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LAOS CUPS driver » History » Version 2

jaap, 2012-07-15 12:45

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h1. LAOS CUPS driver
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This page describes the CUPS printer driver installation.
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h2. How it works
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The printer driver translates standard Postscript into LAOS codes.
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This is done in the following steps
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* Application generates a postscript file (by pressing print)
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* The printer dialog shows the configuration dialog based on PPD. The user selects the appropriate settings 
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* Postscript printer data captured in file, along with the selected settings
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* File is received by the LaOS cups printer driver. 
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* LaOS cups printer driver uses pstoedit to convert the file into LaOS [SimpleCode]
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* LaOS cups printer driver transfers the file to the laser cutter using the TFTP protocol
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h2. OS Support
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The goal is to write platform-independent printer driver, based on CUPS.
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Our test environment is Linux. However: it should be possible to compile the driver on Windows or Mac. Another option is to work from a Windows or MAC workstation and send the data to the CUPS printer on a Linux system. (the cups driver for windows could help: http://www.cups.org/articles.php?L376 ). The PPD file can be used on Windows and Mac. 
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The backend conversion (pstoedit) is also usable as a stand-alone program, and sending the files to the actual printer can be done with a standard TFTP program.
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h2. Installation
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h3. Linux
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This is how you install the driver on Linux.
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Tested on:
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* Debian Squeeze
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* Ubuntu 10.10, 11.04, 11.10, 12.04 LTS
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Please add your distro or let us know problems you encounter!
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*Downloading software*
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Before installing the CUPS driver, install [[pstoedit with laos support]].
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From SVN download the cups-laos:
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@svn co https://tuxic.nl/laos/cups-laos
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Some svn programs will complain if they don't know the CA, (ssl error), in that case, add this line to the file ~/.subversion/servers:
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@ssl-trust-default-ca = no@
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Installing the cups driver:
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@cd <where-ever you installed> cups-laos/src
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make
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sudo make install@
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(if make fails, rename or copy one of the personal makefiles in that folder and call it 'Makefile')
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Now it's time to install the laser cutter using your CUPS printer interface. 
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* On Debian, go to System -> Administration -> Printing 
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** Choose: Add Printer (the arrow next to add)
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** Choose: Devices: Generic CUPS-LAOS Printer
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** Change the device URI to match your device IP and PORT, as configured in the firmware of the laser. For the SUDA laser, it's: 
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 cups-laos://192.168.13.111:69/minimal
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** Choose a name for your laser and press apply
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** You might need to select the PPD (Postscript Printer Description). It's located in cups-laos/src-tftp/
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** Do NOT print a test page!!!
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** Now you can right-click on the new printer and go to '''Printer Options''' to adapt the defaults for your laser.
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h3. Windows
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Installing the CUPS driver on Windows.
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Tested on Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit
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*Downloading software*
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Download the cups-windows files from SVN:
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@https://tuxic.nl/laos/cups-windows/@
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*Installing the 'printer'*
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* On Windows 7, go to 'Start' -> Control Panel -> Devices and Printers
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** Click Add Printer (or right click then Add Printer)
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** Add a local printer
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** Create a new port - Standard TC/IP Port
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** Stick in the IP address (and port - ie. 192.168.1.2:69)
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** Give the port a name (LAOS [ip address] or something maybe)
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** Untick 'Query the printer and automatically select the driver to use'
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** Click Next and wait for Windows to try and detect the device.
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** Select Generic Network Card and click Next
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** Select 'Have Disk' and browse to the .inf file from the files you just downloaded.
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** Click Next and ignore/accept any warnings.
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** Give your laser cutter (printer) a name.
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** Share the printer if you want to, set it as default if you want to but DO NOT print a test page.
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** Default preferences can be selected under Printer Preferences - Preferences - Advanced.