printing in landscape to HP printer

[Derek Brown]

Hi,

I've moved to a new office. In my old office I could print from unix to a networked printer simply by setting the printer to landscape on the printer itself. In this new office I've got a networked HP LasetJet 4250dtn to print to which has no landscape setting on the printer itself so I'm assuming I can manage it by configuring at Unix level. I'm actaully running a Sun Ultra 5 workstation but I'm thinking the commands will be the same as HP anyway.

This is my problem. I've created a print landscape using a PCL filter and it hasnt worked. Can anyone help please ? This is what I've done so far :

tkdu30 /usr/local/bin> cat la*
#!/bin/ksh
#
# /opt/local/bin/landscape.sh
# Example of a script to print landscape using PCL
#

# Put into landscape
# Control + V, Esc, ampersand, lower case l (ell), 1 (one), upper case O (oh)

echo "^[&l1O"
cat -
#echo "^[&l0O"

# Put back to portrait - not always required
# Control + V, Esc, ampersand, lower case l (ell), zero (0), upper case O (oh)


................................................
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd> cat landscape.fd
Input types: any
Output types: landscape
Printer types: any
Printers: any
Filter type: slow
Command: /opt/local/bin/landscape.sh
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd> lpfilter -f landscape -F /etc/lp/fd/landscape.fd
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd> lpadmin -p landy -o protocol=bsd,dest=hostname -v /dev/nul>
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd> enable landy ; accept landy
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd>
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd> cat /etc/printers.conf
#
# If you hand edit this file, comments and structure may change.
# The preferred method of modifying this file is through the use of
# lpset(1M)
#
UKNEWPRT021:\
:bsdaddr=UKNEWPRT021,TEXT:\
:description=behind Richard:

_default:\
:use=UKNEWPRT021:

landy:\
:bsdaddr=UKNEWPRT021,landy,TEXT:
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd>
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd>
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd> cat /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 localhost
10.120.9.24 tkdu30 loghost
10.120.7.42 UKNEWPRT021 # Local Printer

******************************************************************************
* Server Consolidation
******************************************************************************
HDC
***
10.141.3.210 ngttrmhdc002 cy-hdc # Cyclade
10.141.3.202 ngsvshdc011 hdc11 # 240 BOKS
10.141.3.203 ngtsvshdc012 hdc12 # 240 BOKS Spare
10.141.3.204 ngsvshdc013 hdc13 # 440 BOKS Spare
10.141.3.205 ngtsvshdc014 hdc14 # 440 RF Unix 1
10.141.3.206 ngsvshdc015 hdc15 # 490 Unix 2
10.141.3.207 ngsvshdc016 hdc16 # 490 RF Spare
10.141.3.86 ngsvshdc019 hdc19 # 240 RF
LDH
***

10.140.3.210 ngttrmldh002 cy-ldh # Cyclade
10.140.3.202 ngtsvsldh012 ldh12 # 240 RF Siteminder
10.140.3.203 ngtsvsldh013 ldh13 # 240 RF Siteminder
10.140.3.204 ngtsvsldh014 ldh14 # 440 BOKS Spare
10.140.3.205 ngtsvsldh015 ldh15 # 440 RF Unix 1
10.140.3.206 ldh016 ldh16 # 490 RF Unix 1
10.140.3.207 ngsvsldh017 ldh17 # 490 RF Spare

******************************************************************************
PAI
******************************************************************************
10.141.5.200 senegal
10.141.5.120 senegali5 # Console
10.141.70.120 senegali4 # Backup LAN

******************************************************************************
MOP
******************************************************************************
10.143.2.9 ngtsrvwok026 wok026
10.142.1.17 ngtsrvwrk031 wok031
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd>
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd>
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd> lp -d landy /etc/hosts
request id is landy-362 (1 file)
tkdu30 /etc/lp/fd>

...............................................


A print does appear but it comes out in portrait.
I feel as if I've missed something obvious. If anyone can help I'd be most appreciative.
Many thanks

[V. Nyga]

Hi,

as you're using th lp command,
why don't you print 'lp -olandscape'?

Volkmar

[Peter Godron]

Derek,
have you tried:
lp -d landy -o landscape /etc/hosts

[Pete Randall]

Derek,

Have you tried the simple approach:

lp -ohpgl2


Pete

[Peter Nikitka · Accepted solution]

Hi,

since the LJ4250dtn is a Postscript capable printer, you best install a2ps (it may be already there) from sunfreeware.com.

Formatting is done as a seperate process and there is no need to diddle with printer interfaces.

mfG Peter

[Derek Brown]

Thanks guys but none of the options you gave me worked. A portrait print came out along with the error message "landy not configured to handle all lp options : ignoring : -o landscape"

[Derek Brown]

Peter ....

Can you be a bit more elaborate please. I've been onto sunfreeware.com and can't find anything called a "2ps". What is this and how do you use it please ? Sorry for being a bit slow !

[Pete Randall]

Derek,

Search for "a2ps" not a "2ps".


Pete

[Peter Nikitka]

Hi,

since ITRC was inoperative (here?), I am a bit late, but:

I wrote 'a2ps' and here is a link to the Solaris 10 SPARC version:
ftp://ftp.sunfreeware.com/pub/freeware/sparc/10/a2ps-4.13b-sol10-sparc-local.gz

Of course you will select the appropriate version of your OS.

Use then a plain printer entry of /etc/printers.conf
like my HP network printer is:
n666:\
:bsdaddr=forth,n666,Solaris:

mfG Peter

PS: HP network printers are best made available via the 'HP JetDirect Printer Installer'; check if available via
pkginfo -l HPNPL

[Derek Brown]

Excellent. Thanks. That's cracked it.

A2PS from sunfreeware.com is just what I needed. I've downloaded it and installed it. All OK now.