Topic: Help in getting OKI Postscript printer to work

[holck]

I have bought an OKI MC560 printer, but have difficulties in getting it to work with my Linux clients. I can fine connect to it, and print simple test files etc. But whenever I try to print larger files, with lots of graphics, the printer produces garbage - lots and lots of pages with only a few, random letters each.

I have downloaded the PPD-driver from OKI (http://www.oki.dk/support/overview/drivers/detail.aspx?prodid=tcm:81-4551&driverid=tcm:81-99513-16). I have tried to add additional memory to the printer, so I am now up to 768 MB. I have tried different ways of connecting to the printer - directly via USB, directly via network from client to printer, and  via the CUPS-server on my SME box. But the problem is still there.

And now I'm stuck. I will really appreciate if anyone here can point me further. The printer works very fine from Windows, so maybe I should just switch away from Linux ...

Thanks,
Jesper, Denmark

[nicolatiana]

I' don't know Your printer but the driver "linked" is PostScript: sure Your printer has PS option installed and/or enabled (according to manual it seems that PS is standard . . .) ?
The "the printer produces garbage - lots and lots of pages with only a few, random letters each." it's very similar to PS printout sent to Pcl printer or viceversa.
Try here http://www.openprinting.org/driver/Postscript-Oki/ if you can get more satisfaction. This is usually my resource for Ricoh printers.
 
Nicola

[mmccarn]

I used to get this pretty commonly with HP network printers.

The "fix" was either to manually correct the available printer memory setting on each workstation, or to change a setting in the printer named "Page Protection" from 'off' to 'on'.

[Jáder]

If your printer print small jobs correctly so it's working.
You may ask for support from OKI and OKI forums.
I agree with mmcarn: this is a driver issue or a failing memory issue.

Laser printers need to mount pages on memory before print. Sometimes there are no memory because of several problems and options like "memory protection" MAY help. Other times you just need to print on lower resolution (from 1200 to 600 or even 300).

If you have this option, try to get a Windows machine (win7 or WinXP) and try to print the exact same document using available drivers. If it prints so you printer can handle this job and you just need to find out what tweak to make it works in Linux.
TIP : Ask for help using Windows as plataform is easier: you do not ear "this is a linux problem"

Good luck... and let us to know about your progress!

Jáder

[holck]

Thanks for your suggestions. I think jader and mmcarn are right, it is a driver issue or a failing memory issue - maybe both?

The printer works fine from Windows, using the PCL-driver from OKI's website. No problems with large PDF and graphics files. For Linux I now use the PPD-file from the Windows-driver. Simple files seem to print fine from Linux, but for complicated files (larger files, pdf-files, files with lots of graphics) very often print out as garbage. Sometimes I can print a large file ok, if I print it one page at a time, but if I try to print it all in one go, I get garbage. I have tried to lower the resolution, but with little, if any, effect.

I have not been able to find "memory protection" option - where should I look for that? In the PPD-file or in the printer settings?

[nicolatiana]

Did You try OpenPrinting driver ?
 
Nicola

[holck]

Thanks for your help - I have tried several, different PPD-files for the printer:

• The one from Oki's homepage http://www.oki.dk/support/overview/drivers/results.aspx?prodid=tcm:81-4551-16&search=1&OSId=Linux&languageId=&type=%7cDrivers
• Files extracted from Oki's drivers for Mac and Windows. These seem to be newer than the one above
• The pxlcolor driver from openprinting.org http://www.openprinting.org/driver/pxlcolor/
  

But, unfortunately, so far without much success ... Should I try to use PCL for the printer instead of PostScript? To me it seems strange that a professional printer like the MC560 just starts printing out garbage, instead of correctly reporting something like "Ooops, this file is too large and complicated, please make a new one and try again" But apparently the Windows driver is able to control it.

Jesper

[nicolatiana]

Probably I'm not able to explain myself: try this http://www.openprinting.org/driver/Postscript-Oki/ as in my first reply: this is a Postscript driver, not a PCL
PXL is a PCL driver and, at least in Ricoh world, it gives a 50% compatibility with graphics (no garbage but very-very long process time with eventual failure and error message).
In general PCL drivers in Linux Desktop are not very "popular/supported" and the best way is usually to get a supported Postscript printer.
Try the above in my link or a generic Postscript.
 
Nicola

[AusMounty]

There should be a "Post-script from Driver" option in CUPS, providing that is what you are using?

Have you checked this option?

[holck]

Thank you for your reply, this is exactly what I use now: The printer is connected to my local network; and I have CUPS running on the SME server, connecting to the printer via ipp, and using the one of the PPD postscript drivers I mentioned earlier (PPD files extracted from OKI's drivers for Mac and Windows).

The CUPS Printers overview page shows:
Printer Driver: OKI MC560(PS)
Printer State: idle, accepting jobs, published.
Device URI: socket://192.168.10.11:9100

For small, simple files this works fine, but large files with lots of graphics print out garbage.

[purvis]

Maybe setting up a virtual printer on a windows machine could be a work around even if not liked till you fix your issues.

[purvis]

Or becuase your printer is already a postscript printer, you could just try making a shared printer to the okidata on a windows machine to see if this solves your printing problems.
I keep a single windows computer running just managethe SME server.