TP 2.05/Fedora 8/gLabels/iP4200 problem - 850MB spool files

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Msquared
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:20 pm

TP 2.05/Fedora 8/gLabels/iP4200 problem - 850MB spool files

Post by Msquared »

I'm trying to print a label using gLabels, but it's generating massive spool files within cups.

The file in gLabels is very simple, and has only an image in it. However, I have discovered that , the type of image does seem to affect the size of the spool for the print job, as does the print mode (grey/RGB).

Printing greyscale always works normally (spool file less than 200KB). However, if I print RGP, then the type of image in the gLabels file will affect the size of the spool for the print job:
  • GIF image: spool file is 850MB
  • PNG image with alpha channel: spool file is 850MB
  • PNG image with no alpha channel: spool file is <200KB
  • JPG image: spool file is <200KB
The type of GIF doesn't seem to make a difference: greyscale and indexed both end up generating am 850MB spool file. Note that the greyscale GIF will produce an 850MB spool file in RGB print mode, even though the image is greyscale.

Also, increasing the print resolution will increase the size of the spool file for the print job. At 300dpi, the spool file is 850MB. At 600dpi, the spool file fills all available space (8GB!).

What can I do to help you diagnose the problem?
zedonet
Site Admin
Posts: 2156
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 8:02 am

Post by zedonet »

Hello,

gLabels seems to create spool files in printer resolution. A workaround would be to specify a lower printer resolution in the TurboPrint description file (e.g. 300x300dpi) - the print job is then scaled up by the printer driver (print quality will be a little bit lower).

Edit the file /usr/share/turboprint/printers/Canon_PIXMA_iP4200.tpp

in the section

[Mode0_0_1]
Name=Medium
Quality=3
Description=600dpi
ApplicationDPI=600,600
PrinterDPI=600,600
Curves=600dpi_quick_plain_ip4200
Borderless=0
Param=2,1,0,1

change the line "ApplicationDPI" to

ApplicationDPI=300,300

then execute from command line

sudo tpsetup --update

to update the PPD files in /etc/cups/ppd
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