HPLIP

Linux: All black printing on 13x19 photo

Asked by Jim Jensen

Am running openSUSE 11.1, hplip-3.10.2, using Photosmart B8550, printing using KDEPrint. When printing photos on 4x6 or 8.5x11, the photo is printed correctly. However, when printing on 13x19, the photo is printed all black. This same behavior occurred also on hplip-3.9.12 and earlier versions. I have reported this problem repeatedly here and on other HP support venues FOR MONTHS!! The only reason I bought the printer was its capability to print up to 13x19, and the indication on HP's web side that the B8550 is supported in Linux printing.

Some technician responded a month ago that this problem "might" be fixed in hplip-3.10.2. It is not. I'm baffled by the complete lack of professionalism and even basic competence on HP's part demonstrated by HP's unwillingness or inability to fix this problem. I am not the only user to have reported this problem.

What would it take for HP to ACTUALLY INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM, fix hplip, AND TEST THE CODE ON THE Photosmart B8550 BEFORE releasing the new hplip?? How about an end to "technical support" conjecturing that some release in the works "might" fix this problem??

This is my last attempt to communicate with HP regarding its failure to support, as it has advertised, the Photosmart B8550 on Linux. If I do not receive a satisfactory response within a few days, I will take this issue to other public Internet blogs and forums in order to warn other consumers against buying this printer for use on Linux.

I have given HP all the information it needs to investigate and fix this problem, and have done so more than once. It's time for HP to PERFORM!!

hp-check[19041]: info: :
Initializing. Please wait...
SUSE LINUX

11.1

scheduler is running

1.3.9

Linux JimMobile 2.6.27.45-0.1-default #1 SMP 2010-02-22 16:49:47 +0100 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :---------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| SYSTEM INFO |
hp-check[19041]: info: :---------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mBasic system information:[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :Linux JimMobile 2.6.27.45-0.1-default #1 SMP 2010-02-22 16:49:47 +0100 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mDistribution:[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :suse 11.1
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking Python version...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, version 2.6.0 installed
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking PyQt 4.x version...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, version 4.4.3 installed.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for CUPS...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :Status: scheduler is running
hp-check[19041]: info: :Version: 1.3.9
hp-check[19041]: info: :error_log is set to level: info
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dbus/python-dbus...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :dbus daemon is running.
hp-check[19041]: info: :python-dbus version: 0.83.0
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :------------------------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| COMPILE AND RUNTIME DEPENDENCIES |
hp-check[19041]: info: :------------------------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
note: To check for compile-time only dependencies, re-run hp-check with the -c parameter (ie, hp-check -c).
note: To check for run-time only dependencies, re-run hp-check with the -r parameter (ie, hp-check -r).
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: CUPS - Common Unix Printing System...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: CUPS devel- Common Unix Printing System development files...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: CUPS image - CUPS image development files...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: DBus - Message bus system...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: gcc - GNU Project C and C++ Compiler...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: GhostScript - PostScript and PDF language interpreter and previewer...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: libcrypto - OpenSSL cryptographic library...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: libjpeg - JPEG library...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: libnetsnmp-devel - SNMP networking library development files...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: libpthread - POSIX threads library...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: libtool - Library building support services...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: libusb - USB library...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: make - GNU make utility to maintain groups of programs...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: PIL - Python Imaging Library (required for commandline scanning with hp-scan)...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: PolicyKit - Administrative policy framework...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: PyQt 4 DBus - DBus Support for PyQt4...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: Python DBus - Python bindings for DBus...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: Python devel - Python development files...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: Python libnotify - Python bindings for the libnotify Desktop notifications...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: Python XML libraries...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: Python 2.3 or greater - Required for fax functionality...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: Python 2.2 or greater - Python programming language...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: Reportlab - PDF library for Python...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: SANE - Scanning library...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: SANE - Scanning library development files...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: scanimage - Shell scanning program...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for dependency: xsane - Graphical scanner frontend for SANE...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :----------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| HPLIP INSTALLATION |
hp-check[19041]: info: :----------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mCurrently installed HPLIP version...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :HPLIP 3.10.2 currently installed in '/usr/share/hplip'.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mCurrent contents of '/etc/hp/hplip.conf' file:[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :# hplip.conf. Generated from hplip.conf.in by configure.

[hplip]
version=3.10.2

[dirs]
home=/usr/share/hplip
run=/var/run
ppd=/usr/share/cups/model/HP
ppdbase=/usr/share/cups/model
doc=/usr/share/doc/hplip-3.10.2
icon=/usr/share/applications
cupsbackend=/usr/lib64/cups/backend
cupsfilter=/usr/lib64/cups/filter
drv=/usr/share/cups/drv/hp

# Following values are determined at configure time and cannot be changed.
[configure]
network-build=yes
pp-build=no
gui-build=yes
scanner-build=yes
fax-build=no
dbus-build=yes
cups11-build=no
doc-build=yes
shadow-build=no
hpijs-install=no
foomatic-drv-install=no
foomatic-ppd-install=no
foomatic-rip-hplip-install=no
hpcups-install=yes
cups-drv-install=yes
cups-ppd-install=no
internal-tag=3.10.2rc1.9
restricted-build=no
ui-toolkit=qt4
qt3=no
qt4=yes
policy-kit=no
hpijs-only-build=no
lite-build=no
udev-acl-rules=no
hpcups-only-build=no
hpijs-only-build=no

hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mCurrent contents of '/var/lib/hp/hplip.state' file:[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :# hplip.state - HPLIP runtime persistent variables.

