HPLIP, hp-doctor, hp-check should support Ubuntu 20.04 LTS with its package base

shivani1708, why did the previous version of HPLIP not correctly work on Ubuntu 20.04 and what did exactly get changed in HPLIP so that 3.20.5 works? I would like to have a patch to fix the HPLIP version which comes with Ubuntu 20.04.

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

I second this, if there is something included in the lts, it should work, and HPLIP clearly doesn't. Besides that, the new version cannot be installed either because it cannot find several dependencies, including a required one (pyqt5).

Seems to be the same bug as 1878974 , although this one may have a better description.

Hi Till,

Here packages are failing on ubuntu 20.04 for user.
For 3.20.5,package installation will be working properly.
Yes but print and scan through usb will not work because of ippusbxd in ubuntu 20.04.

Hello Shivani,
I cannot install HPLIP 3.20.5 in Ubuntu 20.04, because it requires a pyqt5 package which is nowhere to be found. I know this should be a separate bug, but I'm just replying to your statement that 3.20.5 installation should work.

The Qt4 is missed in 20.04 LTS, not the Qt5.
All other seems to be true.

Anyway HPLIP developers should fix all issues running it on 20.04 LTS. I see many negative reports about running HPLIP on 20.04 LTS. Check https://askubuntu.com/search?tab=newest&q=hplip%2020.04 .

Norbert, thank you for this list. Therein I found https://askubuntu.com/a/1248018, which solved the issue for me to bring my printer back to work with 20.04. Not a real solution, but for me a practical workaround.

@Chris York (1-0hris-x)

please show us the packages with fixes!

@Chris York (1-0hris-x)

If by fix you mean the new downloadable hplip-3.20.6, it has the same issue as 3.20.5 - can't install required dependency python-pyqt5.

Since the upgrade from Kubuntu 19.10 to 20.04, the scanner of my HP Photosmart 5524 is not recognized anymore. And the HPLIP 3.20.3 utilities can not be used because of python problems...

In my case, I was experiencing the same issues with a fresh install of 20.04[1], for HP PhotoSmart 5520 (MFD).

I was generally able to print, it was a bit more finicky than it had been previously, however scanning didn't work. Simple Scan noted an error message about being unable to communicate with the device.

Running hp-doctor, or hp-check -t resulted the in getting same list of 'Missing Required Dependencies' as the OP did.

After doing a bit of digging, I did the following:

* Purged all HPLIP packages [2], e.g.

sudo apt-get purge hplip hplip-data hplip-doc hplip-gui hpijs-ppds \
libsane-hpaio printer-driver-hpcups printer-driver-hpijs
sudo rm -rf /usr/share/hplip/

sudo apt-get autoremove

* Reinstalled the HPLIP packages from the repos (after having a failed run of the Automated Installer available on HP's website) [3]

sudo apt-get install hplip hplip-gui

After that, both printing and scanning worked without issue.

Interestingly enough, running hp-doctor notes the same 'Missing Required Dependencies' as it did previously.

[1] Regolith Linux, https://regolith-linux.org/
[2] https://askubuntu.com/questions/1056077/how-to-install-latest-hplip-on-my-ubuntu-to-support-my-hp-printer-and-or-scanner
[3] https://askubuntu.com/questions/1137815/how-to-install-hplip-on-my-ubuntu-to-support-my-hp-printer-and-or-scanner

It seems I may have spoken too soon...

So I got the both the printer and the scanner working, however on next boot, it had reverted right back to only the being able to print.

Any attempt to scan resulted in the "Can't communicate with the device" error message.

Interestingly, *something* appears to automatically detect both the printer and scanner, as both the Gnome Control Center and Simple Scan list my device.

However, this apparently doesn't extend to HPLIP toolbox.

I have attached a copy the output from hp-check -i

Screenshot of auto-detected printer in the Gnome Control Center

Scanner listed/detected by SimpleScan

Scanner error displayed by SimpleScan

Printer displayed in CUPS

HP Toolbox showing no devices.

By running hp-setup, I am able to add my device, however it shows "Device communication error" with error code 5012.

Screenshot showing error code (HP Toolbox).

Have recently changed from Ubuntu 18.04 to 20.04. Tried printing on my HP DeskJet 3630 All in One Series printer and cannot print - keep getting 'Device communication error'. Running 'hp-doctor'shows missing dependencies the same as reported by Norbert:

Missing Required Dependencies
-----------------------------
error: 'libcups2' package is missing or 'cups' service is not running.
error: 'python3-pyqt4' package is missing/incompatible
error: 'gtk2-engines-pixbuf' package is missing/incompatible
Missing Optional Dependencies
-----------------------------
error: 'python3-dbus.mainloop.qt' package is missing/incompatible

Need help to resolve this. Am NOT an expert in using the terminal. Need clear instructions PLEASE.

Quick FYI to possibly help others in the interim.

Despite the above detailed issues, which I share (KDE neon 5.19 User Edition (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS), HPLIP 3.20.3), I managed to get my HP OfficeJet 6950 printing, connected via USB, by doing the following.

1. "sudo apt-get install hplip" - with all the usual dependencies (cups, etc). Note: I did not install hplip-gui (unclear if this makes a difference or not).
2. Access the cups web interface in a browser "http://localhost:631" and go to > Administration > Add Printer.
3. Choosing the printer, I then selected - "Discovered Network Printers: HP OfficeJet 6950 (driverless) (HP OfficeJet 6950)"
4. Then set the printer Name/Description, next, next, next... and
5. Hey presto - it was printing again via USB.

Don't ask me how or why, but it'll do me for now! :-)

Scanning with XSane however is still not possible, and I couldn't find a workaround... so I'll hold out for the bug fix on that one.

Hope that helps somebody.

Thank you Webmaster4362. However cannot access the cups web interface "http://localhost:361" !! Any suggestions?

So long as the cups package is installed it should "just work" - https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/service-cups

    "CUPS can be configured and monitored using a web interface, which by default is available at http://localhost:631/admin. The web interface can be used to perform all printer management tasks."

AND - I'm assuming your ":361" was a typo...

A Reddit user here https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/jcx9y9/my_64_year_old_mom_upgraded_from_1804_to_2004_by/
has found the following solution:

In 20.04 hplip is broken for many HP Printers including mine. This is what I did to get it working again (basically using 20.10 hplip packages).
$ sudo apt purge hplip*
$ sudo apt autoremove
Download following packages from https://packages.ubuntu.com/groovy/hplip . Now the version number might be updated a little.
hplip_3.20.5+dfsg0-3build1_amd64.deb
hplip-data_3.20.5+dfsg0-3build1_all.deb
libhpmud0_3.20.5+dfsg0-3build1_amd64.deb
libsane-hpaio_3.20.5+dfsg0-3build1_amd64.deb
printer-driver-hpcups_3.20.5+dfsg0-3build1_amd64.deb
python3-pexpect_4.6.0-4_all.deb
python3-pil_7.2.0-1_amd64.deb
python3-reportlab_3.5.47-1_all.deb
python3-reportlab-accel_3.5.47-1_amd64.deb
$ sudo dpkg -i *.deb
Now auto install all dependencies
$ sudo apt -f install

So, basically, they installed hplip 3.20.5 for Ubuntu 20.10 on Ubuntu 20.04. Is there a way to move those packages to Ubuntu 20.04 repositories?