HOWTO: Install Brother MFC210C

[stalefries]

My one concern is that users need to install extra software for just that, while zenity is included with Gnome.

I'll look into zenity, maybe I'll look at the source for Automatix to get a grasp of its use.

[BobSongs]

I explained to a friend of mine the task at hand. Let me tell you what we're working on.

We're taking the structure of Automatix and rewriting the script Automatix runs. We're going to credit arnieboy, naturally, but his script is GPLed so as far as we understand it's free to take and modify.

We're going to remove all the installables he's got listed and we're replacing it exclusively with the three aspects of the MFC-210C: Printer drivers, Fax drivers and Scanner drivers.

This will be marked version 0.0.1. It will not include support for 1) any other distro than Breezy Badger and 2) any other Brother product.

Now, you'll be free to examine the contents and see what my programmer friend did. Please: take it and run with it. Compare it to the script that runs Automatix and add as much as you desire. I'll be more than happy to add a link right in the tutorial.

As it grows the version number can rise too. You'll be credited in the script, naturally. We should be done the better part of the script today. Then we'll have to figure out how all the rest was processed to get it to work correctly.

[stalefries]

That's great that you and your friend have got it started (actually, I started giving a whack at it, also). There's only one problem I see: making it exclusively for the MFC-210C. From all the comments on this thread, it seems that people are using it for more than just the 210C. I, for example, have an MFC-3820CN.

The approach I have taken with my version is to provide a list of all the printers that can be installed, and then installing whichever one is selected. Of course, this may bulk up the script somewhat, but I think it's for the greater good.

Of course, my approach won;t work for every multi-function, as some do have scanners or copiers or faxes, and some don't. I figured I woulod include the scanner and fax installers in different scripts, maybe all linked to from one master script.

I think we should both do our own thing, and then get back together and compare/contrast, and combine the better portions of either script into one super-script!

[stalefries]

For anyone who has been following this: BobSongs and I have continued this conversation via PM, to keep from clogging this thread. We are making headway, and I imagine a script will be posted soon.

[Lunixfanboy]

As an aside to the howto, Dapper does NOT have hotplug, so editing the libsane.usermap will not be an option. However, getting brscan2-0.2.0-i386.deb and using that in Dapper has made the scanner functional again. I apt-get dist-upgraded from Breezy to Dapper when Flight 7 was announced, and immediately lost access to the scanner function. I just checked with Brother, and they have a newer release for those with kernel >= 2.6.13 which remedied the problem.

[BobSongs]

Thanks dude. It is noted.

The script that will eventually be added to the tutorial will be, for the time being, exclusively for the Breezy/MFC210C combo. But it will be open for anyone to make additions.

When Dapper is released I will see what I can do to about modifying the script to include it as well.

Many thanks for the heads-up!

[vojtek]

I'm using MFC 215C with 210C driver. My model (dont know if 210 too) has card reader - is it any possibility see that cards on Ubuntu Breezy? How can I send any file to card using card reader on my printer?

[stalefries]

The card reader can't be accessed from any pc. The card reader on your printer (and I imagine this applies to any printer with a card reader) is only for the printer to be able to print off the pictures on the card. Sorry.

Funny thing: i have a friend named Vojtek who's from Poland also.

[woot]

Hey maybe a little addition in the howto as already mentioned somewhere on page 2 i think when having problems with installing lpr support:

error:
/etc/init.d/lpd: No such file or directory

can be solved with

ln -s /etc/init.d/cupsys /etc/init.d/lpd

To be honest im not sure if it will work as im not at home now. i just installed the drivers on my laptop so i can add the printer through the network as soon as i get home. But creating the link let me go throught the howto succesfullyl.

so step 3 should be (in some cases, i was trying to install a mfc9180).

sudo mkdir /var/spool/lpd
sudo mkdir /var/spool/lpd/MFC210C  (replace with your printer name)
ln -s /etc/init.d/cupsys /etc/init.d/lpd 
sudo dpkg -i ~/Desktop/mfc210c/mfc210clpr-1.0.2-1.i386.deb

thnx BobSongs for the nice howto... people who write tutorials like you (and perhaps some which you used as base for your howto) make life a lot eassier. I had been trying to get my printer working some months ago under breezy but i ended up with being unable to uninstall some mfc package whilst saying i had to reinstall it to uninstall it..which was freaky as i wasnt able to install it...this time better luck with Dapper and this nice howto

thnx!

[BobSongs]

error:
/etc/init.d/lpd: No such file or directory

That's an interesting error. I've never come across it before. And I must admit I've installed Ubuntu quite a few times (I tend to mess with it and break it, but it's all part of the learning process).

I await your return from work for the confirmation of the following code as a solution to the problem:

ln -s /etc/init.d/cupsys /etc/init.d/lpd

If this is correct it will be in the tutorial before long.

Thanks for the "heads up".