Printing via USB Port

[Warren Block]

On Fri, 26 Feb 2010, Bill Tillman wrote:

> This printer worked fine when I was using lpd and a parallel port. 
> Also the apsfilter port is broken which makes it more difficult for a 
> novice like me to get the correct setting for it with lpr method. So I 
> was really looking forward to getting cupsd working this time round.

The original lpd will work with USB printers.  This will give you a 
PostScript printer as the default "lp".  (Following is collected from 
several systems, please pardon if something was left out.)

/etc/printcap:
lp:\
 	:lp=/dev/ulpt0:\
 	:sh:\
 	:mx#0:\
 	:sd=/var/spool/lpd/lp:\
 	:if=/usr/local/libexec/ps2pcl:\
 	:lf=/var/log/lpd-errs:

Create the spool directory:

   % mkdir /var/spool/lpd/lp
   % chmod 770 /var/spool/lpd/lp

Create the PostScript to PCL filter (Brother HL2040 only understands 
PCL):

   % echo "/usr/local/bin/gs -dSAFER -dNOPAUSE -q -sDEVICE=ljet4 -sOutputFile=- -" > /usr/local/libexec/ps2pcl
   % chmod +x /usr/local/libexec/ps2pcl

Add lpd_enable="YES" in /etc/rc.conf, and start it manually this time 
with just
   % lpd

More detail:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/printing-intro-setup.html
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/printing-advanced.html

  -Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota USA