Monday 19 November 2012

DELL Printer drivers for Linux (PPD)

Paradox: to install a DELL printer in Linux, you need to download drivers for Windows...

It's a pity, actually, that DELL ignores Linux users this way.

Today I've received a request, that users are not able to found drivers for their printers for Ubuntu. After almost an hour of searching for PPD files for different printers, I have finally found a way to get them without wasting time for searching.

Simply download the Windows driver from Dell, unpack it (although there is EXE extension, it's just an executable ZIP - I used 7zip), than search for *.pp_. In result you might find versions for different languages. Select file from directory with your language and unpack it under windows using the following command:

expand filename.pp_ filename.ppd

That's it. Now you can use this PPD file to install a printer under Ubuntu.

PS: Of course it works only for printers that supports PostScript.

4 comments:

  1. There is a problem here. The exact command is:
    expand filename.pp_ > filename.ppd

    Otherwise there will be an output full of crap. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, you probably would be right, if talking about some Linux command. But Microsoft File Expansion Utility syntax does not require ">".
      ###########
      D:\>expand -?
      Microsoft (R) File Expansion Utility Version 6.1.7600.16385
      Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

      Expands one or more compressed files.

      EXPAND [-R] Source Destination
      EXPAND -R Source [Destination]
      EXPAND -I Source [Destination]
      EXPAND -D Source.cab [-F:Files]
      EXPAND Source.cab -F:Files Destination
      ...
      ###########

      Delete
  2. Ah! So this is from windows, falling on your text from google this was not evident.

    The information was very useful.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This does not work with the Dell B1163w Mono MFP Driver.. I've been trying for almost 3 hours and have not been able to find it nor will any of the preinstalled drivers work.

    ReplyDelete