printcap(5)printcap(5)Nameprintcap - printer capability data base
Syntax
/etc/printcap
Description
The file describes the printers available on a system. There is one
entry in the file for each printer, and the entry describes the printer
capabilities. A change to the file immediately affects the spooling
system, unless the affected queue is active. In this case, the spool‐
ing queue should be stopped and restarted. For more information, refer
to
Entries in the file comprise a number of fields separated by colons
(:). The first entry for each printer gives the names that are known
for the printer. The names are separated by the pipe character (|).
The first name is the name of the printer that is displayed when you
use the command to show the status of a queue. Second and subsequent
names are alternative names for the printer. You can use the last name
to fully identify the printer, including blanks for readability if nec‐
essary.
The file is created when the system is installed. After this, you can
modify the file by using the script or a suitable editor. The script
is described on the reference page and in the Guide to System and Net‐
work Setup.
When a file is printed using the command, the file can be sent to a
named printer. If a printer is not named, and a print name is not
defined by the PRINTER environment variable, the file is sent to the
printer with the name ``lp'' in the file. The file should always have
a printer with the name ``lp''.
Examples
The following examples show the format of entries created using the
script.
A typical entry for a printer in the file is:
lp|lp0|nlp|ln03 in room 4:\
:af=/usr/adm/lpacct:\
:br#4800:\
:fc#0177777:\
:fs#03:\
:if=/usr/lib/lpdfilters/ln03of:\
:lf=/usr/adm/lperr:\
:lp=/dev/tty00:\
:mx#0:\
:of=/usr/lib/lpdfilters/ln03of:\
:pl#66:\
:pw#80:\
:sd=/usr/spool/lpd:\
:xc#0177777:\
:xs#044000:
A typical entry for a PrintServer in the file is:
lp0|lp|0:
:ct=network:\
:lf=/usr/adm/lpd-errs/ex1:\
:of=lpscomm dotty %U %H %J:\
:ps=LPS:\
:sd=/usr/spool/lpd/ex1:\
:uv=4.0:\
:Da=ascii:\
:Dl=/usr/lib/lpdfilters/lps_v3.a:\
:Sd=a:\
For more information, refer to the Guide to System and Network Setup .
Capabilities
There are three types of capabilities in the file: Boolean, string, and
numeric. String valued capabilities are processed before use. For
more details, refer to The following list contains the names of capa‐
bilities that can be used in the file:
Name Type Default Description
af str not set Accounting file name
br num not set Baud rate, set if lp is a tty
(ioctl call)
cf str not set Cifplot data filter
ct str dev Connection type - only valid
when uv=psv4.0 (choices are:
dev, lat, remote, network)
db num 0 Debugging level (choices are:
0 (none), 1 (normal), 10
(do not execute job, describe
actions to log file))
df str not set Text data filter (DVI format)
du num Daemon user id
fc num 0 If lp is a tty, clear octal
flag values (sg_flags)
ff str \f String to send for a form feed
fo bool false Print a form feed when device
is opened
fs num 0 If lp is a tty, set octal flag
values (sg_flags)
gf str not set Graph data filter (plot(1g)
format)
if str not set Text filter that does
accounting
lf str /dev/console Error logging file name
lo str lock Lock file name
lp str /dev/lp Device name to open for output
mc num Maximum number of copies allowed
mx num 1000 Maximum file size (in 1kbyte
blocks), 0 = unlimited
nf str not set Ditroff (device independent
troff) data filter
of str not set Output filtering program name
op str not set The entry in the ``Name'' field
for LAT port characteristics
os str not set Service name supported on some
terminal servers
pl num 66 Page length (in lines)
pp str /bin/pr Print filter
ps str non_PS Printer type (choices are:
non_PS, PS, LPS)
pw num 132 Page width (in characters)
px num 0 Page width in pixels
py num 0 Page length in pixels
rf str not set Filter for printing Fortran style
text files
rm str not set Machine name for remote printer
rp str lp Remote printer name argument
rs bool false Restrict remote users to those
with local accounts
rw bool false Open the printer device for
reading as well as writing
sb bool false Short banner (one line only)
sc bool false Suppress multiple copies
sd str /usr/spool/lpd Spool directory
sf bool false Suppress form feeds
sh bool false Suppress printing of banner
page header
st str status Status file name
tf str not set Troff data filter (CAT
phototypesetter)
tr str not set Trailer string to print when
queue empties
ts str not set LAT terminal server node name
uv str 3.0 ULTRIX version number (choices
are: 3.0, 4.0)
vf str not set Raster image filter
xc num 0 If lp is a tty, clear local
mode octal values (``Local
mode'')
xf str not set Transparent mode filter
xs num 0 If lp is a tty, set local mode
octal values (``Local mode'')
The ct entry specifies the connection type; these are device, LAT,
remote or network. To enable print server support you must ensure the
entry is included in the file for the appropriate print queue.
The uv entry specifies the version number of the ULTRIX operating sys‐
tem. This entry allows backward compatibility with earlier versions of
the print system. Ensure that otherwise the print queue functions as
it did in Version 3.1 or earlier and you will not be able to access the
features for PostScript support.
The ps entry specifies the printer type. You must ensure the entry is
included in the file for all print queues using print server features.
The following capabilities set defaults for PostScript printers. You
should refer to the reference page for the choices available for each
capability. The equivalent options are shown for reference purposes.
Name Type Default Description lpr Option
Da str postscript Data type -D
It str not set Input tray -I
Lu str not set Layup definition file -L
Ml str not set Record messages -M
Nu str not set Number up -N
Or str portrait Orientation -O
Ot str not set Output tray -o
Ps str not set Page size -F
Sd str a Default sheet size
(see below)
Si str not set Sides -K
Ss str not set Sheet size -S
Tr bool true Trailer page
Ul str <last page> Upper page limit -Z
Xf str xlator_call Translator dispatch
program
Lf str layup Layup to PostScript
translator
Dl str not set Name of the device
The Ss capability specifies a mandatory sheet size. The print job
fails if this sheet size is not available with the printer.
The Sd capability specifies a preferred sheet size and is overridden by
the Ss capability and the command. For American A size paper (8.5 x 11
inches) ensure the entry is For European A4 size paper (8.3 x 11.7
inches) ensure the entry is If the sheet size specified by the capabil‐
ity is not available, the print job does not fail, but is printed on
the default sheet size for the printer.
The Dl capability specifies the name of the device control module
library file. If the print server supporting host is Version 2.0 or
2.1, the Dl entry should be:
:Dl=/usr/lib/lpdfilters/lps_v2.a:\
If the print server supporting host is Version 3.0, the Dl entry should
be:
:Dl=/usr/lib/lpdfilters/lps_v3.a:\
If the Dl entry does not match the version of the PrintServer support‐
ing host software, the job flag page prints, but the job itself may
not.
See Alsolpq(1), lpr(1), lprm(1), termcap(5), lpc(8), lpd(8), pac(8)
Guide to System and Network Setup
printcap(5)
