I am unable to print from open office, I tried reinstalling open office but it did not work. I use a brother mfc240c printer and I am running Hardy. Printing from other apps has not been an issue.

[abrianb]

Binary package hint: openoffice.org

The problem is in openoffice2.4. I'am running Hardy 8.04 When I click print the box opens that allows me to choose print properties. I have looked to make sure things like paper size was correct. When I click print I get nothing. Nothing lights on the printer no message. Open office behaves just like it has printed and yet nothing prints. My printer is a Brother MFC-240C. It prints fine from other apps, Firefox, Evince no problem.

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

Seems the same as my problem, except I have the Brother MFC-210C. I have reinstalled the printer drivers (both lp and cups). I should add that I noticed that the printer notification icon in the bottom panel appears for about 2 seconds after printing. I also can print with all other apps.

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

Also, I should add that I have been printing successfully from OpenOffice using this printer for a long time. However, this problem has come up now and then, and I'm not sure why it somehow goes away.

[abrianb (abrianb2003)]

 I too have been able to print from Open Office in the past. When I first upgraded to Hardy I lost the ability to print from OO, then it began to work. Currently it is not working.

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

I wonder if this is caused by updates from Update Manager ... an
update may break it, then a later update fixes it, etc.

On 8/6/08, abrianb <email address hidden> wrote:
> I too have been able to print from Open Office in the past. When I
> first upgraded to Hardy I lost the ability to print from OO, then it
> began to work. Currently it is not working.
>
> --
> I am unable to print from open office, I tried reinstalling open office but
> it did not work. I use a brother mfc240c printer and I am running Hardy.
> Printing from other apps has not been an issue.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/255161
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "openoffice.org" source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: openoffice.org
>
> The problem is in openoffice2.4. I'am running Hardy 8.04 When I click print
> the box opens that allows me to choose print properties. I have looked to
> make sure things like paper size was correct. When I click print I get
> nothing. Nothing lights on the printer no message. Open office behaves just
> like it has printed and yet nothing prints. My printer is a Brother
> MFC-240C. It prints fine from other apps, Firefox, Evince no problem.
>

--
Tzadik

[abrianb (abrianb2003)]

 You are very likely correct. I don't recall having used Open Office on that desktop since the last update " that included material" for Open Office. I believe it worked prior to that update. I use Ubuntu with Gnome. I hope we find a solution soon, it gets old exporting to PDF so I can print.

[abrianb (abrianb2003)]

Open office started printing today! I don't know why. perhaps its because of a recent update. I don't know what update did this. I do know that currently the following updates are waiting to load.
 Firefox : Version 3.0.1+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.8.04.3:
Version 1.1.11.1-1ubuntu3.1:

  * SECURITY UPDATE: array index vulnerability
  * fix for src/libxineadec/xine_speex_decoder.c to properly validate its
    input
  * SECURITY UPDATE: buffer overflow in the NSF demuxer
  * fix for src/demuxers/demux_nsf.c to use strndup() instead of strdup()
  * References
    CVE-2008-1686
    CVE-2008-1878
Version 1.1.11.1-1ubuntu3.1:

  * SECURITY UPDATE: array index vulnerability
  * fix for src/libxineadec/xine_speex_decoder.c to properly validate its
    input
  * SECURITY UPDATE: buffer overflow in the NSF demuxer
  * fix for src/demuxers/demux_nsf.c to use strndup() instead of strdup()
  * References
    CVE-2008-1686
    CVE-2008-1878
Version 1.1.11.1-1ubuntu3.1:

  * SECURITY UPDATE: array index vulnerability
  * fix for src/libxineadec/xine_speex_decoder.c to properly validate its
    input
  * SECURITY UPDATE: buffer overflow in the NSF demuxer
  * fix for src/demuxers/demux_nsf.c to use strndup() instead of strdup()
  * References
    CVE-2008-1686
    CVE-2008-1878
Version 1.1.11.1-1ubuntu3.1:

  * SECURITY UPDATE: array index vulnerability
  * fix for src/libxineadec/xine_speex_decoder.c to properly validate its
    input
  * SECURITY UPDATE: buffer overflow in the NSF demuxer
  * fix for src/demuxers/demux_nsf.c to use strndup() instead of strdup()
  * References
    CVE-2008-1686
    CVE-2008-1878

Version 9.1:

  * added zdesktop (zimbra) (LP: #255666)

Version 2.22.3.1-0ubuntu1:

  * New upstream version (lp: #255998):
    - Adjusted url to RSS feeds. Check if content is formatted properly
      before parsing it

Version 0.85eubuntu39.2:

  * Whilst looping for the root filesystem, don't just rely on the existance
    of the block device and whether vol_id succeeds on it, but also make
    sure that udev is not currently active by calling "settle" on it. This
    solves a race where mdadm or devmapper still has a lock on the device,
    but the contents are ready which will cause the mount call later to fail.
    LP: #244926.

Version 2.16.4-0ubuntu3:

  * debian/patches/92_upstream_bugzilla_correct_umask_use.patch:
    - upstream change to use the umask correctly, that fixes nautilus new
      directories having wrong permissions for example (lp: #242618)

Version 2.4.9-0ubuntu0.8.04.2:

  [Chuck Short]
  * debian/patches/fix-gnutls-key-strength.patch: fixes ssf matching key
    strength with gnutls 2.3. (LP: #244925)

  [Jamie Strandboge]
  * adjust apparmor profile to allow gssapi (LP: #229252)
  * adjust apparmor profile to allow cnconfig (LP: #243525)

Version 2.4.1-1ubuntu1:

  * debian/patches/01_default-auth-digest-algorithm.patch:
    - upstream svn change to use md5 as default algorithm when the server
      doesn't specify one (lp: #251822)

Version 6b11-2ubuntu2:

  * Upload to hardy, based on 6b11. LP: #237083.
    - Removes the last bits of code with questionable licenses, adds missing
      copyrights ...

[abrianb (abrianb2003)]

 I downloaded those updates and Open Office Still prints.

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

It's working for me too!!

On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 6:55 PM, abrianb <email address hidden> wrote:

> Open office started printing today! I don't know why. perhaps its because
> of a recent update. I don't know what update did this. I do know that
> currently the following updates are waiting to load.
> Firefox : Version 3.0.1+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.8.04.3:
> Version 1.1.11.1-1ubuntu3.1:
>
> * SECURITY UPDATE: array index vulnerability
> * fix for src/libxineadec/xine_speex_decoder.c to properly validate its
> input
> * SECURITY UPDATE: buffer overflow in the NSF demuxer
> * fix for src/demuxers/demux_nsf.c to use strndup() instead of strdup()
> * References
> CVE-2008-1686
> CVE-2008-1878
> Version 1.1.11.1-1ubuntu3.1:
>
> * SECURITY UPDATE: array index vulnerability
> * fix for src/libxineadec/xine_speex_decoder.c to properly validate its
> input
> * SECURITY UPDATE: buffer overflow in the NSF demuxer
> * fix for src/demuxers/demux_nsf.c to use strndup() instead of strdup()
> * References
> CVE-2008-1686
> CVE-2008-1878
> Version 1.1.11.1-1ubuntu3.1:
>
> * SECURITY UPDATE: array index vulnerability
> * fix for src/libxineadec/xine_speex_decoder.c to properly validate its
> input
> * SECURITY UPDATE: buffer overflow in the NSF demuxer
> * fix for src/demuxers/demux_nsf.c to use strndup() instead of strdup()
> * References
> CVE-2008-1686
> CVE-2008-1878
> Version 1.1.11.1-1ubuntu3.1:
>
> * SECURITY UPDATE: array index vulnerability
> * fix for src/libxineadec/xine_speex_decoder.c to properly validate its
> input
> * SECURITY UPDATE: buffer overflow in the NSF demuxer
> * fix for src/demuxers/demux_nsf.c to use strndup() instead of strdup()
> * References
> CVE-2008-1686
> CVE-2008-1878
>
> Version 9.1:
>
> * added zdesktop (zimbra) (LP: #255666)
>
> Version 2.22.3.1-0ubuntu1:
>
> * New upstream version (lp: #255998):
> - Adjusted url to RSS feeds. Check if content is formatted properly
> before parsing it
>
>
> Version 0.85eubuntu39.2:
>
> * Whilst looping for the root filesystem, don't just rely on the existance
> of the block device and whether vol_id succeeds on it, but also make
> sure that udev is not currently active by calling "settle" on it. This
> solves a race where mdadm or devmapper still has a lock on the device,
> but the contents are ready which will cause the mount call later to
> fail.
> LP: #244926.
>
>
> Version 2.16.4-0ubuntu3:
>
> * debian/patches/92_upstream_bugzilla_correct_umask_use.patch:
> - upstream change to use the umask correctly, that fixes nautilus new
> directories having wrong permissions for example (lp: #242618)
>
>
> Version 2.4.9-0ubuntu0.8.04.2:
>
> [Chuck Short]
> * debian/patches/fix-gnutls-key-strength.patch: fixes ssf matching key
> strength with gnutls 2.3. (LP: #244925)
>
> [Jamie Strandboge]
> * adjust apparmor profile to allow gssapi (LP: #229252)
> * adjust apparmor profile to allow cnconfig (LP: #243525)
>
>
> Version 2.4.1-1ubuntu1:
>
> * debian/patches/01_default-auth-digest-algorithm.patch:
> - upstream svn change to use md5 as default algorithm when the server
> doesn't specify o...

