Network printer prints but non-stop with one-liners

General system
1

I am trying to print via network printer at work. I installed all the printer/cups package during the standard EOS install. I added the printer via printer-settings in gnome with right IP address etc. There was no driver, its a xerox altalink, therefore I chose the Generic PCL foomatic (recommended) driver.

Now the odd thing is that the printer recognizes when I send a test page, but then it starts printing non-stop a on-liner on each page with some weird symbols. I have to run up to the second floor each time I want to check whether its working or not. Its very difficult to trouble shoot and I am not making myself popular when printing 50 empty pages… :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

I remember on ubuntu it was just working, so I must be able to make this work on arch.

My question is more general, how do you go about trouble shooting this issue, are you using the terminal to send your print jobs and try different settings? or try to find that driver. At home my network printing works but I have an HP printer.

Edit: I don’t even know where to begin, an easy reading/resource is appreciated

2
Only half-serious

If it was me, I’d probably send an email to the local tech support personnel. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

3

A lot of people say the same thing about other stuff. It works fine on Windows! :rofl:

Edit: What model is the Zerox alatlink?

4

I just hate troubleshooting printer issues :roll_eyes: but I could learn something out of it. Or contact the tech guy who would tell me

Explicit content

We only support windows! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like
5

C8055

6

It looks like they use all the same driver package.

https://www.support.xerox.com/en-us/product/altalink-b8000-series/content/146849

You could download the .deb package and convert it to an arch package with debtap

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/debtap

Edit: If you look at supported products it lists the C8055

1 Like
7

I briefly looked it up while at work, and saw the deb and the rpm packages… I was wondering about that, 1) how to deal with the deb package, now I have a new clue, and 2) is it safe or can break my system.

Edit: I will try anyway tomorrow :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

8

It shouldn’t be that hard? I’ve actually not used it myself but others have.

9

Looks like I can do that. Once I convert into arch package I assume I will have to compile it.

I could create/upload my first AUR package but don’t know if I am up to the game.

10

It converts it into an Arch package which can then be installed with pacman.

11

@Zircon34
You good now?

1 Like
12

Awesome thanks so much!

I will test tomorrow and see if the driver works!

1 Like
13

You can see the contents of a deb package by simply using tar to extract file from it.
First you’ll probably get file data.tar.xz, and opening that with tar you’ll get the files that need to be installed.

I also suggest you look at some other Xerox printer drivers at AUR (yay -Ss xerox), especially their PKGBUILD files (yay -Ga "some-driver-name").

A PKGBUILD file contains instructions how to fetch and install a package.
If a PKGBUILD has an example of fetching a deb archive, then you can see most or all of the commands needed to handle the process.

And if you are really interested (and bash language is not a problem for you), you can make your own PKGBUILD that can handle possible driver updates as well… :sweat_smile:

1 Like
14

@manuel thanks for all the infos! I don’t know if I will be able to manage update packages but always wanted to find a way to give back to the linux community. It could be a good opportunity :grin:

2 Likes
15

@Zircon34
You have any luck making that printer work?

16

I wish, but meetings non stop today, will have to try on Monday…

Thats the problem trying to troubleshoot something linux at work.

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17

Just bring the printer home from work. When you get it working, take it back. They’ll understand. :roll_eyes:

Pudge

1 Like
18

I am trying to install the xerox driver, so I downloaded the .deb from the xerox driver webpage, then converted the .deb file and installed the package via pacman. However, I am wondering if anyone knows how I can then add that driver to the database?

->I went in the folder the .ppd file was installed (/opt/XeroxOffice/prtsys/ppd) and select that file in my printer setting.

I have no clue if that will work or is totally wrong. If anyone has an insight into printer drivers and how to add them that would be appreciated. There are so many xenox drivers available in the printer settings on linux but of course not the one for the printer at work :roll_eyes:

19

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/CUPS/Printer-specific_problems#Xerox_or_FujiXerox
is not very informative…

but cups wants ppd files in here:

/usr/share/cups/model/Xerox

on AUR i see only RPM packages used to create a driver package for arch like this:

1 Like
20

I will try that! Thx