AirPrint Activator v2.1b4

Short post about the new version of AirPrint Activator.

Version 2.1b4 is now available for download.

Changes:

1. New option to automatically restart the daemon every 10 minutes. This might come handy for users that are experiencing sporadic printers drop from the list. To activate the feature go to “Advanced Settings” and select “Activate Daemon Restart” as shown below:

2. Some other bug fix.

To download go to the main AirPrint Activator page.

Greendave

Working but the option to use double-sided printing still prevents it operating.
Is there a way to uninstall APA so I can do a clean install?

Wsbutzen

I am having the same issue when double sided printing is turned on. Should this be working now? If not, perhaps that feature should be removed altogether.
Anonymous

Same issue here – was a clean install. Duplex would be good though.

Dvonroeder

Downloaded the 2.1b4 and it does not work on my 2010 iMac with 10.6.8. I’ve uninstalled the previous version, deleted my printer (a Brother HL-2170W), added in the printer, installed AA, set it up, printed a page from my iMac, tried to print from my iPhone and iPad but neither OS device can load the printer. Using iOS 5.0.1 on both iPhone and iPad.
Please advise.

Mapmaker

Try turning off the double sided printing option. That ‘fixed’ things for me.

Fred

Thanks Mapmaker – sorry did not give you correct credit.

Fred

Thanks SO MUCH Devonroeder! That was the key! Turning OFF the duplexer option when choosing the APA-enabled printer from my iOS device FINALLY permitted me to print. (Running AirPrint Activator v2.1b4 on my late 2009 iMac using OS X 10.7.2, printing from iPad 2 running iOS 5.0.1, printing to HP OfficeJet J6480 w/duplexer.) Works like a champ now!

Wizron

I was unable to print — kept getting message on iPad saying printer was offline. Went into AirPrint Activator Advanced Settings and selected Locally Attached printer (even though it’s a wireless wifi printer). With that change, it now works fine.

Wizron

Anonymous

Odd but good to know. Thank you!

Envoyé de mon iPad

Le 2011-12-13 à 1:33 PM, “Disqus” a écrit :

Anonymous

With v. 2.1b4 no printers appear in AA. Made sure it was deactivated
from the previous version(s) and uninstalled. Removed the printer. Reinstalled & shared the printer, installed AA v. 2.1b4, turned on and no printers show in the advertised printers section of AA. The printer is connected via usb and works fine from the iMac – OSX v 10.7.2. Tried selecting the locally attached printer option as stated elsewhere but no luck.
Directore

Unable to use it. Getting

Error while trying to write LaunchAgents config file (…airprintactivator.plist)
Fabrizio

As Wirzon said, I was unable to print — kept getting message on iPad saying printer was
offline. Went into AirPrint Activator Advanced Settings and selected
Locally Attached printer to make ny network printer work (it is connected via Ethernet).

Thanks!

Fab.
Directore

Had to create that plist file outside the LaunchAgents folder (folder write protected), then copy it to the folder with admin password. Now I can Activate the Airprint, but the app is dead, doesnt show any printers, doesn’t respond to off/on switch. Advanced settings disabled. What gives?

Directore

Problem resolved by trashing the LaunchAgents folder and restarting the app.

Anonymous

I guess the new folder created is writable by APA. Glad this got you going.

Anonymous

The security on your system is probably breaking other things. I am afraid it won’t work in you env. APA was written assuming out of the box security config. A custom version would need to be written to work. Sorry.

Marchanes

Can I use this for the iPad 2? If so how? I have a dell wireless printer v715w…. Marchanes@yahoo.com
Jeddue

I had the original version of Hacktivator and have since deactivated and deleted it and upgraded to the new Lion version and now I’m still seeing the older AirPrint in Bonjour. Is there ANY way to get rid of this? It’s messing up the current AirPrint and seems ridiculous that it can’t be removed. Any help would be great – Thank You!

Anonymous

Try Reseting your Print System (Right click on a printer in the OSX Printer Pref Pane and select that option. Then simply add back the printers and share. Should help fix the issue. If it does not then make sure there is no other Mac advertising the printers on your network

Daddo1

this was working this morning but now get printer offline message
printing from mac works fine

Anonymous

Not sure why. Do you have the Firewall ON?

