Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Mick]

On Thursday, 21 December 2017 23:20:24 GMT you wrote:
> On Thursday, 21 December 2017 23:01:50 GMT Walter Dnes wrote:
> >   Is there a default page size setting in your desktop environment that
> > 
> > could've changed?
> 
> This problem is happening across different PCs, desktops/DEs and different
> applications.  The common factor is they are all using CUPS, the same
> brother driver and the default page size of A4.
> 
> I'll have another poke tomorrow into the http GUI of the printer and then
> try to print with MSWindows to see what happens.

MSWindows prints fine, just as Linux used to until recently.  I printed a 
portrait layout from Firefox on both MSWindows and Linux.

In MSWindows, the Shrink-to-fit setting made the page fit into the A4 paper, 
perfectly.

In Linux, the top of the page is cropped, the bottom stops short by an 
equivalent height and the sides are wider.  It's as if the page is both 
misaligned vertically and not shrunk-to-fit.

This tells me there's nothing wrong with the printer - half a problem solved!

I still can't explain why the Linux cups and brother driver started 
misbehaving, just because I happened to recompile them with gcc-6.4.0.

I'm also not sure what I could tweak to restore the Linux driver's behaviour 
to what it should be.

Any ideas how I could calibrate the paper size in the Linux driver to align 
with the physical dimensions of A4?  The ppd file and its measurements look 
correct to me, but as you may have figured out, I'm no printing expert ...

-- 
Regards,
Mick

signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Mick]

On Thursday, 21 December 2017 23:01:50 GMT Walter Dnes wrote:
>   Is there a default page size setting in your desktop environment that
> could've changed?

This problem is happening across different PCs, desktops/DEs and different 
applications.  The common factor is they are all using CUPS, the same brother 
driver and the default page size of A4.

I'll have another poke tomorrow into the http GUI of the printer and then try 
to print with MSWindows to see what happens.
-- 
Regards,
Mick

signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Walter Dnes]

  Is there a default page size setting in your desktop environment that
could've changed?

-- 
Walter Dnes 
I don't run "desktop environments"; I run useful applications

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Jack]

On 2017.12.21 17:35, Mick wrote:

On Thursday, 21 December 2017 21:24:57 GMT Jack wrote:
> I may be grabbing at straws here, but what happens if you print
> something in landscape?  Is the trimmed edge the new top (long  
edge) or

> still the same short edge?

Aha!  Good call.  In landscape the cropping takes place on the left  
(short)

edge, not the top of the page.


> Does the same happen with other apps?  browser, emacs, gimp (just  
make
> a simple line drawing), pdf display, image viewer, ...?  I'm  
thinking
> of printing things that originate as different image types - maybe  
one
> will behave differently and point to something in the process.  Can  
you

> send a plain text file to the printer with lp?

I sent a page with Chromium in landscape, it cropped the left hand  
short edge

too.

PDF readers print with cropped top, in portrait.

I sent a txt file with 'lpr -o fit-to-page' in portrait and the same  
cropping

on the top of the page happens.
If the actual text was sent to the printer (and not turned into ps or  
pdf first, then I blame the printer.


So it is not application specific, but page orientation specific.
No, it always happens on the first short edge to come out of the  
printer, no matter which way the pixels are oriented.  That (to me)  
rules out everything except the printer, and just possibly the printer  
driver.


Could it be something has gone wrong with the rollers?  This is a  
brand new printer!
Possibly, but my guess is some internal printer setting.  Does the  
printer itself provide a web interface?  If so, hunt through the  
options.  You may find something there.  (I'm not familiar with that  
printer, but all of the few wireless printers I have worked with  
provide a web interface on their configured IP address.)


I'll try to print a page with MSWindows tomorrow, if only to prove if  
this is

a cups problem or not.

Thanks for your suggestions!
--
Regards,
Mick

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Mick]

On Thursday, 21 December 2017 21:24:57 GMT Jack wrote:
> I may be grabbing at straws here, but what happens if you print
> something in landscape?  Is the trimmed edge the new top (long edge) or
> still the same short edge?