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

BTW, in case this happens again, check out gnumeric and abiword...
they were quite acceptable temporary substitutes for my needs.

On 8/8/08, abrianb <email address hidden> wrote:
> I downloaded those updates and Open Office Still prints.
>
> --
> I am unable to print from open office, I tried reinstalling open office but
> it did not work. I use a brother mfc240c printer and I am running Hardy.
> Printing from other apps has not been an issue.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/255161
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "openoffice.org" source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: openoffice.org
>
> The problem is in openoffice2.4. I'am running Hardy 8.04 When I click print
> the box opens that allows me to choose print properties. I have looked to
> make sure things like paper size was correct. When I click print I get
> nothing. Nothing lights on the printer no message. Open office behaves just
> like it has printed and yet nothing prints. My printer is a Brother
> MFC-240C. It prints fine from other apps, Firefox, Evince no problem.
>

--
Tzadik

[abrianb (abrianb2003)]

 Open Office stopped printing today. The last update downloaded was comm data ?

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

ARRGGGG!!! It broke again for me too!!!

On Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 7:57 PM, abrianb <email address hidden> wrote:

> Open Office stopped printing today. The last update downloaded was comm
> data ?
>
> --
> I am unable to print from open office, I tried reinstalling open office but
> it did not work. I use a brother mfc240c printer and I am running Hardy.
> Printing from other apps has not been an issue.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/255161
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "openoffice.org" source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: openoffice.org
>
> The problem is in openoffice2.4. I'am running Hardy 8.04 When I click
> print the box opens that allows me to choose print properties. I have
> looked to make sure things like paper size was correct. When I click print I
> get nothing. Nothing lights on the printer no message. Open office behaves
> just like it has printed and yet nothing prints. My printer is a Brother
> MFC-240C. It prints fine from other apps, Firefox, Evince no problem.
>

--
Tzadik

[abrianb (abrianb2003)]

Open Office began printing again before I had updated. So I am not convinced updates cause the change. I just updated and still print. I am happy its working.

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

Has any OOo dev looked at this bug that can shed some light? As it is,
things seem quite unstable in my eyes.

On 8/18/08, abrianb <email address hidden> wrote:
> Open Office began printing again before I had updated. So I am not
> convinced updates cause the change. I just updated and still print. I am
> happy its working.
>
> --
> I am unable to print from open office, I tried reinstalling open office but
> it did not work. I use a brother mfc240c printer and I am running Hardy.
> Printing from other apps has not been an issue.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/255161
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "openoffice.org" source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: openoffice.org
>
> The problem is in openoffice2.4. I'am running Hardy 8.04 When I click print
> the box opens that allows me to choose print properties. I have looked to
> make sure things like paper size was correct. When I click print I get
> nothing. Nothing lights on the printer no message. Open office behaves just
> like it has printed and yet nothing prints. My printer is a Brother
> MFC-240C. It prints fine from other apps, Firefox, Evince no problem.
>

--
Tzadik

[abrianb (abrianb2003)]

I stand corrected, after a boot cycle Open Office failed to print.

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

FYI, I have filed this bug in the OpenOffice issue tracker:

http://www.openoffice.org/issues/show_bug.cgi?id=92946

[Chris Cheney (ccheney)]

This is very likely not to be an openoffice issue since openoffice has not been changed in Ubuntu 8.04 since Jun 27, 2008. So the fact that updates fix and break printing in openoffice probably is due to something else, maybe cups, causing the problem?

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

Can anyone provide direction to allow us to collect data (i.e. log
files, commands to run) that would help developers?

