system-config-printer: Unknown value for media-col: (unknown IPP value tag 0x34)

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

affects me as well in ubuntu 13.10 , printer xerox phaser 6010, russian locale

Unknown value for media-col: (unknown IPP value tag 0x34)
Choices: [u'media-bottom-margin', u'media-left-margin', u'media-right-margin', u'media-size', u'media-source', u'media-top-margin', u'media-type']
Selecting from choices: media-bottom-margin
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/system-config-printer/system-config-printer.py", line 1698, in on_edit_activate
    self.dests_iconview_item_activated (self.dests_iconview, paths[0])
  File "/usr/share/system-config-printer/system-config-printer.py", line 509, in dests_iconview_item_activated
    parent=self.PrintersWindow)
  File "/usr/share/system-config-printer/printerproperties.py", line 578, in show
    self.load (name, host=host, encryption=encryption, parent=parent)
  File "/usr/share/system-config-printer/printerproperties.py", line 1484, in load
    self.updateMarkerLevels()
  File "/usr/share/system-config-printer/printerproperties.py", line 1578, in updateMarkerLevels
    localized_name = self.ppd.localizeMarkerName(name)
UnicodeEncodeError: 'ascii' codec can't encode characters in position 0-6: ordinal not in range(128)

Tim, note that the IPP attribute "media-col" is not a user-settable option but a list of the media properties used by the IPP printer (or CUPS queue). Please make sure that when auto-generating the job options tab (= non-PPD options) that the options presented there make sense as user-settable options. Also make all console output of system-config-printer debug-level (only appearing if "--debug" is used), the messages only irritate the users and cause bug reports.

To the original poster of this bug and everyone affected, the message is harmless, the real bug is the "media-col" option appearing under the job options (at the very end, under "Advanced") which does not make sense. Selecting some item in this option has no influence on the job at all.

There is no printing problem caused by this. If you suffer any problem, it is a different bug, please report it separately.

Eugene, please report a separate bug for your traceback.

I have found a simply one-line patch to not display "media-col" which also eliminates the console messages. W also should use debugprint() more consequently. For options.py I have already a patch.

This bug was fixed in the package system-config-printer - 1.5.7+20150819-0ubuntu4

---------------
system-config-printer (1.5.7+20150819-0ubuntu4) wily; urgency=medium

  * debian/patches/40_do-not-show-media-col-option.patch: Suppress
    the display of the "media-col" attribute under the job options,
    this is not a user-settable option (LP: #1070002).
  * debian/patches/43_options-py-use-debugprint.patch,
    debian/patches/45_ppds-py-use-debugprint.patch: Silence console
    output.

 -- Till Kamppeter <email address hidden> Sun, 4 Oct 2015 09:28:25 -0300

I have the same error on a Dell C1765nfw-MFP; on 198.168.0.7:9100 that had been working for years, However cups was update approximately July 14, 2018
I am running Ubuntu-Gnome 14.04.5-LTS, with the Gnome flashback Metacity desktop and I am wonderfully stuck on this desktop.
Also since the update I can't print at all as I get a 'Filter error', reported as Bug #1784512. I could do a timeshift backup, but then other things I like and net would be broke Like apache 2 and PHP.INI and my-weather indicator, and so on.
Also since the update my gcc-4.8 will not compile (Make) Bug #1575109
So far I have had to r-sync a backup on my system because of updates 4 times the last 2 months due to upstates. I am confused, frustrated and dismayed recently with Ubuntu