[SOLVED] Gutsy can't connect to CUPS Server

[inyoka]

Gutsy cannot print through a CUPS server (in this case remote not local), I have already got a post open but is not getting any replies (perhaps because it shows as already having received replies).

Fault exists on multiple Gutsy clients, Fedora and 7.04 clients can print fine. Gutsy can ping. No errors in the log files that I can see. OpenOffice crashes when changing page format of trying to print. When opening sytem-config-printer get error "unable to contact server" (however it shows the names of the printers on the server.)

Might be a similar problem to this post (with no replies yet either). I tried to revert to the Gnome printer manager TNA. The users are starting to get fed up and so am I. I tried re-installing (even cleared cache and downloaded from different repo) TNA. Can someone please confirm that there is at least one Gutsy system somewhere in the world printing to a CUPS server, and if so how they got it to work. I tried using the GUI and manually writing the client.conf file both TNA.

All available patches have been applied. Please, please help.

[sav2005]

My experience is similar but odd. I cannot connect to the shared printer from my remote machines via OpenOffice or gnome-printer-config tool. BUT I can print a test page by pointing my web browser at http://serverIP:631/. My clients receive "cannot connect to cups server" if I select the printer in the Gnome-printer-config thingy.

My print server has a static IP, my clients DHCP on a wireless network. All machines are running Gutsy or Feisty and can ping one another.The server is running Gutsy.

[sav2005]

I solved my own problem by including the following line in the /etc/hosts file on each of my clients

xx.yy.zz.aa serverName

where xx.yy.zz.aa is the server's local network address.

[inyoka]

Okay I'll try pointing a test page at my server, one of my computers can still print despite system-config-printer hanging. Also I just downloaded some updates to the CUPS software which I have yet to apply to the afflicted machine. I'll do that tonight and post an update tomorrow morning, its already 5pm here.

I'll check if the same fix helps my machines, although I will not edit all my hosts files perhaps I could reconfigure my DNS Server. I'm sure some of these problems are due to developers wanting software deployed early to ensure Hardy is a solid release.

I'll post tomorrow with my results and hopefully a reproducible fix.

Thanks sav2005.

[sav2005]

Actually the probelm is more complex. The server's CUPD Daemon doesn't seem to be starting with the system even though it is the list of services. If I start it by hand it works.

Not Happy!

[inyoka]

I had a reply on another post from v.cecchetto who said to try changing the system theme to Human. This appears to work and anyone interested should check out Launchpad for the bug reports (there are quite a few). Or this launchpad bug report.

I have yet to connect to the CUPS server so I'll try tomorrow morning and close the post if it works. However I am 95% certain this is fixed. I just wish I didn't have to use the Human theme all the time. Hopefully a fix is in the works.

FYI - If you don't mind loosing OpenOffice Gnome integration try removing OpenOffice-Gtk, this fix was suggested by Innovator on launchpad.

[inyoka]

Hi sav2005,

Sounds very strange but if you definitely have cupsys starting with your other services, have you tried reinstalling cups? Alternatively if you use 'CTRL'+'ALT'+'F1' while booting you might get an error or some other clue of whats happening.

As a temporary fix though have you just tried running your cups start command through System>Preferences>Sessions. You can add extra startup programs and although it doesn't fix the problem it might prevent you having to start the server every time you boot.

Hope this helps.

[sav2005]

That is not a satisfactory solution because my sever is not a desktop machine. No users are accessing it directly - it's a server!

I downgraded it to Feisty and it works!

[inyoka]

Okay its official, however strange it may sound by changing my theme back to Human all my problems went away. It appears that some themes cause Ubuntu Gutsy to become incredibly unstable. This has been posted in Launchpad and should be fixed.

For anyone interested the Launchpad reference number is : #131526

FYI - If you don't mind loosing OpenOffice Gnome integration try removing OpenOffice-Gtk, this fix was suggested by Innovator on launchpad.

Thanks to everyone who tried to help on this.

[inyoka]

This post could be related to an Ubuntu bug filed at: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...rg/+bug/131526
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