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Ok. So I've got an HP 930C printer connected to a (Debian) Linux box, set up via CUPS. Everything seems to work fine on the Linux side. For Mac connectivity, I've got it shared via Netatalk - Macs see it as a laser printer (the Linux box acts as a Postscript interpreter). Configuration on the Mac side is done by copying over the PPD file from the Linux box. This sets the correct margins, etc, and is supposed to allow you to change printing modes (draft, normal, color, grayscale, etc) on the Mac.

Well, that's where I'm running into trouble. It will *only* print in whatever the default mode is set to in Linux via CUPS. So, if I want to print in draft mode on the Mac, I can *only* print in draft mode on the Mac, unless I go onto the Linux box and change the setting manually every time I print. This is obviously not fun.

So, obviously, my question is, how do I get CUPS to recognize the different print modes the Mac is sending? Well, I'd certainly *assume* this is possible, anyway. Anyone?

I think I know what you're doing, but just to be clear:

What language does the HP 930C use? PCL?

What is advertising the HP print queue so the Macs see it as an AppleTalk laser printer? Netatalk, right?

What is actually converting the PostScript to (I assume) PCL? CUPS?

How is the printer physically connected to the Linux box?

Assuming I understand this setup, seems the problem has to be either:

a) command to change print mode not making it from the Mac to the Linux box

or

b) correct command making it to the Linux box, but not being honored during the PS->PCL conversion (or just being overridden)

Would you agree?

Connected via parallel. Netatalk puts it on the network as a laser printer. I believe CUPS/Gimp-Print converts the Postscript.

I've talked to someone about this, and it *sounds* like a setting on the Linux box is overriding the one being sent by the Mac. I guess you need to set the Linux box to "use printer default", but as of yet I don't know where you would set that.

Have you tried this?

Set your Mac to print, e.g., color. Now print to a .ps file.

Set it to print in grayscale, then print to a .ps file.

Look at both files in Ghostscript and confirm that they look like they should.

That would at least give you some idea as to whether it's in the PS->PCL conversion or on the client end.

That wouldn't work. Telling the printer to only print in grayscale and simply outputting the document in grayscale are two different things. You can render a document in color, but tell the printer to just use the black cartridge.

I'm almost positive the command to change modes is just being ignored on the Linux end due to a setting. I just have to figure out what that setting is.

BTW, Debian sucks. Cool idea, but the fucking install/remove scripts don't work worth a damn.