On 8/21/08, Chris Cheney <email address hidden> wrote:
> This is very likely not to be an openoffice issue since openoffice has
> not been changed in Ubuntu 8.04 since Jun 27, 2008. So the fact that
> updates fix and break printing in openoffice probably is due to
> something else, maybe cups, causing the problem?
>
> ** Changed in: cupsys (Ubuntu)
> Sourcepackagename: openoffice.org => cupsys
>
> --
> I am unable to print from open office, I tried reinstalling open office but
> it did not work. I use a brother mfc240c printer and I am running Hardy.
> Printing from other apps has not been an issue.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/255161
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "cupsys" source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: openoffice.org
>
> The problem is in openoffice2.4. I'am running Hardy 8.04 When I click print
> the box opens that allows me to choose print properties. I have looked to
> make sure things like paper size was correct. When I click print I get
> nothing. Nothing lights on the printer no message. Open office behaves just
> like it has printed and yet nothing prints. My printer is a Brother
> MFC-240C. It prints fine from other apps, Firefox, Evince no problem.
>

--
Tzadik

[Steve Beattie (sbeattie)]

Thank you for helping to improve Ubuntu. What does OpenOffice do when it fails to print? Does it report any error messages or dialogs? The information at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingPrintingProblems may also provide some clues to help determine where things are going wrong.

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

No, it just displays the printer icon for about 1 second in the notification
area on the bottom panel (see my note on this bug from Aug 6).

On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 12:18 PM, Steve Beattie <email address hidden> wrote:

> Thank you for helping to improve Ubuntu. What does OpenOffice do when it
> fails to print? Does it report any error messages or dialogs? The
> information at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingPrintingProblems may
> also provide some clues to help determine where things are going wrong.
>
> --
> I am unable to print from open office, I tried reinstalling open office but
> it did not work. I use a brother mfc240c printer and I am running Hardy.
> Printing from other apps has not been an issue.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/255161
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "cupsys" source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: openoffice.org
>
> The problem is in openoffice2.4. I'am running Hardy 8.04 When I click
> print the box opens that allows me to choose print properties. I have
> looked to make sure things like paper size was correct. When I click print I
> get nothing. Nothing lights on the printer no message. Open office behaves
> just like it has printed and yet nothing prints. My printer is a Brother
> MFC-240C. It prints fine from other apps, Firefox, Evince no problem.
>

--
Tzadik

[abrianb (abrianb2003)]

It's the same for me. Everything is normal, then the print icon shows for less than 1 second in the notification area. Then it does not print.

[Tzadik Vanderhoof (tzadik-vanderhoof)]

Also, the LCD screen on the printer shows "Receiving Data" for less than 1
second.

Just to clarify... printing is fine in all other apps.

On Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 3:45 PM, abrianb <email address hidden> wrote:

> It's the same for me. Everything is normal, then the print icon shows
> for less than 1 second in the notification area. Then it does not print.
>
> --
> I am unable to print from open office, I tried reinstalling open office but
> it did not work. I use a brother mfc240c printer and I am running Hardy.
> Printing from other apps has not been an issue.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/255161
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "cupsys" source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: openoffice.org
>
> The problem is in openoffice2.4. I'am running Hardy 8.04 When I click
> print the box opens that allows me to choose print properties. I have
> looked to make sure things like paper size was correct. When I click print I
> get nothing. Nothing lights on the printer no message. Open office behaves
> just like it has printed and yet nothing prints. My printer is a Brother
> MFC-240C. It prints fine from other apps, Firefox, Evince no problem.
>

--
Tzadik

[Milly R. (millybreak)]

Same here. Ubuntu 8.04, Brother MFC-240C.
Security updates are automatically installed and all others manually, so I am up-to-date.

The printer does not react to any print from Open Office; all other apps and test page print OK. When I look in the print jobs (http://localhost:631) they are listed as "completed", no errors reported.
It must be an OO problem.

Is there any solution on the way? It is getting rather annoying!!

[dalmolin (joseph-dalmolin)]

Same problem, prints from other apps not from OO. Brother HL2070N printer on local area network. Works fine on earlier version of Kubuntu (7.10) but intermittently on another machine with 8.04 on it. The version of OO doesn't seem to make a difference. I was running 2.4.1 and now 3.0. It seems worse in 3.0 as it has yet to print with that version. I suspect the problem is related to OO + 8.04 and not just OO + Brother printers as the printer has not been a problem before for the past 2 years.

