How to: Setting up a Printer in KDE

Author: Con Validas
Revised: 2 March 2005
Last revised: 3 June 2008 by Barry Klein

Summary

The document describes the steps required to set up a printer (parallel or USB) using the KDE Control Centre on Computerbank's Ubuntu system.

Note: These instructions are generic. It is a good idea to view the OpenPrinting website to check whether the printer model is perfectly supported and for additional information such as driver recommendations.

Setup Instructions

1. Ensure the printer is powered on and the USB cable is connected to both printer and USB port on the computer.
2. Access the KDE Control Centre by clicking on:
   K menu -> Control Centre
3. To access the printing feature of Control Centre, click on:
   Peripherals -> Printers
4. Click on the Add icon
   
5. Click on the Add Printer/Class... item.
6. The Add Printer Wizard will appear. Click on the Next button.
7. Click on the Local Printer (parallel, serial, USB) radio button. Click on the Next button.
8. For a USB printer, the printer will have been identified and will appear under the USB port listing. For a parallel port printer, if it is not identified, select LPT #1. An entry will be placed in the URI: textfield. Leave this unchanged. Click on the Next button.
9. Select the printer make and model from the selection. Click on the Next button.
10. Select a driver for your printer from the list (go for recommended). Suggestions for recommended drivers can also be found on the OpenPrinting (www.linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting) web site.
11. Click on the Settings button and alter media size to A4.
12. Click on the Test button to print a test page. If test page did not work and there are other drivers to select from, go back and try another.
    
13. Accept default selections for Banner Selection, Printer Quota and User Access dialog boxes.
14. Enter the relevant General Information for your printer (the Name: must be entered, the other items are optional).
    

Printing from graphical applications

To print from a graphical application, select:

File -> Print

Click OK to print.

References

• CUPS documenation on the system.
  http://localhost:631/documentation.html
• LinuxPrinting web site.
  http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting