[PRINTER] HP printer wont connect.

[BubbaBlues]

HP deskjet 2640 has always installed and worked on every distro I've tried. But after a fresh install of Kubuntu 20.04
the setup sees the printer and and I install the "recomended" driver (although they are all the exact same driver)
it does nothing. I get a notification of a communication error. If it can't communicate, how is it seeing it? So what's
the recommendation?

[jglen490]

Do you have hplip and hplip-gui installed? Having both of them helps to better manage and understand specific errors that may be happening.

[BubbaBlues]

Do you have hplip and hplip-gui installed? Having both of them helps to better manage and understand specific errors that may be happening.

Yes but nothing happens. The only error I get is "can't communicate with printer"

[jglen490]

Can you run hp-check in a konsole? That may identify missing packages that when installed may correct the errors.

[BubbaBlues]

Well I finally got it working wireless. It's strange (to me) it works great wireless, but for some reason it just will not work through the cable. I tried
two different printers, both Deskjet 2600 series and neither of them will connect through USB.

hp-check
Saving output in log file: /home/mark/hp-check.log

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.20.3)
Dependency/Version Check Utility ver. 15.1

Copyright (c) 2001-18 HP Development Company, LP
This software comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to distribute it
under certain conditions. See COPYING file for more details.

Note: hp-check can be run in three modes:
1. Compile-time check mode (-c or --compile): Use this mode before compiling the HPLIP
supplied tarball (.tar.gz or .run) to determine if the proper dependencies are installed
to successfully compile HPLIP.
2. Run-time check mode (-r or --run): Use this mode to determine if a distro supplied
package (.deb, .rpm, etc) or an already built HPLIP supplied tarball has the proper
dependencies installed to successfully run.
3. Both compile- and run-time check mode (-b or --both) (Default): This mode will check
both of the above cases (both compile- and run-time dependencies).

Check types:
a. EXTERNALDEP - External Dependencies
b. GENERALDEP - General Dependencies (required both at compile and run time)
c. COMPILEDEP - Compile time Dependencies
d. [All are run-time checks]
PYEXT SCANCONF QUEUES PERMISSION

Status Types:
OK
MISSING - Missing Dependency or Permission or Plug-in
INCOMPAT - Incompatible dependency-version or Plugin-version

warning: ubuntu-20.04 version is not supported. Using ubuntu-19.10 versions dependencies to verify and install...

---------------
| SYSTEM INFO |
---------------

Kernel: 5.4.0-42-generic #46-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jul 10 00:24:02 UTC 2020 GNU/Linux
Host: mark-Ubuntu
Proc: 5.4.0-42-generic #46-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jul 10 00:24:02 UTC 2020 GNU/Linux
Distribution: ubuntu 20.04
Bitness: 64 bit

-----------------------
| HPLIP CONFIGURATION |
-----------------------

HPLIP-Version: HPLIP 3.20.3
HPLIP-Home: /usr/share/hplip
warning: HPLIP-Installation: Auto installation is not supported for ubuntu distro 20.04 version

Current contents of '/etc/hp/hplip.conf' file:
# hplip.conf. Generated from hplip.conf.in by configure.

[hplip]
version=3.20.3

[dirs]
home=/usr/share/hplip
run=/var/run
ppd=/usr/share/ppd/hplip/HP
ppdbase=/usr/share/ppd/hplip
doc=/usr/share/doc/hplip
html=/usr/share/doc/hplip-doc
icon=no
cupsbackend=/usr/lib/cups/backend
cupsfilter=/usr/lib/cups/filter
drv=/usr/share/cups/drv
bin=/usr/bin
apparmor=/etc/apparmor.d
# Following values are determined at configure time and cannot be changed.
[configure]
network-build=yes
libusb01-build=no
pp-build=no
gui-build=yes
scanner-build=yes
fax-build=yes
dbus-build=yes
cups11-build=no
doc-build=yes
shadow-build=no
hpijs-install=yes
foomatic-drv-install=yes
foomatic-ppd-install=no
foomatic-rip-hplip-install=no
hpcups-install=yes
cups-drv-install=yes
cups-ppd-install=no
internal-tag=3.20.3
restricted-build=no
ui-toolkit=qt5
qt3=no
qt4=no
qt5=yes
policy-kit=yes
lite-build=no
udev_sysfs_rules=no
hpcups-only-build=no
hpijs-only-build=no
apparmor_build=no
class-driver=no

Current contents of '/var/lib/hp/hplip.state' file:
Plugins are not installed. Could not access file: No such file or directory

Current contents of '~/.hplip/hplip.conf' file:
[commands]
scan =

[fax]
email_address =
voice_phone =

[last_used]
device_uri = "hp:/usb/DeskJet_2600_series?serial=CN86T5N0SF06P4"
printer_name =
working_dir = .

[polling]
device_list =
enable = false
interval = 5

[refresh]
enable = false
rate = 30
type = 1

[settings]
systray_messages = 0
systray_visible = 0

[upgrade]
last_upgraded_time = 1597013273
notify_upgrade = false
pending_upgrade_time = 0

[installation]
date_time = 08/10/20 20:15:26
version = 3.20.3

<Package-name> <Package-Desc> <Required/Optional> <Min-Version> <Installed-Version> <Status> <Comment>

-------------------------
| External Dependencies |
-------------------------

error: cups CUPS - Common Unix Printing System REQUIRED 1.1 - INCOMPAT 'CUPS may not be installed or not running'
gs GhostScript - PostScript and PDF language interpreter and previewer REQUIRED 7.05 9.50 OK -
error: xsane xsane - Graphical scanner frontend for SANE OPTIONAL 0.9 - MISSING 'xsane needs to be installed'
scanimage scanimage - Shell scanning program OPTIONAL 1.0 1.0.29 OK -
error: dbus DBus - Message bus system REQUIRED - 1.12.16 MISSING 'DBUS may not be installed or not running'
policykit PolicyKit - Administrative policy framework OPTIONAL - 0.105 OK -
network network -wget OPTIONAL - 1.20.3 OK -
error: avahi-utils avahi-utils OPTIONAL - - MISSING 'avahi-utils needs to be installed'

------------------------
| General Dependencies |
------------------------

error: libjpeg libjpeg - JPEG library REQUIRED - - MISSING 'libjpeg needs to be installed'
error: cups-devel CUPS devel- Common Unix Printing System development files REQUIRED - - MISSING 'cups-devel needs to be installed'
error: cups-image CUPS image - CUPS image development files REQUIRED - - MISSING 'cups-image needs to be installed'
libpthread libpthread - POSIX threads library REQUIRED - b'2.31' OK -
error: libusb libusb - USB library REQUIRED - 1.0 MISSING 'libusb needs to be installed'
sane SANE - Scanning library REQUIRED - - OK -
error: sane-devel SANE - Scanning library development files REQUIRED - - MISSING 'sane-devel needs to be installed'
error: libnetsnmp-devel libnetsnmp-devel - SNMP networking library development files REQUIRED 5.0.9 - MISSING 'libnetsnmp-devel needs to be installed'
error: libcrypto libcrypto - OpenSSL cryptographic library REQUIRED - 1.1.1 MISSING 'libcrypto needs to be installed'
python3X Python 2.2 or greater - Python programming language REQUIRED 2.2 3.8.2 OK -
python3-notify2 Python libnotify - Python bindings for the libnotify Desktop notifications OPTIONAL - - OK -
error: python3-pyqt4-dbus PyQt 4 DBus - DBus Support for PyQt4 OPTIONAL 4.0 - MISSING 'python3-pyqt4-dbus needs to be installed'
error: python3-pyqt4 PyQt 4- Qt interface for Python (for Qt version 4.x) REQUIRED 4.0 - MISSING 'python3-pyqt4 needs to be installed'
python3-dbus Python DBus - Python bindings for DBus REQUIRED 0.80.0 1.2.16 OK -
python3-xml Python XML libraries REQUIRED - 2.2.9 OK -
error: python3-devel Python devel - Python development files REQUIRED 2.2 3.8.2 MISSING 'python3-devel needs to be installed'
python3-pil PIL - Python Imaging Library (required for commandline scanning with hp-scan) OPTIONAL - 7.0.0 OK -
python3-reportlab Reportlab - PDF library for Python OPTIONAL 2.0 3.5.34 OK -

--------------
| COMPILEDEP |
--------------

error: libtool libtool - Library building support services REQUIRED - - MISSING 'libtool needs to be installed'
gcc gcc - GNU Project C and C++ Compiler REQUIRED - 9.3.0 OK -
make make - GNU make utility to maintain groups of programs REQUIRED 3.0 4.2.1 OK -

---------------------
| Python Extentions |
---------------------

cupsext CUPS-Extension REQUIRED - 3.20.3 OK -
hpmudext IO-Extension REQUIRED - 3.20.3 OK -

----------------------
| Scan Configuration |
----------------------

'/etc/sane.d/dll.d/hpaio' not found.
hpaio HPLIP-SANE-Backend REQUIRED - 3.20.3 OK 'hpaio found in /etc/sane.d/dll.conf'
scanext Scan-SANE-Extension REQUIRED - 3.20.3 OK -

------------------------------
| DISCOVERED SCANNER DEVICES |
------------------------------

device `escl:https://192.168.1.128:443' is a ESCL HP DeskJet 2600 series [690780] SSL flatbed scanner
device `escl:http://192.168.1.128:8080' is a ESCL HP DeskJet 2600 series [690780] flatbed scanner

--------------------------
| DISCOVERED USB DEVICES |
--------------------------

No devices found.

---------------------------------
| INSTALLED CUPS PRINTER QUEUES |
---------------------------------


HP_DeskJet_2600_series_690780_
------------------------------
Type: Unknown
Device URI: implicitclass://HP_DeskJet_2600_series_690780_/
PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/HP_DeskJet_2600_series_690780_.ppd
warning: Failed to read /etc/cups/ppd/HP_DeskJet_2600_series_690780_.ppd ppd file
PPD Description:
Printer status: printer HP_DeskJet_2600_series_690780_ is idle. enabled since Mon 10 Aug 2020 08:02:47 PM CDT
warning: Printer is not HPLIP installed. Printers must use the hp: or hpfax: CUPS backend for HP-Devices.

