Printer driver for Brother HL-2242D laser

[Victor Bien]

Where to get and what driver to get to print to this printer natively
from an OS/2 program - namely DeScribe? I tried to use the Laserjet
driver but I only get a blank page. I can print OK from Windows by
printing over tcpip into the IBMNULL driver because the print driver is
in the Windows computer. From native OS/2 app I need an OS/2 driver.
eCS says the correct driver installs automatically but my setup is not eCS.

--
(If emailing edit the following into the correct form: vbien at
attglobal dot net, thanks).

[Peter Brown]

Hi Victor

Victor Bien wrote:
> Where to get and what driver to get to print to this printer natively
> from an OS/2 program - namely DeScribe? I tried to use the Laserjet
> driver but I only get a blank page. I can print OK from Windows by
> printing over tcpip into the IBMNULL driver because the print driver is
> in the Windows computer. From native OS/2 app I need an OS/2 driver. eCS
> says the correct driver installs automatically but my setup is not eCS.
>

I'm guessing that eCS support for this printer is CUPS based in which
case you can download the necessary CUPS packages from
http://svn.netlabs.org/ecups/


Regards

Pete

[Mr. G]

On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 12:14:43 UTC, Victor Bien <m...@privacy.net> wrote:

> Where to get and what driver to get to print to this printer natively
> from an OS/2 program - namely DeScribe? I tried to use the Laserjet
> driver but I only get a blank page. I can print OK from Windows by
> printing over tcpip into the IBMNULL driver because the print driver is
> in the Windows computer. From native OS/2 app I need an OS/2 driver.
> eCS says the correct driver installs automatically but my setup is not eCS.
>

You may want to try the PSCRIPT.DRV and/or OMNI.DRV before going the CUPS
route.

[Andreas Kohl]

Mr. G schrieb:

But it's quite useless with Windows GDI printers. The same is sad but
true for CUPS:
<http://www.openprinting.org/printers/manufacturer/Brother> (similiar
model 2240 listed under paperweight)

You could use this printer from OS/2 applications by printing to a PDF
and doing the real printing later by Windows printer drivers.

Andreas

[Peter Brown]

Hi

Andreas Kohl wrote:
> Mr. G schrieb:
>> On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 12:14:43 UTC, Victor Bien<m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Where to get and what driver to get to print to this printer natively
>>> from an OS/2 program - namely DeScribe? I tried to use the Laserjet
>>> driver but I only get a blank page. I can print OK from Windows by
>>> printing over tcpip into the IBMNULL driver because the print driver is
>>> in the Windows computer. From native OS/2 app I need an OS/2 driver.
>>> eCS says the correct driver installs automatically but my setup is
>>> not eCS.
>>>
>>
>> You may want to try the PSCRIPT.DRV and/or OMNI.DRV before going the CUPS
>> route.
>
> But it's quite useless with Windows GDI printers. The same is sad but
> true for CUPS:
> <http://www.openprinting.org/printers/manufacturer/Brother> (similiar
> model 2240 listed under paperweight)
>

Looks like Brother have their own cups based linux driver
http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public_s/id/linux/en/download_prn.html#HL-2242D

I have not spotted anything about downloading source code though so
doubt it can be ported to eCUPS.


Regards

Pete

[Barbara]

On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 12:14:43 UTC, Victor Bien <m...@privacy.net> wrote:

> Where to get and what driver to get to print to this printer natively
> from an OS/2 program - namely DeScribe? I tried to use the Laserjet
> driver but I only get a blank page. I can print OK from Windows by
> printing over tcpip into the IBMNULL driver because the print driver is
> in the Windows computer. From native OS/2 app I need an OS/2 driver.
> eCS says the correct driver installs automatically but my setup is not eCS.
>

This may not help, but I have an older Brother HL-2040 mono laser
printer which works with laserjet.drv version 30.827. This is a basic,
nothing special B/W printer with both USB and parallel ports. I've
used it with both OS/2 and with eCS. This one does not have the duplex
feature.

This driver is not laserjet.drv that came with OS/2, but a package I
downloaded from the ecomstation web site. It's dated 1/31/2005, size
2,370,214. In the printer list my HL-2040 is not listed specifically,
nor is the newer HL-2240D, but it might be worth a try. There are a
number of HL-2xxx printers that are listed.

