state-reasons=none
>>> printer-type=167948
>>> printer-uri-supported=ipp://localhost:631/printers/Officejet_Pro_L7600
>>> wrap=false
>>>
>>>
>> [edit<http://kb.mozillazine.org/index.php?title=Problems_printing_web_pages&action=edit&section=2>
>>> ]
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>> See full link:  http://kb.mozillazine.org/Problems_printing_web_pages
>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Respond with logs and test output with exact versions please?
>>>>>
>>>>
>>> What is:
>>> # uname -a
>>>
>> Linux orca 3.1.0-1-amd64 #1 SMP Tue Jan 10 05:01:58 UTC 2012 x86_64
>> GNU/Linux
>>
>>>
>>> Do you have a 64bit distro?
>>>
>>  Yes
>>
>>> If so, Firefox cannot use the 64bit GTK (another bug); just install the
>>> 32 bit.
>>>
>> It is installed - /usr/lib32/libgtk2.0-0
>>
>> Please give us an idea what linker libs Firefox needs using:
>>
>> # ldd $PATH/$FIREFOX.bin
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> <snip>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>> But just manually adding or resetting your Firefox printer (if
>>> everything else is normal) (after upgrade) should fix it.
>>>
>>
>> I guess I expect it to find all the printers, and not make me add them
>> manually, like every other program. I would add it manually, if I knew how!
>> I have tried various combinations of Officejet_Pro_L7600 (see the lpoptions
>> output above), and then resetting firefox, but it never shows up in the
>> printing dialog. I have also tried the option of using gtklp instead of lpr
>> in the print.print_command option, but no luck there either.
>>
>> Gee, if you reset all those options and restart Firefox, (after adding
>> the "default lpr" and .bashrc entries) and you still don't see a printer,
>> please reply with the ldd info, so we can verify which GTK libs and linkers
>> it's needing?
>>
>>
>>>> Thanks for the suggestions!
>>>>
>>>> Mark
>>>>
>>>>
>> --
>> (503) 754-4452 Android
>> (623) 239-3392 Skype
>> (623) 688-3392 Google Voice
>> **
>> it-clowns.com
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> --
> (503) 754-4452 Android
> (623) 239-3392 Skype
> (623) 688-3392 Google Voice
> **
> it-clowns.com
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