poppler 0.11.2 produces blank pages with cups

Hi all,

just upgraded from jaunty to karmic. Same here. Only blank pages, even my cups PDF printer only produces blank pages.

Greetings, Tobias

A little addition: to eliminate any doubts wrt hardware, I have tried to print from Ubuntu 8.10 being VirtualBox guest - printing works fine.

Tobias, can you try previous poppler-related packages? I just don't know how to downgrade.

Not sure what changed in poppler but cups might need updating, Till could you have a look to that?

Tried poppler packages from jaunty. Now, there is no mor print output, even no blank pages...

And ubuntu-bug crashes, otherwise I would collect automatic information the this issue.

2.6.31-3-generic #19-Ubuntu SMP Tue Jul 14 16:07:02 UTC 2009 x86_64 GNU/Linux
------------------
Description: Ubuntu karmic (development branch)
Release: 9.10

I have a slightly earlier Alpha 3 Karmic 64bit and it printing ok.

I built a new one yesterday and it too is always printing blank pages.

I'll venture a guess its one of these

hpijs (3.9.6b-1ubuntu4) to 3.9.8-0ubuntu1
hplip (3.9.6b-1ubuntu4) to 3.9.8-0ubuntu1
hplip-cups (3.9.6b-1ubuntu4) to 3.9.8-0ubuntu1
hplip-data (3.9.6b-1ubuntu4) to 3.9.8-0ubuntu1

Updated this afternoon at 15.38

I'll try and go back to the earlier versions

Downgrade did not help

hpijs (3.9.6b-1ubuntu4)
hplip (3.9.6b-1ubuntu4)
hplip-cups (3.9.6b-1ubuntu4)
hplip-data (3.9.6b-1ubuntu4)

 - same issue - blank pages

Architecture: amd64
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: poppler (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_CA.UTF-8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-5.24-generic
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-5-generic x86_64
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare

Same configuration, same problem when using libpoppler5 0.11.2-0ubuntu1.

Downgrading to libpoppler5_0.11.0-0ubuntu4 fixed it.

2.6.31-5-generic #24-Ubuntu SMP Sat Aug 1 12:47:58 UTC 2009 x86_64 GNU/Linux
------------------
Description: Ubuntu karmic (development branch)
Release: 9.10

I can also confirm downgrading to libpoppler5_0.11.0-0ubuntu4 fixed i

Can anyone who has the problem tell which printer he has and also provide an error_log as described in the "CUPS error_log" section of https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingPrintingProblems? Thanks.

This duplicate bug has a list of printers and error logs...
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ghostscript/+bug/410556

Hi Till,

I have 'downgraded' and printing is ok, so I'll 'upgrade' again to the new versions and run thru the process as defined and try and get some data

Kyle

I have an HP LaserJet 1000 and a HP DeskJet 3845. Both just feed blank paper when printing. Error log for the 1000 is attached.

Till,

I have published error log fragment earlier here:

http://www.cups.org/newsgroups.php?s77+gcups.general+v96+T0+Qblank

Is it sufficient?

ilna, that is OK. Thanks.

I have seen two error_logs now (from ilna and from a duplicate) and I have also tested by myself running the pdftopdf filter on the command line:

/usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftopdf 1 1 1 1 '' in.pdf > out.pdf

out.pdf has the same number of pages as in.pdf but all pages are blank. In addition, pdftopdf emits a message "ERROR: Weird page contents" for each page. This message is visible in the error_log wgen pdftopdf is run by CUPS.

The problem happens only with the pdftopdf CUPS filter and not with the pdftops CUPS filter which is also based on Poppler.

Reporting upstream to the author of the pdftopdf CUPS filter, as it is also possible that the fix has to be done there.

Hi,

does sb know, where to download the working version of libpoppler5? I need it ;-)

Greetings, Tobias

Tobias,

I'm agree with you - urgent workaround would be great - I have too many printing work which must be completed days ago :-(

Till,

Is it possible to officially downgrade to previous poppler version at waiting for upstream reaction?

I found this link from ubuntu forum.

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/poppler/0.11.0-0ubuntu4/+build/1087828/+files/libpoppler5_0.11.0-0ubuntu4_amd64.deb

But you have to downgrade libpoppler-glib4 at the same time, or evince
cannot be launched.