--
Barbara

[Paul Ratcliffe]

On Tue, 09 Apr 2013 22:14:43 +1000, Victor Bien <m...@privacy.net> wrote:

> Where to get and what driver to get to print to this printer natively
> from an OS/2 program - namely DeScribe? I tried to use the Laserjet
> driver but I only get a blank page. I can print OK from Windows by
> printing over tcpip into the IBMNULL driver because the print driver is
> in the Windows computer. From native OS/2 app I need an OS/2 driver.
> eCS says the correct driver installs automatically but my setup is not eCS.

Looks like you should just be able to use a bog-standard PCL driver.

[James J. Weinkam]

I think you are right. According to the technical reference manual for developers, which can be found at

<http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public/as/au/en/doc/manual_index.html?reg=as&c=au&lang=en&prod=hl2240d_all&dlid=&flang=English&type2=-1>


the HL-2242 printer supports PCL, PCL5C, HP-GL/2, PJL, EPSON FX-850, and IBM Proprinter XL. Postscript is not mentioned.

The HL-2242 is not listed among the models supported by the LASERJET driver; however, selecting a model whose feature
set is a superset of the model in question and then refraining from trying to use non existent features usually works.
If not the Brother website also states that a CUPS based driver is available for download.

[Paul Smedley]

On 10/04/13 20:02, Peter Brown wrote:
> Hi
>
> Andreas Kohl wrote:
>> Mr. G schrieb:
>>> On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 12:14:43 UTC, Victor Bien<m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Where to get and what driver to get to print to this printer natively
>>>> from an OS/2 program - namely DeScribe? I tried to use the Laserjet
>>>> driver but I only get a blank page. I can print OK from Windows by
>>>> printing over tcpip into the IBMNULL driver because the print driver is
>>>> in the Windows computer. From native OS/2 app I need an OS/2 driver.
>>>> eCS says the correct driver installs automatically but my setup is
>>>> not eCS.
>>>>
>>>
>>> You may want to try the PSCRIPT.DRV and/or OMNI.DRV before going the
>>> CUPS
>>> route.
>>
>> But it's quite useless with Windows GDI printers. The same is sad but
>> true for CUPS:
>> <http://www.openprinting.org/printers/manufacturer/Brother> (similiar
>> model 2240 listed under paperweight)
>>
>
>
> Looks like Brother have their own cups based linux driver
> http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public_s/id/linux/en/download_prn.html#HL-2242D
>
>
> I have not spotted anything about downloading source code though so
> doubt it can be ported to eCUPS.

They publish _some_ code - but depend on closed source libraries so
we're screwed....

[Victor Bien]

Still no joy after two or three cuts and tries. I am getting by with
printing from my Windows machine work arounds:- pdf file method, opening
what I can with a Windows program; using the Windows version of DeScribe
in Win 7's Windows XP mode but they are awkward, inelegant, inconvenient!

I couldn't find that file from the ecomstation web site. I found the
laserjet.dr_ under OS2IMAGE\PMDD_1 from my eCS install CD was 1221 kB
with an earlier date 19.07.04 That is about twice as big as the
laserjet.dr_ that came with OS/2. It had some Brother HL-2### drivers.
I tried a few but they did not work properly - just a few odd lines.
The long serving Lexmark PCL5 driver gave nothing. HP laserjet drivers
gave nothing.

What I found odd and too hard to understand why is that I had to use the
USB port created when I created the printer object from Windows printing
over tcpip. If I used one I created manually nothing happened, not even
a blink of the light on the printer. The properties of the port was
sensitive to whether the printer was on-line or not; so was the other
one. But despite that no printing data would flow through it at all.

Anyway I'm not really prepared to spend too much time trying to print
natively to this printer because it's only here temporarily (until my
son settles into a new place). What I want to buy is an HP Officejet
printer. What will I experience with that?

