.\" Copyright (c) 1983 Regents of the University of California.
.\" All rights reserved. The Berkeley software License Agreement
.\" specifies the terms and conditions for redistribution.
.\" @(#)printcap.5 6.2 (Berkeley) %G%
printcap \- printer capability data base
is a simplified version of the
used to describe line printers. The spooling system accesses the
file every time it is used, allowing dynamic
addition and deletion of printers. Each entry in the data base
is used to describe one printer. This data base may not be
substituted for, as is possible for
because it may allow accounting to be bypassed.
The default printer is normally
though the environment variable PRINTER
may be used to override this. Each spooling utility supports an option,
to allow explicit naming of a destination printer.
4.2BSD Line Printer Spooler Manual
for a complete discussion on how setup the database for a given printer.
for a description of the file layout.
.ta \w'k0-k9 'u +\w'Type 'u +\w'``/usr/spool/lpd\'\' 'u
\fBName Type Default Description\fR
af str NULL name of accounting file
br num none if lp is a tty, set the baud rate (ioctl call)
cf str NULL cifplot data filter
df str NULL tex data filter (DVI format)
fc num 0 if lp is a tty, clear flag bits (sgtty.h)
ff str ``\ef'' string to send for a form feed
fo bool false print a form feed when device is opened
fs num 0 like `fc' but set bits
gf str NULL graph data filter (plot (3X) format)
hl bool false print the burst header page last
ic bool false driver supports (non standard) ioctl to indent printout
if str NULL name of text filter which does accounting
lf str ``/dev/console'' error logging file name
lo str ``lock'' name of lock file
lp str ``/dev/lp'' device name to open for output
mx num 1000 maximum file size (in BUFSIZ blocks), zero = unlimited
nd str NULL next directory for list of queues (unimplemented)
nf str NULL ditroff data filter (device independent troff)
of str NULL name of output filtering program
pc num 200 price per foot or page in hundredths of cents
pl num 66 page length (in lines)
pw num 132 page width (in characters)
px num 0 page width in pixels (horizontal)
py num 0 page length in pixels (vertical)
rf str NULL filter for printing FORTRAN style text files
rg str NULL restricted group. Only members of group allowed access
rm str NULL 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 and 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 burst page header
st str ``status'' status file name
tf str NULL troff data filter (cat phototypesetter)
tr str NULL trailer string to print when queue empties
vf str NULL raster image filter
xc num 0 if lp is a tty, clear local mode bits (tty (4))
xs num 0 like `xc' but set bits
Error messages sent to the console have a carriage return and a line
feed appended to them, rather than just a line feed.
If the local line printer driver supports indentation, the daemon
must understand how to invoke it.
4.2BSD Line Printer Spooler Manual
projects / unix-history / blob