[plugin]
installed=0
eula=0

hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mCurrent contents of '~/.hplip/hplip.conf' file:[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :[last_used]
printer_name = HP_Photosmart_B8500_series
working_dir = .
device_uri = "hp:/usb/Photosmart_B8500_series?serial=MY92I110N50576"

[commands]
scan = /usr/bin/xsane -V %SANE_URI%

[installation]
version = 3.10.2rc1.9
date_time = 03/14/2010 21:50:21

[settings]
systray_messages = 0
systray_visible = 0

[fax]
email_address =
voice_phone =

[refresh]
rate = 30
enable = false
type = 1

[polling]
enable = false
device_list =
interval = 5

hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :--------------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| DISCOVERED USB DEVICES |
hp-check[19041]: info: :--------------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: : Device URI Model
hp-check[19041]: info: : -------------------------------- --------------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: : hp:/usb/Photosmart_B8500_series? HP Photosmart B8500 series
  serial=MY92I110N50576
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :---------------------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| INSTALLED CUPS PRINTER QUEUES |
hp-check[19041]: info: :---------------------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mHP_Photosmart_B8500_series[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01m--------------------------[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :Type: Printer
hp-check[19041]: info: :Device URI: hp:/usb/Photosmart_B8500_series?serial=MY92I110N50576
hp-check[19041]: info: :PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/HP_Photosmart_B8500_series.ppd
hp-check[19041]: info: :PPD Description: HP Photosmart b8500 Series, hpcups 3.10.2
hp-check[19041]: info: :Printer status: printer HP_Photosmart_B8500_series is idle. enabled since Sun 14 Mar 2010 09:38:02 PM PDT
hp-check[19041]: info: :Communication status: Good
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mPhotosmart_B8500[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01m----------------[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :Type: Printer
hp-check[19041]: info: :Device URI: hp:/usb/Photosmart_B8500_series?serial=MY92I110N50576
hp-check[19041]: info: :PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/Photosmart_B8500.ppd
hp-check[19041]: info: :PPD Description: HP Photosmart b8500 Series, hpcups 3.10.2
hp-check[19041]: info: :Printer status: printer Photosmart_B8500 is idle. enabled since Sun 14 Mar 2010 09:31:05 PM PDT
 /usr/lib64/cups/filter/pstoraster failed
hp-check[19041]: info: :Communication status: Good
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mPhotosmart_Premium_C309g-m[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01m--------------------------[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :Type: Printer
hp-check[19041]: info: :Device URI: hp:/net/Photosmart_Premium_C309g-m?ip=192.168.1.2
hp-check[19041]: info: :PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/Photosmart_Premium_C309g-m.ppd
hp-check[19041]: info: :PPD Description: HP Photosmart Premium c309g-m, hpcups 3.10.2rc1.9
hp-check[19041]: info: :Printer status: printer Photosmart_Premium_C309g-m is idle. enabled since Sun 14 Mar 2010 09:23:38 PM PDT
hp-check[19041]: info: :Communication status: Good
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :----------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| SANE CONFIGURATION |
hp-check[19041]: info: :----------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01m'hpaio' in '/etc/sane.d/dll.conf'...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found. SANE backend 'hpaio' is properly set up.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking output of 'scanimage -L'...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :device `hpaio:/net/Photosmart_Premium_C309g-m?ip=192.168.1.2' is a Hewlett-Packard Photosmart_Premium_C309g-m all-in-one

hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :---------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| PYTHON EXTENSIONS |
hp-check[19041]: info: :---------------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking 'cupsext' CUPS extension...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking 'pcardext' Photocard extension...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking 'hpmudext' I/O extension...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking 'scanext' SANE scanning extension...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :OK, found.
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :-----------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| USB I/O SETUP |
hp-check[19041]: info: :-----------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[01mChecking for permissions of USB attached printers...[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :
HP Device 0xd102 at 002:006:
hp-check[19041]: info: : Device URI: hp:/usb/Photosmart_B8500_series?serial=MY92I110N50576
hp-check[19041]: info: : Device node: /dev/bus/usb/002/006
hp-check[19041]: info: : Mode: 0660
hp-check[19041]: info: :getfacl: Removing leading '/' from absolute path names
# file: dev/bus/usb/002/006
# owner: root
# group: lp
user::rw-
user:jimj:rw-
group::rw-
mask::rw-
other::---

hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :---------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| USER GROUPS |
hp-check[19041]: info: :---------------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :users lp dialout video

hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :-----------
hp-check[19041]: info: :| SUMMARY |
hp-check[19041]: info: :-----------
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :[32;01mNo errors or warnings.[0m
hp-check[19041]: info: :
hp-check[19041]: info: :Done.

