Custom Printer Icons: CUPS Feature Request For Enhanced UX

by Kenji Nakamura 59 views

Hey guys! Let's dive into an exciting feature request for CUPS (Common UNIX Printing System) that could bring a touch of personalization to our printing experience. Recently, it's been discovered that some clients, like the Mopria Print Service for Android, actually utilize printer-icons URIs. This means we can display custom icons for our printers in apps, making it easier to identify and select the right one. How cool is that?

The Current Situation

Currently, CUPS doesn't offer a straightforward way to set custom icons for printers. However, using tools like ippeveprinter, we can simulate this functionality. For example, running the command:

ippeveprinter -v -i /home/pi/4700x.png "My Cool Printer"

allows us to display a custom icon in the Mopria app, as demonstrated in the image provided. This shows that the underlying mechanism supports custom icons, but there's no built-in way to manage this within CUPS itself. This is a bit of a bummer because having custom icons can significantly improve the user experience, especially in environments with multiple printers. Imagine being able to quickly identify your color laser printer just by its icon—no more accidental black-and-white prints!

Proposed Solution: User-Configurable Printer Icons in CUPS

The main goal here is to make it easy for users to set custom icons for their printers within CUPS. This involves allowing users to configure an icon file that CUPS can then share with clients. Here’s a breakdown of potential solutions:

Minimum Viable Implementation

The simplest approach would be to expose an icons folder where users can place their custom icons. The naming convention could follow a pattern like <printer_name>.png, with a recommended size of 128x128 pixels. This aligns with the current printer-icons (URI) advertisement. So, for example, if you have a printer named “My Awesome Printer,” you’d place an image named My Awesome Printer.png in the icons folder. This is a straightforward solution that provides a basic level of customization without overcomplicating things. Users who want custom icons can simply drop their images into the folder, and CUPS would handle the rest.

Enhanced Functionality

For a more user-friendly experience, CUPS could automatically generate a default printer icon when a new printer is added. This default icon could be a generic printer image or even a link to an existing icon, such as /usr/share/cups/doc-root/apple-touch-icon.png. This would provide a visual representation for printers out-of-the-box, which users could then overwrite with their custom icons if desired. Think of it as a placeholder that makes the system feel more complete from the start. Additionally, this approach caters to users who may not have custom icons readily available but still want some visual representation for their printers.

Icon Sets for Different Sizes

To support various display resolutions and client requirements, CUPS could also handle multiple icon sizes. This could be achieved by using suffixes in the icon file names, similar to how ippeveprinter handles it. For example:

  • printer-icons (1setOf uri) = https://raspberrypi2.local:8000/icon-sm.png,https://raspberrypi2.local:8000/icon.png,https://raspberrypi2.local:8000/icon-lg.png

In this scenario, -sm, and -lg suffixes would indicate small (48x48), medium (128x128), and large (512x512) icons, respectively. This approach ensures that the correct icon size is displayed depending on the client's needs, resulting in a better visual experience across different devices and applications. It's all about making sure those icons look crisp and clear, no matter where they're displayed.

Use Cases and Benefits

Implementing custom printer icons might seem like a small feature, but it can significantly improve usability, especially in environments with multiple printers. Imagine an office setting with several printers—laser printers, inkjet printers, color printers, and so on. Custom icons can help users quickly identify the correct printer, reducing errors and saving time. Plus, it adds a personal touch to the printing experience, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.

For example, in a home environment, you might have one printer for everyday documents and another for high-quality photo prints. Custom icons can make it easy to distinguish between the two at a glance. Similarly, in a school or library, different printers might be designated for different purposes or user groups, and custom icons can help users select the appropriate printer for their needs.

Technical Details and Implementation Considerations

To implement this feature, CUPS would need to provide a mechanism for users to upload or specify custom icons for their printers. This could involve creating a new configuration option in the CUPS web interface or command-line tools. CUPS would also need to store the icon files in a secure location and serve them to clients via HTTP or another suitable protocol.

The implementation could involve the following steps:

  1. Create an Icons Directory: CUPS could create a dedicated directory, such as /etc/cups/icons, to store custom printer icons.
  2. Web Interface Integration: The CUPS web interface could be extended to allow users to upload icons for each printer. This could involve adding a new tab or section to the printer configuration page.
  3. Command-Line Interface (CLI) Support: A new command-line tool or options could be added to lpadmin or other CUPS utilities to allow users to set icons from the command line.
  4. Icon Handling: CUPS would need to handle the serving of icons to clients. This could involve setting up a web server within CUPS to serve the icons over HTTP or integrating with an existing web server.
  5. Client Discovery: CUPS would need to advertise the icon URIs in the printer's Bonjour or IPP advertisements so that clients can discover and display the icons.

The Niche Factor and Potential Impact

It’s true that custom printer icons might be considered a niche functionality, especially since not all clients currently support them. However, the Mopria Print Service for Android demonstrates that there's a growing interest in this feature. As more clients adopt support for custom icons, the value of this feature will increase. Even if it's a low-priority item, adding this capability to CUPS could set it apart and enhance its appeal to users who want a more personalized printing experience.

Think of it as adding a little bit of flair to your printing setup. It's like choosing a custom avatar for your online profile—it adds a personal touch and makes things a bit more engaging. Plus, it shows that CUPS is evolving to meet the needs of modern printing environments.

Alternatives Considered

While the proposed solution focuses on integrating custom icon support directly into CUPS, there are alternative approaches that could be considered. One option would be to develop a separate utility or script that manages printer icons and configures CUPS accordingly. This approach could provide more flexibility and modularity, but it would also add complexity and require users to install and configure an additional tool.

Another alternative would be to rely on third-party print management solutions that already offer custom icon support. However, this would involve using a non-standard solution and might not be suitable for all users. Ultimately, integrating the feature directly into CUPS provides the most seamless and consistent experience for users.

Conclusion: A Small Feature with a Big Impact

In conclusion, enabling user configuration of printer icons in CUPS is a feature that, while niche, has the potential to greatly enhance the user experience. It offers a simple yet effective way to personalize printing setups, making it easier for users to identify and select the correct printers. By exposing an icons folder or providing a mechanism to upload custom icons, CUPS can cater to users who want a more tailored printing experience. And who knows, guys? Maybe this feature will inspire more clients to support custom printer icons, making it a standard part of the printing ecosystem. Even though it might be a low priority, if this change ever makes it into a future release of CUPS, it would be a fantastic addition! Let's keep our fingers crossed!