Brother MFC8840D errors on 1st print job

[David P. Silva, Jr.]

Printing the 1st time to printer after printer power-up errors. The second and all subsequent attempts to print succeed with no errors. Happens on first try to print regardless of application (Open Office, Firefox); always succeeds an second and later trys.
Error message printed: " ERROR NAME; configurationerror COMMAND; setpagedevice OPERAND STACK; --dictype-- "
Ran troubleshooter and logged while it failed to print sample from troubleshooter menu. File is attached.
Printer is: Brother MFC-8840D on network (fixed ip address / cups.
Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid
cups 1.3.9-2ubuntu3

[ded (ded-launchpad)]

A me too on this bug. But it's been there at least since Hardy, probably before.
Thanks for the report, David.

[Pascal De Vuyst (pascal-devuyst)]

Are you using the brother drivers which are included into the Ubuntu multiverse repository as described here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BrotherDriverPackaging ?

[Pascal De Vuyst (pascal-devuyst)]

I meant: does it work using the brother-cups-wrapper driver from the link above?

[David P. Silva, Jr. (dsilva1)]

I have been using the Brother MFC-8840D driver that was found using the CUPS printer Add/Configuration tool and the drivers that came in the base install of 8.10.

After these replies, I used the Synaptic Package Manager to find the 'brother-cups-wrapper-laser1', version 1.0.2.1-0ubintu6 package, and I added that to my system. I then deleted my old printer from Printer configuration and added it back. The printer configuration tool again found my printer on my local network by IP address and suggested use of the MFC-8840D BR-Script3 (english) driver (see picture attached). I completed the installation of this driver and tested it by printing a page from a web site. I continue to get the error message:

ERROR NAME;
    configurationerror
COMMAND;
    setpagedevice
OPERAND STACK;
    --dicttype--

now after installing the driver after adding the laser1 package to Intrepid. On the second try at printing, I get a successful printed page.
If I turn off my printer and turn it back on, the first try to print after off/on gives the error message as before.

Adding the laser1 package with Synaptic Package manager and deleting and reinstalling the printer using the Printer Add/Configuration tool did not change the error.

[Pascal De Vuyst (pascal-devuyst)]

Please test if your printer works with the Brother MFC-8840D for CUPS driver from the laser1 package instead of the BR-Script3 driver.

[David P. Silva, Jr. (dsilva1)]

I tested after the most recent automatic updates to CUPS.
Using MFC-8840D for CUPS driver does give a printout on the first attempt ... but it is not fully functional. More....
Top of page has 5/8 in. (1.7 cm) extra margin added, right of page has 1/4 in (0.4 cm) extra margin added. The additional top margin caused some text to be lost off of the bottom edge of the page on docs with small margins. Also, the driver did not support double sided printing even though it is an MFC-8840D (D for double sided capability) even when I selected this (double sided no tumble) feature as a default setting or as a setting for a single job from within an application (OO Writer or Document Viewer).
Use of the BR-Script3 driver continues to error on the first print job after starting the printer as before (with the updates to CUPS of today).

[Paul Dufresne (paulduf)]

Marking as Confirmed since the question was answered, suggesting that the bug on first print is linked to the BR-Script3 driver.

[David P. Silva, Jr. (dsilva1)]

This error still exists in Ubuntu 9.10 (32-bit desktop). In every respect, all of the errors with the standard drivers and the Laser1 based drivers, the situation is identical to what it was over a year ago. No change.

Not being able to print without errors is a SHOW STOPPING BUG for my small office. This printer is a key device in my small office and I'm truly suprised to find that over a year later it is just as broken as before. I had to wipe 8.10 and go to another OS to get work done and it looks like Ubuntu is still not useful for my small office.

Excellently fast to load and shut down, seemingly runs very well in application use. But if I can't reliably print first time every time, it is truly NOTHING MORE THAN A TOY OPERATING SYSTEM for my small business office.

Much as I'd prefer not to, because this error is present still means I need to go back to WinDoze or try a different distro of Linux.
If you think this is a flame, consider that it's more like a "wake-up call". Success isn't built on SHOW STOPPING ERRORS when it comes to large scale software.

[David P. Silva, Jr. (dsilva1)]

Tried a couple things to see where printing starts to fail.
1. Ran system from Live CD. Printer installs and works fine on first print attempts.

2. Reinstalled Ubuntu 9.10 from same live CD (ugh). Printer installs and works fine on first print attempts.

3. Accepted loading proprietary video drivers. Deleted printers, reinstall. Work fine on first print attempts.

4. Accepted major list of updates from Update Manager. These included an block of updates to CUPS system files a Kernel update, and MANY others (224 files updated). Deleted printers, reinstall. Printing does not work on 1st try, only prints after first failure. Same as cases described above.

5. Restart under previous version of Kernel. Deleted printer, reinstall. Printing does not work on 1st try, only on 2nd and subsequent tries with same error as above.

6. Restart under current up to date Kernel. Try Brother BR-Script3 driver instead of default Foomatic/Postscript. Still have same failure situation. Return to Foomatic/Postscript and have failure as before.

So bottom line seems to be, Live CD and initial installed Ubuntu Desktop 9.10 were fine for printing to Brother MFC-8840DN on network router, but after update to current from repositories, printing begins to fail with symptoms listed above.

Hope that helps. I need to get to a system I can print reliably from, soon.

[Marko Ulvila (mulvila)]

It would be really good if a fix would be found and made for the Interpid.

Installed Karmic in a new computer and tried to install the printer driver from Brother sources, but got the package somewhow messed up and I am now dependent on the bug fix at the Ubuntu front.

[Marko Ulvila (mulvila)]

I ment the forthcoming Lucid Lynx, of course.

[HarryLui (tryingbe)]

I used to have the "ERROR NAME; configurationerror COMMAND; setpagedevice OPERAND STACK; --dictype--" on my first page of the print job as well. Using MFC-7820N as the network printer.

I found this and followed his method.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1039784

"Simply go to Synaptic, search for 'brother' and then go through each description by clicking on the title until you find your machine, apply the new programme the go to your printer properties and change the driver, you might have to search a bit but it will be your driver name with CUPS after it, select it complete the wizard and your set. "

I can print correctly now, EVERY TIME!!

[David P. Silva, Jr. (dsilva1)]

Hi,
Being compulsively hopefull I just burned another 2+ hours on this trying different variations and even trying to install the cups and lpr drivers from the Brother-USA web site.
Here's a description of situation as best I can tell. There are TWO separate problems.

#1 is related to BR-Script3 driver. That is the ERROR NAME / COMMAND / OPERAND STACK type error I originally reported on 09Dec2008 and confirmed existed still in 9.10 on 14Feb2010. Specifically, fails to print correct output on first attempt with this ERROR NAME / COMMAND / OPERAND STACK error on the printed page, followed by success on next print job. Blow a lot of extra paper if a user is doing only a couple prints per session.

#2 is related to the CUPS driver in the Laser1 package. When set to print on US letter size paper, it shifts the printed image down and to the right by at least 5/8 inch down and 1/4 right. It not only looks messed up printing but if one is printing with small margins, content is lost off the edge of the page (like the Ubuntu print test image looses much of the border rings on the bottom and right side). Today I selected A4 as the output paper and the margins appeared to be correct on the top and left sides. Of course, being in the USA, using A4 paper isn't a real solution since everything is setup for US letter size paper.

So I tried Mr Lui's idea again and find that the CUPS driver for the MFC-8840D still has messed up output placement on the printed page (as seen with 8.10 on 04Jan2009).

After allowing Update Manager to update the CUPS-related files from the initial install, I have also lost the ability to print using the Foomatic/Postscript driver. Now it throws ERROR NAME / COMMAND / OPERAND STACK errors on all print attempts instead of successfully printing every time as it does from live CD or did from the initial install before Update Manager 'updated it'.

