/dev/usb/lp0 missing after update to 11.10

[DAP]

Probably not actually cups, but I figured a report to cups would include the correct info.

On 10.10, and 11.04 I had a working printer setup using a USB to parallel cable.
After upgrading to 11.10 /dev/usb/lp0 is missing, and there is no device that looks like a parallel port anywhere in /dev

I have two USB to parallel port cables, Both show up in lsusb:
$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0409:005a NEC Corp. HighSpeed Hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0424:2514 Standard Microsystems Corp. USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0409:005a NEC Corp. HighSpeed Hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 0451:2046 Texas Instruments, Inc. TUSB2046 Hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 9710:7705 MosChip Semiconductor MCS7705 Parallel port adapter
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 0424:2602 Standard Microsystems Corp. USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 002 Device 005: ID 045e:075d Microsoft Corp. LifeCam Cinema
Bus 002 Device 006: ID 03f0:0b01 Hewlett-Packard ScanJet 82x0C
Bus 002 Device 007: ID 0557:2213 ATEN International Co., Ltd CS682 2-Port USB 2.0 DVI KVM Switch
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 067b:2305 Prolific Technology, Inc. PL2305 Parallel Port
Bus 003 Device 004: ID 1376:a001 Vimtron Electronics Co., Ltd.
Bus 003 Device 005: ID 067b:2303 Prolific Technology, Inc. PL2303 Serial Port
Bus 002 Device 008: ID 0424:2228 Standard Microsystems Corp. 9-in-2 Card Reader

but neither create a device in /dev

The Prolific Technology cable was the one that had been working in 11.04 and is not working now.

Contents of /dev:
$ ls /dev
autofs hidraw1 port scd0 sg5 tty20 tty43 tty9 ttyS3 vcs2
block hidraw2 ppp sda sg6 tty21 tty44 ttyprintk ttyS30 vcs3
bsg hidraw3 psaux sda1 sg7 tty22 tty45 ttyS0 ttyS31 vcs4
btrfs-control hpet ptmx sda2 sg8 tty23 tty46 ttyS1 ttyS4 vcs5
bus input pts sda5 shm tty24 tty47 ttyS10 ttyS5 vcs6
cdrom kmsg ram0 sdb snapshot tty25 tty48 ttyS11 ttyS6 vcs7
cdrw log ram1 sdb1 snd tty26 tty49 ttyS12 ttyS7 vcsa
char loop0 ram10 sdb2 sr0 tty27 tty5 ttyS13 ttyS8 vcsa1
console loop1 ram11 sdb5 stderr tty28 tty50 ttyS14 ttyS9 vcsa2
core loop2 ram12 sdc stdin tty29 tty51 ttyS15 ttyUSB0 vcsa3
cpu loop3 ram13 sdc1 stdout tty3 tty52 ttyS16 uinput vcsa4
cpu_dma_latency loop4 ram14 sdd tty tty30 tty53 ttyS17 urandom vcsa5
disk loop5 ram15 sdd1 tty0 tty31 tty54 ttyS18 usbmon0 vcsa6
dri loop6 ram2 sde tty1 tty32 tty55 ttyS19 usbmon1 vcsa7
dvb loop7 ram3 sde1 tty10 tty33 tty56 ttyS2 usbmon2 vga_arbiter
dvd mapper ram4 sde2 tty11 tty34 tty57 ttyS20 usbmon3 video0
dvdrw mcelog ram5 sde5 tty12 tty35 tty58 ttyS21 usbmon4 video1
ecryptfs md ram6 sdf tty13 tty36 tty59 ttyS22 usbmon5 zero
fb0 md127 ram7 sdg tty14 tty37 tty6 ttyS23 usbmon6
fd mem ram8 serial tty15 tty38 tty60 ttyS24 usbmon7
fd0 net ram9 sg0 tty16 tty39 tty61 ttyS25 usbmon8
full network_latency random sg1 tty17 tty4 tty62 ttyS26 v4l
fuse network_throughput rfkill sg2 tty18 tty40 tty63 ttyS27 vbi0
fw0 null rtc sg3 tty19 tty41 tty7 ttyS28 vcs
hidraw0 oldmem rtc0 sg4 tty2 tty42 tty8 ttyS29 vcs1

Requested info:
$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 11.10
Release: 11.10

