Need help with Canon Printer Driver

[LeChuck]

New Mac-mini (10.7.4) and Canon iP6600D printer

Apparently I was not supposed to download the printer driver from the Canon site, but let Apple install their driver for the printer by running the Mac software update.

I am confused by the Canon Printer application (from Canon) that is in the Printer folder in the User Library and by the bits and pieces in the Printer folder in the System Library. In the latter folder I find among other things two versions of the Canon printer utility. Not sure why there are two versions (10.x and 7.x).

Is the driver part of the Canon Printer application?

I would like to know where the driver is installed, or how I can track it down. I would like to uninstall all Canon-related software and start fresh.

Thanks!

 

[chscag]

I think the first question we need to ask.... is your Canon working OK? If it is, I would leave well enough alone.

 

[LeChuck]

My Canon is 5 years old and was working fine with my 2006 iMac. I recently bought a Mac-mini, and it has come to my attention that even though the printer is set to print at 100% scale, it actually prints about 2.6% larger (Like a "bleed"). I must be able to print at exactly 100% scale. That's the only issue I'm having.

Come to think of it, I just found a blueprint that I printed a few weeks ago, and that is printed properly at 100%. I just printed it at 100% and it's a bit larger. That means something has changed recently.

Someone said he suspected that something in the printer software had gotten corrupted. That's why I would like to rid the mini of all things Canon, then install the driver fresh through a Mac software update, then install printer software, which I believe I need, since it gives me access to maintenance settings.

I tried printing smaller by changing the from 100% scale to 97,4, but now it's too small. I don't want to have to empirically find out the proper percentage. I simply want to be able to print at 100% scale as I used to be able for the past 6 years.

Any suggestions?

 

[chscag]

I've also had some difficulty with a later model Canon wireless color inkjet and wound up reinstalling drivers and software. Finding all the Canon drivers is not going to be easy. Canon scatters their drivers and software in several libraries and locations:

MacIntosh HD/Library/Printers/Canon/

MacIntosh HD/Applications/Canon Utilities/

MacIntosh HD/Users/your user name/Library/Printers/

If I remember correctly, there are several other references to the drivers but I don't remember exactly where. You may be able to find the remainder with Spotlight if you're lucky. (I use another file finder application instead of Spotlight.)

 

[LeChuck]

I see the Canon Printer application in the User/Library. I doubt there is an issue with that.

I also see bits and pieces in the System /Library. That's where I see among other things the two versions of the Printer utility. I just don't know what exactly the driver is.

I did install the latest version driver from the Canon site, but I don't know where it went. I know it was installed. I still have the dmg.

 

[LeChuck]

Can someone please tell me which one of the installed components is actually the driver, or is the driver more than one component?

For example, "Canon IJ Printer Utility.app" in the System Library appears to be just a list of printers that is used in the Canon printer setup dialog. This utility comes from Apple via Software Update. There are actually two versions of those "Canon IJ Printer Utility.app" in the Printer folder.

Is the actual driver maybe a plugin in the "CIJUtility" folder?

Right now I'm just trying to understand what component does what.

 

[harryb2448]

Does as chscag suggests and toss 'em all and then download new drivers. Just go to this page and download OS X.7 Lion driver.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/suppo...ma_ip_series/pixma_ip6600d#DriversAndSoftware

 

[LeChuck]

I have uninstalled all Canon-related software and downloaded a new driver though Apple Software update. I still can't print at 100%.

I still don't know what software exactly is the driver. Does anybody know?

You suggest downloading the Canon driver. I have previously been told to not do that, but to install an Apple driver instead. What gives?

 

[LeChuck]

Alright, I think I have no figured out what exactly the "driver" is:

After deleting the old Canon folder in the Printer folder in the System Library, I downloaded the Canon driver from the Canon site. There was a new Canon folder with the following contents:

BJPrinter (Folder) with, among other folders, a Utilities folder, in which are

- Canon IJ Printer Utility.app
-CIJAutoSetUpTool.app

I am 99% sure CIJAutoSetUpTool is the driver. This application also has the same application icon that I saw when installing the driver software.

Now I have the following question: What happens when I use Apple Autoupdate? Will a newer driver version automatically be downloaded and replace the driver I just installed?

Oh, and the new driver has not solved the problem. The 100% scale print is still larger than 100%. I doubt the issue is with the driver. What other possible causes are there? Right now it looks like my printer doesn't know how long an inch is!

 

[harryb2448]

Software Update will update the printer driver when released. Have a read of this link from Apple on updated drivers:-


OS X: Printer and scanner software available for download

And when you go to print, do you get a pane offering various options? Perhaps print size can be determined there?

 

[LeChuck]

Yes, I can scale the print to x-% in the printer setup dialog window. It's always set to 100%, because I do all my file sizing and image scaling in Photoshop.

Ayway, I think I have tracked down the cause of the issue: I now believe the scaling problem was due to a corrupt PSD file and not due to a printer problem. The printer is now again printing properly at 100% scale.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions!