Printing Backwards in Ubuntu

[WinNut]

Hello forum!

 

I am currently running Ubuntu 14.04 LTS with a Brother MFC-885CW. This particular printer, if pages are printed from first to last, will end up with the pages in reverse order due to the design of the exit bin. Is there a way to tell Ubuntu to *by default* print from last -> first so that my pages will be in proper order when I pick them up? I spend a fair bit of time putting the pages in proper order and I would like to put a stop to that.

 

If it doesn't make sense, here is why my printer prints backwards:

 

-----> paper

                                *paper falls down here*

                   _____________________________________ <- bin

 

The first page comes out first and falls to the bottom of the bin with the text facing up, followed by the 2nd page. This causes the papers to be in a reversed order when I pick them up. Basically I want it to print last to first.

 

Thanks!

[NInety]

Uninstall and re-install printer drivers.

[WinNut]

Uninstall and re-install printer drivers.

It's not that. the way the printer was physically built causes paper to end up in reverse order. The papers come out properly in first -> last but the way the printer was built causes it to pile up backwards. I want the paper to print out from last -> first so that the paper will pile up properly.

[AnnoyedShelf]

It's not that. the way the printer was physically built causes paper to end up in reverse order. The papers come out properly in first -> last but the way the printer was built causes it to pile up backwards. I want the paper to print out from last -> first so that the paper will pile up properly.

Pretty sure you can't change that.  My Brother printer does the same thing across multiple distros, as well as windows.

[WinNut]

Pretty sure you can't change that.  My Brother printer does the same thing across multiple distros, as well as windows.

I was able to configure the printer driver in Windows to print backwards but seemingly not in Ubuntu.

[AnnoyedShelf]

I was able to configure the printer driver in Windows to print backwards but seemingly not in Ubuntu.

Unfortunately you do make some trade-offs when working in Linux.  You could always try running Windows in VB though.

[terrytek]

Well, can't you choose how to print it? I do 9, 8, 7, 6 usually they do it in that order.

[Vitalius]

I was able to configure the printer driver in Windows to print backwards but seemingly not in Ubuntu.

...?

http://askubuntu.com/questions/5780/printers-always-print-pages-in-reverse-order

Unless you are doing it in CLI, then that is obviously different.

If you don't have that option in the thread above, here are other things you can look at:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1320518

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2221589

[WinNut]

How do I find the PPD file for the print driver?

[Vitalius]

How do I find the PPD file for the print driver?

Do you know what the name of the ppd file is? If you know it has the .ppd extension, I would just do this in the terminal:

sudo find / -type f -name '*.ppd' | grep [name]

Basically, that searches the entire file system for a file (not directory) with .ppd at the end of the name and lists their working directories (where they live). Depending on how many files you have, this could take upwards of 5 minutes.

The | grep [name] part is to filter that down to your specific .ppd. If you know the specific name, you can just put the name in the 's. If you only know it has the manufacturer's name in the driver (i.e. brother), you can put brother where [name] is. 

YMMV, but that's how I would find it.