cups filter to print pcl on hp 2600n printer

There is no exact instructions that I can find that covers PCLto PS conversion.

I have tried extrapolating solutions from the "Using your own filters document" mentioned in my question, however nothing actually triigered the filter - in the cups log files, so I actually dont havemeningful log files to send you.

Perhaps you could suggest which filter trigger method should work?

Thanks

I get actually two results from google when I try 'pcl2ps pcltops Linux' and similiar and those
are only related to a Windows problem. Actually in Linux the 'ps' is traded as 'gs' (ghostscript)
but results for that are equally irrelelvant.
Strange I find though one thing: PCL is rather defined as a protocol for HP printers
and not as a format to printout from applications, so usually you'll find applications
genearting something that is ps or can be turned into ps and from there to
PCL so that some of the HP printers can deal with it.
i
Sorry, but no detailed idea here.

Generally, I thought to workaround it by piping over filters that are 'known to CUPS'
but am at edge of exact knowledge how to implement this. Otherwise, you may
be exact about one of the methods you tried and we could go in some examination of this
and some 'trial and error' routine maybe unless we know better ; )

You are aware that this is in the manual page from localhost:

The filename argument is only provided to the first filter in the chain; all filters must be prepared to read the print file from the standard input if the filename argument is omitted.

From the suse reference this should apply to your environment...
(with ASCII replaced by PCL and text with pcl)

Printing ASCII texts:
 According to the entry in /etc/cups/mime.types, ASCII texts have the MIME type text/plain.
 According to the entry text/plain application/postscript 33 texttops
 in /etc/cups/mime.convs, data with the mime type text/plain is converted to data with the mime type application/postscript by means of the CUPS filter texttops (i.e., with /usr/lib/cups/filter/texttops).
 The CUPS internal cost for this conversion amounts to 33 units.
 As above, data with the MIME type application/postscript is converted to data with the MIME type application/vnd.cups-postscript by way of the CUPS filter /usr/lib/cups/filter/pstops with a cost of 66.
 Along with the conversion in the first step, the whole cost amounts to 99 units.
 Data with the MIME type application/vnd.cups-postscript is sent to the PostScript printer.

Do you have a "application/vnd.hp-PCL" and "application/vnd.hp-PCLXL" entry in /etc/cups/mime.types
Does your  /etc/cups/mime.convs have references for this type and a reference to your pcltops
script (mind the case sensitive names).
and did you place the script into the  /usr/lib/cups/filter/ directory?

Have a look into the pctopxl driver and change the commands needed accordingly... (esp. handling of the $6 / stdin case).

Thanks I will ckeck this out.

I have had another thought though is it possible to create a second queue that ignores mime type and will just run the pcl6 command for every job sent to it and send the output to the real queue for printing.

You should be able to print them using the -oraw option to the lp command.
Then they will pass the system unmodified.

I found that the only way to get pcl files to convert was to rip off the following instructions to create a pdf print queue. I was able to create a queue that converts the incoming pcl formated file into postscript file and then send that off to the real printer.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/linux/answers/Applications_GUI_Multimedia/Setting_up_a_PDF_printer_in_CUPS_in_my_case_in_Slackware

the main modification was to call ghostpcl instead of gs and then send the result off to the real printer.

/usr/local/bin/pcl6 -sDEVICE=pswrite \
-sOutputFile=$2 -J"@PJL SET PAPER=A4" -dNOPAUSE $1
/usr/bin/lp -d hpcol1 -o job-sheets=none $2

I havent printed much but it seems to work

Maybe you should ask for a refund because you provided the solution yourself?