Installing a RAW printer

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Level 1

29 points

Installing a RAW printer

I need to print an epl label file that is already printed and saved to the desktop. I tried creating a raw printer in cups directly, but I do not see that printer listed in the Mac System Prefs Print & Fax.

Using 10.6.2, how does one simply create a raw printer and be able to drag files to it to send the files to the printer for printing?

Bob

MacBook Pro 2.8 ghz 15", Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Mar 17, 2010 6:44 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 18, 2010 5:50 AM in response to bobgeo

This is normal and expected behavior. Raw printers will not show up in the print window or in the Print & Fax System Preference. You can give Apple feedback on this issue at http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

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Answer 2

bobgeo Author

Level 1

29 points

Mar 18, 2010 7:25 PM in response to Matt Broughton

Is it possible to print to a RAW printer if it is not in the Print & Fax window. We use Netsuite, and it downloads epl label files for shipping that need to be printed. In Windows, the download opens and goes to a mapped LPT1 port that you setup in a .bat file. So, when windows sees the .epl file, the file extension has been mapped to run the .bat file.

So, if I can't get to the printer through the Print & Fax dialog, can I get a file that is on the desktop to print (or be sent) to a RAW printer?

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Answer 3

Mar 20, 2010 6:19 PM in response to bobgeo

Printing to a RAW printer needs to be done on the command line using 'lp' or 'lpr'. This can be automated, can be made to be a drag and drop procedure, or you can use folder actions to call a script. You can use AppleScript to create a 'droplet' application. The general form could be something like the following:

<pre style="overflow: auto;font-size:small; font-family: Monaco, 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; color: #222; background: #ddd; padding: .3em .8em .3em .8em; font-size: 9px;">on open printJobs
set trapFile to quoted form of POSIX path of (printJobs as string)
do shell script "lp -d printer_queue_name -o raw " & trapFile
end open</pre>

Be sure to substitute the actual printer queue name as it appears on the CUPS web interface for printerqueuename. This could be a stand alone droplet application, modified to accept more than one item "dropped" on it at a time, used as the action for a folder action, etc. You could probably also use Automator and create a workflow.

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