Daddo1

no – should i try an earlier version? i am running lion.
will donate if we get this working
thanks -
Elliott Balsley

This is a great little app. But I can’t get it to work unless I turn off the system firewall in Lion (10.7.2). I don’t want to do that, so I need to figure out what is being blocked. I’ve already added an exception for “aparedir”. cupsd also has an exception, as does the special “Printer Sharing” service.
On the iPhone 4, it quickly says Preparing, then Sending to Printer, and then when I look at the job in Print Center, it says Printing 1 of 1… for a few minutes, then it eventually says the printer is offline.

EDIT: It only did that once. Most times, it gets stuck on the Contacting Printer screen forever. Again, I can fix this by turning off the firewall, but I don’t want to do that.

Anonymous

I had a similar problem on one of my development Mac. That Mac was running Snow Leopard and I had upgraded it using beta and then the final retail Lion OS.
For some reason, on that Mac, adding aparedir to the allowed app in the firewall would simply not work. I would keep getting some strange error message in the “Console” application log referring to some strange name application (strange symbols and characters). The only fix was to re-install Lion from a fresh Internet restore.
I hope this is not your case.

Daddo1

my router is port forwarded to my modem – do I need to punch a whole there?
Anonymous

This is a great little app. But… my Canon i-sensys MF 4010 prints only the first page.
Darren Cook

Just tried this version for the first time on OS X 10.7 Lion. Works great if I turn the firewall off. When the firewall is on, even with aparedir and AirPrintActivator.app added in advanced security and listed as “Allow incoming connections” with a green dot, I just get “Contacting Printer…” from my iPhone 4 (iOS 5.0.1). When I check the console I see the following error (the IP address is the IP of my iPhone):
12/23/11 1:18:28.529 PM Firewall: Deny L�MFx connecting from 10.ccc.bbb.aaa:49772 to port 19631 proto=6Thanks!

Anonymous

This is the exact same error I used to get with a system upgraded to Lion from Snow Leopard. I have not been able to fix it. The only way I finally resolved the issue was to do a full system re-install.
I am afraid I can’t help more than this. THe strange characters on the Firewall line is what I used to get too.
Sorry

Murray

I loaded Airprint Activator v2.1b4 and followed he instructions in the video… But I keep getting the error attached
roy

like others i can get it to print when i turn the firewall off… where in the firewall settings can you allow a port range or allow the connection????

Anonymous

Make sure to add aparedir found in the helper folder to the allowed app list

roy

that was added but the iphone screen still hangs at contacting printer… looking at console it looks like the firewall is denying it.

Anonymous

Had same issue with Lion upgrade. Full is reinstall fixed it. Osx bug I think.

roy

hmmmm there has to be a way to use an “eraser” to correct one word, instead of having to write the whole paper over…
roy

dunno which of these worked… but

1.Deleted the .plist file2. Re-added the aparedir2. opened up the network config tool for the printer (Canon IJ Network Tool) and selected “update” 3. turn on APA and selected print from Notes and it printedi’m guessing.. messing around with the network tool for my printer updated/refreshed the firewall settings or maybe adding the aparedir with the app closed on a fresh re-start…..

Shenouda Mina1

I am having the same issue with my AirPrint activator. It works fine if the firewall is turned off, however, when I turned on it keeps telling contacting printer and generate a error message that is says ” canon printer is offline “. Unfortunately, I can’t just turn off my firewall..I don’t know what to do about this situation..Anybody has a solution???

Anonymous

Did you try adding the aparedir app found in the helper folder to the allowed firewall app list?
Envoyé de mon iPad

Le 2011-12-29 à 1:53 PM, “Disqus” a écrit :

Webmail97

Same here, printing is only possible with turned off firewall and yes I did install the aparedir file as described so it should be enabled to pass the firewall.

Anonymous

I wish I could do something about it. It is sort of a mistery. As I said, this only happened on a Mac that I had upgraded from Snow to Lion. Performing a full OS re-instal fixed it. There must be something gripping through the upgrade proces but I have not been able to figure it out.

nollda

Hi,
I’m running APA v2.1b4 Snow Leopard 10.6.8. I too have the firewall issue. I also the added the aparedir app found in the helper folder to the allowed firewall app list, but the iPhone hangs while contacting the printer. Like others who have posted, if I turn off the firewall, it prints fine. I did try one additional thing that may be of help in finding the bug. With firewall on, if I uncheck the “Enable stealth mode” checkbox with firewall on, it works. Hope you can find the bug, this is a nice program, but, as everyone else is saying, we need to be able to keep our Macs secure. Thanks for your good work!

