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.\" @(#)printcap.5 6.6 (Berkeley) 5/10/91
.Nd 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
may be used to override this. Each spooling utility supports an option,
to allow explicit naming of a destination printer.
.%T "4.3 BSD Line Printer Spooler Manual"
for a complete discussion on how setup the database for a given printer.
for a description of the file layout.
.Bl -column Namexxx Typexx "/var/spool/lpdxxxxx"
.Sy Name Type Description
.It "af str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "name of accounting file"
.It "br num none if lp is a tty, set the baud rate"
.It "cf str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "cifplot data filter"
.It "df str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "tex data filter"
.It "fc num 0 if lp is a tty, clear flag bits"
.It "ff str" Ta So Li \ef Sc Ta No "string to send for a form feed"
.It "fo bool false print a form feed when device is opened"
.It "fs num 0 like `fc' but set bits"
.It "gf str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "graph data filter"
.It "hl bool false print the burst header page last"
.It "ic bool false driver supports (non standard) ioctl to indent printout"
.It "if str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "name of text filter which does accounting"
.It "lf str" Ta Pa /dev/console Ta No "error logging file name"
.It "lo str" Ta Pa lock Ta No "name of lock file"
.It "lp str" Ta Pa /dev/lp Ta No "device name to open for output"
.It "mx num 1000 maximum file size (in"
blocks), zero = unlimited
.It "nd str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "next directory for list of queues (unimplemented)"
.It "nf str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "ditroff data filter (device independent troff)"
.It "of str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "name of output filtering program"
.It "pc num 200 price per foot or page in hundredths of cents"
.It "pl num 66 page length (in lines)"
.It "pw num 132 page width (in characters)"
.It "px num 0 page width in pixels (horizontal)"
.It "py num 0 page length in pixels (vertical)"
.It "rf str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "filter for printing"
.It "rg str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "restricted group. Only members of group allowed access"
.It "rm str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "machine name for remote printer"
.It "rp str ``lp'' remote printer name argument"
.It "rs bool false restrict remote users to those with local accounts"
.It "rw bool false open the printer device for reading and writing"
.It "sb bool false short banner (one line only)"
.It "sc bool false suppress multiple copies"
.It "sd str" Ta Pa /var/spool/lpd Ta No "spool directory"
.It "sf bool false suppress form feeds"
.It "sh bool false suppress printing of burst page header"
.It "st str" Ta Pa status Ta No "status file name"
.It "tf str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "troff data filter (cat phototypesetter)"
.It "tr str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "trailer string to print when queue empties"
.It "vf str" Ta Dv NULL Ta No "raster image filter"
.It "xc num 0 if lp is a tty, clear local mode bits"
.It "xs num 0 like `xc' but set bits"
If the local line printer driver supports indentation, the daemon
must understand how to invoke it.
daemon creates a pipeline of
to process files for various printer types.
The filters selected depend on the flags passed to
.Bd -literal -offset indent
p pr | if regular text + pr(1)
filter is invoked with arguments:
.Bd -filled -offset indent
flag is passed only if the
flag (pass control characters literally)
specify the page width and length
respectively) in characters.
parameters specify the login name and host name of the owner
with the distinction that
is opened for every individual job.
is better suited to performing accounting.
All other filters are called as:
.Bd -filled -offset indent
are represented in pixels,
Error messages generated by the line printer programs themselves
are sent to the corresponding
The filters may, of course, use
Error messages sent to the console have a carriage return and a line
feed appended to them, rather than just a line feed.
.%T "4.3 BSD Line Printer Spooler Manual"