kde printer configuration crashes

[r.stiltskin]

Not sure when this problem developed as I haven't done any printing from this laptop lately. But now when I try to enter System Settings/Printer Configuration I get the error dialog attached below.

When I run
kcmshell4 system-config-printer-kde
in konsole, the output is:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py", line 445, in on_tvMainList_cursor_changed
    self.fillPrinterTab(name)
  File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py", line 1267, in fillPrinterTab
    self.fillPrinterOptions(name, editablePPD)
  File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py", line 1311, in fillPrinterOptions
    ppd.markDefaults()
AttributeError: 'bool' object has no attribute 'markDefaults'
kcmshell(6427)/python (plugin): Error while running factory function for Python plugin:  "system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py" 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 18, in kpythonpluginfactory_bridge
  File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py", line 4398, in CreatePlugin
    kcm = u.makeui(component_data, widget_parent)
  File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py", line 374, in makeui
    self.populateList(start_printer, change_ppd)
  File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py", line 657, in populateList
    self.on_tvMainList_cursor_changed()
  File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py", line 445, in on_tvMainList_cursor_changed
    self.fillPrinterTab(name)
  File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py", line 1267, in fillPrinterTab
    self.fillPrinterOptions(name, editablePPD)
  File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/system-config-printer-kde/system-config-printer-kde.py", line 1311, in fillPrinterOptions
    ppd.markDefaults()
AttributeError: 'bool' object has no attribute 'markDefaults'
kcmshell(6427)/python (plugin): Failed to import module 
kcmshell(6427)/kcontrol KCModuleLoader::loadModule: This module has no valid entry symbol at all. The reason could be that it's still using K_EXPORT_COMPONENT_FACTORY with a custom X-KDE-FactoryName which is not supported anymore

I can manage printers directly in CUPS, but what's wrong with the KDE module?

[zeeone]

Need more info like:

1. What is the printer make and model?
2. Has a CUPS update happen since the last time you used it?

[r.stiltskin]

I think the printer model is irrelevant. The KDE printer configuration module is crashing and therefore can't manage any printers.

I should mention that this is Kubuntu 12.04 64 bit version. The system is up to date.

[benny_fletch]

Have you tried un-installing (purging) / re-installing system-config-printer-kde to see if that helps?

Is this a fresh install of 12.04 or has it been upgraded from a previous release. Which KDE version are you using, the stock 4.8 or the backports 4.9?

[michel]

A recent update sort of de installed my printer driver. I deleted the printer and re-installed and all was well.

Michel

[dmeyer]

A recent update sort of de installed my printer driver. I deleted the printer and re-installed and all was well.

Michel

Deleting the printer isn't doable for him since the whole KCM crashes. I've always found the HP printer toolbox the best GUI for working with printers and it even works for non HP printers. Also CUPS web interface is also quite good but I might consider the KCM to be its equal. Still try use those workarounds to get the printer going and retry the KCM again or wait for an update .

[dmeyer]

Oh wait I think I know what the issue might be, I've faced something simmilar recently with synaptiks KCM. Please update your computer then restart. I think your python sip modules might be out of date or there is somewhere a out of date PyKDE4 or PyQT4 package. Some combination of those things isn't working quite right.

[r.stiltskin]

Thanks for all of your suggestions, but no luck so far.

Have you tried un-installing (purging) / re-installing system-config-printer-kde to see if that helps?
Yes, I have purged system-config-printer-kde (and also system-config-printer-common) but that didn't help.

Is this a fresh install of 12.04 or has it been upgraded from a previous release. Which KDE version are you using, the stock 4.8 or the backports 4.9?

I started with a fresh install of Oneiric in April, and then did a system upgrade to Precise in June. I'm not sure when this problem started. I noticed it for the first time on Monday when I was adjusting my cupsd.conf on another computer. I'm pretty sure it was working originally. i have a few printers set up which I think I did in System Settings, not in CUPS directly.

I'm using the stock KDE from Kubuntu -- 4.8.5

Oh wait I think I know what the issue might be, I've faced something simmilar recently with synaptiks KCM. Please update your computer then restart. I think your python sip modules might be out of date or there is somewhere a out of date PyKDE4 or PyQT4 package. Some combination of those things isn't working quite right.

The computer is completely up to date according to apt. python-sip, pykde4 and pyqt4 are the latest versions as far as I can tell.

I'm able to manage printers from the cups web interface, but the kde printer config is more convenient (when it works). I wasn't aware that hplip can be used with non-hp printers. I have it, and have used it to configure hp printers, but it doesn't seem to be able to detect a Brother printer plugged into the usb port. But anyway, the point here is to figure out what the problem is with the kde program.

[kubicle]

I think the version of 'python-kde4' is still 4.8.3 in the precise updates repository (while the rest of kde is 4.8.5), so that might be causing the module errors.

I'm using quantal so I can't confirm either way...I'm actually using print-manager instead of system-config-printer-kde, but I don't think it's available for precise in the standard repos. However, quantal release is not far away it you wish to upgrade to quantal eventually.

Print-manager is a new printer config module for kde written in c++ (so it doesn't suffer from the version mismatch glitches that seem to be a recurring issue with the python systemsettings modules).

EDIT: system-config-printer-kde works in quantal as well.

[r.stiltskin]

You're absolutely correct. python-kde4 is still 4.8.3. It works on my old 32 bit desktop but not on my 64 bit laptop.

I don't have time to bother with quantal now, but print-manager sounds interesting so I uninstalled system-config-printer-kde. I downloaded print-manager-0.2.0, built and installed it. I didn't find any documentation, so I just let cmake configure and generate the makefile, ran make and make install. It installed a bunch of files to /usr/local/share/apps ... but gives no clue to how to use it. It doesn't seem to have put anything in /usr/bin or /usr/local/bin. And I don't see anything new appearing in System Settings. So now what?

[kubicle]

I downloaded print-manager-0.2.0, built and installed it. I didn't find any documentation, so I just let cmake configure and generate the makefile, ran make and make install. It installed a bunch of files to /usr/local/share/apps ... but gives no clue to how to use it. It doesn't seem to have put anything in /usr/bin or /usr/local/bin. And I don't see anything new appearing in System Settings. So now what?

Try running cmake with option "-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr" so the thing installs under /usr instead of /usr/local...after correctly installed, the module should appear in systemsettings as "Printers" (print-manager also includes a plasma widget for print-job management)...although you may need to run "kbuildsycoca4" to get your system to notice the newly installed .desktop files. Print-manager does not install anything in /bin directories.

[r.stiltskin]

Guess what -- it works! Print-manager looks very nice. Thanks for your help. It'd be great if it could be added to a Precise repo.