Linux Format forums

[fiorghael]

To keep it brief, my (not-very) old HP printer expired so I bought a Canon Pixma MP499.

It didn't work in Mint but Canon's Linux drivers solved that and also got scanner working (not under SimpleScan but under Canon's own front-end).

The only problem I now have is that there is no means of controlling printer resolution. Everything to be printed - from OOo, pdf, GIMP or whatever - outputs at 600dpi.

Googling has helped me resolve most of the Canon Pixma MP499 issues, but I'd appreciate any assistance with the resolution issue.

[ferrari]

One graphical way is to use the CUPS web interface. Launch your favourite browser and enter this URL:

http://localhost:631/printers/

Click on the Canon printer>>'Administration'>>'Set Default Options'

From there it is possible to adjust various printing options, including resolution. However, your options may be limited, depending on the ppd involved.

[fiorghael]

Very interesting. I never knew there was such a page. Doesn't solve the print resolution problem, however, but many thanks.

From what I've learned on Google, Canon's Linux support used to be very patchy, so the drivers now supplied on their site are a great improvement on what went before and an acknowledgement of Linux.

By contrast, I know that HP support is excellent on Linux, having used three different HPs over the past four years and never having had a problem with drivers. The problem is that the printers don't last!

It's been suggested that instead of the driver I've used (http://software.canon-europe.com/software/0040269.asp?model=), I install from source as available at http://software.canon-europe.com/software/0040245.asp?model=

Would a source install offer something that the .deb doesn't? And, if so, how do I delete all traces of the currently-installed driver?

[ferrari]

[fiorghael]

Thanks Ferrari for your positive responses.

I've made the changes to the ppd and they're already producing 600 -v- 300 options in the print dialogues. Until now, of course, the only option was 600.

I will have to try them out to ensure that there is a genuine difference and, given your excellent advice in the previous post, I should be able to add a line for 1200.

That will give me a decent print distance to measure, as the "print space" between 300 and 600 is probably too small.

Thanks again - and I'll let you know how it turned out when I've done the comparisons.

[fiorghael]

Hi. Having sorted out the resolution options by editing the PPD file, what tweaks or additions do I need to make to provide a mono or black and while printing output option?

Depedning on the program I'm using, at the moment I've only got the RGB "choice" on some and no choice on others. The net result is that everything prints out in colour, wasting ink, even when I just want a quick mono draft.

In short, what I'd like to do is have black and white as the default output, with a choice to do so in colour if needed. And in terms of colour, by the way, isn't RGB unsuitable for paper output. Shouldn't there also be a CMYK option?

I'm assuming that these sections below from the PPD are relevant, especially the second one.

[ferrari]