Humbled again and reminded to think simple

[JJ Neff]

I spent quite some time trying to figure out why I could print via CUPS to a
HPLJ6L printer on an old Lexmark pserver from an older server but my new Debian
machine did not seem to be able to send data to the printer.  I could print
from the new machien to the server instance of the printer but that was not the
goal.  I could get to the lexmark from the debian machine and I could get a
test page from the lexmark to print to the printer.

Finally I tailed /var/log/cups/error.log I believe it was.  Turns out there was
an error I was missing when I just tried to 'tail' the logs by themselves. 
There was a single line error about not being able to send page due to possible
missing app (gs-esp) I searched for it, apt-get install'ed it and after
restarting cups printed fine.  The error.log even suggested the application
that was missing!  Once I read the desription "it can render PostScript files
as graphics to be printed on non-PostScript printers...intended mostly for use
with the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) from Easy Software Products
(www.easysw.com)..." it made perfect sense!

This was not terrible difficult, won't change the world. But it did remind me
that I need to check logs and follow error messages before I try to reinvent
the wheel.  And if a printer or (insert device here) is working from one system
and not another DON'T start Reconfiguring the DEVICE! :-)

JJN


		
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