AirPrint not working for IMAGES from IOS 10.2.1 to CM4540 with latest firmware: Postscript Error

[kubitron]

Ok.  I seem to have hit an impasse in using AirPrint for a CM4540 printer running latest firmware when trying to print images from several different iPads running IOS 10.2.1.  I tried paying for one-time printer support, but was told this was an Apple problem.  Apple just told me it was an HP problem.  I have since done more debugging.

THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH FINDING THE PRINTER ON THE IPAD.  THE PRINTER APPEARS AND WORKS FINE FROM SOME APPS, JUST NOT ALL OF THEM.

Here is the story.  I am using an iPad (both PRO and Air2) running latest IOS (10.2.1).  I have a multifunction color laser printer, CM4540, running latest firmware.  AirPrint support is prominently supported in release notes.  I can use AirPrint to this printer for *MOST* applications, but not for a few that are trying to print pictures.  Examples include the Photos app (native, came with the pad) and ABCMouse.com app (printing drawings).  When I try to print from these apps, I get a postscript error claiming:

ERROR: undefined

OFFENDING COMMAND: image "image" COMMAND TYPE: operatortype

Playing with lots of settings on the printer, including the "personality" led to suggest that postscript was being sent to the printer with comments that the Creator was jpeg2ps version V0.1. 

Other apps work fine.  The printer was out of warranty, so I paid for one-time support.  HP support tried printing from an iPhone (not sure if this is an equivalent test!) and claimed that they couldn't reproduce problem.  They claimed it was a problem with the iPad and that I had to buy a new printer to get full configuration support.  Or, that I had to talk to Apple.  I did talk with Apple, and they said it must be a problem with the printer.  At this point, I'm not sure whose issue it is.

Here is a couple of other pieces of information.  The same apps work fine when they go through an "AirPrint gateway" from 2012 (called "Fingerprint").  I want to retire the old Windows 7 box that this gateway is running on, but I can't unless AirPrint works entirely from the printer.  I think that the printer may be advertising something that it cannot properly support.  To try to understand the differences, I got an app to examine the Bonjour advertisements from the two Airprint environments (Fingerprint and CM4540).

I think that the key is here: the Fingerprint app hands out a Bonjour advertisement with a PDL of:

Key: pdl

Value: application/octet-stream,application/pdf,image/jpeg,image/png,image/pwg-raster, image/urf

The CM4540 has an advertisement of:

Key: pdl

Value: application/postscript,application/vnd.hp-PCL,application/pdf,image/urf,image/j peg,application/vnd.hp-PCLXL

Notice that the CM4540 is claiming application/postscript is a good mime type for AirPrint.  Could it be that application/postscript is being used and that the conversion is not working in a compatible way?  Or, that Airprint support using application/postscript assumes postscript definitions not on the printer?

The HP person that I spoke to on the phone claimed that Apple had to come back to HP with compatibility issues.  Apple said that HP had to come to them with problems.  I am now stuck. 

Help!  Removing the old windows box from my environment is strongly desired.  However, at this point, the printer is not fully working with AirPrint for me.  Even being able to remove "application/postscript" from the announcement might be enough the fix the problem.  I suppose I could try to put up my own Bonjour DNS to see if that change would fix the problem, but it would be pretty challenging in this environment.