# Epson stylus DX4050 USB Printer Problem



## neilms (Jun 29, 2010)

I have the above printer. There are no faults with it.
I have followed serveral threads about setting up USB printer and I have followed a tutorial which seems to have been a waste of time. When I try to print i get 'broken pipe' error. I am surprised that no one seems to have the time to write a comprehensible step by step guide to set up a USB printer - everything i have read seems to leave the reader to guess.

Can anyone please explain how to set up this printer, if it works at all with freebsd.


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## wblock@ (Jun 29, 2010)

It's not so much the USB part as the "inkjet that may not understand standard printing languages" part.

Here's my guide, but you're probably going to have to adapt that.  And it's not for CUPS, which many people think is required for printing.

What language does it understand?
Have you checked openprinting.org?
What tutorial did you follow that didn't work?


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## neilms (Jun 30, 2010)

I cant remember all of the instructions that I have read. But I have also read your guide yesterday and did not get anywhere. I have started again with editing the /etc/printcap file:


```
epson|lp|epson stylus dx4050:\
:sh:sd=/var/spool/lpd/epson:\
:lp=/dev/unlpt0
```

I am trying to follow the handbook at the section installing a text filter - which as many have said before needs updating in this area. This is where I am completely lost - do i need a text filter or driver? I installed gutenprint and there are NO instructions which say HOW or where to find the driver for my printer. According to 'open printing.org' Epson stylus DX3800,DX3850,DX4200,DX4250 and DX4800 are 'supported' by gutenprint. I would want to try all of these drivers - but please can someone tell me where they are in the system? Presumably I need to put the path to the driver in the /etc/printcap file?


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## wblock@ (Jun 30, 2010)

"Text filter" is what the Handbook calls an input filter.  It's really just a variation on a driver, a program that takes one form of input (PostScript, usually) and converts it to whatever goofy printer language a particular printer supports.  The ps2pcl example in my guide is an input filter.

If you want to use Gutenprint drivers, it's probably easiest to use CUPS instead of lpd.  CUPS has a simple interface on top of layers of complexity that is supposed to do all the setup for you.  When it works, it makes things easier.  I don't use CUPS, so can't suggest much beyond the basics: CUPS on FreeBSD.


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## neilms (Jul 3, 2010)

I did it warren using CUPs. Some gnome apps dont work as they use lpr so i installed an koffice writer program that uses cups. its a shame i cant use lpr though as programs that i use like codeblocks, emacs etc cant print directly. 

Thanks for your help again - you are a wizard.


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## wblock@ (Jul 3, 2010)

Great!  You might even be able to use lpr.

The FreeBSD lpr is /usr/bin/lpr.
CUPS installs its own replacement lpr at /usr/local/bin/lpr.

Most people have their path set so the system one is found first.  So try using the whole path to the CUPS version.

In the shell, you could automate that with an alias.  In applications, you may be able to enter the full path.  Some people delete the system lpr, or link the CUPS version over it.


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