Aha!  Good call.  In landscape the cropping takes place on the left (short) 
edge, not the top of the page.


> Does the same happen with other apps?  browser, emacs, gimp (just make
> a simple line drawing), pdf display, image viewer, ...?  I'm thinking
> of printing things that originate as different image types - maybe one
> will behave differently and point to something in the process.  Can you
> send a plain text file to the printer with lp?

I sent a page with Chromium in landscape, it cropped the left hand short edge 
too.

PDF readers print with cropped top, in portrait.

I sent a txt file with 'lpr -o fit-to-page' in portrait and the same cropping 
on the top of the page happens.

So it is not application specific, but page orientation specific.

Could it be something has gone wrong with the rollers?  This is a brand new 
printer!

I'll try to print a page with MSWindows tomorrow, if only to prove if this is 
a cups problem or not.

Thanks for your suggestions!
-- 
Regards,
Mick

signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Jack]

I may be grabbing at straws here, but what happens if you print  
something in landscape?  Is the trimmed edge the new top (long edge) or  
still the same short edge?


Does the same happen with other apps?  browser, emacs, gimp (just make  
a simple line drawing), pdf display, image viewer, ...?  I'm thinking  
of printing things that originate as different image types - maybe one  
will behave differently and point to something in the process.  Can you  
send a plain text file to the printer with lp?

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Mick]

On Thursday, 21 December 2017 18:28:30 GMT you wrote:
> On Thursday, 21 December 2017 17:01:09 GMT Jack wrote:

> > It sounds to me like a possible A4/USLetter issue.  Can you confirm
> > that both LOWriter (and other apps) and cups (or whatever is driving
> > the printer) are both set to A4?
> > 
> > Jack
> 
> Yes, CUPS and all desktop applications show A4 as the default paper size.
> CUPS reports:
> 
> $ lpoptions -p 'HL-3140CW' -l
> PageSize/Media Size: *A4 Letter Legal Executive A5 A6 B5 JISB5 JISB6 EnvDL
[snip ...]
> 
> Are the above ppd entries correct, or am I misinterpreting the ppd logic?

OK, uninstalled cups and the brother printer driver, deleted manually the /
etc/cups/pdd/ files reinstalled cups and the brother printer driver and 
reconfigured the printer using the CUPS http page.

Now the discrepancy has disappeared from the ppd file, but still the same 
error remains.  Top of the page is cropped!  Arrgh!
-- 
Regards,
Mick

signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Mick]

On Thursday, 21 December 2017 17:01:09 GMT Jack wrote:
> On 2017.12.21 09:20, Mick wrote:
> > I've been using a Brother "HL-3140CW" model with the
> > net-print/brother- hl3140cw-bin-1.1.4 driver from the brother-overlay.
> > 
> > Since I moved to profile 17.0 (I think) pages are being cropped at
> > the top when printing from various applications (LOWriter, Okular,
> > etc.) on different PCs.
> > 
> > In LOWriter I had to set a 35mm margin at the top, to be able to get
> > just 13mm at the top of the physical A4 paper, before the top line of
> > text is printed.
> > 
> > I have used the Plasma systemsettings5 for printers as well as the
> > http GUI of the printer to see if anything is amiss, but I can't find
> > anything I can change to restore the page alignment as it was a
> > couple of weeks ago.
> > 
> > The OEM online help pages suggest to adjust the margins on the
> > application you're are printing from.
> > 
> > Any idea what has brought about this change and how I may be able to
> > revert it?  Have you noticed anything similar?
> 
> It sounds to me like a possible A4/USLetter issue.  Can you confirm
> that both LOWriter (and other apps) and cups (or whatever is driving
> the printer) are both set to A4?
> 
> Jack

Yes, CUPS and all desktop applications show A4 as the default paper size.  
CUPS reports:

$ lpoptions -p 'HL-3140CW' -l 
PageSize/Media Size: *A4 Letter Legal Executive A5 A6 B5 JISB5 JISB6 EnvDL 
EnvC5 Env10 EnvMonarch Br3x5 FanFoldGermanLegal EnvPRC5Rotated Postcard 
EnvYou4 EnvChou3 210x270mm 195x270mm 184x260mm 197x273mm
BRInputSlot/Paper Source: *AutoSelect Tray1 Manual
BRResolution/Print Quality: *600dpi 600x2400dpi
BRMonoColor/Color / Mono: Auto FullColor *Mono
BRMediaType/Media Type: *Plain Thin Thick Thicker BOND Env EnvThick EnvThin 
Recycled Label Glossy PostCard
BRColorMatching/Color Mode: *Normal Vivid None
BRGray/Improve Gray Color: OFF *ON
BREnhanceBlkPrt/Enhance Black Printing: *OFF ON
BRTonerSaveMode/Toner Save Mode: OFF *ON
BRImproveOutput/Improve Print Output: *OFF BRLessPaperCurl BRFixIntensity
BRSkipBlank/Skip Blank Page: *OFF ON
BRBrightness/Brightness: -20 -19 -18 -17 -16 -15 -14 -13 -12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 *0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
BRContrast/Contrast: -20 -19 -18 -17 -16 -15 -14 -13 -12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 *0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
BRRed/Red: -20 -19 -18 -17 -16 -15 -14 -13 -12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 
-1 *0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
BRGreen/Green: -20 -19 -18 -17 -16 -15 -14 -13 -12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 
-3 -2 -1 *0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
BRBlue/Blue: -20 -19 -18 -17 -16 -15 -14 -13 -12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 
-2 -1 *0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
BRSaturation/Saturation: -20 -19 -18 -17 -16 -15 -14 -13 -12 -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 *0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20


However, looking inside /etc/cups/ppd/HL-3140CW.ppd I see some strange things:

*% Media Selection ==
*OpenUI *PageSize/Media Size: PickOne
*OrderDependency: 11 AnySetup *PageSize
*DefaultPageSize: A4
[snip ...]

*OpenUI *PageRegion: PickOne
*OrderDependency: 12 AnySetup *PageRegion
*DefaultPageRegion: A4
[snip ...]

BUT ... then I noticed this:

*DefaultImageableArea: Letter<==What the ...?!
*ImageableArea A4/A4:   "12 12 
583 830"
*ImageableArea Letter/Letter:   "12 12 600 
780"
*ImageableArea Legal/Legal: "12 12 
600 996"
[snip ...]

AND 

*% Information About Media Sizes 
*DefaultPaperDimension: Letter<==Should this be here ...?!
*PaperDimension A4/A4:  "595 
842"
*PaperDimension Letter/Letter:  "612 792"
*PaperDimension Legal/Legal:"612 1008"


Are the above ppd entries correct, or am I misinterpreting the ppd logic?

-- 
Regards,
Mick

signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Mick]

On Thursday, 21 December 2017 15:16:32 GMT tu...@posteo.de wrote:
> On 12/21 02:20, Mick wrote:
> > I've been using a Brother "HL-3140CW" model with the net-print/brother-
> > hl3140cw-bin-1.1.4 driver from the brother-overlay.
> > 
> > Since I moved to profile 17.0 (I think) pages are being cropped at the top
> > when printing from various applications (LOWriter, Okular, etc.) on
> > different PCs.
> > 
> > In LOWriter I had to set a 35mm margin at the top, to be able to get just
> > 13mm at the top of the physical A4 paper, before the top line of text is
> > printed.
> > 
> > I have used the Plasma systemsettings5 for printers as well as the http
> > GUI of the printer to see if anything is amiss, but I can't find anything
> > I can change to restore the page alignment as it was a couple of weeks
> > ago.
> > 
> > The OEM online help pages suggest to adjust the margins on the application
> > you're are printing from.
> > 
> > Any idea what has brought about this change and how I may be able to
> > revert
> > it?  Have you noticed anything similar?
> 
> Hi Mick,
> 
> a shot into the dark:
> Would it be possible, that not the profile as such has caused the
> problem but the recompilation of such a lot of applications?
[snip ...]

Thanks Meino, the problem is not with a particular application.  Even when I 
print a test page from CUPS http interface/Maintenance, the top of the page is 
cropped and the bottom of the test page is consequently printed further up.