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: cups 1.5.0-8ubuntu5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-14.23-generic 3.0.9
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-14-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
CupsErrorLog: W [11/Dec/2011:02:53:14 -0800] failed to AddProfile: org.freedesktop.ColorManager.Failed:profile object path '/org/freedesktop/ColorManager/profiles/Canon_BJ_330_Gray__' has already been added
Date: Sun Dec 11 14:48:43 2011
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110427.1)
Lpstat: device for Canon-BJ-330: parallel:/dev/null
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
Papersize: letter
PpdFiles: Canon-BJ-330: Canon BJ-330 Foomatic/bj200 (recommended)
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-14-generic root=UUID=c2921384-38b9-419e-b7ef-007bcc801561 ro nosplash debug --verbose
SourcePackage: cups
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-15 (56 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 09/21/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 2209
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: P6T DELUXE
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr2209:bd09/21/2010:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP6TDELUXE:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[Till Kamppeter (till-kamppeter)]

/dev/usb/lp0 is not needed any more for printing in Oneiric (11.10). The USB CUPS backend uses libusb and not the usblp kernel module any more.

Your USB->Parallel cable together with a parallel printer should behave like a USB printer for Ubuntu. You need to have the cable and the printer connected for that. Probably you need to connect the cable to the printer at first and after that the USB end of the cable to the computer. Then CUPS should recognize a USB printer. Depending on the cable which you are using CUIPS recognizes also the printer model, but at least you should get an entry in your printer setup tool which you can select and if needed you choose the printer model and driver manually.

If this does not work, please connect the adapter cable to your printer, turn the printer on and then connect the USB plug of your cable to the computer. After that follow the instructions in the section "USB printer" of https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingPrintingProblems. Thanks.

[DAP (akadap)]

Attempted to follow instructions with both usb to parallel cables. Both failed

1st usb to parallel cable:
Dec 12 08:02:51 Compromise kernel: [ 935.493901] usb 2-1.1.2: new full speed USB device number 10 using ehci_hcd
Dec 12 08:02:51 Compromise mtp-probe: checking bus 2, device 10: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.7/usb2/2-1/2-1.1/2-1.1.2"
Dec 12 08:02:51 Compromise mtp-probe: bus: 2, device: 10 was not an MTP device
Dec 12 08:02:51 Compromise kernel: [ 935.955071] init: Handling usb-device-added event
Dec 12 08:02:51 Compromise kernel: [ 935.960377] init: Handling usb-device-added event

Second usb to parallel device:
Dec 12 08:08:20 Compromise kernel: [ 1264.247344] usb 3-1: new full speed USB device number 6 using uhci_hcd
Dec 12 08:08:20 Compromise kernel: [ 1264.367313] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
Dec 12 08:08:20 Compromise kernel: [ 1264.591211] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
Dec 12 08:08:20 Compromise kernel: [ 1264.807136] usb 3-1: new full speed USB device number 7 using uhci_hcd
Dec 12 08:08:20 Compromise kernel: [ 1264.927075] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
Dec 12 08:08:21 Compromise kernel: [ 1265.150968] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
Dec 12 08:08:21 Compromise kernel: [ 1265.422977] usb 3-1: new full speed USB device number 8 using uhci_hcd
Dec 12 08:08:21 Compromise kernel: [ 1265.834724] usb 3-1: device not accepting address 8, error -71
Dec 12 08:08:22 Compromise kernel: [ 1265.946692] usb 3-1: new full speed USB device number 9 using uhci_hcd
Dec 12 08:08:22 Compromise kernel: [ 1266.354527] usb 3-1: device not accepting address 9, error -71
Dec 12 08:08:22 Compromise kernel: [ 1266.354540] hub 3-0:1.0: unable to enumerate USB device on port 1

Neither one created an lp? device or even changed the results of this:
$ ls -l /dev/usb/lp* /dev/bus/usb/*/*
ls: cannot access /dev/usb/lp*: No such file or directory
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 0 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/001/001
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 2 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/001/003
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 128 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/002/001
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 129 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/002/002
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 130 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/002/003
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 131 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/002/004
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 132 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/002/005
crw-rw-r--+ 1 root root 189, 133 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/002/006
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 134 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/002/007
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 135 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/002/008
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 256 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/003/001
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 384 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/004/001
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 512 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/005/001
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 640 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/006/001
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 768 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/007/001
crw-rw-r-- 1 root root 189, 896 2011-12-12 07:47 /dev/bus/usb/008/001

[DAP (akadap)]

Printer is a Canon BJ-330. This printer can not be left on since it makes a distracting noise every hour or so.

[Till Kamppeter (till-kamppeter)]

Moving to the kernel, as the USB->Parallel adapters do not show as a USB printer in /dev/bus/usb/*/*. This part has to be done by UDEV before CUPS is able to recognize a printer.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . If possible, please test the latest v3.2-rcN kernel (Not a kernel in the daily directory). Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag(Only that one tag, please leave the other tags). This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text.

