Trying to get my printer to work with cups

[wannaspeedcom]

I have 2 different printers. A canon IP2600 and a lexmark 1185 all in one. I can't seem to get either to work. I am focusing on the canon mainly. The printer is apparently not the easiest to get going on linux but its at least possible. I found this on an ubuntu forum and tried to follow it http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=811811

Not really exactly sure how to use that method for vector linux, but I tried a few different things and nothing works so far. I also found the driver in source code format but it had no configure file that I could see so the whole

cd
./ configure
make
make install

Process didn't work.

I'm new to linux so i'm fumbling around, but I pick up on things quickly.

[GrannyGeek]

A lot of Lexmark printers work with the z600 driver, which unfortunately is not offered by CUPS.  It is pretty minimalist but the printer does print acceptably. I have copies of the two required files in Slackware tgz format, which are easily installed with installpkg. If you'd like them, send me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll e-mail them to you.

The scanner part of the Lexmark needs its own driver. I have an X1270. The printer part works with the z600 driver. The scanner part did not work until the SANE driver came along with VL6 and finally the scanner would work. However, it is not a good driver, as it puts faint vertical bands in the scan. They are not there with the Windows driver in XP, so it's not the scanner. With VL6 SOHO the driver seems much improved and it doesn't show bands.

There are drivers for many Canon printers but they're hard to find. They are issued by Canon. Likewise for the scanner part. Canon had a driver for my Pixma MP160 but now there is a driver for it in CUPS. I'll look into it tomorrow (if I remember) and tell you what I find. The Canon software for the scanner works well. It's called scanimage or something like that. I'll check that out, too.
--GrannyGeek

[retired1af]

Found the common driver for Linux on Canon-Asia's site.

http://support-asia.canon-asia.com/contents/ASIA/EN/0100118602.html

[wannaspeedcom]

Sorry to be late to my own thread. Thanks for the replies. I started messing with a mediaserver and got distracted.

I did run across that driver for the canon, I think it's also in the link I posted. I couldn't get the driver to work. I tried converting the package, I also tried another source driver and attempted installing it from source. I'm not sure if I installed any of them correctly or if the driver is just not working. I'm like a blind man flipping light switches, I flip different switches but have no idea if it's the right switch or if the bulb is burned out. I "think" I installed the driver, and I did point it to a PPD file. Right now I have this error when trying to print a test page from the canon. "Filter "pstocanonij" for printer "Canon_iP2600_series_USB_1" not available: No such file or directory"

I tryed the canon drivers in CUPS, tried and IP2000 and an IP3000, mine is an IP2600. Neither of those worked.

Maybe I will switch to the lexmark and try those files you have grannygeek.

[wannaspeedcom]

Well I installed several different files that it said it couldnt find. Such as the error I posted above. I follwed each install text file. There are no more errors and it acts like it send the job and completes the job but the printer doesnt actually do anything.