4.3BSD-UWisc/man/cat5/printcap.5
PRINTCAP(5) UNIX Programmer's Manual PRINTCAP(5)
NAME
printcap - printer capability data base
SYNOPSIS
/etc/printcap
DESCRIPTION
_P_r_i_n_t_c_a_p is a simplified version of the _t_e_r_m_c_a_p(5) data base
used to describe line printers. The spooling system
accesses the _p_r_i_n_t_c_a_p 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 _t_e_r_m_c_a_p,
because it may allow accounting to be bypassed.
The default printer is normally _l_p, though the environment
variable PRINTER may be used to override this. Each spool-
ing utility supports an option, -P_p_r_i_n_t_e_r, to allow explicit
naming of a destination printer.
Refer to the _4._3_B_S_D _L_i_n_e _P_r_i_n_t_e_r _S_p_o_o_l_e_r _M_a_n_u_a_l for a com-
plete discussion on how setup the database for a given
printer.
CAPABILITIES
Refer to _t_e_r_m_c_a_p(5) for a description of the file layout.
Name Type Default Description
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 ``\f'' 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)
Printed 12/27/86 May 14, 1986 1
PRINTCAP(5) UNIX Programmer's Manual PRINTCAP(5)
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
If the local line printer driver supports indentation, the
daemon must understand how to invoke it.
FILTERS
The _l_p_d(8) daemon creates a pipeline of _f_i_l_t_e_r_s to process
files for various printer types. The filters selected
depend on the flags passed to _l_p_r(1). The pipeline set up
is:
-p pr | if regular text + _p_r(1)
none if regular text
-c cf cifplot
-d df DVI (tex)
-g gf _p_l_o_t(3)
-n nf ditroff
-f rf Fortran
-t tf troff
-v vf raster image
The if filter is invoked with arguments:
_i_f [ -c ] -wwidth -llength -iindent -n login -h host
acct-file
The -c flag is passed only if the -l flag (pass control
characters literally) is specified to _l_p_r. _W_i_d_t_h and _l_e_n_g_t_h
specify the page width and length (from pw and pl respec-
tively) in characters. The -n and -h parameters specify the
login name and host name of the owner of the job respec-
tively. _A_c_c_t-_f_i_l_e is passed from the af _p_r_i_n_t_c_a_p entry.
If no if is specified, of is used instead, with the distinc-
tion that of is opened only once, while if is opened for
every individual job. Thus, if is better suited to
Printed 12/27/86 May 14, 1986 2
PRINTCAP(5) UNIX Programmer's Manual PRINTCAP(5)
performing accounting. The of is only given the _w_i_d_t_h and
_l_e_n_g_t_h flags.
All other filters are called as:
_f_i_l_t_e_r -xwidth -ylength -n login -h host acct-file
where _w_i_d_t_h and _l_e_n_g_t_h are represented in pixels, specified
by the px and py entries respectively.
All filters take _s_t_d_i_n as the file, _s_t_d_o_u_t as the printer,
may log either to _s_t_d_e_r_r or using _s_y_s_l_o_g(3), and must not
ignore SIGINT.
LOGGING
Error messages generated by the line printer programs them-
selves (that is, the _l_p* programs) are logged by _s_y_s_l_o_g(3)
using the _L_P_R facility. Messages printed on _s_t_d_e_r_r of one
of the filters are sent to the corresponding lf file. The
filters may, of course, use _s_y_s_l_o_g themselves.
Error messages sent to the console have a carriage return
and a line feed appended to them, rather than just a line
feed.
SEE ALSO
termcap(5), lpc(8), lpd(8), pac(8), lpr(1), lpq(1), lprm(1)
_4._3_B_S_D _L_i_n_e _P_r_i_n_t_e_r _S_p_o_o_l_e_r _M_a_n_u_a_l
Printed 12/27/86 May 14, 1986 3