Re: printing

On 1/13/26 2:31 PM, Richard ([email protected] via blfs-support Mailing List) wrote:
> On 11/20/25 4:33 PM, Bruce Dubbs ([email protected] via blfs-support Mailing 
> List) wrote:
>> On 11/20/25 3:23 PM, Richard ([email protected] via blfs-support Mailing List) wrote:
>>>
>>> I've built blfs-12.4 according to the stable book, and I'm having
>>> a hard time getting printing to work. I have an HP SmartTank
>>> 7602 printer, so I need to somehow install hplip. I got to
>>> the point in blfs-12.2 that I could use the printer, but so far
>>> no luck in 12.4. I realize that you do not support hplip, so I won't
>>> ask for instructions, but I am just curious if anyone has
>>> gotten the hplip automatic installer to work for blfs-12.4?
>>> I think I've installed the required dependencies for packages,
>>> except I haven't install QT6.
>>
>> I was using hplip until the printer failed.  My notes were:
>>
>> Not sure if gutenprint is needed.
>>
>> hplip needs net-snmp
>>   install fails with man pages (needs sedscript whatever that is)
>>
>> hplip needs sane
>>
>> Set parallel port capability!
>>
>> Build with:
>>
>> ./configure --prefix=/usr --enable-pp-build
>> make
>> sudo make install
>> ============
>> From another user:
>>
>> For HPLIP, I use
>> "./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc --enable-cups-ppd-install".
>>
>> This is for an HP Envy All-In-One (printer, scanner, copier). There should be
>> no need for parallel port capability.  Gutenprint is not needed (I don't know
>> if it may be required for some printer models, but it isn't for me) and there
>> is no need to restart CUPS afterwards.
>>
>>
> 
> I was finally able to get hplip-3.25.8 to build and install, but I had to find
> and correct errors in 13 different files that were supplied.
> It is a mystery to me how anyone on the list was able to get this software
> working without first correcting these errors. I am also amazed that
> source code so full of errors would be released by the hp developers.
> Maybe (or probably) I am missing something simple that avoids these
> issues ...
> Since discussions about hplip are not well tolerated on the list, if anyone
> is interested in what I did I am glad to supply the details by private
> email.

I'm not sure why you say "discussions about hplip are not well tolerated", but 
generally we do not spend a lot of time on non-BLFS packages.

That said, I used hplip for several years.  I didn't have much problem with it, but I 
was using an older version: hplip-3.23.12.  My notes say:

To get printing to work, install in this order:

cups
ghostscript !
cups-filters
gutenprint
sane (for hplip)
net-snmp (for hplip, not in blfs)
hplip (not in blfs)

If using hplip, not sure if gutenprint is needed.

hplip needs net-snmp
   install fails with man pages (needs sedscript whatever that is)

hplip needs sane

Set parallel port capability!

Build with:

./configure --prefix=/usr --enable-pp-build
make
sudo make install
------
We no longer have sane-backends in BLFS so I don't know if that is needed or not.
I do wonder if some of your needed fixes were because of using a newer version of gcc 
released after the original code was released. I never had any build issues.

Several months ago my OfficeJet_Pro_6978_All-in-One's print head failed and that was 
not repairable.  After some recommendations, I replaced it with a Brother printer and 
that is working well.

   -- Bruce

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