On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 12:27 PM, Tobias Krais <email address hidden>wrote:

> Hi,
>
> does sb know, where to download the working version of libpoppler5? I
> need it ;-)
>
> Greetings, Tobias
>
> --
> poppler 0.11.2 produces blank pages with cups
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/409962
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of a duplicate bug.
>

Launchpad gives access to all versions ever uploaded:

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/poppler/+publishinghistory

Click on the version you need

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/karmic/+source/poppler/0.11.0-0ubuntu4

and then on your architecture in the "Builds" box at the right, and from the next page download the .deb files.

After that install them with

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

You will get warnings that you are downgrading, but the packages will get installed.

If you add:

http://ppa.launchpad.net/improved-lcd-filtering/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main to Repository and then refresh, you can then FORCE the version and Synaptic will handle all the dependencies nicely.

Also LOCK the version - until fix is available

Package > Lock Version

Till,

Thanks, have done (and 'sudo aptitude hold' also for the packages - hope this is a right way), printing works.

kylea ,

Thanks! The thing is, I prefer to learn CLI, so this time I have followed Till's instructions.

No worries - all here to help each other...

Got an answer from upstream that this is simply a binary incompatibility between Poppler 0.11.0 and 0.11.2 which requires CUPS (pdftopdf is part of the cups package) to be rebuilt with Poppler 0.11.2 installed. I will upload a new CUPS package before Alpha 4.

For anyone who just can't wait, there are now packages in my PPA.

Can you give details on the binary incompatbility? If they did that they should be changing soname too

This bug was fixed in the package cups - 1.3.11-1ubuntu1

---------------
cups (1.3.11-1ubuntu1) karmic; urgency=low

  [ Till Kamppeter ]
  * Rebuilt against Poppler 0.11.2 due to ABI change in Poppler (LP: #409962).
  * debian/cups.init.d: Trigger udev event for all USB printers right after
    starting the CUPS daemon to run the udev callouts for the printers. This
    allows automatic print queue setup and re-enabling print queues also if
    the printer is cold-plugged (connected before CUPS and/or udev got
    started).
  * debian/cups.init.d: Set CUPS RIP cache to 1/4 of the total RAM when CUPS
    is started. This way CUPS Raster drivers get enough memory for reliable
    and quick operation even if large paper sizes with high resolutions are
    printed.

  [ Martin Pitt ]
  * debian/local/apparmor-profile: Allow cups-pdf to run /bin/cp.

 -- Till Kamppeter <email address hidden> Tue, 4 Aug 2009 00:39:33 +0100

Works after updates now. Thanks

Sorry to say, but it still doesn't work for me after upgrade (kubuntu, amd64, Canon Pixma IP4500):

cups/error.log says: Weird page contents

and running the pdftopdf filter on the command line with

/usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftopdf 1 1 1 1 '' in.pdf > out.pdf

also says:

ERROR: Weird page contents

merlin, are you sure that your update is correct? Do you really have cups 1.3.11-1ubuntu1 on your system?

What is the output of

dpkg -S /usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftopdf
dpkg -s cups

Well here is my output from your two commands. All printing is pooched for me.

roland@logikaldesktop:~$ dpkg -S /usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftopdf
cups: /usr/lib/cups/filter/pdftopdf