If this bug is fixed by the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream-KERNEL-VERSION'. For example, if kernel version 3.2-rc1 fixed and issue, the tag would be: 'kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.2-rc1'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'. If you believe this bug does not require upstream testing, please add the tag: 'kernel-upstream-testing-not-needed'.

Thanks in advance.

[DAP (akadap)]

Kernel v3.2-rc1 did not fix the problem (I have not yet tried higher rc numbers, I missed that you implied I should. Something for another day.)

BTW, those instructions are misleading, they imply that one only needs the image, but if one just downloads the image, it gets errors and says it needs the headers too.

Also, that kernel hung on the fake progress indicator screen when I selected "reboot". I let it sit for more than 5 minutes before I hit the reset button.

I'll update the tags when I have tested the highest rc number.

[DAP (akadap)]

Tried Kernel v3.2-rc5. This also does not fix the problem

[Robert Hrovat (robi-hipnos)]

I have Datamax label printer which is connected to USB port. Since there's not driver available and this is generic text-only printer, I used to print labels with simple php command which redirected output to /dev/usblp0.

How can I redirect output now when usblp0 is gone?

[Cristian (cristianrosa)]

I have a similar problem with the ink level monitors for Epson printers, as they all access /dev/usb/lp0 to query the printer.

[Jose Cordero G (josecorderog-m)]

Hello, I have a problem with Ubuntu 11.10.
I can install a Canon IP1000, and I can install a parallel:/dev/usb/lp0. But you must edit the:

sudo vim /etc/modules
usblp

If i add the line uslp the module /dev/usb/lp0 is show and the printer run, but the other printer canon ip1000 don run, if i remove the uslp module. the canon ip1000 can run but the other printer parallel:/dev/usb/lp0 don't run.????
 is posible config the cups for work the two printers without add/remove usblp

[Till Kamppeter (till-kamppeter)]

This problem will be solved in Ubuntu Precise (12.04). We have a vastly improved USB backend for CUPS there which does not require any more to blacklist the usblp kernel module. this way the module stays present and assures compatibility with proprietary legacy backends provided by printer manufacturers. In addition, the CUPS USB backend uncouples a printer from the kernel module only while it is accessing this printer and recouples the printer after the access. This way kernel-module-based USB printer accessand libusb-based access live perfectly together. On one computer a printer using a proprietary kernbel-module-based backend and a printer using the libusb-based standard backend can be used in parallel (they can even print at the same time). One and the same printer can even once be aceessed by a proprietary backend and another time by the standard backend (using two queues).

In Precise this bug is fixed. Closing ...

For Oneiric try the CUPS package (plus cups-filters) in my PPA:

https://launchpad.net/~till-kamppeter/+archive/ppa

Keep "usblp" in your /etc/modules file as described in comment #11. Now both printers should work.

[Ray Strilec (rstrilec)]

This link helped me get this working:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-hardware-18/canon-lbp2900-not-working-in-ubuntu-11-10-a-909262/

adding usblp to /etc/modules

The key to the solution was in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-cups-usblp.conf
edit the file and comment or delete "blacklist usblp"

[DAP (akadap)]

I have just upgraded to Ubuntu 12.04. /dev/usb/lp0 does appear now, but I still can't print.
Attempting to print the test page, and the status in the print que shows either "stopped", or "processing" but nothing ever happens.

I'd include the data in the Job Attributes page, but sombody decided to make the text unselectable, and therfore impossible to copy.

The "job-printer-state-message" claims "Printer cable not connected or printer power off; will retry in 30 seconds..."
I have verified that the printer cable is properly connected and the printer power is on. This is the same setup that was working before the update to 11.10.

[DAP (akadap)]

There was an update to CUPs, so I thought I'd give this another try.
Unfortunately after the update /dev/usb/lp0 no-longer appears.
I have three different USB to parallel adaptors. All three show up on LSUSB, but none will cause any change to the /dev directory.
Two use the Prolific PL2305 part (one of these was working in 10.x), one uses MosChip Semiconductor MCS7705 (I've never seen this one work).

[DAP (akadap)]

Ray Strilec was correct. I did not follow his instructions before because I was at the time getting a /dev/usb/lp0. When /dev/usb/lp0 did not appear this time, I followed the linked instructions, and now I can print.

Thanks.

[Till Kamppeter (till-kamppeter)]

Should be fixed in Precise (12.04) and Quantal (12.10).