This is a show stopper for my use of the OS.

[David P. Silva, Jr. (dsilva1)]

I recently tested Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Beta 2 and, using the Brother-supplied drivers recommended when adding my Brother MFC-8840DN, printing went flawlessly, 1st time and each time after the initial install. I allowed Update Manager to do the extensive list of updates available and 10.04 B2 continued to print correctly, as in No Error on first print cycle or any other, a short-to-typical print time, and had output that was appropriate in all ways (margins good, graphic quality good, text sharp, decent print speed, double-sided supported, MP tray control).

Simply put, the old issues that have been with Ubuntu from at least 8.04 through 9.10 appear to be of historical interest only with the release of 10.04 (B2). I'll be d/l'ing the actual LTS and putting it into service on my recently acquired office PC.

Many thanks (!!!) to all who helped update the implementation of the Brother Drivers in 10.04. I will report on my findings with 10.04 after it's 4/29/10 release. I don't expect any difference from what I've seen though since the major updating post-install included updates to CUPS and there was no issue after that.

[David P. Silva, Jr. (dsilva1)]

I've now been using Lucid Lynx,10.04 LTS, Desktop version on my Dell GX520 with Brother MFC-8840DN for several weeks. Printing is accurate and has not error-ed a single time with this version. I have had multiple updates that updated different parts of the printing subsystem, and still no major issues at all.

The only unusual aspect is speed. If a doc has any graphical figure, no matter how small, it seems that the print job will take a VERY long time to complete. Never had any timeout issues yet but it's still slow when even a very small graphical addition..

That said, it is nonetheless totally reliable. No issues with errors or poor print quality at all. All of the output I've generate using the 10.04 LTS has been clean and accurate, including graphics output.

This bug report can be closed. The OS now will print reliably with this printer, and that's what is needed.

As I said before, MANY THANKS!!

Dave Silva

[Paul Dufresne (paulduf)]

Marking as Fix Released, since the original poster claim the problem does not happens anymore in 10.04.

[raja deshpande (rdesh)]

Ubuntu/Kubuntu usw:
Brother drucker Error Name : Configurationerror usw.
Mit folgende Methode habe ich erfolg bekommen.
Mein Drucker Brother MFC-8440
Diese Schritte funktionieren aber es kann sein , nach dem apt get update, funkrioniert es nichrt.
deshalb siehe oben beitrag von HarryLui (tryingbe) wrote on 2010-03-08: -- das funktioniert auch. danke.
1. von brother homepage neueste treiber install tool für Ihre
   Drucker download
   z.B. in Directory Download.
2. cd Download
3. sudo gunzip linux-brprinter-installer-*.gz
    ergibt linux-brprinter-installer-2.2.3-1
    und BR8440_2_GPL.ppd
4.sudo bash linux-brprinter-installer-* mfc-8440 # hier Ihre
   drucker bezeichnung.
5. kommt meldung : Will you specify the Device URI? [Y/n]
   no für usb drucker, yes für netzwerk drucker.
6. suchen Sie nummer für IP Adresse eintippen.
   Bei mir war 13 : 192.198.0.50 return # das ist drucker ip
7. wenn Sie jetzt versuchen zu drucken , kommt Error Name usw.
   Deshalb, versuchen Sie nicht zu drucken.
8. bitte führen Sie zuerst folgende Befehl aus

   sudo apt install printer-driver-brlaser brother-cups-wrapper- common brother-cups-wrapper-extra brother-cups-wrapper-laser brother-cups-wrapper-laser1 brother-lpr-drivers-common brothe
r-lpr-drivers-extra brother-lpr-drivers-laser brother-lpr-drivers-laser1

    dadurch wird irgend welche sachen in cups geändert.
9. Jetzt versuchen Sie mit Libre Office (oder mit entsprechenden
     Programm ) text zu drucker. Kommt richtig ohne error ?
10. viel spass.
11. versuchen Sie nochmals mit ein/aus schalten von drucker und
    rechner.