Canon MP500 driver issue only showing gimp-print

[phillipjfry]

Is anyone out there using the Canon MP500 printer?
I'm having a lot of issues getting the right driver for this printer to work. I downloaded the mp500 driver from canon.com and installed it, but it doesn't show up in the list of drivers to use. I have it setup over the network, connected through a PC. I can see it just fine, connect to it, but I can't seem to find the right driver on my system for it. I don't know which gimp print driver I can use (if any?). When I click Other... for drivers to select (since it isn't shown in the Canon selection), I found the MP500.db file in Library/Printers/Canon/Resources/4.1.9/ folder and when I select it, it reverts back to the "Generic" selection.

Basically, what filetype am I looking for? I selected Other... option and tried to find my driver in the folder that I downloaded from Canon, and tried selecting ANYTHING! and it wouldn't give me the option to select anything and try to use it as a driver. Yes I have repaired permissions.

EDIT: After looking around in localhost:631, the only printers OSX wants to show for configuration are gimp print drivers. How do I add my drivers to the list of other drivers in the list?

 

[phillipjfry]

To update, if I can somehow figure out how to compile pstocanonij for Mac (i had so many compilation issues) then it should be possible to use the printer when its connected through a Windows XP computer

 

[MisterMe]

OK. If you have ever read the posts on this forum, then you should know that you cannot use the manufacturer-supplied USB drivers with a networked printer--with minor exceptions. You have to use CUPS drivers such as those supplied with Gutenprint/GIMP-print. Gutenprint has a manual. Read it and follow its instructions.

 

[phillipjfry]

This is true, which is why I tried to compile cnijcommon and cnijfilter packages on my Mac. I saw that some linux users were using those packages to get their canon mp500 printers to run through gimp-print/cups. I have a mp500.ppd but the needed filter, pstocanonij, is needed for the ppd. The only binary I could get ahold of was compile for linux, thus would not work (eg. "Exec format error"). After fixing some header issues, I still kept getting compilation issues and had hoped that maybe someone else had went down the same road I had and came out with an answer.
I guess I will just pray for a ppd inclusion when Leopard comes out.

EDIT: Unless I truely and honestly looked over something, gimp-print does not support my Canon PIXMA MP500; according to its website listing all the supported printers and their drivers. Unless someone else has discovered an alternative driver that will allow some basic (color) printing...
TIA

 

[MisterMe]

...

EDIT: Unless I truely and honestly looked over something, gimp-print does not support my Canon PIXMA MP500; ...

Then try LinuxPrinting.org.

 

[tilman]

If you don't mind spending a few dollars, consider Printfab (http://www.printfab.net). There is a free trial, and a license is $61. I used it with my MP780 hooked up to a Windows PC, and it worked very well.

 

[phillipjfry]

Thanks, finally got it working with printfab.

 

[rs6er]

If you don't mind spending a few dollars, consider Printfab (http://www.printfab.net). There is a free trial, and a license is $61. I used it with my MP780 hooked up to a Windows PC, and it worked very well.

How did you know which driver to use with the MP780? I chose the 4100 and it worked also.