I too have had to use the PDF work around...let me know if there is anything I can do to trap errors etc. and help resolve this pesky bug.

[dalmolin (joseph-dalmolin)]

...forgot to add that printing a test page from OO printer administration works

ALSO

I just launched a live CD version of Kubuntu 8.04 and using OO 2.4.1 on a different computer (connected via ethernet and not wireless) and there doesn't seem to be any problem....weird. I will try the same on the computer that is having trouble...and see if problem persists.

[paddy48 (eaglebn)]

Same here with MFC-440CN. I reinstalled Cups, the drivers, Openoffice but the results are all the same. All other applications work. As I can see the issue has not been solved for more than 4 months now. As a consequence you need to install additional packages like Abiword, Gnome office and such in order to be able to do such a silly thing as printing a letter. I experienced this bug 3 or 4 times already since 7.04. I never experienced anything like this in Windows for 15 years.

[paddy48 (eaglebn)]

Solution: Deinstallation of ALL Openoffice-applications and deleting of ALL traces of Openoffice from the system. Then re-install OOo-applications.

[paddy48 (eaglebn)]

That was a pretty short relief. After the last "update" of cups nothing works. Half a page in "Writer" resulted in numerous pages with all kinds of "codes". After a restart no printing is possible from Openoffice-Writer. Printing from all other applications is fine.

[Steve (paddy-stevepaine)]

What a fascinating bug!! My wife has complained that open office will never print on Tuesdays!?! Then she demonstrated it. Sure enough, won't print on Tuesday. Other applications print. I think this is the same bug. Here is my guess:

Print to a postscript file. Observe the line:
   %%CreationDate: (Tue Mar 3 19:47:42 2009)

Change "Tue" to anything else:
   %%CreationDate: (XTue Mar 3 19:47:42 2009)

Save the file and it prints. Tools like evince work because they simply omit the "CreationDate" tag to begin with.

Now something odd happens when my cups script (I am using the Brother MFC420CN) copies the file to a temp file. Some of the code is rearranged, not sure how or why, but it uses a command called "file" to identify the file as "PostScript". This check would work on the original file you printed, but by the time it runs the check on the temp file, it misidentifies. Normally it would return:

   PostScript document text conforming at level 3.0

But there is another check that happens before the PostScript check. If it finds "Tue" at the fourth byte of the file, it identifies it as:

   Jan 22 14:32:44 MET 1991\011Erlang JAM file - version 4.2

So it's not a problem w/ openoffice.org, cups, or the brother printer drivers. It is a bug in the `file` utility, and documented at https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/file/+bug/248619.

Now, I cannot recommend a fix, but here is my workaround hack:
make a change in file /usr/local/Brother/lpd/filterMFC420CN

change:
  cat > $INPUT_TEMP

to:
  cat | sed -e 's/^%%CreationDate: (Tue/%%CreationDate: (tue/' > $INPUT_TEMP

This will identify a pattern that matches "%%CreationDate: (Tue" at the start of a line, and change "Tue" to "tue".

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Thanks for that detective work. I'll mark this as a duplicate and deal with the bug in file.

[kelups (engelup)]

I had the same problem under Suse 11.1 and solved it as above. However, I was able to print as root. So it seems to me that there ist in effect a probleml with the users rights.
Kurt

[spalmer8 (spalmer)]

Steve,

Thanks so much for comment 28! I have a Brother MFC-490CW and I made your exact change in my file located at: /usr/local/Brother/Printer/mfc490cw/lpd/filtermfc490cw and like magic I could print today Tuesday, September 22, 2009. Until I read your post I literally thought I had gone mad so thank you for giving me my sanity back.

Take Care,

Stephanie

[pfluckiger (pfluckiger-internode)]

I came across the problem naturally enough on this Tuesday.
Printer is Brother HL_2142. The suggested fix from post #28 worked after I added '1' to 'TEMP" thus:
cat | sed -e 's/^%%CreationDate: (Tue/%%CreationDate: (tue/' > $INPUT_TEMP1
Thanks to Steve. I'm amazed to see such a weird bug has a workaround as simple as this.
Peter

[rew (r-e-wolff)]

I like simple fixes. The fix can be simpler:
  cat | sed -e 's/^%%CreationDate: (Tue/%%CreationDate: (tue/' > $INPUT_TEMP
can be:
  sed -e '/^%%CreationDate:/s/Tue/tue/' > $INPUT_TEMP