Anonymous

I bet it is the stealth mode. I will try it later when I get back home. I never run with this option since I am on a home network protected by a NATing router and do not need the stealth protection.
Too bad the non server version does not allow for specific port opening and only work with application list. The is probably a way but nothing that would be user friendly or that would not require my application to request admin privileges.

Mbkeck

10.7.2, 5.0.1, version 221, firewall off. from my iPhone, appears to work great (sees the printer connected to my iMac, says it’s sending the print job, etc), but nothing appears to be happening with the printer. the printer queue never acknowledges anything. any ideas?

Anonymous

Make sure you are not printing in duplex.

pH11

Looks great!
I have a Canon MG 8150 wifi-printer. Will this make it possible to print from my iPad without having my Mac running?

Anonymous

No, you need to have a Mac running. Sorry.

Scott Schaeffer

iPad Activator has worked flawlessly….until today. Now, the printers show up on the iOS devices, but when you hit print, nothing happens. Any ideas?
Scott Schaeffer

I am using 10.7.2 on the Mac and v2.1b4 for Activator. IOS 5.0.1.
Cyve

I am running 10.6.8 on my Mac and IOS 5.0.1 on my devices. Running your Activator 221 2.1b4. Printer is showing up as Airprint Dell 3110 and attempt to contact printer but the fails to actually make a connection and I receive a message that the printer is off line. Any ideas?

Anonymous

Do you run the OSX firewall in stealth mode? AirPrint is not compatible with stealth mode.
Envoyé de mon iPad

Le 2012-01-02 à 8:01 PM, “Disqus” a écrit :

http://twitter.com/HarisDean Norharishan Nordin

brilliant! it works flawlessly on my mac osx lion + iOS 5.0.1 iPhone, iPad2
thanks genius!
G E K

OSX 10.6.8, APA v2.1b4, WLAN printer Canon
everything done like shown in the video
but printer is not shown in the activator window
any idea?

Anonymous

Were you running a previous version of AirPrintActivator before? Like v1.3? Or is this a brand new install?

G E K

I was running a v1.x version

Anonymous

Then try removing and adding back the printers.

G E K

I have removed and readded the printer
started again APA

printer still not listed
G E K

what to do ?
Anonymous

Double check that the printers are shared and that the OSX printer sharing service is ON also.
Envoyé de mon iPad

Le 2012-01-08 à 5:08 AM, “Disqus” a écrit :
G E K

printer sharing is activated,
printer is shared
no printer listed

I’m close to give up if there are no good ideas any more…
Anonymous

Had you been using v1.x of AirPrintActivator before? Maybe reseting your OSX Print System might help.

http://www.waider.ie/ Waider

OSX 10.7.2 Server, USB-connected Canon MP480, plus a Print To PDF driver. Here’s what I’m seeing in my logs:

Jan 7 09:37:20 lumpy mDNSResponder[19]: ResolveSimultaneousProbe: 0000000000000004 Pkt Record: 5797CC20 19 AirPrint32Print32to32PDF32@32servername.domainname._ipp._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 19631 lumpy.local.Jan 7 09:37:20 lumpy mDNSResponder[19]: ResolveSimultaneousProbe: 0000000000000000 Our Record 2 won: 5797CC20 19 AirPrint32Print32to32PDF32@32servername.domainname._ipp._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 19632 lumpy.local.Jan 7 11:17:21 lumpy mDNSResponder[19]: ResolveSimultaneousProbe: 0000000000000004 Pkt Record: 5797CC20 19 AirPrint32Canon32Printer32@32servername.domainname._ipp._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 19631 lumpy.local.Jan 7 11:17:21 lumpy mDNSResponder[19]: ResolveSimultaneousProbe: 0000000000000000 Our Record 2 won: 5797CC20 19 AirPrint32Canon32Printer32@32servername.domainname._ipp._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 19632 lumpy.local.Jan 7 11:27:20 lumpy mDNSResponder[19]: Client application registered 2 identical instances of service AirPrint32Print32to32PDF32@32servername.domainname._ipp._tcp.local. port 19631.

If I go browsing for bonjour printers, as you might guess from the above I’m directed to port 19632; aparedir is listening on 19631. Obviously I need to try this with only a single printer and see if that works.

Also, while looking into this I noticed that aparedir appears to be a renamed version of http://www.inlab.de/balance.html which is GPL – so you should be reproducing the license and directing people to the source.

