After Update to Mac OS 10.13 High Sierra - Printer M553dn undefinedresult xshow message

[rhfoster34]

All,

For reference, here is Prints_William's remedy (P. 21):

• Open the ppd file with for the printer TextEdit and change this setting:
• *TTRasterizer Type42 change to *TTRasterizer: None 
• Save the ppd file
• So you can copy and modify the ppd for your specific printer in /etc/cups/ppd then paste it back into the directory
• Or you can modify the ppd for the specific model in /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources
• Then apply the ppd using your browser by going to localhost:631 > Printers > Select your printer and from the drop down where it says Administration, change to modify, enter your username password,,,click continue, continue, browse and locate your updated ppd file,,and click modify printer 
• If using generic ppd file just add the line *TTRasterizer: None  after Language level entry is a good spot
• Apply the new ppd to your printer

Like others, I appreciate this.  But I am a small office user without an IT department, no idea what or where a ppd file is, etc.  I value plug and play.

I also have no idea whether I have HP version 3.* or 4.* software for my 553, nor where to look for it.  I bought the system for plug-n-play.

So.. either more detail, please (nothing risky) or frustration.  My workaround (Print everything as PDF images or Word Docs in Arial) is OK for now.

Thanks.

Robert

[igal27]

@rhfoster34

This worked for me:

From the Finder, select Go > Go to Folder...

In the dialog box, enter: /etc/cups/ppd

In the folder that opens, you should see a .ppd file with the name of your printer -- open it in TextEdit (just drag the file onto the TextEdit app)

Look for the line *TTRasterizer: Type42

Change "Type42" to "None"

Save (you may need to enter an Admin password)

[HouserAAPS]

While I am capable of doing this, I resent the idea that we must edit software files to get the machines to work.  I am holding out for an official distributed "fix" from either HP or Apple.  If those don't work, we then have recourse to go back and complain and have them fix it again.  The do-it-yourself method is fun, but just not the way things should work when dealing with major players in the technology world.  (IMHO)

[steve_maser]

Honestly, the actual "fix" is apparently only coming in a firmware update from what we were able to get our hands on here which (again) I can't redistribute.

If you have something that can run FS4 -- badger your HP rep and get it.   Call HP support and tell them you know there is new FS4 firmware available and you need it.

If you have something that can only run FS3 -- badger your HP rep and tell them to hurry up about releasing it (or wait until the promised "end-of-February" public release of the fixed FS3 and if they don't release it in the next two weeks, then give them a stern talking-too...)  I can't say the interim FS3 cleared up our problems.   I really can't say that.  Honestly -- mum's the word.

Everything else is a hack/workaround (which does seem to work, but is just that -- a hack/workaround)

[luz42]

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@HouserAAPS wrote:

While I am capable of doing this, I resent the idea that we must edit software files to get the machines to work.  I am holding out for an official distributed "fix" from either HP or Apple.  If those don't work, we then have recourse to go back and complain and have them fix it again.  The do-it-yourself method is fun, but just not the way things should work when dealing with major players in the technology world.  (IMHO)

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I 100% agree.

If voluntary users on a forum like this need to find desperate workarounds, while HP and Apple are doing nothing (at least not quickly enough, and not communicating properly to their customers), this is a shame.

From what we heard from courageous beta testers, we can guess the next macos update 10.13.4 will actually provide a Apple-side fix. But still, needing to guess about this, more than 4 months after this show-stopper issue occurred, is really sad.

[Greg_Reid]

HP is getting some "Payback".

I've been telling my clients for months that HP Laserjets are no longer compatible with Apple Macs and that they need to consider other brands for their needs. (And then I demonstrate the issue we've all been having) One client, who uses macs, just bought a number of HP competitor laser printers a few weeks ago because of this issue. Another client has a budget cycle that ends at the end of March; if a formal, documented fix isn't produced from HP or Apple by then, they'll be doing the same thing.

When someone needs to print then the printer needs to work. 

[rhfoster34]

All,

Thank you.  Changing the TTRasterizer line in the ppd file  to <*TTRasterizer:  None> appears to work.

Note - it would not initially let me change that line in the file, so I copied it to another location, edited it, saved it, and dragged the edited file to the ppd directory where it let me replace the unaltered ppd file (with an admin password).  Thanks to all for the help.

Robert

[JCecB]

Thank you again for the response.  

I have accessed the file and opened it with Text Edit.  When I try to amend the code from Type 42 to None I get a message which states 

You don’t own the file “HP_Color_LaserJet_M553.ppd” and don’t have permission to write to it.

I can duplicate it only.

At the top of the dialog box it states HP_Colour_Laserjet_M553.ppd - Locked v.  I try to unlock it by unticking the locked button but I just get another pop up saying I can duplicate only.

I am logged in to my mac as main user and therefore have full admin rights I guess.

Any further help here would be appreciated.

Thanks

[JCecB]

OK - Sorted it.

In the folder :  /etc/cups/ppd  there were actually two files:

HP_Color_LaserJet_M553.ppd

and

HP_Color_LaserJet_M553.ppd.O

I had to change the code in both of them from Type42 to None.  Doing it on only one of the files actually resulted in nothing being printed at all - just a blank page.  I changed code in both, duplicated them (saving them in Documents) and cut and pasted them back in to the  /etc/cups/ppd  folder and now it works.

THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL THAT HAVE HELPED WITH THIS>

[G-V-H]

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@JCecB wrote:

Thank you again for the response.  

I have accessed the file and opened it with Text Edit.  When I try to amend the code from Type 42 to None I get a message which states 

You don’t own the file “HP_Color_LaserJet_M553.ppd” and don’t have permission to write to it.

I can duplicate it only.

At the top of the dialog box it states HP_Colour_Laserjet_M553.ppd - Locked v.  I try to unlock it by unticking the locked button but I just get another pop up saying I can duplicate only.

I am logged in to my mac as main user and therefore have full admin rights I guess.

Any further help here would be appreciated.

Thanks

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Just delete the original (needs password), rename the copy and copy it to the ppd directory (password needed) if you stored it in another place. Or replace the original.