PDF files printed from Acrobat Reader get forever stuck at "Processing" in CUPS

[Michał Gołębiowski-Owczarek]

Binary package hint: cups-pdf

When I print a PDF document from Adobe Reader to the PDF printer, it is sent to a printer but then can't pass a "Processing" state, as shown in "Document Print Status".

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
CheckboxSubmission: b35340b6290029563207fd4b2aa461a1
CheckboxSystem: d00f84de8a555815fa1c4660280da308
Date: Mon Oct 26 23:14:16 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Alpha amd64 (20091008)
Lpstat:
 device for HP-LaserJet-5P: usb://HP/LaserJet%205P
 device for PDF: cups-pdf:/
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Package: cups-pdf 2.5.0-8ubuntu1
Papersize: letter
PpdFiles:
 PDF: Generic CUPS-PDF Printer
 HP-LaserJet-5P: HP LaserJet 5P Foomatic/ljet4 (recommended)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
SourcePackage: cups-pdf
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic x86_64

[Michał Gołębiowski-Owczarek (mgol)]

When I try to print in Evince the same document to the same PDF printer (not the one built into Evince) it is printed, but the result document is broken - it reports (in Adobe Reader) a message:

"There was an error processing a page. There was a problem processing this document (110)."

[Aaron (armahillo)]

I have had this problem as well -- I was able to successfully print a test-page by using the driver for the Laserjet 4P (instead of Laserjet 4 Plus). But it hung at processing for any other print job. When I switched to the correct driver (Laserjet 4 Plus) I can't even print the test page. I *was* able to print from Firefox, successfully.

I've tried printing (unsuccessfully) from:
- PDF format
- Scribus

I'm running 64-bit Karmic Koala.

[Aaron (armahillo)]

Quick follow-up: since my LJ4+ is setup as a network printer, I tried configuring it as an HP Jetdirect instead of a normal network printer. the "Processing" bug no longer happened, and the jobs cleared out quickly, but now my printer status bar (on the physical printer itself) says "INVALID PERS".

[Aaron (armahillo)]

Apparently I don't have a postscript simm - switching from the postscript driver to the HP LaserJet 4 Plus hpijs pcl3, 3.9.8 driver fixed the problem. The prints don't look quite as refined, but it at least functions. I was able to print the PDF successfully this way.

It seems that the nature of this bug might be related to the "network printer" type of setup -- perhaps it's an issue with name resolution or something? Has anyone tried doing printers that are locally installed on either parallel or USB ports?

[Michał Gołębiowski-Owczarek (mgol)]

My printer is connected via USB (in the middle there is a LPT-USB adapter), so this is definitely not a network-nature bug.

[John Ridley (john-hauntedfrog)]

I'm having the same problem. I have a Brother HL-4040CN color laser. I can print only very simple PDFs; anything with multiple photos and any level of complex formatting, even a page with 4 or 5 photos on it, and the job just sits in "Processing" forever. I tried printing a single page PDF last night, and I left it until morning, 8 hours later, it hadn't moved. It seems to send something to the printer as the Data light is flashing, and the printer won't take jobs from any other machine, but it never prints.

From other apps, I can print just fine, including pages with complex vector graphics with hundreds of lines and points.

I have tried from both the default Ubuntu document viewer and in desperation I installed Adobe Reader, same results with both.

Finally I just installed print drivers and Adobe Reader in a copy of Windows XP running under VirtualBox and the same PDF prints in about 10 seconds. I don't like this solution though; if I have to keep Windows around, I might as well be running Windows.

[ebrjvd (jos-van-dyck)]

Similar problem when printing text page (no PDF) from within Firefox.
Pages are printed, but document stays "Processing in the "Print Status".

Using HP Laserjet 6P connected via Jetdirect EX Plus.

[ebrjvd (jos-van-dyck)]

Further clarification:
Print queue for the specific printer is empty (System > Administration > Printing).
However, clicking the printer icon on the top bar, the "Document Print Status (my jobs)", it still says "Processing".

[ViViD (vivnet)]

I am having a similar issue while printing from a DRM protected PDF using Adobe Reader 9.3.1. Using 10.04 Lucid with a Canon IP4300. Printer is recognized, document is sent out, but remains as "Processing" and never prints.

[Martin-Éric Racine (q-funk)]

The real issue being reported here seems to be:

PDF files printed from Acrobat Reader get forever stuck in CUPS - whether they are sent to a real printer or a virtual one.

Re-titling and re-assigning to CUPS accordingly.

[Till Kamppeter (till-kamppeter)]

Please test (with a live CD) whether the problem is fixed in Natty or Oneiric. Make sure you install all updates before testing.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for cups (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]