Why I can't print files with Chinese Char with lp command

English Applications
1

I try:

  1. lp file_with_english_chinese
  2. lp -ozh_CN.utf8 file_with_english_chinese

The normal ascii characer prints ok but the chinese character are blank.

What’s wrong?

Thanks in advance!

Gallzzy

2

I try:

  1. lp file_with_english_chinese
  2. lp -ozh_CN.utf8 file_with_english_chinese

The normal ascii character prints ok but the chinese character are blank.

What’s wrong?

oops, sorry I forgot to mention I have an ancient HP LaserJet 5 Si MX on a TCP/IP LAN.
LaserJet 5 is installed using yast2.

Thanks,
Gallzzy

3

On 2011-07-05 20:36, Gallzzy wrote:
>
> I try:
>
> 1. lp file_with_english_chinese
> 2. lp -ozh_CN.utf8 file_with_english_chinese
>
> The normal ascii character prints ok but the chinese character are
> blank.

The file is plain text? I guess it is converted to postscript first, then
sent to the printer. You would have to check the ascii to ps filter, I think.

You can also ask in the mail list, I know there are some “printing experts”
there. I don’t know the exact tool chain used for the conversion.

You could also upload the file somewhere so that we can try replicate the
problem on different printer. One page only, please! I know no Chinese, so
I can’t test a long printout.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)

4

Thanks Carlos for the reply. Yes, its a plain text file.

I Google all day yesterday and luckily run into a solution.
You are absolutely right the problem is in texttops, for those who might run into the same problem.

I got the answer in this thread:
Vim - General - Printing with utf-8 characters on Windows
Don’t let the “Windows” title fool you, its all about Linux!

I replace texttops with the following script and it works pretty well.
> #!/bin/sh
> paps < “$6” | title="$3" perl -lpwe ‘s/stdin/$ENV{title}/ if 2==$.’

Thanks,
Gallzzy

5

On 2011-07-06 16:36, Gallzzy wrote:
>
> Thanks Carlos for the reply. Yes, its a plain text file.

Welcome, and glad you found a way. Then it is a bug in texttops? Perhaps it
should be reported in Bugzilla.

I’ll save your post for reference.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)