Problems after update. SOLVED

[Howard]

A couple of weeks ago I updated my LXDE installation, and since then I have had problems, especially with printing.  The update was faulty, I was not aware of any problems at the time - but I generally don't check all the output - I'm a default kind of guy!

When I later went into synaptic to try to resolve a printer problem I got a lot of warnings about more than one version of programs being installed, various gutenprint, samba, and openbox files.  I found that newer versions had been installed without removing the older ones.  I've gone though the list and removed all the older versions - but I still have a problem with the printer:

When I go into the PCLOS control centre to re-install the printer I cannot get the printer configuration windows, clicking on "set up the printer ...." just puts me back into the hardware screen - other applications form here do work.  (The printer does actually work, but I want to change the defaults and I only know how to do this by removing and re-installing the printer. - Epson NX200 3 in 1.)

[AS]

A couple of weeks ago I updated my LXDE installation, and since then I have had problems, especially with printing.  The update was faulty, I was not aware of any problems at the time - but I generally don't check all the output - I'm a default kind of guy!

When I later went into synaptic to try to resolve a printer problem I got a lot of warnings about more than one version of programs being installed, various gutenprint, samba, and openbox files.  I found that newer versions had been installed without removing the older ones.  I've gone though the list and removed all the older versions - but I still have a problem with the printer:

When I go into the PCLOS control centre to re-install the printer I cannot get the printer configuration windows, clicking on "set up the printer ...." just puts me back into the hardware screen - other applications form here do work.  (The printer does actually work, but I want to change the defaults and I only know how to do this by removing and re-installing the printer. - Epson NX200 3 in 1.)

Hi Howard ,
from a root konsole, type the following commands:

lpstat -v

will provide a list of available printers so that you can see the exact names.
The following will set the default printer:

lpadmin -d <printer-name>

About the printer management, very probably you need to reinstall the related packages, you can find in Synaptic -> File -> History the list of recently updated packages, take a note and reinstall the updated packages, else wait for LXDE knowledgeable members for further suggestions.

AS

[Howard]

Thanks AS that pointed me in the right direction.  It seems that when I was deleting stuff "task_printing_epson" was also removed.  Putting that back seems to have solved the problem.

It wasn't the default printer I wanted to change, but the default settings for the default printer!  The quality is set as "standard", and I prefer "draft" to save ink and time - good enough for most purposes.  You only seem to be able to set this when installing the printer.  (In most cases you can change this before printing, but that's a bother to do every time.)

Incidentally, I notice that synaptic>files>history only stores data from the current month

[AS]

Thanks AS that pointed me in the right direction.  It seems that when I was deleting stuff "task_printing_epson" was also removed.  Putting that back seems to have solved the problem.

It wasn't the default printer I wanted to change, but the default settings for the default printer!  The quality is set as "standard", and I prefer "draft" to save ink and time - good enough for most purposes.  You only seem to be able to set this when installing the printer.  (In most cases you can change this before printing, but that's a bother to do every time.)

Incidentally, I notice that synaptic>files>history only stores data from the current month

You are welcome!
About history, there is a setting ... up to 99 days if I'm not wrong ... 

AS