usbprinter.device problem if printer not turned on

[ssolie]

The problem still exists in Update3. Since I originally reported the problem on forums as soon as the current usbprinter.device was released, I sort of expected to see it fixed in Update3. It's just a minor glitch but too many minor glitches can add up to an unsatisfactory OS4 experience.

Please don't expect bugs to be fixed unless a beta tester has confirmed the problem and recorded it in bugzilla. Even then, a fix could take a long time due to other higher priority items.

[xenic]

The problem still exists in Update3. Since I originally reported the problem on forums as soon as the current usbprinter.device was released, I sort of expected to see it fixed in Update3. It's just a minor glitch but too many minor glitches can add up to an unsatisfactory OS4 experience.

Please don't expect bugs to be fixed unless a beta tester has confirmed the problem and recorded it in bugzilla. Even then, a fix could take a long time due to other higher priority items.

If open Final Writer 5, I get one or more Rhingio notices and USB requesters. I think the number of requesters depends on how fast I respond to the initial requester. I didn't think I was getting the requesters when I open Media Toolbox but I've noticed that I also get those requesters after I've opened Final Writer. I'm not sure what that means.

[Noel Fuller]

On my A1 I did all those things listed with Media Toolbox and Partition Wizard except I
turned the usb HP Photosmart C5280 on after the notification it was turned off.
No further notices appeared.

I did get so many messages and requesters I could hardly keep up while attempting to write large
files to a USB hub via workbench with a faulty cable. I then did the same with diropus which
suppressed most of them, but the solution turned out to be a better cable. Might not be relevant
to others of course.

Noel

[amigaonefan]

I also get this problem and have seen it since at least Os4.1 update 2. It also happens with programs like AmigaWriter, which I use as my default for reading MSWord .doc files...so it is very annoying for me.

I find that I have to go to printer prefs and change my settings to use the parallel printer device instead of usbprinter device, save and reboot, and then any time I want to print, go change my printer prefs to use usbprinter device (whiile my usb printer is turned on and is connected) and then reboot so I can print.

Is there a fix for this, or will there be in a future update?

Thanks.

[xenic]

@amigaonefan

Is there a fix for this, or will there be in a future update?

I was hoping for a fix in Update 1,2 & 3 but it hasn't happened. Most word processors need to obtain the the printer settings by opening printer.device which seems to trigger this problem. Since my SAM has no parallel port, I can't use your solution so I reverted to the old printer.devce (v 52.1) until I installed Update3. I haven't tested the old printer.device with Update3 yet so I don't know if it still works. Your method might be less painful if you use the Printer Prefs "Project/Save As..." menu to save a copy of your printer prefs with usbprinter.device as Port device and then when you want to change the Port device from parallel to usbprinter you can just use the "Project/Open..." menu to load the alternate prefs file.

[ChrisH]

The problem still exists in Update3. Since I originally reported the problem on forums as soon as the current usbprinter.device was released, I sort of expected to see it fixed in Update3.

I was hoping for a fix in Update 1,2 & 3 but it hasn't happened. Most word processors need to obtain the the printer settings by opening printer.device which seems to trigger this problem.

For what it is worth, I have usbprinter.device v53.2 for printing to my HP Laserjet 6P (which is switched-off most of the time), and I have NEVER experienced any requester popping-up. I can start-up MediaToolBox or Wordworth 7 without any problem.

As Ssolie says, if the problem isn't reproduced by a beta-tester (or dev with mythical free time!) then it's not going to be fixed. (FWIW, I don't know if it has been reproduced by a beta-tester, but the implication seems to be that it hasn't...)

[xenic]

@ChrisH

For what it is worth, I have usbprinter.device v53.2 for printing to my HP Laserjet 6P (which is switched-off most of the time), and I have NEVER experienced any requester popping-up. I can start-up MediaToolBox or Wordworth 7 without any problem.

As Ssolie says, if the problem isn't reproduced by a beta-tester (or dev with mythical free time!) then it's not going to be fixed. (FWIW, I don't know if it has been reproduced by a beta-tester, but the implication seems to be that it hasn't...)

Somebody must have done something for one of the updates because I now get a single system requester and a single Ringhio notification. Once I cancel the requester, everything works fine. I can accept a single requester and notification; it was the repeated requesters and notifications that were driving me crazy. Maybe Wordworth doesn't check the printer device until it's ready to print; in which case you would get some kind of requester if the printer isn't turned on and available. Final Writer 5 apparently opens the printer device when it starts (in order to get the margin settings, paper size etc.).

[Hypex]

I have NEVER experienced any requester popping-up.

I can't BELIEVE this!

What hardware are you using?

[Hypex]

Somebody must have done something for one of the updates because I now get a single system requester and a single Ringhio notification.

On occasion I have found this, as if by random. But then I run it again (MTB) and I would get fifteen in a row! I don't know if the Ringhio Prefs affect it much but I have played around with the settings and it didn't make any difference here. I get a notification and requester together and when they come they really come! MTB can easily cause 15 of those annoying nags in a row! I can tell you pressing Escape for each and every one is not a user friendly experience!

Now my hardware is an AmigaOne XE. I also tested Update 4 and there is no change. I can't check the version as my A1 is out of service right now. (Won't boot, no VGA, UBoot alive on serial, reports memory then stops dead before FLASH line.) But when I checked Update 4 had the same version as Update 3 on my A1.

I can use WW fine before I print. So think you are right there.

But here I do get repeated requesters. Notifications could be ignored as they fill up the screen but 15 requesters in a row is practically unbearable!

I list three OS4 applications that trigger it off:
MediaToolBox
Partition Wizard
Mounter

IIRC from worse to least.

And BTW, I have posted an official entry into the Bugzilla on this. Which I recently undated with a picture. But really I would have to attach 15 pictures in a row to give a real indication of how annoying it is!

[ChrisH]

Somebody must have done something for one of the updates because I now get a single system requester and a single Ringhio notification. Once I cancel the requester, everything works fine. I can accept a single requester and notification; it was the repeated requesters and notifications that were driving me crazy.

Are you saying that the problem has been fixed by Update 4?