[Barbara]

On Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:54:52 UTC, Victor Bien <m...@privacy.net> wrote:

> On 11/04/2013 12:26 AM, Barbara wrote:
> > On Tue, 9 Apr 2013 12:14:43 UTC, Victor Bien <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Where to get and what driver to get to print to this printer natively
> >> from an OS/2 program - namely DeScribe? I tried to use the Laserjet
> >> driver but I only get a blank page. I can print OK from Windows by
> >> printing over tcpip into the IBMNULL driver because the print driver is
> >> in the Windows computer. From native OS/2 app I need an OS/2 driver.
> >> eCS says the correct driver installs automatically but my setup is not eCS.
> >>
> >
> > This may not help, but I have an older Brother HL-2040 mono laser
> > printer which works with laserjet.drv version 30.827. This is a basic,
> > nothing special B/W printer with both USB and parallel ports. I've
> > used it with both OS/2 and with eCS. This one does not have the duplex
> > feature.
> >
> > This driver is not laserjet.drv that came with OS/2, but a package I
> > downloaded from the ecomstation web site. It's dated 1/31/2005, size
> > 2,370,214. In the printer list my HL-2040 is not listed specifically,
> > nor is the newer HL-2240D, but it might be worth a try. There are a
> > number of HL-2xxx printers that are listed.
> >
>
> Still no joy after two or three cuts and tries. I am getting by with
> printing from my Windows machine work arounds:- pdf file method, opening
> what I can with a Windows program; using the Windows version of DeScribe
> in Win 7's Windows XP mode but they are awkward, inelegant, inconvenient!
>
> I couldn't find that file from the ecomstation web site.

It's not easy to find. First you must have an eCS login ID and use it
at:

http://www.ecomstation.com/index.phtml

Then select "Reserved Features"
Then select "Download the latest software & Updates"
Then select "Device Drivers"
Then select "All Device Drivers"
Click through to page 3, where you'll find: "Laserjet Printer Driver
(English)"

> I found the
> laserjet.dr_ under OS2IMAGE\PMDD_1 from my eCS install CD was 1221 kB
> with an earlier date 19.07.04 That is about twice as big as the
> laserjet.dr_ that came with OS/2. It had some Brother HL-2### drivers.
> I tried a few but they did not work properly - just a few odd lines.
> The long serving Lexmark PCL5 driver gave nothing. HP laserjet drivers
> gave nothing.
>
> What I found odd and too hard to understand why is that I had to use the
> USB port created when I created the printer object from Windows printing
> over tcpip. If I used one I created manually nothing happened, not even
> a blink of the light on the printer. The properties of the port was
> sensitive to whether the printer was on-line or not; so was the other
> one. But despite that no printing data would flow through it at all.
>
> Anyway I'm not really prepared to spend too much time trying to print
> natively to this printer because it's only here temporarily (until my
> son settles into a new place). What I want to buy is an HP Officejet
> printer. What will I experience with that?

I have no idea. What you're going through is ten times more difficult
than anything I've experienced. And to further confuse things, I use
my Brother HL 2040 with older hardware as a parallel printer. No USB
complications.


--
Barbara

[Mr. G]

On Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:54:52 UTC, Victor Bien <m...@privacy.net> wrote:

> What I want to buy is an HP Officejet
> printer. What will I experience with that?
>

I just picked up an old officejet 6110xi for free which had a
non-functioning scanner. Fixed that problem, set it up in XP first to make
sure everything worked. Then on to OS/2. I used selective install and OS/2
ver 4.52 CD. The printer list has no offerings for officejet specifically,
but noticed that most of HP's inkjet printers used the Omni driver. I
picked a deskjet xi model, installed the driver, then installed the USB
port and the printer worked like a charm.

The other functions will have to be setup with other software of course. I
haven't done this myself as of yet cause I don't know if I will keep this
or pass it on to someone else. Probably need Sane for the scanner. I don't
think there is software for the copy function (could be wrong), but it's
not really needed as you can copy even without being connected to a
computer. The fax function, I wouldn't use, but I'm sure there is more than
one app that can be used for faxing.

I seem to remember something about PCL5 on the HP site, so that may work
also.
Or, I just could have said it works :) At least on a 10 year old officejet,
it does.
Good luck,

[Alex Taylor]

On Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:54:52 UTC, Victor Bien <m...@privacy.net> wrote:

> Still no joy after two or three cuts and tries. I am getting by with
> printing from my Windows machine work arounds:- pdf file method, opening
> what I can with a Windows program; using the Windows version of DeScribe
> in Win 7's Windows XP mode but they are awkward, inelegant, inconvenient!