--------------
| PERMISSION |
--------------


-----------
| SUMMARY |
-----------

Missing Required Dependencies
-----------------------------
error: 'libcups2' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libdbus-1-dev' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libjpeg-dev' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libcups2-dev' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'cups-bsd' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'cups-client' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libcupsimage2-dev' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libusb-1.0.0-dev' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libusb-0.1-4' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libsane-dev' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libsnmp-dev' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'snmp-mibs-downloader' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'openssl' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'python3-pyqt4' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'gtk2-engines-pixbuf' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'python3-dev' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libtool' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libtool-bin' package is missing/incompatible

Missing Optional Dependencies
-----------------------------
error: 'gtk2-engines-pixbuf' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'xsane' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'avahi-utils' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'python3-dbus.mainloop.qt' package is missing/incompatible

Total Errors: 15
Total Warnings: 1

[BubbaBlues]

It looks like it's missing everything. Maybe because it's not plugged into the usb port anymore? I wonder why all of those dependencies are not installed.

Now when I try to use the scanner I get this because there is no executable in /usr/bin.
I get the preview but no scan.

[jglen490]

It happens. What I've found is that going through the missing dependencies list and "sudo apt install <missing>" for each clears up most, if not all, problems. It will tell you, on a couple of those in the list, that the latest version is already installed. Don't worry about it, just go through the list, run hp-check again. Some more errors may show up, or they will all be gone. It's just weird that way.

With my Deskjet 3755, the setup for wireless had to be done with USB plugged in, I guess other models are different. One thing I noticed (at least with the model I have) is that once installed, and the USB no longer needed, it takes a while for the unique wireless printer ID to show up after a re-boot. But once it shows up, both printing and scanning work well. I don't do a lot of scanning, but that process is a bit un-intuitive IMHO, nonetheless it works.

And, oh, yeah, you'll need to do this after any clean install, and if you install a different version of HPLIP.

[BubbaBlues]

So this is what it all boils down to : warning: HPLIP-Installation: Auto installation is not supported for ubuntu distro 20.04 version . Hopefully something ubuntu
will get worked out. I rarely use the scanner as well but occasionally you get a document that has to be printed and signed then scanned and sent back.

These dependencies are either incompatible or not in the repos and it won't work without them.
Missing Required Dependencies
-----------------------------
error: 'libcups2' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libusb-1.0.0-dev' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'libusb-0.1-4' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'python3-pyqt4' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'gtk2-engines-pixbuf' package is missing/incompatible

Anyway, you've been very helpful. THANK YOU much!

[oshunluvr]

I upgraded my neon install yesterday and hplip was removed. The printer and scanner both work fine though which is weird. I tried to re-install hplip and the gui but hp-check shows a ton of errors and the "missing" packages don't exist in 20.04 apparently. Probably going to have to wait for hplip to catch up. In any case, I was able to scan and print just fine. HP8720 All-in-one

[claydoh]

Interestingly, my 20.04 system has no problem installing hplip-gui, but I never had it installed to begin with, due to no longer having an HP printer. The standard hplip package was installed by default.
The printer drivers are not necessarily part of hplip or hplip-gui (specifically they are mostly from printer-driver-hpcups), and scanning is mostly provided by sane's drivers (probably libsane-hpaio), Iirc hplip depends on (recommends, actually) sane packaging to provide scanner support. So both your printer and scanner were not effected by the removals. Until you want to use the HP utilities, of course.

My ancient HP Photosmart worked without any hplip packages, other than the libsane scanner driver and hpcups printer driver, I didn't even need the core hplip package. Granted I never used any special features or utilities.

[oshunluvr]

Yeah, the device works fine, just the utilities won't install. Not a deal breaker, but I wouldn't mind having them back.

[oshunluvr]

More printer weirdness. The printer is installed twice - once normally via the IP address, the other this way:

implicitclass://OfficeJet_Pro_8720%40HP1062E5BD0EFC.local/

And I can't remove it...


EDIT: editing /etc/avahi/avahi-daemon.conf and un-remarking this line:
#enable-dbus=yes

and changing it to "no" seems to have made the second printer disappear.

[jglen490]

I agree that it is possible to use an HP printer with a standard install in Kubuntu. To me, however, that's like trying to use a tack hammer to drive in a roofing nail; you can do it eventually, but not very satisfactorily. So I'm going to put 20.04.1 on my desktop machine soon, and hoping to get it all to work right.

[claydoh]

I agree that it is possible to use an HP printer with a standard install in Kubuntu. To me, however, that's like trying to use a tack hammer to drive in a roofing nail; you can do it eventually, but not very satisfactorily.

How so? I don't remember having any issues when I used my Photosmart from 2012 up until early this year. Basic printing, to be sure, nothing fancy, and no photos or anything like that.

[oshunluvr]

Something I did re-enabled hpsystray as it's working now. hp-check still shows a bunch of errors, but apparently not meaningful ones.