Attach PIXMA IP4200 Printer via USB

[OraOra]

the USB route is a red herring, and all this thrashing around getting it to work reliably - entirely pointless.

Include this in the manual so other people don't have to have their expectations raised by advertised functionality of Virtual Box that, like you say is "entirely pointless" to try to get to work. What is it for then?

Stop being rude please, especially not as a site mod, by implying I am trying to do things the hard way. I was simply trying to use this function of Virtual Box, as it is there and as it says that this part of Virtual Box can be used for what I was trying to do. Plain logic. Why else would I have tried it otherwise?

At this point, let's just give this a rest please without further back and forth that leads nowhere really.

Thank you for your understanding and thank you indeed for your help.

[mpack]

I'm not sure what you're suggesting ought to be put in the manual? The fact that VMs aren't optimized for controlling physical hardware? IMHO that's part of the definition of a VM. But, my point is not that USB will not work (if you know what you're doing), my point is that a network API will work better because it is designed for precisely what you need it to do - allow two or more PCs to share a printer while hiding the low level hardware details. So the time spent getting the USB option to work is time wasted.

I'm not being rude, I'm simply being blunt in order to get beyond what I see as your dogged refusal to pay attention to what has been said. I really don't see what your problem is: the best way for a VM to access a host printer is via a network share. You've been told this by several experienced users, so please explain the resistance?

[OraOra]

I'm not sure what you're suggesting ought to be put in the manual? The fact that VMs aren't optimized for controlling physical hardware? IMHO that's part of the definition of a VM. But, my point is not that USB will not work (if you know what you're doing), my point is that a network API will work better because it is designed for precisely what you need it to do - allow two or more PCs to share a printer while hiding the low level hardware details. So the time spent getting the USB option to work is time wasted.

I'm not being rude, I'm simply being blunt in order to get beyond what I see as your dogged refusal to pay attention to what has been said. I really don't see what your problem is: the best way for a VM to access a host printer is via a network share. You've been told this by several experienced users, so please explain the resistance?

I am sure you have read section 3.10. of the manual, USB support. Being new to VMs though not being new to computers, and I think from plain logic, most people who read this will think, "ah I can use my printer that I plug in via USB with the VM".

Going further, reading the green notes including all of Chapter 14 https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch14.html , Known Limitations, and going even as far as running "vboxmanage list usbhost" and then adding the global filter for the USB device (printer in this case) via the command line (far beyond what most people giving VMs a first try will do) and still not being able to do what I want to do - print from the VM exclusively (I don't even have a need to print from the Host so sharing the printer via the workgroup is not necessary in my case, I would not even need a workgroup if I would not need the printer), would mean to me that the USB support either for this device exclusively is not working or has an unknown limitation.

With all this in mind it would be fair to include such "issues" or "limitations" at least in the section "Know Limitations", just like you wrote "the best way for a VM to access a host printer is via a network share" instead of giving away the impression that USB support is "sophisticated" and that is it possible for the Guest "to access the USB devices on your host directly".

It might also be that this is due to the current version of VirtualBox I am using, 4.12 as suggested in this forum, might be USB support for this device is better with the latest version, I don't know and I am not willing nor have the time to try out various versions just to see which one supports this device via USB instead of via network share.

To clarify, the time spent to getting the USB option to work with a printer is time wasted, might very well be this is not the case with other USB devices. Making users aware of this would be beneficial to future users trying out VirtuabBox, that is all.

Please don't understand me wrong again, I have understood how to get the printer working through a network share and that this is what is recommended, all I wanted to try was the USB option from VirtalBox to achieve this as I read through that chapter of the manual and as I don't need to print from the Host I wanted to avoid running the printer from the Host and then sharing it. As you say if this is the generally recommended way (via network/workgroup) for printers to work from the Guest then making users aware of this would be a good idea but that of course is up to you and ultimately the people in charge to decide.

Doing a simple search for "virtuabox usb printer" the first couple results all indicate "networked" printers even though most of those results are from people that are looking to go the USB option route - I should have been wiser instead of taking for granted what is in the manual.

Any how, thank you for your help.

[ChipMcK]

have you checked out Bonjour for Windows ?

Works nicely

[mpack]

Well, I don't see how I can offer better guidance than I already have, so ok, I give up.

[OraOra]

have you checked out Bonjour for Windows ?

Works nicely

Thank you Chip and please don't take this personal but I strongly suggest to stay away from anything "Bonjour" from Apple if not really needed. The amount of people having issues with this is a clear warning. Here a post on how to get rid of it in case you really had to ruin your system with iTunes for example http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/6456/wha ... remove-it/ . Last not least I have not got on AirPort base station and generally try to stay away as much as possible from proprietary iAnything really. Thank you indeed for the suggestion though. OffTopic: There are many more other, fat better and open source media players out there (fb2k e.g.) with much better features that won't mess with your Host, think three or more times before installing iTunes or Bonjour. Though this might work perfectly for you and I am just being too careful and what not. Just my experience with Apple services on a Windows Host completely regardless of VMs.

Well, I don't see how I can offer better guidance than I already have, so ok, I give up.

Can I just take the time to thank you for making your point clear as well as giving guidance and help? Thank you Perhaps likewise you can see from your part how I thought to try out the USB option route, well, just because it is there and from what I thought or understood could be used for this. Retrospectively I learned a lot on the journey so that is great and oh well if it ain't working with my device it does not need to break with any one else's too. No harsh feelings please I do understand and am more than happy with your and your colleagues help here.

Advice to people new to VirtualBox and needing a printer for the Guest:
Anyone that does not specifically need to print from the Guest ONLY and is OK with having a network connection between Guest and Host is strongly advised to share the printer via the homegroup or workgroup instead of investing time in trying out the USB option. I could not get it to work for the Canon iP4200 no matter what I tried, so don't grow grey hair over it if above conditions (Host-Guest network/homegroup/workgroup/network shared printer) are OK with you. You will save yourself A LOT of time.