System 6, Printing, Ethernet, Appletalk, Cups, LPR How???

[equant]

I have a networked SE running system 6 that I'd like to be able to print from. It seems quite unlikely, but here's my setup...

USB Inkjet printer connected to a router (lpd://192.168.1.200/L1). I can print to it from my Linux and OSX machines via Cups.

I've read the following...

http://www.vintagemacworld.com/osxprint.html

I'm not sure I fully understand what I need to do, but it seems like in order to have any hope, I need to get a PostScript Driver for the SE? Is that right? Well either way, I can't find it; or I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

Anyone willing to assist me through these murky waters?

Thanks,

Nathan

 

[register]

Apple provided LaserWriter drivers to output print jobs to PostScript printers, but as in your link is pointed out, the last version of the Apple LaserWriter driver working with System 6 does not work well with the setup you might want to use. (It seems LaserWriter 8 will not work with System 6. Even in System 7.1 you have to take some care to get the latest version up and running). Try to fetch a Version of the Adobe PSPrinter version 8.2.1, install this into your system and follow the instructions given in http://www.vintagemacworld.com/osxprint.html. When the rest of your network is set up properly, you should be able to select the printer from your SE using the PSPrinter driver. You will need to select an appropriate PPD file (printer description), probably a generic one can be used.

To print just use the PSPrinter driver from your application programme, as you would do with a locally attached StyleWriter.

 

[shred]

Have you considered running Netatalk http://netatalk.sourceforge.net/ on the Linux host?

Netatalk is pretty old now, but was commonly used in the heyday of System 7 to make Unix hosts "look" like AppleShare servers. I run it under FreeBSD to allow transparent file sharing between my Windows machines and my classic Macs. Netatalk can do native AppleTalk as well as AppleShare IP - you need to build AppleTalk into the kernel though.

I didn't bother setting up Mac printing again last time I migrated to a new server. It can be painful to get going under Netatalk, but once it's running, it generally stays working. Netatalk should let your printer appear as a LaserWriter PostScript printer to the Mac, but do the actual printing using CUPS.

 

[equant]

Well I did find a copy of PSPrinter 8.2.1, so I'll try that first.

I do have Netatalk working, and use it for file sharing, but didn't think about it as a possibility for printing. I'll look into that too, but as you said, setup can be a pain, so I'd like a solution that will work even if I bork my current install.

 

[porter]

I do have Netatalk working, and use it for file sharing, but didn't think about it as a possibility for printing.

It has a pap daemon.