PIXMA

This is a HOWTO install the canon pixma ip4000 drivers, released by canon japan and downloaded from: ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/ There are also drivers for ip3000 and ip8500, which i assume would also install in the same manner described here (not tested). The source code for the pixma range is also in that url so it might be possible to compile drivers for the other pixmas (for ip1000 and ip1500).

Limitations of the driver are:

  1. No duplex printing
  2. No CD-R printing

I 've tested the driver printing text and pictures in plain paper only(I don't have special paper but should work fine). Picture quality seems to be the same as in winxp. The colour tone looks to be just a bit reddish in some pictures (with default settings) but this can be fixed playing around with colour settings.

I'm still a newbie and I don't know much about cups so I expect recommendations for better functionality. I found hints on installing in these threads: http://www.linuxprinting.org/forums.....canon.general http://forum.kanotix.net/viewtopic.php?t=7784 (in german, translated through http://www.systranbox.com/systran/box)

In Japan pixma printers are released under different names: pixus ip3100 -> pixma ip3000 pixus ip4100 -> pixma ip4000 pixus ip8600 -> pixma ip8500

The HOWTO: 1. Install required packages Install alien with synaptic Install libxml1 with synaptic (required later on to run canon's bjcups application)

2. Download Driver open terminal cd to your preferred download directory For ip4000

$ wget ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/bjfilter-common-2.50-2.i386.rpm ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/bjfilter-pixusip4100-lprng-2.50-2.i386.rpm ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/bjfilter-pixusip4100-2.50-2.i386.rpm

For ip3000

$ wget ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/bjfilter-common-2.50-2.i386.rpm ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/bjfilter-pixusip3100-lprng-2.50-2.i386.rpm ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/bjfilter-pixusip3100-2.50-2.i386.rpm

for ip8500

$ ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/bjfilter-common-2.50-2.i386.rpm ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/bjfilter-pixusip8600-lprng-2.50-2.i386.rpm ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/bjfilter-pixusip8600-2.50-2.i386.rpm

3. Convert .rpm to .deb

$ sudo alien bjfilter-common-2.50-2.i386.rpm
$ sudo alien bjfilter-pixusip4100-lprng-2.50-2.i386.rpm
$ sudo alien bjfilter-pixusip4100-2.50-2.i386.rpm

(note: change filenames appropriate to much your printer's)

4. Install

$ sudo dpkg -i <names of the 3 generated deb files>

5.Edit .ppd file To allow printing quality options to be accessed through cups' printer properties you must edit as root the printer's ppd file.(This applies only to the ip4000. I don't know the settings for ip3000 or ip8600.Backup and try it)

$ gksudo gedit /usr/share/cups/model/canonpixusip4100.ppd

Add these lines:

*OpenUI *CNQuality/Quality: PickOne
*DefaultCNQuality: 3
*CNQuality 2/High: "2"
*CNQuality 3/Normal: "3"
*CNQuality 4/Standard: "4"
*CNQuality 5/Economy: "5"
*CloseUI: *CNQuality

You can also replace these lines:

*OpenUI *Resolution/Output Resolution: PickOne
*DefaultResolution: 600
*Resolution 600/600 dpi: "<</HWResolution[600 600]>>setpagedevice"
*CloseUI: *Resolution

with:

*OpenUI *Resolution/Output Resolution: PickOne
*DefaultResolution: 600
*Resolution 600/600 dpi: "<</HWResolution[600 600]>>setpagedevice"
*Resolution 1200/1200 dpi: "<</HWResolution[1200 1200]>>setpagedevice"
*Resolution 2400/2400 dpi: "<</HWResolution[2400 2400]>>setpagedevice"
*CloseUI: *Resolution

Save the file

6. Fix libs

$sudo ln -s /usr/lib/libpng12.so.0 /usr/lib/libpng.so.2
$sudo ln -s /usr/lib/libtiff.so.4 /usr/lib/libtiff.so.3
$sudo ln -s /usr/lib/libxml2.so.2 /usr/lib/libxml.so.1

(i don't know why i do this but otherwise the printer does not work)

7. Restart Cups

$ sudo /etc/init.d/cupsys restart

8. Setup Printer -System>Administration>Printing>New Printer -Choose Local or network printer and specify port or url, respectively -Forward Manufacturer>canon Model> PIXUS iP4100 Ver.2.50 (depends on your printer) Driver>Standard -Apply (if you can't find your printer choose:install driver>choose the ppd file you edited, reboot and try again to setup printer)

9. Test Right Click on printer> properties>print test page

10. Setup on GIMP -open an image to print -file>print>Choose your printer name>setup printer: Printer Model>PostScript level 2 command>lpr -P <your printer name> (mine is PIXUS-iP4100-Ver.2.50) PPD File>browse at /usr/share/cups/model/ (mine is /usr/share/cups/model/canonpixusip4100.ppd) -OK -Save Settings -Print

I don't know if changing to a higher resolution works. The test pages showed same quality with any resolution.I think that resolution is actually controlled with the quality settings only, at the cups' printer properties menu>advanced>quality(High, Normal, standard, economy). I also suppose that the .ppd file can be further tweaked to allow more options to be set up in the cups properties menu, and more features might be unlocked (if somebody is experienced with cups help would be appreciated).

11.Run bjcups application Bjcups is canon's application that allows you to set printer's settings and perform maintenance tasks such as head alighnment.

$ bjcups -P <printer name> (mine is PIXUS-iP4100-Ver.2.50)

To print a file you may also use:

$ bjcups -P <printer name> <filename>

Finally, at ftp://download.canon.jp/pub/driver/bj/linux/ you can find some other applications that might be useful, the source code for the drivers, and a user's guide for the driver in Japanese. I somehow translated it in English using http://www.systranbox.com/systran/box .

Hope it works Please post for any problems or fixes

(Written by paris_m_, copied from UbuntuForums and formatted for wiki by nbcthreat)


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HardwareSupportComponentsPrinters/PIXMA (last edited 2008-08-06 16:17:46 by localhost)