roland@logikaldesktop:~$ dpkg -s cups
Package: cups
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: net
Installed-Size: 11160
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers <email address hidden>
Architecture: i386
Version: 1.3.11-1
Replaces: cupsys (<< 1.3.7-6), cupsys-bsd (<< 1.3.7-5)
Provides: cupsys
Depends: libavahi-compat-libdnssd1 (>= 0.6.16), libc6 (>= 2.7), libcups2 (>= 1.3.8), libcupsimage2 (>= 1.3.8), libdbus-1-3 (>= 1.0.2), libgcc1 (>= 1:4.1.1), libgnutls26 (>= 2.5.9-0), libgssapi-krb5-2 (>= 1.6.dfsg.2), libijs-0.35, libkrb5-3 (>= 1.6.dfsg.2), libldap-2.4-2 (>= 2.4.7), libpam0g (>= 0.99.7.1), libpaper1, libpoppler5, libslp1, libstdc++6 (>= 4.1.1), zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4), debconf (>= 1.2.9) | debconf-2.0, poppler-utils (>= 0.11.0-0ubuntu3), perl-modules, procps, ghostscript, lsb-base (>= 3), cups-common, cups-client, ssl-cert (>= 1.0.11), adduser, bc, ttf-freefont
Recommends: smbclient (>= 3.0.9), foomatic-filters (>= 4.0), cups-driver-gutenprint, avahi-utils, ghostscript-cups
Suggests: cups-bsd, foomatic-db-engine, foomatic-db, hplip, xpdf-korean | xpdf-japanese | xpdf-chinese-traditional | xpdf-chinese-simplified, cups-pdf
Breaks: foomatic-filters (<< 4.0)
Conflicts: cupsys (<< 1.3.7-6), cupsys-bsd (<< 1.3.7-5)
Conffiles:
 /etc/cups/cupsd.conf 990414a83368f93719dfb648b1b02ff9
 /etc/cups/cupsd.conf.default 955856fc6713a023fd8f160868d2c9cb
 /etc/cups/snmp.conf 9a06a428b5274593ffc42b0b193ba411
 /etc/cups/mime.convs 9f906d03d2cb9fc96119c576f61e5cf0
 /etc/cups/mime.types a7a6f550ad9e9a2bb8890bf9b7a7f445
 /etc/cups/pdftops.conf 04efb7cf36d45ee490b1c57b6e30d736
 /etc/cups/acroread.conf 74fde568dd7616b3052f2cf6ee13e681
 /etc/default/cups 2b436fbb1a32b82b6aba45a76a1d7e40
 /etc/init.d/cups d1fcc810f74a1caecf7df430b3bb6fae
 /etc/pam.d/cups ff2488324854f7b1e892bb0df062d5f0
 /etc/logrotate.d/cups 5bb41fa9900f0d1c565954405a2bd7c4
 /etc/apparmor.d/usr.sbin.cupsd be1393979f3880874fb539e2d550f602
 /etc/ufw/applications.d/cups 29e98a6d850da251e180c3d68dec2bd3
Description: Common UNIX Printing System(tm) - server
 The Common UNIX Printing System (or CUPS(tm)) is a printing system and
 general replacement for lpd and the like. It supports the Internet
 Printing Protocol (IPP), and has its own filtering driver model for
 handling various document types.
 .
 This package provides the CUPS scheduler/daemon and related files.
 .
 The terms "Common UNIX Printing System" and "CUPS" are trademarks of
 Easy Software Products (www.easysw.com), and refer to the original
 source packages from which these packages are made.
Original-Maintainer: Debian CUPS Maintainers <email address hidden>
roland@logikaldesktop:~$

New cups packages fixed it for me. Thx Till and Team!

seasoned_geek, your update did not take place, you have still the old CUPS package. Looks like that your mirror did not catch up yet. Try again later or download the new CUPS packages from Launchpad.

Thank you, Till.
I confirmed that after installing the update you released, the print blank page problem fixed on my karmic (9.10) and HP color laserjet 5550.

I tried KPackage again tonight and it _still_ shows no available updates. There are 16 blocked updates, none of which say anything about cups or poppler. I will try again in the morning, but I'm thinking we have deeper problem with updates not getting out.

Hi Till,

it works now, thanks :)

There must have been some problems with my upgrade after downgrading...

All good after update and resetting to default versions of Poppler

I'm still busted. no update has ever appeared in KPackage nor Synaptics. Synaptics thinks I have the current cups version installed. I tried forcing a re-install this morning. No dice. Still printing blank pages.

However you released your fix, it never made it out to the masses.

seasoned_geek, many users already got the updated CUPS, also I got it on my second machine. Your problem looks like that there is either a problem with the configuration of your package manager or the mirror providing the packages to you has a problem. Please contact appropriate IRC channels or report a separate bug.

This may have come back. My daughters HP Deskjet 3650 has been printing blank pages ever since I switched her to Ubuntu from Windows. Running karmic with cups 1.4.1-5ubuntu2.1 and libpoppler 0.12.0-0ubuntu2.1. We never had an earlier version of Ubuntu installed on this system, so I can't tell if it used to work sometime in the past. The printer still works perfectly when we hook it up to a Windows system.