5. Configuring Apsfilter
This section assumes that you have installed Apsfilter, but not yet configured it. Alternatively, you may wish to reconfigure Apsfilter. You should still be logged in as a super-user (see "becoming a super user" in the previous section).
5.1. Don't panic!
If your configuration goes irretrievably wrong, you can go back and re-install Apsfilter. Before you do this, you must remove the apsfilter package and its configuration using apt-get. This is called "purging" the package.
At the command prompt, type apt-get --purge remove apsfilter and tap enter.
debian:~# apt-get --purge remove apsfilter enter The following packages will be REMOVED: apsfilter* Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y enter |
Now reinstall apsfilter (see running apt-get install in the previous section).
5.2. Running apsfilterconfig
At the command prompt, type apsfilterconfig and tap enter.
debian:/home/chris# apsfilterconfig enter |
Now work your way through the initial screens until you get to the Apsfilter setup main menu. As part of the licensing conditions, the author asks that you send him a postcard. You can e-mail the author during the setup process, but you may prefer to wait until the configuration is complete. (Send a message to <request-snailmail@klemm.gtn.com> for the postal address.)
ACCEPT LICENSE[Y|y|J|j|N|n]? y enter Request my snail mail address now [Y|y|N|n]? n enter [ Press <RETURN> to continue ] enter [ Press <RETURN> to continue ] enter A P S F I L T E R V 514 *** The Unix Print Solution *** [ Press <RETURN> to continue ] enter A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- PROGRAM INFO -- [ Press <RETURN> to continue ] enter |
5.3. Check that your driver is available
 | You cannot return to the main menu if you carry out this check |
|---|---|
If you do not need to check that your driver is on the system, skip this and go on to the next section. If you procede, you will have to exit apsfilterconfig and re-start it. |
From the main menu, you can check that the driver you need is available. (To find out which driver you need, see the section on choosing a printer driver). Option (D) calls Ghostscript with the -h switch to find out which drivers are available in the Ghostscript binary file. (Ghostscript was installed as a dependency when you installed Apsfilter.) This gives you a list of drivers in no particular order. Tap space for the second page of the list. To continue, hold down ctrl and tap z, tap enter to restore the command prompt.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- MAIN MENUE -- Your choice ? D enter space ctrl-z enter |
Run Apsfilter again (see previous section). (There may be a better way of returning to the main menu, but I have not found it.)
If you downloaded a driver from http://www.linuxprinting.org , then visit http://www.apsfilter.org for detailed help.
5.4. Printer driver selection
From the main menu, you can select your printer driver by choosing option 1. Tap 1 followed by enter.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- MAIN MENUE -- Your choice ? 1 enter |
This brings you to the "Printer Driver Selection" menu. Choose a printer family that seems closest to your printer. For the Canon BJC-4200 I chose "2 - for Canon and Canon compatible printer". Tap a number followed by enter.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- Printer Driver Selection --
Your choice ? (type menu item number) enter |
This gives you a list of printer drivers to choose from. If you have chosen the wrong list, just tap enter to return to the Printer Driver Selection menu. For the Canon BJC-4200 I chose "(3) bjc600". Tap a number followed by enter, then confirm your choice.
Please enter the printer driver of your choice or type <RETURN> to choose another catagory/driver:
Your choice ? (type menu item number) enter
Please confirm selection OK y/n ? y enter |
You should now be returned to the main menu.
5.5. Interface setup
From the main menu, you can set up your printer interface (parallel or serial) by choosing option 2. Tap 2 followed by enter.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- MAIN MENUE -- Your choice ? 2 enter |
This brings you to the "Interface Setup" menu. I am assuming that you will want to set up a parallel printer, so choose option 1. (If you want to set up a serial printer, choose option 2.) Tap 1 followed by enter.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- Interface Setup --
1) Configure a parallel printer
2) Configure a serial printer
Your choice ? 1 enter |
This brings you to the "Parallel Interface Settings" menu. You need to know which socket your printer is plugged into. Most PCs have one 25-pin parallel port (often labelled "Printer" or "LPT1"). The Linux path for this device is "/dev/lp0". You need to enter this path.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P Parallel Interface Settings -- Device -- Full path of parallel print device: /dev/lp0 enter |
You should now be returned to the main menu.
5.6. Printing the test page
This is it! Are you ready? All you need to do now is choose your paper size and try a test print.
| Options (4) and (5) |
|---|---|
Leave these set to [default]. There seems to be a bug that stops you from restoring [default] once you have chosen something else. If you experience this problem, you must purge Apsfilter from the system, re-install it and start again (see Don't panic! above ). |
To set your paper size, choose option 3 from the main menu.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- MAIN MENUE -- Your choice ? 3 enter |
This brings you to the "Paper Format" menu. I have A4 sized paper in my tray, so I chose option 1 (DIN A4). If you use Letter, choose option 2.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- Paper Format --
1) DIN A4
2) Letter
3) DIN A3
Your choice ? 1 enter |
This returns you once again to the main menu. Now, make sure that you printer is plugged in and switched on. (It seems obvious, but is is surprising how many times this is the cause of a printing problem!) Enter T. Enter T again, confirm, and hold your breath.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- MAIN MENUE -- Your choice ? T enter Creating the test output might last some time, please be patient. T) Print a test page *) Back to main menue Your choice ? T enter OK, to print test page ? [y/n] y enter Creating test page... Printing test page... [ press RETURN to continue ] enter |
I hope it worked for you. If not, you probably chose the wrong printer driver. Choose option 1 and try a different driver.
5.7. Saving your Apsfilter configuration
If all worked well, you should be looking at the main menu again (with a test print sheet in your hand). Choose C to continue printer setup.
A P S F I L T E R S E T U P -- MAIN MENUE -- Your choice ? C enter |
This takes you to the "Apsfilter installation" screen. If your printer is a colour printer you must enter c. If it is black-and-white you must enter m for monochrome. My printer is a colour printer.
A P S F I L T E R I N S T A L L A T I O N
Is your printer a (c)olor printer
or a (m)ono printer ?
? c enter |
You will now get confirmation that the file /etc/printcap has been created, and an invitation to read through various screens of news and information.
Finished creating/updating etc/printcap...
Now some important news/informations follow...
Please read them carefully !
[ press <RETURN> to continue ]
enter (repeat as often as necessary) |
Tap enter at the end of each screen until, finally, apsfilterconfig checks your system for available filters.
looking for available filter programs on this system...
[ press <RETURN> to continue ] enter
[ press <RETURN> to continue ] enter
That's it...
...have fun !!!
Andreas /// |
5.8. Finishing off
Try printing from your favourite applications as a super-user, and as an ordinary user. To return to being an ordinary user, enter exit at the command prompt.
debian:/home/chris# exit enter exit chris@debian:~$ |
If you have any problems, visit the web site: http://www.apsfilter.org. The web site also tells you how to do some smart printing: print previews, 2 or 4 pages to a sheet, fake duplexing and more. Remember to send Andreas a postcard. Send a message to <request-snailmail@klemm.gtn.com> for the address.