Print app - how to do

Print app - how to do

When I am at home my Android phone is usually connected to the PC, but sometimes I need to print a file from the phone. Obviously phone and printer are both WLAN connected to the router and Android sees the printer.
For several time I installed the CUPS Printing app, which has been never worked at all.

Today I de-installed this and installed the Print app (Print utility), but I cannot understand, how it works.
I’ve got a print of the app “start page” very quickly, but I was not able to print any other document. In fact I do not see a print symbol either in any toolbar or tool menu nor in the share options.

Any hints?

A practical example: Trying to print a PDF file from FairEmail.
a) I mark short the PDF file → a list of apps pops up, with which it possible to open the document. The Print app is not among them.
b) I mark longer the PDF file → a list of apps pops up,with which it possible to share the file. The Print app is not among them.

I also tried to save the PDF file and to print them from the File Manager: no chances.
c) The Print app is not under the list “open with”
d) The Print app is suggested in the list “open as text file”. After more then 1 minutes you see a long meta text file (like ghostscript). I choose the Print option from the pull down menu: the printer is recognized correctly and in the middle you see “preparing print picture …”. But nothing else happens. So I broke off it after 5 minutes.

The printing should be setup in Android Settings (somewhere, depends on your OEM), and there it should detect the printer. If that’s setup you should be able to Share to → Printer from most apps, eg. Librera or a file manager.

It should not depend on an app that you install from F-Droid.

But I do know there are apps (at least in Play) from printer manufacturers that act like plugins for the Android Printer subsystem that help with some printers.

1 Like

I use the Print print utility by Bill Farmer, which I assume is the one you refer to, and it works only on some apps. One needs to select “print” from the three dot menu.

^^^^^^^^^^^^Android Settings(!)

@Licaon_Kter wrote:
The printing should be setup in Android Settings (…) and there it should detect the printer.

Licaon_Kter, many thanks for your replay!
I know that and yes, the WLAN printer is correctly detected in Android OS, otherwise I had not got the “start page” of the app printed out.

You also wrote:
… there are apps (at least in Play) from printer manufacturers that act like plugins for the Android Printer subsystem that help with some printers.
Maybe you mind: there is surely an app in PlayStore, which let print directly from android smartphone.
Did I understand correctly? If yes, I agree with that, but I do not want to open an G-account.

@cliffcoggin wrote:
I use the Print print utility by Bill Farmer, which I assume is the one you refer to, and it works only on some apps. One needs to select “print” from the three dot menu.
mmh… Until now I tested it with FairEmail, Dateimanager and Librera FD; all from F-Droid.
In Librera FD the share to Print option is hidden under bookmarks. If I choose that, I get a new “window”. On the top the printer name with IP address and possible print option. In the middle “preview is preparing …”. But after 5 minutes no preview and no changes.

What a pity!

In Share you don’t have a Print/Printer/Whatever option? Between all your other apps…

No! I don’t. In share I get - depending on the app in use:
Dateimanager
FairMail
Librera
blabber
Bluetooth
Drive
Element
GMail
KDE Connect
Messaging (Google SMS)
Nearby
SMS-Messenger
Syncthing

Device? Android version?

Devices:
Smartphone: Cubot Note 7 with Android 10
Printer: Brother MFC-J1010DW, a CUPS Printer WLAN connected with the Linux PC and (rarely) with a Windows one.

SUCCESS!
Before uninstalling the Print app I tested it again and YES IT RUNS even though not from all apps.

Thanks a lot for support.

1 Like

Congratulations. I print via wifi directly to the printer. No computer involved.

1 Like

This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.