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
HPLIP Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Jim Jensen
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Mubeen Jukaku (mubeen-jukaku) said : 		#1

Hi Jim,

I have tested 13x19 photo on Ubuntu 9.10. They are printing fine.
I tried to print a test page on OpenSuSE 11.2 and the pstoraster filter crashed. This means that the issue is with pstoraster and not with the HPLIP driver. I will investigate more and update you.

-Mubeen

Revision history for this message
Jim Jensen (jameswjensen) said : 		#2

Mubeen,

Thank you very much for the response and especially your effort in
testing the 13x19 B8550 printing! Please let me know if there is
anything I can do on my installation of openSUSE 11.1 to help fix this
problem.

I truly appreciate finally receiving some evidence that HP is actually
willing to investigate and fix this long-term and show-stopping problem.

Jim Jensen

On 03/15/2010 01:05 AM, Mubeen Jukaku wrote:
> Your question #104395 on HPLIP changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/hplip/+question/104395
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Mubeen Jukaku proposed the following answer:
> Hi Jim,
>
> I have tested 13x19 photo on Ubuntu 9.10. They are printing fine.
> I tried to print a test page on OpenSuSE 11.2 and the pstoraster filter crashed. This means that the issue is with pstoraster and not with the HPLIP driver. I will investigate more and update you.
>
> -Mubeen
>
>

Revision history for this message
Mubeen Jukaku (mubeen-jukaku) said : 		#3

Jim,

Please confirm that increase the RIP cache to 128MB (cupsctl RIPCache=128m) fixes the problem.

The RIPCache directive sets the size of the memory cache used by Raster Image Processor ("RIP") filters such as imagetoraster and pstoraster. The default cache size is "8m", or 8 megabytes.

For large paper sizes the default cache of "8m" will crash the pstoraster filter. Increasing the cache size fixes the issue.
Default value of RIPCache is distro specific. In case of Ubuntu the RIPCache is 1/4th of the total ram. That might not be the case for OpenSuSE and other distros.

Revision history for this message
Johannes Meixner (jsmeix) said : 		#4

We (i.e. Novell/Suse) do not have a RIPCache setting
in our /etc/cups/cupsd.conf file so that we use the
CUPS upstream default value and we like to be
in compliance with CUPS upstream.

Therefore to specify a non-default RIPCache
for openSUSE, one must add as root a like like
  RIPCache 128m
to the /etc/cups/cupsd.conf file and
afterwards re-start the cupsd as root via
  rccups restart

If this solves the isssue, it means that the default
RIPCache value has become too small for
nowadays high-resolution color/photo printing,

In this case I think it is much better to file an
enhancement request at CUPS upstream
than let each Linux distribution implement its own kind
of particular workaround for such a general issue
which is not at all Linux distribution specific.

Revision history for this message
Johannes Meixner (jsmeix) said : 		#5

A typo: I meant

... to specify a non-default RIPCache
for openSUSE, one must add as root a line like
  RIPCache 128m

Revision history for this message
Jim Jensen (jameswjensen) said : 		#6

Increasing the RIPCache size to 128 MB fixes this problem. Many thanks to Mubeen and (finally) to HP for their persistence in investigating this issue! Thanks also to Johannes for additional information. By "grep" -ing I had discovered the new "RIPCache 128m" line at the bottom of /etc/cups/cupsd.conf, and will make sure this line is present in the future before attempting large format printing.

As to additional followup, I would suggest adding a description of this issue and its solution to the HP Linux printing knowledge base, if this has not already been done.

As to the CUPS enhancement request, I imagine that this request would most effectively come from a Linux distro (e.g. openSUSE staff) rather than from a lowly end user such as myself.

However, If it is felt any additional followup by me might be helpful, I would be glad to proceed.

Thanks very much again to all who contributed to solving this persistent and show-stopping problem.

Revision history for this message
Johannes Meixner (jsmeix) said : 		#7

I filed a CUPS upstream enhancement request
to increase the RIPCache default value:
http://www.cups.org/str.php?L3535

Revision history for this message
Jim Jensen (jameswjensen) said : 		#8

A RIPCache value of 32m is adequate for printing 13x19, where the paper is fed narrow-dimension (13") into the printer. It might be prudent to test this value for a 16" width fed into the printer, as 16x24 is probably the largest commonly used photo print size that CUPS can routinely be expected to support. The Epson Stylus Pro 4800, for example, can use 16" wide roll paper to print 16x14. Unfortunately, Gutenprint drivers do not support this printer, and so I'm unable to perform this test myself.