Printing problem: bug reportn and a workaround

[pgmmpk]

Hi,

I've been experiencing printing problems from knoppix for some time. Now I know what the problem is, and know how to workaround it.
This forum seems to be the best place to post the bug report. If I am wrong, my apologies.

The bug report follows.

-Mike

*********************************

Knoppix: printing to a TCP printer via CUPS/foomatic-gs does not work:
Could not open the scratch file /var/spool/cups/tmp/gs_8MziHz error
from ghostscript.

The problem: attempting to use a networked non-PostScript printer (i.e. the one that
requires ghostscript to render) does not work.

Versions: this seems to be broken in all Knoppix releases, tested Knoppix 3.4
and Knoppix 4.02 from two different computers.

To duplicate the problem follow these steps:
1. Open "Configure Printers" from knoppix menu.
KDE printer configuration utility pops up.
2. Check "TCP printer" and then go to next panel
3. Fill in printer address and port, then follow to the next panel.
4. Pick non-postscript printer here (e.g Epson Stylus Photo 950, or HP DeskJet 930, or
whatever). Proceed to the next panel.
5. Print the test page. Note that NOTHING happens.

To diagnose the problem:
- open KDE printer configurator, and click "configure server".
- In the "Log" group, check "debug" as the logging level.
- Repeat the repro steps listed above, expect to see in the log something similar to
the following:

---------------------------

D [09/Oct/2005:14:32:13 +0200] [Job 3] foomatic-gswrapper: gs '-dPARANOIDSAFER' '-dNOPAUS
E' '-dBATCH' '-sDEVICE=ijs' '-sIjsServer=ijsgimpprint' '-dIjsUseOutputFD' '-sDeviceManufa
cturer=EPSON' '-sDeviceModel=escp2-950' '-dDEVICEWIDTHPOINTS=612' '-dDEVICEHEIGHTPOINTS=7
92' '-r360x360' '-sProcessColorModel=DeviceRGB' '-sIjsParams=Quality=360swuni,InkType=Pho
toCMYK,MediaType=Plain,MediaSource=Standard,Dither =Adaptive,ImageType=2,Density=1.000000,
Brightness=1.000000,Gamma=1.000000,Contrast=1.0000 00,Saturation=1.000000,Cyan=1.000000,Ma
genta=1.000000,Yellow=1.000000' '-sOutputFile=/dev/fd/3' '/dev/fd/0' 3>&1 1>&2
D [09/Oct/2005:14:32:13 +0200] [Job 3] ESP Ghostscript 7.07 (2003-07-12)
D [09/Oct/2005:14:32:13 +0200] [Job 3] Copyright 2003 artofcode LLC and Easy Software Pro
ducts, all rights reserved.
D [09/Oct/2005:14:32:13 +0200] [Job 3] This software comes with NO WARRANTY: see the file
PUBLIC for details.
D [09/Oct/2005:14:32:13 +0200] [Job 3] ESP Ghostscript 7.07.1: Could not open the scratch
file /var/spool/cups/tmp/gs_8MziHz.
D [09/Oct/2005:14:32:13 +0200] [Job 3] **** Unable to open the initial device, quitting.
D [09/Oct/2005:14:32:13 +0200] [Job 3] renderer return value: 1
D [09/Oct/2005:14:32:13 +0200] [Job 3] renderer received signal: 1

------------------------------

To workaround the problem:

1. Go to the Printer configurator, and select "Configure Server"
2. In the "Folders" group, change "Temporary files" from
/var/spool/cups/tmp
to
/tmp

3. Configure the printer, and print the test page. Expect it to work this time.

Remarks:
The /var/spool/cups/tmp directory exists, but is not writable to the general public:

root@2[knoppix]# ls -ld /var
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 12 Oct 9 04:24 /var -> /UNIONFS/var
root@2[knoppix]# ls -ld /var/spool
drwxr-xr-x 14 root root 60 Oct 9 08:26 /var/spool
root@2[knoppix]# ls -ld /var/spool/cups
drwx--x--- 4 root sys 260 Oct 9 08:32 /var/spool/cups
root@2[knoppix]# ls -ld /var/spool/cups/tmp
drwxrwx--T 2 root sys 140 Oct 9 08:58 /var/spool/cups/tmp