[TriLUG] CUPS configuration difficulties

[Paul D. Boyle]

Hi Everyone,

I recently upgraded my old SuSE 7.3 distribution to SuSE 9.1.  The SuSE
docs seemed to strongly push CUPS as the printing subsystem of choice.
That, coupled with the fact that BSD lpd is no longer supported by SuSE,
I decided to take the plunge and move to CUPS.  The short version of
this email is that, as others on this list have discovered, CUPS is
a freakin nightmare to configure. As an aside, the SuSE Yast printer
configuration tool, hangs up when reading the configuration files,
so I've been trying to configure CUPS via the web interface as well as
text editing the .conf files directly.

Now the longer version:
I have an HP LaserJet 4m+ hooked up via parallel port to my main computer
at work.  I have gotten to the point where I can print from this computer
however, I must specify the printer's name.   I would rather have my local
printer be the default printer for my system.  When I fire up the web
interface, the Printer administration page indicates that the default
destination for print jobs is some other printer in our department.
When I edit the /etc/cups/client.conf file and add the "ServerName"
directive so that it points to my local computer, a different (undesired)
computer on our network then is indicated to be the default destination.
This is unexpected (and annoying) behavior.

I would really like to make the printer attached to my parallel port
the default printer for my system.  This isn't an extraordinary or exotic
configuration, and I would appreciate anyone's pointers on how to make it
work.

I've been messing with this for a couple of days now, and I feel
frustrated.  

Thanks for any help,

Paul

-- 
Paul D. Boyle			    |	boyle at laue.chem.ncsu.edu
Director, X-ray Structural Facility |	phone: (919) 515-7362
Department of Chemistry - Box 8204  |	FAX:   (919) 515-8909
North Carolina State University     |	http://www.xray.ncsu.edu  
Raleigh, NC, 27695-8204