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printer is too slow because its processor is too weak. Furthermore, the printer may
not support PostScript by default, for example, because PostScript support is only
available as an optional module.
If a PPD file from the manufacturer-PPDs package is suitable for a PostScript
printer, but YaST cannot configure it for these reasons, select the respective printer
model manually in YaST.
20.9 Troubleshooting
The following sections cover some of the most frequently encountered printer hardware
and software problems and ways to solve or circumvent these problems. Among the
topics covered are GDI printers, PPD files, and port configuration. Common network
printer problems, defective printouts, and queue handling are also addressed.
20.9.1 Printers without Standard Printer
Language Support
These printers do not support any common printer language and can only be addressed
with special proprietary control sequences. Therefore they can only work with the op-
erating system versions for which the manufacturer delivers a driver. GDI is a program-
ming interface developed by Microsoft* for graphics devices. Usually the manufacturer
delivers drivers only for Windows and because the Windows driver uses the GDI inter-
face, these printers are also called GDI printers. The actual problem is not the program-
ming interface, but the fact that these printers can only be addressed with the proprietary
printer language of the respective printer model.
Some GDI printers can be switched to operate either in GDI mode or one of the standard
printer languages. See the manual of the printer whether it is possible. Some models
require a special Windows software to do the switch (note that the Windows printer
driver may always switch the printer back into GDI mode when printing from Windows).
For other GDI printers there are extension modules for a standard printer language
available.
Some manufacturers provide proprietary drivers for their printers. The disadvantage of
proprietary printer drivers is that there is no guarantee that these work with the installed
print system and that they are suitable for the various hardware platforms. In contrast,
Printer Operation
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Table of Contents
Troubleshooting
