LAOS CUPS driver » History » Revision 2
Revision 1 (jaap, 2012-07-15 12:32) → Revision 2/9 (jaap, 2012-07-15 12:45)
h1. LAOS CUPS driver This page describes the CUPS printer driver installation. h2. How it works The printer driver goal is to have a workflow that translates standard Postscript into LAOS codes. codes (see [[SimpleCode]]). This is done in the following steps * Application generates generating an image and sending this file to a postscript file (by pressing print) printer * The printer dialog shows the configuration dialog based on PPD. The user selects the appropriate settings * Postscript printer data captured in file, along with the selected settings * File tranfered to pstoedit with laos driver, file is received by the LaOS cups printer driver. converted to appropriate codes * LaOS cups printer driver uses pstoedit File is transfered to convert the file into LaOS [SimpleCode] device * LaOS cups printer driver transfers the file to the Device controls laser cutter using the TFTP protocol and motion h2. OS Support The goal is to write platform-independent printer driver, based on CUPS. 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 [http://www.cups.org/articles.php?L376 cups driver for windows could help: http://www.cups.org/articles.php?L376 ). help]). The PPD file can be used on Windows and Mac. 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. small stand-alone tool. All developments should be platform independent, but Linux/CUPS integration is the initial goal. h2. Installation h3. Linux This is how you install the driver on Linux. Tested on: * Debian Squeeze * Ubuntu 10.10, 11.04, 11.10, 12.04 LTS 10.10 * Ubuntu 11.04 * Ubuntu 11.10 (you might need to perform [[Install_ubuntu11 | these extra steps]]) Please add your distro or let us know problems you encounter! * Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (some issues: see remarks) *Downloading software* Before installing the CUPS driver, install [[pstoedit with laos support]]. From SVN download the cups-laos: @svn co https://tuxic.nl/laos/cups-laos 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: '''.subversion/servers''': @ssl-trust-default-ca = no@ Installing the cups driver: @cd <where-ever you installed> cups-laos/src cups-laos/src-tftp make sudo make install@ (if make fails, rename or copy one of the personal makefiles in that folder and call it 'Makefile') Now it's time to install the laser cutter using your CUPS printer interface. * On Debian, go to System -> Administration -> Printing ** Choose: Add Printer (the arrow next to add) ** Choose: Devices: Generic CUPS-LAOS Printer ** 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: cups-laos://192.168.13.111:69/minimal ** Choose a name for your laser and press apply ** You might need to select the PPD (Postscript Printer Description). It's located in cups-laos/src-tftp/ ** Do NOT print a test page!!! ** Now you can right-click on the new printer and go to '''Printer Options''' to adapt the defaults for your laser. h3. Windows Installing the CUPS driver on Windows. Tested on Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit *Downloading software* Download the cups-windows files from SVN: @https://tuxic.nl/laos/cups-windows/@ *Installing the 'printer'* * On Windows 7, go to 'Start' -> Control Panel -> Devices and Printers ** Click Add Printer (or right click then Add Printer) ** Add a local printer ** Create a new port - Standard TC/IP Port ** Stick in the IP address (and port - ie. 192.168.1.2:69) ** Give the port a name (LAOS [ip address] or something maybe) ** Untick 'Query the printer and automatically select the driver to use' ** Click Next and wait for Windows to try and detect the device. ** Select Generic Network Card and click Next ** Select 'Have Disk' and browse to the .inf file from the files you just downloaded. ** Click Next and ignore/accept any warnings. ** Give your laser cutter (printer) a name. ** Share the printer if you want to, set it as default if you want to but DO NOT print a test page. ** Default preferences can be selected under Printer Preferences - Preferences - Advanced.