Setting Up Newly Discovered Printers in the GNOME Desktop Environment

You do not need any special authorizations to set up a newly discovered, directly attached printer in the GNOME Desktop Environment by using automatic printing configuration tools. The Basic Solaris User profile has been modified to enable the console owner to add and configure local print queues. When you log in to your GNOME Desktop session, this profile is automatically assigned to you.

How to Add a Newly Discovered Printer in the GNOME Desktop Environment

This procedure describes how to set up and configure newly discovered directly attached or newly discovered network attached printers by using GNOME Desktop tools.

1. On a system that is running a supported Solaris release, choose from the following options:
   • If you are adding a newly discovered directly attached USB printer, connect the printer to the system, then power on the printer.
   • If you adding a newly discovered network attached printer, you must first initiate the HAL add-on module. For instructions, see Initiating the HAL Network Device Discovery Add-On Module.

   Immediately after the printer has been discovered by the system, the Add Printer Queue dialog is displayed:

   
   
2. For the following settings, make any necessary modifications:

   • Name

     The system inserts the standard printer model name. Type the name of the printer.

     For example:

     HP_LaserJet_4650

   • Description (Optional)

     The Description is typically the location of the printer.

3. Verify the manufacturer and model information.

   If the exact printer model is not available, the system will provide information for a compatible printer model. For example, if you set up an HP Laser 3015 printer, the model that is supplied by the system is an HP Laserjet 3.

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   Caution - In some instances, the OpenSolaris Print Manager associates an incorrect PPD file with a newly added print queue. If you encounter this problem, it is possible the printer might not print until the correct PPD file is associated with the printer. To correct the problem, modify the newly added print queue by using Solaris Print Manager. Note that you must be superuser or assume an equivalent role to modify a print queue by using Solaris Print Manager. For more information about adding and modifying printers by using Solaris Print Manager, see Setting Up Directly Attached Printers by Using Solaris Print Manager.

   For information about using the ppdmgr utility to add a PPD file to the system, see Setting Up Printers That are Associated With PPD Files.

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4. (Optional) To set the printer as the default, click the Set Printer as Default check box.
5. Click OK and close the window to save your changes.

   Immediately after completing this step, a notification dialog is displayed. The name of the newly added printer is displayed, along with a notification that lets you know the printer is online and ready to print.

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   Note - By default, the panel notification applet is displayed on the lower right side of the GNOME Desktop. However, if the panel notification applet has been moved, the notification is displayed in the new location. If the panel notification applet has been removed from the GNOME Desktop, notifications are not displayed.

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   The notification displays each time a previously configured printer is connected or disconnected from the system and when the printer is powered on or off.

6. Verify that the newly added printer is displayed in the list of configured printers in the Print Manager application.

   Main Menu → Administration → Printer Queue Monitor

   The Print Manager window is displayed.

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   Note - The Print Manager application is not the same application as the Solaris Print Manager GUI, /usr/sbin/printmgr, that is used to set up and administer printers in the Solaris OS. Solaris Print Manager (Print Manager) is also accessible from the GNOME Main Menu. However, you must be superuser, or assume an equivalent role, to set up printers by using this printing tool.

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   1. From the View menubar, choose the Select Printers to Show menu item:

      View → Select Printers to Show

      The Select Printers to Show secondary window is displayed.

   2. Click the Show All button, then click OK.

      The newly configured printer is displayed in the list of printers.

   3. Close the window.

See Also

For troubleshooting purposes, you might need to check for discovered printers by using the command line. See How to Obtain Information about Discovered Printers by Using the Command Line for more information.