70 Printing
20200323
CUPS, the Common Unix Printing System, is a printing system for Unix and GNU/Linux, implementing various protocols including the LPD (Line Printer Daemon) protocol, the IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) and others. It uses PPD (PostScript Printer Description) files to identify the features of a printer, maintains printer configurations, and provides access to the printer options through the command line or a browser. It also has client side filters to convert, for example, pdf to PostScript to avoid pages of raw output of pdf (for Postscript printers).
The cups-pdf, cups-pdf package provides a virtual pdf printer to print to pdf files.
After installing cups visit https://localhost:631/ in a browser to manage printers.
A command line interface is also available and below are some common tasks.
Identify printers broadcasting their device URI:
$ lpinfo -vList locally installed printers and their device URI:
$ lpstat -vAdd a printer queue named F108 with specified device URI and enable the queue:
$ lpadmin -p F108 -v https://vitellius.dcs.ktu.edu:631/printers/F108 -ESubmit a test page to the printer:
$ lpr -P F108 /usr/share/cups/data/testprintCheck the print queue:
$ lpq -P F108Remove the printer:
$ lpadmin -x F108The printer information is collected into /etc/cups/printers.conf.
Your donation will support ongoing availability and give you access to the PDF version of this book. Desktop Survival Guides include Data Science, GNU/Linux, and MLHub. Books available on Amazon include Data Mining with Rattle and Essentials of Data Science. Popular open source software includes rattle, wajig, and mlhub. Hosted by Togaware, a pioneer of free and open source software since 1984. Copyright © 1995-2022 Graham.Williams@togaware.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
