Can't print

Post here those questions, bug reports and suggestions for SoftMaker Office 2021 for Linux that do not fit in any of the application-specific subforums.
diaspora
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:42 pm

Can't print

Post by diaspora »

New user here. I'm unable to print in either TextMaker or PlanMaker; meanwhile I can print the same files using LibreOffice. Other applications (Kate, Okular) also work with my printer.

I've tried reinstalling SMO21, and purging and installing again, but with no joy.

Kubuntu 22.04.02, Xerox WorkCentre 3025. Grateful for any advice.
neildorf
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:52 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by neildorf »

I'm not an expert, but do you have CUPS installed? If not, I would think that this would be a first step.

I found these articles:

https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/service-cups

https://www.kubuntuforums.net/forum/gen ... on-kubuntu

or using SNAP:
https://snapcraft.io/install/cups/kubuntu
diaspora
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:42 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by diaspora »

Thanks for responding. Yes, CUPS is installed, as is the proprietary Xerox driver. There's no problem printing from other apps, it's just SM Office that won't print.

To give a little more detail: if I try to print from TextMaker, my printer shows up in the dialogue, selecting "Print" sends it to the print queue, where it shows up as Status: On hold, Name: (stdin), Pages: (0). Nothing else in the other columns. If I click on the job in the print queue and then "Resume", it disappears from the print queue, without the document actually being printed.
neildorf
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:52 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by neildorf »

When, in TM you click the [print] icon, is your printer name listed [CUPS] after it? In the Properties dialog box, do you have selected PDF or Postscript?

You might try toggling from one to the other to see what happens.
neildorf
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:52 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by neildorf »

Here's another situation to consider. You might have a paper mismatch. How a specific printer manufacturer would handle this may differ.

So, check in print properties whether your page settings are Letter or A4. If you are using letter 8 1/2 x 11" paper in your printer, then the print setting should match. On the other hand, if your printer has A4 but the SoftMaker settings are Letter, that would also be a mismatch. Same issue if you happen to choose a different media type (also in Print Properties).

My printer is made by Brother and I tried setting the properties in TM to A4, and in my case the page still printed. But I would not assume that your Xerox printer would handle a mismatch the same way.

i think it's worth checking / testing to at least rule out this. It might explain why you can still print in LibreOffice and Okular but not SM because it would be at the application level.
diaspora
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:42 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by diaspora »

Thanks, those are good suggestions.

The printer is listed as Xerox_WorkCentre_3025 [CUPS] and the command as [cupscmd] Xerox_WorkCentre_3025
Toggling between PDF and Postscript makes no difference. Page setup in TM is for A4, which is what's in the printer.

Comparing the printer settings in TM with other apps which can print, I don't see any differences. But I still can't print.
neildorf
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:52 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by neildorf »

I'm out of ideas, but if you haven't already done so, open a browser and navigate to localhost:631/admin then click the Manage Jobs button to see if you can determine what became of the print jobs you already sent. If you print something again while keeping the browser window open, perhaps there will be a clue there for you. Good luck.
diaspora
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:42 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by diaspora »

Just been looking at http://localhost:631/jobs/

If I try printing from TM, under State it says Held since plus the date and time. If I then click on Release job it clears it from active jobs, but without actually printing. If instead I go through the print queue - this is the KDE app, not part of localhost:631 - and try to resume the job, it then shows up on localhost:631 as aborted.

Obviously there are workarounds (I can e.g. export a document from TM as a PDF and print it from Okular) but it would be nice to get this fixed. Maybe someone from SoftMaker will respond after the weekend.

Thanks for trying to help - it's been instructive, even if it hasn't yielded a solution - and have a good Easter.
neildorf
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:52 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by neildorf »

It looks like no response from a board moderator yet.

There may be something about the Xerox driver that SoftMaker just doesn't like. Maybe it doesn't like the PPD file. Some other things to try:

Try reinstalling the Xerox driver, making sure that if you have a choice of ports, choose Internet Printing Protocol (IPP). It looks as though there might be both a 3025 specific driver, and also a "unified" driver package. Not sure which one you used, but maybe try the other.

https://www.support.xerox.com/en-us/pro ... ent/129628\

Unified driver description
https://www.support.xerox.com/en-gb/art ... 0_en-O1927
(interesting that this page does not have the download link)

Lastly, it may be that Gutenprint is required on the printer service backend. IIRC what Gutenprint does is take a postscript print stream and convert it to whatever manufacturer specific print stream is needed to get properly formatted output.

On these last two points, you might want to post a question on the Kubutu forum to see what other users are doing.
And/or wait for Martin or one of the other moderators on this forum to comment.

https://tutorialforlinux.com/2021/04/19 ... ion-guide/
https://snapcraft.io/install/gutenprint ... app/ubuntu

Of all the above ideas, if I were you the first thing I would try is to just install a generic HP PCL based driver or postscript printer driver pointed to the Workcentre 3025 and see if your print job goes through. You may not get many options or tray selection, but if you at least get duplex printing that will get you by without having to make a PDF and then print from Okular.







Try from CUPS to just install a generic HP Laserjet compatible printer driver, or generic Postscript driver (laserwriter) and see if you can print from SoftMaker apps from either, as an interim solution.
diaspora
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:42 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by diaspora »

In the end I reinstalled Kubuntu, the Xerox driver and SoftMaker Office, testing the printer as I went, and everything's working as it should. I don't think I'll ever know why I couldn't print before. Thanks though for your help.
diaspora
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:42 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by diaspora »

I spoke too soon. After one particular package was upgraded, I lost the ability to print from SoftMaker Office. The package in question is
libllvm15
and the upgraded version is
1:15.0.7-0ubuntu0.22.04.1
AFAIK there is no way to revert to an earlier version (which I'd be reluctant to do anyway, in case it breaks something else at some point in the future).
Other applications can print, so I'm back to using workarounds.
neildorf
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:52 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by neildorf »

Lots of time and work but glad you got it all sorted out!
cunezstun
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2023 2:49 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by cunezstun »

Thanks for responding. Yes, CUPS is installed, as is the proprietary Xerox driver. There's no problem printing from other apps, it's just SM Office that won't print.
krnl download
hdstreamz.uno
Last edited by cunezstun on Fri Oct 20, 2023 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
SuperTech
SoftMaker Team
SoftMaker Team
Posts: 3190
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2020 5:31 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by SuperTech »

Please share your sminfo.txt file, which you can generate by clicking on '?' > About > Write system information.
diaspora
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:42 pm

Re: Can't print

Post by diaspora »

Thanks for getting back to me. Still can't print. Here's my sminfo.txt file.
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sminfo.txt
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