Anonymous

Look under the about section and the balance reference is there

http://www.waider.ie/ Waider

Aha, my bad. However, if I’m reading the GPL correctly, you need to bundle the license itself (the COPYING file) along with the distribution.

Anonymous

Not sure what file… the GPL License file? Where can I find this? I could throw in that file easily enough. Is there a good site that explain all those rules?

http://www.waider.ie/ Waider

I had a quick look around and I’m not 100% sure. But I do think you need to include the license file (which is usually called COPYING, but might also be called LICENSE, etc.)

I didn’t quite intend to derail the discussion here. I couldn’t figure out the original problem as mentioned above (activator advertising printer on the wrong port), but maybe you can debug it from the logs. From my own experiments, it looks like it’s ok to advertise multiple printers on the same port, so if you have any logic in your code that increments the port number you might try taking it out. I’ve used a print-to-PDF driver as a second printer for testing.
Anonymous

The way I use balance is to map connection to a specific port to a non local (read USB attached) printer. For this reason I need to increment the TCP port for each network printer being shared.
Send me a direct email with the debug log and I can look at it. I can send you a debug version that is more verbose as it might help better understand what is going on.
My email is bernard atsign ducourier dot com.

Cheers!

Woog

running OS X 10.7.2, and have iPhone 4 5.0.1, installed AirPrint activator, printer shows on my iPhone, press print and it prepares and sends to printer, but it never actually prints. It just goes into thin air??? HELP???
==Woog

Anonymous

Make sure you are not printing with Duplex ON… Hope this help.

Woog

How/where do I check to see if I’m printing with duplex on?

Anonymous

Your OSX Printer or on the iOS device when you print.

Woog

Duplex is not even an option on my printer. ANy other thoughts? Printing from my iPhone 4 seems to go through from the iPhone, but vanishes in thin air. It never actually prints, even though the phone sends it to the printer. Anything?…..I’m completely lost on this one…
Kristoj

I am having the same exact issue…says it is sending to printer, but never actually prints!
Anonymous

Make sure that you added aparedir to the Firewall Allowed app list if you use the OSX firewall. Also make sure Stealth mode is off as AirPrintActivator does not work under stealth mode.
Woog

I now get a message on the iPhone saying the printer is offline, when it clearly is not. I can print from the iMac just fine. I checked it’s online

Woog

How/where do I check to see if I’m printing with duplex on? Using HP Officejet J4680

Roadrunner562

My iPhone 4 can print but my Ipad2 can’t find any printers? Any Ideas?

Thank You
george

Installed fine and had problems initially getting my phone to print. The phone kept saying that printing was done but nothing actually printed. (see comments below)… I was able to get it to finally print after shutting down the phone and restarting… everything works great now…

Thanks…
Jan

Hi, thanks for a great program.
I have a problem that my iPad 2 and iPhone 4S, 5.0.1 are showing two printers.

The same on the MacMini 10.6.8 server that have one printer installed, but when I start
AirPrint Activator v2.1b4, shows two printer.
The name of the printer is
Demo MFC-9840

In the AirPrint Activator, it pops up as
AirPrint Demo MFC-9840 @ Server
and
AirPrint Brother MFC-9840 ( The same name as the printer itself has in Bonjour, and it is not possible to print thru this )

How do I get only the first name visible in the printer list on my iPad and iPhone.

Thanks

Anonymous

Try using the option to only share local printers under the Advanced button. Make sure to turn AirPrint OFF to enable access to the button.

Jan

Hey, thanks, but no it does not work.
The printer is an Ethernet-connected printer from Brother MFC-9840.

I have searched in all the libraries, in Mac after MFC-9840 and removed anything that has MFC as text in itself.

Even deleted all printers.
Made a reset of the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Server printer controller.
Controll key and the mouse in the printer box.

Restart the Mac.
Yet with no printers installed pops sharing AirPrint Brother MFC-9840 up in AirPrint Activator.
Where do AirPrint Activator take the information about what printer installed?
Can i reset that?

Thanks

Jan

Anonymous

If the printer advertise itself using Bonjour on the network that AirPrint will pick it up and advertise. Turning the option to only advertised locally shared printers should remove it from the advertised list. The option is under the Advanced button that become active when you switch AirPrint OFF.

Phcmret

What app do you use on the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch
Kj

Running a pc with windows 7 have iPad and iPhone. Do I install your app on the pc ?

Anonymous

Sorry, AirPrint Activator is only working on Mac at the moment.

