Re: Host-based printing in linux

Hi John,

How does one set up a host-based AS/400 printer in Linux?

I'm not 100% sure that I understand your question, but... the phrase "host-based" usually means that all of the logic of interpreting the printout is done on the host (aka the PC) instead of on the printer itself.

In other words, the printer manufacturer must provide a specialized piece of software ("driver") -- one specifically designed for the exact piece of hardware at-hand -- that interprets the printer language (PCL, PostScript, whatever) and sends precise low-level instructions to the printer's motors and logic boards.

Assuming you mean the same thing...

Do you have a driver like this for Linux? Did your printer manufacturer include one?

If not, I'm afraid you're pretty much out of luck. In the future, I'd suggest spending a few extra bucks to get a printer that's not host-based. After all, host-based is usually the hallmark of a very cheaply made printer.

We have several laser printers hooked up to Windows PCs that print
through Windows from the AS/400 and I'd like to replicate that in
Linux.

If the printer manufacturer provides Linux drivers, this should be easy. Follow their instructions on how to install the driver. Make sure you can print to it.

I know I need to get the printer set up in Linux first, but then what? How
does one set up an AS/400 "Printer" on the local machine?

I'm not really sure... it depends on how your host-based driver takes it's input. I've never encountered a host-based driver on Linux. I would suspect that it would take PostScript input (since most Linux software I've used outputs PostScript) and converts it to the printer's low-level language. But I've never actually seen one, so this is purely a guess.

But if I'm right, you could use a tool like scs2ps via lp5250d to print to it...