LEXMARK 7000 JETPRINTER GHOSTSCRIPT DRIVER FOR LINUX
AND OTHER OPEN SOURCE SYSTEMS
(C) 1999 Henryk Paluch
paluch@bimbo.fjfi.cvut.cz
September 8, 1999
PROGRAM RELEASE: 990908
Hi folks!
This is the 4rd release of Lexmark JetPrinter GhostScript driver for Linux
(and other platforms).
Lexmark does NOT provide protocol specification for third party. They con-
sider it "copyrighted". So, this work is completely based on disassembling
printing files (using driver for Windows and Print to File capability in pro-
grams). It does mean, that this program comes WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY! Use it on
your own risk only!
1. CURRENT FEATURES
This is bug-fix only release. No new features. Changes from previous
release are marked "NEW:".
o NEW: Fixed bug in print_cols() rutine. Caused printing of two noised stripes
at the end of line (observerd when printing "ASCII" in 1200dpi mode)
o NEW: 990815 reported to work w/ Lexmark Z51 and IJ900 too. However IJ900
need to manually load the 1st page if kernel reports `out of paper'.
o Now supports 1200dpi and 300dpi printing. All resolutions except 600dpi
should be considered experimental, but they seem to work at least on Lexmark
7xxx.
o Now uses both types of data compression. golfer.ps prints in one pass with-
out need for overflow workaround.
o The driver now assumes that printer provides 256KB data buffer. Is it true?
(???)
o The driver is built in GhostScript now. This should ensure easy availability
for all major platforms in future. It also will make color printing much
easier in future.
o Distributed as modified GhostScript RPM. Also contains utility 'dbman', that
creates Lexmark entries in RedHat's printtool database.
o Black/White printing 300 dpi (experimental), 600 dpi and 1200 dpi (experi-
mental)
o Includes 'changecartridge' script that allow load and unload of cartridges
in Linux w/o need to reboot in Win9x
o Distributed under GNU GPL license (or Alladin license? I'm confused)
2. Supported printers
Lexmark 7000 is known to work. Lexmark 5700 should work at least on
600dpi, but need testing (there is new compression scheme and larger printer
buffer introduced in driver - hopefully this does not break things).
3. INSTALLATION
3.1. Installing rpm version on RedHat
You should have 'printtool' and 'rhs-printfilters' installed on you Red-
Hat.
If you had installed old lexmark7000linux package you should remove it:
# rpm -e lexmark7000linux
Install this rpm:
# rpm -Uvh ghostscript-5.10-990908lexmark.i386.rpm
Remove your old /etc/printcap (otherwise printtool will bomb something
about invalid array index if you used old Lexmark driver):
# mv /etc/printcap /etc/printcap.old
Start 'printtool':
# /usr/bin/printtool
If printtool screams something about missing stat in shared libraries, upgrade
your Tcl/Tk or try this trick:
# /usr/bin/wishx < /usr/bin/printtool
Add printer using 'Add' and click on 'Select' filter. Select proper
printer and carefully follow instructions shown in a right top window, other-
wise you fail to configure the printer properly.
IMPORTANT! REMOVE ANYTHING IN `GS EXTRA OPTIONS' FIELD!
If you don't see your printer in a list, try to recreate Lexmark entries
in /usr/lib/rhs/rhs-printfilters/printerdb using:
# dbman -i
Try print test page.
3.2. Installing on other Linux/Unix systems
This section need to be written...
4. NOTES
As I stated above, this driver is *pre-pre-pre-pre ALPHA* version. Use
it on your own risk. I'll gladly appreciate bug reports and bug fixes
concerning this driver. I also hope, that Lexmark will change his "OSS
deny" policy soon.
The most recent version of this driver should be available on:
http://bimbo.fjfi.cvut.cz/~paluch/l7kdriver/
I hope you will enjoy this "underground" release of Lexmark 7000 printer
driver
Henryk Paluch, paluch@bimbo.fjfi.cvut.cz
5. THANKS
I'd like to thanks to many people for feedback and help to make the driver
to work on additional Lexmark models. The list comes in chronological & chaotic
order:
Dithering routines were ripped from print-util.c - part of GIMP package. That
file was written by Michael Sweet (mike@easysw.com)
*BIG* thank to Peter B. West - the *expert* on disassembling Lexmark printer
protocol. Many thanks!
Special thanks to Peter Samuel for RedHat printtool config and solving "color"
problems with ghostscript.
Special thanks to Anthony Fok that contributed Debian dpkg configs and lex-
mark{5700,7000}-filter magic filters.
7200 series:
Dan Davis - thanks for report, and notice about docs
7000 series:
Nigel Lock - thanks for report, and notice about unclear point in installation
docs.
5700 series:
Stephen Vinall, Peter Mott, Brian Wainscott, Javier Munoz, Phil Humpherys for
feedback and help.
1100 series:
Ben Adler - thanks for reports and nice test patterns.
I apologize if someone is missing. I have little chaos in my mailbox ;-)