Paul is correct. I looked through the printer specs, and examined the
downloadable drivers from Brother. This is a GDI printer, a.k.a. a
"WinPrinter". It will not work under OS/2, and very likely never will.

Your only hope is that it may compatible with one of the existing GDI
protocols that are supported by foo2xxx or Ghostscript, but I doubt
that's the case or someone on the OpenPrinting site probably would have
discovered it by now.

Fiddling around with the LaserJet driver (any version) will not help you
as that is only for PCL printers.

--
Alex Taylor
http://www.altsan.org

Please take off hat when replying.

[Victor Bien]

On 27/04/2013 2:17 PM, Alex Taylor wrote:
> On Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:54:52 UTC, Victor Bien <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>
>> Still no joy after two or three cuts and tries. I am getting by with
>> printing from my Windows machine work arounds:- pdf file method, opening
>> what I can with a Windows program; using the Windows version of DeScribe
>> in Win 7's Windows XP mode but they are awkward, inelegant, inconvenient!
>
> Paul is correct. I looked through the printer specs, and examined the
> downloadable drivers from Brother. This is a GDI printer, a.k.a. a
> "WinPrinter". It will not work under OS/2, and very likely never will.

I more or less thought was true when I embarked on trying to get this
printer to work. Then I saw this remark:

"Additional note: I am suprised about the successful functioning because
the printer's manual says it be a GDI-printer (that is a special
Windows-printing-interface). According to my previous experience
GDI-printers wouldn't work with OS/2. But this seems no longer true.

Information is sent by: Norbert Zanto -- 2009-11-28 21:33:46"

Your see this on the Russian branch of eCS at this URL:
http://en.ecomstation.ru/hardware.php?action=item&id=1786

So this put the spurs in me to look harder.

>
> Your only hope is that it may compatible with one of the existing GDI
> protocols that are supported by foo2xxx or Ghostscript, but I doubt
> that's the case or someone on the OpenPrinting site probably would have
> discovered it by now.
>
> Fiddling around with the LaserJet driver (any version) will not help you
> as that is only for PCL printers.
>


--

[Alex Taylor]

On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:02:26 UTC, Victor Bien <m...@privacy.net> wrote:

> > Paul is correct. I looked through the printer specs, and examined the
> > downloadable drivers from Brother. This is a GDI printer, a.k.a. a
> > "WinPrinter". It will not work under OS/2, and very likely never will.
>
> I more or less thought was true when I embarked on trying to get this
> printer to work. Then I saw this remark:
>
> "Additional note: I am suprised about the successful functioning because
> the printer's manual says it be a GDI-printer (that is a special
> Windows-printing-interface). According to my previous experience
> GDI-printers wouldn't work with OS/2. But this seems no longer true.

The HL-2035 evidently has a PCL emulation mode, given that the OpenPrinting
side lists several PCL drivers as working with it.

That said, as I mentioned (below), there are a couple of GDI printer languages
supported by Ghostscript or CUPS, but I don't see any evidence that this
printers uses one of those.

> > Your only hope is that it may compatible with one of the existing GDI
> > protocols that are supported by foo2xxx or Ghostscript, but I doubt
> > that's the case or someone on the OpenPrinting site probably would have
> > discovered it by now.

[David T. Johnson]

The last IBM Laserjet driver works fine for printing from OS/2 apps (such as Describe) with my Brother 6050DN. FWIW, the HP Laserjet III win 3.1 driver also works for the Brother printer from win-os2 applications. What laserjet driver version are you using? Victor Bien wrote: > Where to get and what driver to get to print to this printer natively > from an OS/2 program - namely DeScribe? I tried to use the Laserjet > driver but I only get a blank page. I can print OK from Windows by > printing over tcpip into the IBMNULL driver because the print driver is > in the Windows computer. From native OS/2 app I need an OS/2 driver. > eCS says the correct driver installs automatically but my setup is not eCS. Posted with OS/2 Warp 4.52 and Sea Monkey 1.5a