Cannot set default printer

[m_gustafsson]

I have just installed a new network printer and have attached it to my computer through CUPS interface at localhost:631.
I have set the printer as default through the CUPS web interface, but there is a warning there saying that this setting will be overridden by any settings done with lpoptions.
From the CUPS web interface I can print a test page, but I cannot access the printer queue from the prompt nor print:

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# lpq
lpq: Unable to connect to server
# lpstat -a
lpstat: Unable to connect to server

I have tried the lpoptions -d command:

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# lpoptions -d OfficeJet-8500
lpoptions: Unknown printer or class!

I can see the printer here:

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# cat /etc/printcap 
# This file was automatically generated by cupsd(8) from the
# /etc/cups/printers.conf file.  All changes to this file
# will be lost.
OfficeJet-8500|HP OfficeJet Pro 8500:rm=desktop1:rp=OfficeJet-8500:

I can't find the printer in other applications as well at the moment.

[rsa4046]

What cups are you using? In cups-1.4.2-r1, there is a button under the Administration tab (under Printers) that allows you to "Set As Server Default" for that given printer. I believe that action correctly updates /etc/cups/printers.conf (which apparently sets /etc/printcap).

[m_gustafsson]

I use CUPS 1.3.11-r1 and it also has this "set as default" button. But when pressing it there is a warning about that this action is overridden by anything done by lpoptions.
The files you mentioned looks like this:

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# cat /etc/cups/printers.conf
# Printer configuration file for CUPS v1.3.11
# Written by cupsd on 2009-12-11 09:35
<DefaultPrinter OficeJet-8500>
Info HP OfficeJet Pro 8500
Location Mats office
DeviceURI socket://192.168.0.7
State Idle
StateTime 1260441278
Accepting Yes
Shared Yes
JobSheets none none
QuotaPeriod 0
PageLimit 0
KLimit 0
OpPolicy default
ErrorPolicy stop-printer
</Printer>

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# cat /etc/printcap 
# This file was automatically generated by cupsd(8) from the
# /etc/cups/printers.conf file.  All changes to this file
# will be lost.
OficeJet-8500|HP OfficeJet Pro 8500:rm=server2:rp=OficeJet-8500:

But still:

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# lpq
lpq: Unable to connect to server
# lpstat -a
lpstat: Unable to connect to server

I will try to upgrade my CUPS to 1.4.2-r1. On another machine I run Ubuntu with CUPS-1.4.1 and there the printer works as expected.

[m_gustafsson]

I have now updated to CUPS 1.4.2-r1 and tried to set up the printer as default in the CUPS web interface. I still get problems:

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 $ lpq
lpq: Unable to connect to server
$ lpstat -a
lpstat: Connection refused

[ishmael4]

Same problem here. I'm using cups-1.3.11-r1, I can print a test page using localhost:631 interface, but when I try lpstat:

luvah john # lpstat
lpstat: Unable to connect to server

The lo interface is up, I've checked iptables rules & even added "Allow all" to all locations. It made no difference.

[bobspencer123]

if you are using the new hplip package from HP it no longer uses the usb printing option in the kernel and therefore (as far as I know) you can't access it using lp. So no worry about lp overriding default status as long as cups sets it. My limited understanding is that HP now uses some new unique interface to access the printer that bypasses / skips the old kernel usb printing configuration. This is why in cups when you choose to add a printer it usually has a bunch of random looking numbers after the printer.

Here is the changelog for recent hplip packages: http://hplipopensource.com/hplip-web/release_notes.html

you can see by looking at this that the hpcups printer driver replaced the hpijs driver (which I think causes the resultant failure with lp ?? )