Brother printer install script fails - fix here.

[barfly]

Ubuntu Version:
Example: 22.04 LTS, 24.04, 25.10, 26.04 etc.

Desktop Environment (if applicable):
Example: GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE, Budgie, etc.

Problem Description:
Libsane has been replaced by libsane1 so Brother’s install script fails.

Before running the install script ( linux-brprinter-installer-2.2.6-0 for instance) from Brother’s website do this:

mkdir /var/spool/lpd

install this:

apt-get install lib32z1 curl libsane1

Then open the installer file with a suitable editor that allows “search/find and replace” such as l3afpad and replace all instances of libsane with libsane1.

Then run the installer.

After a successful install, if you are Europe/UK based and use A4 instead of Letter, modify the two files in /usr/local/Brother/printer/”model of your printer”/inf

brmfc885cwfunc

and

brmfc885cwrc changing the “Letter” to A4.

This stops the top of the page being cut off on A4 paper.

There are other posts that resolve some issues but not all.

[oshunluvr]

Nice post - great way to help out others.

FYI, Kate does a find job with find-and-replace.

[jlittle]

How is the printer connected? I use an LAN connection and Kubuntu did a driverless install automatically, so no Brother script involved. Does using the script have advantages?

[barfly]

How is the printer connected? I use an LAN connection and Kubuntu did a driverless install automatically, so no Brother script involved. Does using the script have advantages?

I have never had a scriptless install that actually worked. I would imagine it is a CUPS driven install for you. My printer is directly connected via lan cable. My HP7200 A3 printer does do an auto-install, but it is much newer. I bought my Brother MFC885CW in Western Australia in 2009/10 or thereabouts! The missing bit at the top of the page is really annoying for all Europeans, if you live across the pond, you won't have that issue.

[claydoh]

The missing bit at the top of the page is really annoying for all Europeans, if you live across the pond, you won't have that issue.

I think I am missing something?

Unless you mean the wrong paper size?

I find that some apps do want to default to US Letter, even if the locale and system are set to A4. Libreoffice uses its own settings. I think that this was the only thing I had to manually change after moving across a bigger pond and The Ditch after changing my location in System Settings. I might be wrong on the specific application, but it was only the one.

[barfly]

I think I am missing something?

Unless you mean the wrong paper size?

I find that some apps do want to default to US Letter, even if the locale and system are set to A4. Libreoffice uses its own settings. I think that this was the only thing I had to manually change after moving across a bigger pond and The Ditch after changing my location in System Settings. I might be wrong on the specific application, but it was only the one.

Yes the paper size is auto-set to Letter when using the Brother script in these two files brmfc885cwfunc and brmfc885cwrc. This results in the page starting to print 2 inches or so down from the top edge.