I'll try reinstalling the firmware next using MSWindows in case something went 
sideways with the printer.  It won't be the first coincidence this week.

-- 
Regards,
Mick

signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Jack]

On 2017.12.21 09:20, Mick wrote:
I've been using a Brother "HL-3140CW" model with the  
net-print/brother- hl3140cw-bin-1.1.4 driver from the brother-overlay.


Since I moved to profile 17.0 (I think) pages are being cropped at  
the top when printing from various applications (LOWriter, Okular,  
etc.) on different PCs.


In LOWriter I had to set a 35mm margin at the top, to be able to get  
just 13mm at the top of the physical A4 paper, before the top line of  
text is printed.


I have used the Plasma systemsettings5 for printers as well as the  
http GUI of the printer to see if anything is amiss, but I can't find  
anything I can change to restore the page alignment as it was a  
couple of weeks ago.


The OEM online help pages suggest to adjust the margins on the  
application you're are printing from.


Any idea what has brought about this change and how I may be able to  
revert it?  Have you noticed anything similar?


It sounds to me like a possible A4/USLetter issue.  Can you confirm  
that both LOWriter (and other apps) and cups (or whatever is driving  
the printer) are both set to A4?


Jack

Re: [gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[tuxic]

On 12/21 02:20, Mick wrote:
> I've been using a Brother "HL-3140CW" model with the net-print/brother-
> hl3140cw-bin-1.1.4 driver from the brother-overlay.
> 
> Since I moved to profile 17.0 (I think) pages are being cropped at the top 
> when printing from various applications (LOWriter, Okular, etc.) on different 
> PCs.
> 
> In LOWriter I had to set a 35mm margin at the top, to be able to get just 
> 13mm 
> at the top of the physical A4 paper, before the top line of text is printed.
> 
> I have used the Plasma systemsettings5 for printers as well as the http GUI 
> of 
> the printer to see if anything is amiss, but I can't find anything I can 
> change to restore the page alignment as it was a couple of weeks ago.
> 
> The OEM online help pages suggest to adjust the margins on the application 
> you're are printing from.
> 
> Any idea what has brought about this change and how I may be able to revert 
> it?  Have you noticed anything similar?
> 
> -- 
> Regards,
> Mick


Hi Mick,

a shot into the dark:
Would it be possible, that not the profile as such has caused the
problem but the recompilation of such a lot of applications?

May be a default setup has discarded a path setting to your personal
settings of the application in question.

Try the following: "Fail and win" :)

Begin with the application, which is the one with is nearest to the
user -- for example the word processor or office syit.
Find the personal settings of that application and make a backyp of
it to a save place.

Load the config file/the ocnfig files and corrupt them (yes!).

Start the application.

If the application fails: Your settings will not be ignored.
If the application runs fine: You have found the application,
which was reset to "factory settings" via the recompilation.

Until you find that application step forward into the direction
of the printer (so to say) in choosing the application.

If you have found the application, which ignores ytour personal
setting you may have found the culprit.

>From the backup restore the settings then start the application and
point it to uour settings.

Restart the application.

May be this way you can figure out, what has happen.

Cheers
Meino

[gentoo-user] What can cause printer to crop top of page?

[Mick]

I've been using a Brother "HL-3140CW" model with the net-print/brother-
hl3140cw-bin-1.1.4 driver from the brother-overlay.

Since I moved to profile 17.0 (I think) pages are being cropped at the top 
when printing from various applications (LOWriter, Okular, etc.) on different 
PCs.

In LOWriter I had to set a 35mm margin at the top, to be able to get just 13mm 
at the top of the physical A4 paper, before the top line of text is printed.

I have used the Plasma systemsettings5 for printers as well as the http GUI of 
the printer to see if anything is amiss, but I can't find anything I can 
change to restore the page alignment as it was a couple of weeks ago.

The OEM online help pages suggest to adjust the margins on the application 
you're are printing from.

Any idea what has brought about this change and how I may be able to revert 
it?  Have you noticed anything similar?

-- 
Regards,
Mick

signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.