Sebmoy

Just downloaded this fine and dandy. (Mac 10.7.2/Lion, iPad and iPhones running IOS 5.2) I AM seeing my printer listed on my IOS devices so thats good.
However nothing is being printed, even though documents are listed as “being sent to printer”. I have restarted printer and mac. Tested printer which is on line. Anyone else having this issue?

Anonymous

Check this forum post and see if it help: http://netputing.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3

Cufan99

The latest version v2.1b4 used to be intermittent on my MBP, then today, it stopped working entirely. I tried turning off my firewall (even though the helper was allowed in my firewall settings) and it still doesn’t work. It worked once only after I deleted my printer from my network and reinstalled it. I was able to print one (1) document, then it stopped working again. Now, even after deleting and reinstalling, and verifying my printer sharing is turned on, it still won’t work.

Before I updated to iOS 5 and Lion, it was flawless. Now it is completely unusable.
christo

I really miss an option to let airprint activator run in the background regardless who or even if someone is logged on. Should be possible to install it as administrator like this.
Dmannus

I am using a Canon MP560 with OS 10.6.8 and my printer suddenly stopped printing from activator. I tried multiple things without success. Strangely the printer worked OK from my iPod but refused from my oPad. In total frustration after everything else failed I pulled the power plug from the printer and then re plugged in and amazingly everything started working on the ipad as well. Thought this might be useful to others.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=676432599 Russell Radefeld

I have am HP Laserjet 4200 on my network that doesn’t show up, any advice?

Thanks!
Anonymous

1. HP PSC 1600 printer usb connected on my wife’s iMac (Snow Leopard) and shared.
2. Lexmark e360dn laser printer usb connected to my iMac (Lion) and shared.
3. v2.1b4 of AirPrint Activator installed on my iMac.
4. Both printers show up in the list and show up as available printers from each of our iPhones.
5. Anything we print from either of our iPhones to the HP PSC 1600 prints fine.
6. Nothing we print to the Lexmark e360dn ever prints even though it shows as an available printer.
7. Removed and reinstalled Lexmark printer numerous times and then shared it.
8. Turned Lexmark laser printer off and on numerous times as well.
9. Restarted my iMac that AirPrint Activator is installed on numerous times. Watch iPhones as both printer reappear as available printers once my iMac is fully up and running.
10. Same issue with Lexmark e360dn laser printer – it never prints.

Any thoughts?

Anonymous

Sorry for the late reply… was on a cruise

Check if Duplex is not turned on by any chance. Try setting it off as the default in the OSX Printer preferences. Duplex printing and AirPrint Activator are not working at the moment.
Cheers!

Jeffhirsch

I am printing from an iPad. I have found that it works when the printer is connected by Ethernet to my network, but not for a printer connected wirelessly. A wireless printer shows as offline. Everything worked well before I upgraded to OS X 10.7.3.

To print on my Ethernet printer, I had to turn off duplex.

Firewall is turned off.

Anonymous

Duplex is a known issue. I just upgraded to 10.7.3 and will see if I can still print via my Airport Express attached laser printer.
Still print fine. Not sure what might have caused this. I will monitor and see if a trend start to appear with 10.7.3 update.

Guest

Also experiencing the issue with firewall, where it only works if i turn it off. Plenty of deny messages in the console even though the helper was added.

Do not want to reinstall Lion

Anonymous

I wish I could say I know of a solution but I don’t… might have to do a fresh install to fix… unless the 10.7.3 Combo update fix things up? Might be worth a try.

GaryD4

What a lifesaver of a program. Lack of AirPrint has been a huge pain since my HP died and I bought a Canon MX882. This handy little tool lets me print from my iPods and my iPad2. No issues yet. Keep up the good work!
22rhoades

I have a PC laptop. I have an HP printer. How do I enable my iPad/iphone to print??

Anonymous

Unfortunately AirPrint Activator is only running on Mac… not PC, at the moment.
I would need to learn how to program for Windows to port it.

holly :)

My advanced settings button is gray so I cannot click on it to do the automatic restart. I would really like to utilize this feature so that I can utilize airprintactivator. right now, I have to turn on my mac, go into activator, turn it off and turn it back on again. I have tried restarting my computer. i have also tried deleting activator and reinstalling it. can’t seem to get it to work. Anyone have suggestions?

Netputing

Ad

AirPrint Activator v2.1b4

Recent Posts

Archives

Meta