I am using Silverblue 37. My Canon printer shows up in the Settings, but whenever I try to print something, it is not an option in the print dialogue. Only “Save to PDF” or something like that. How do I get the printer to work?
Have you ever used your Canon printer with this Linux system?
I only ask because I have an old Canon black and white laser printer (an LBP-6030), and I had to install the proprietary Canon printer rpm packages that I managed to find somewhere on one of their websites to make it work.
No, I have never been able to print anything with my Linux system and this printer.
Check the Canon documents to see if your printer supports IPP or AirPrint (see: OpenPrinting CUPS).
Have you tried the drop box that contains the print to pdf
text? It usually allows switching to a different destination.
Assuming you have, and you say you have not been able to print from linux to this printer, it may be that you need a special driver depending upon the particular printer you have.
Should you share the particular printer model we might be able to assist more.
Actually, I was wrong when I wrote that about installing those Canon-provided packages. I used to do that, and I distinctly remember removing the packages before an upgrade some time ago.
No matter, though; I no longer have them installed. I just took a look at my setup and found that Canon printer currently in the existing printer database, so that is almost certainly what I used when I last installed it.
I did not see that your specific one was, so I wonder if taking a look at the Fedora Printing Wiki would help?
Good luck!
There has been a major upheaval since the wiki was written, see: IPP Everywhere. The current CUPS release supports “driverless” printing via IPP for printers that have AirPrint. Messing with legacy PPD drivers is a mistake if your printer can do AirPrint.
Also, vendor provided printer drivers may not work in the future when cups in a futur release is going to use IPP everywhere only. The printer drivers provided by foomatic
or gutenprint
will be supported as printer apps.
Yes, that must be why I no longer needed the vendor-supplied CUPS related rpms with my LBP-6030. I think that printer was first manufactered in 2014.