HP LaserJet 4 Postscript driver on Intel MacBook Pro

Question

I have an HP Laserjet 4M printer (with a JetDirect card) on my network. On my other Macs (PowerBook G4, PowerMac G4, Mac Mini PPC) all running 10.4 I set the printer up and was able to use the 'HP Laserjet 4/4M PostScript' (v1.1.0.X) driver. The support site lists printer drivers included with 10.4 and lists the 'HP LasderJet 4/4M PostScript' driver (v1.1.0.X) as being part of the HP printer package provided with 10.4 - I assume that is what I'm using on these machines. I just got a new MacBook Pro with 10.4 and can't find the HP LaserJet 4/4M PostScript driver anywhere - I've tried to re-load the HP printer drivers from the install CD and it says they are already installed. When I choose the model in the printer setup utility I see the LJ 4 Gimp driver but not the other. I've currently set it up with the Generic PostScript driver, but that doesn't have any of the model specific options that the HP driver has. Are the printer drivers that are supplied with 10.4 different for PowerPC vs Intel Macs? Or am I not looking in the right place for the driver?
TIA
Ben

Answer 1

Hi Ben,
Well done with finding the file. Based on your info I searched the PPD folder and found the LaserJet 4.gz, which after unpacking and opening saw that it was ppd for the HP LaserJet 4/4M PostScript 600DPI entry I could see in the printer list under HP.
As to how this file got there I cannot say for sure. I would have said that it was part of the 10.4.6 DVD that came with the MacBook Pro. But after checking a new Mini, I found it doesn't have this file? So, I know I have previously run a HP installer to help a forum postee. Maybe the LaserJet 4.gz was added by this installer. Certainly the 'Date Modified' field is different to the other HP files (04/03/2005 vs 17/11/2005) and it is the only file with this date. Very weird!!
Looking at the ppd there is reference to five printer driver plug-ins;
*APDialogExtension: "/Library/Printers/hp/PDEs/hpColorOptions.plugin"
*APDialogExtension: "/Library/Printers/hp/PDEs/hpEdgeToEdge.plugin"
*APDialogExtension: "/Library/Printers/hp/PDEs/hpFinishing.plugin"
*APDialogExtension: "/Library/Printers/hp/PDEs/hpImageQuality.plugin"
*APDialogExtension: "/Library/Printers/hp/PDEs/hpProofAndPrint.plugin"
Now, all of these files are present on my Mac and when I looked at the info of these files I found there are written in Universal. Checking the Mini again, I found the same files, also in Universal, so it looks like the plug-ins are part of the OS X 10.4.6 install. So, if the LaserJet 4.gz file was added by a different installer, it is interesting that it makes use of these plugins that are already present.
Anyway, we may never now the answer but the concern now is that you have a speed/quality issue using the ppd. The fact that you took this file from a PPC Mac won't be the issue. A ppd is just a text file describing a variety of options for the printer. But if you don't have those plugins mentioned earlier then that could cause delays and the quality issue, because the option to set the 600dpi quality is within these plugins. The other thing could be that the ppd you obtained from the PPC Mac wants to use different files to the ones you do have. Open the ppd using TextEdit - you should see something near the top like above (or the exact thing). Look at where the files should be and check that they are there.
The other thing I noticed is that the ppd is calling an old version of the PostScript Interpreter (v2011.110), which is Level 2. I'm not sure how well the Intel Mac's work with level 2, maybe additional instructions are required or Rosetta has to be used which is causing delays in the file creation and therefore the spooling? Without a PSLvl2 device I cannot confirm this, but it may explain why the PPC's are spooling faster than the Intel. A test could be to set the Universal application to open using Rosetta. I would use TextEdit, and with it still set to Universal, print a few pages and time it. Then, set TextEdit to open using Rosetta (by doing a Get Info on the application icon) and print the same file. If there is no difference then my idea is rubbish and there must be something else. But if it does make a difference, then you have a workaround. Although I personally believe that slowing your Mac so that the spooling appears quicker is not the answer. Might be time to invest in a brand new HP...
Regards,
Paul