PRINTCAP(5) File Formats Manual PRINTCAP(5)
NAME
printcapprinter capability data base
SYNOPSIS
printcap
DESCRIPTION
The printcap data base is a simplified version of the termcap(5) data base used to describe line printers. The spooling system accesses the printcap 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 termcap(5), because it may allow accounting to be bypassed.
 
The default printer is normally lp, though the environment variable PRINTER may be used to override this. Each spooling utility supports an option, -P printer, to allow explicit naming of a destination printer.
 
Refer to the 4.3 BSD Line Printer Spooler Manual, for a complete discussion on how to set up the database for a given printer.
CAPABILITIES
Refer to termcap(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(2) 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(3) 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 to local printer, or port@host for remote printer/printer on print server
ms
str
NULL
list of terminal modes to set or clear
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
pf
str
NULL
filter for printing PostScript files
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 or port@host for a remote printer on a port other than the standard port. (also suppress the burst page, see NOTES)
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
/var/spool/output/lpd
spool directory
sf
bool
false
suppress form feeds
sh
bool
false
suppress printing of burst page header (local only, see NOTES)
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
If a printer is specified via lp (either local or remote), the lpd(8) daemon creates a pipeline of filters to process files for various printer types. The pipeline is not set up for remote printers specified via rm unless the local host is the same as the remote printer host given. The filters selected depend on the flags passed to lpr(1). The pipeline set up is:
p pr | if regular text + pr(1) none if regular text c cf cifplot d df DVI (tex) g gf plot(3) n nf ditroff o pf PostScript f rf Fortran t tf troff v vf raster image
 
The if filter is invoked with arguments:
if [-c] -wwidth -llength -iindent -n login [-j jobname] -h host acct-file
 
The -c flag is passed only if the -l flag (pass control characters literally) is specified to lpr(1). The width and length specify the page width and length (from pw and pl respectively) in characters. The -n and -h parameters specify the login name and host name of the owner of the job respectively. The -j parameter is optional and specifies the name of the print job if available. The acct-file option is passed from the af printcap entry.
 
If no if is specified, of is used instead, with the distinction that of is opened only once, while if is opened for every individual job. Thus, if is better suited to performing accounting. The of is only given the width and length flags.
 
All other filters are called as:
filter -xwidth -ylength -n login [-j jobname] -h host acct-file
 
where width and length are represented in pixels, specified by the px and py entries respectively.
 
All filters take stdin as the file, stdout as the printer, may log either to stderr or using syslog(3), and must not ignore SIGINT.
 
Filters can communicate errors to lpd by their exit code and by modifying the mode of the spool lock file as follows:
Exit code
Description
0
Success.
1
An attempt is made to reprint the job and mail is sent if it fails.
2
lpd(8) silently discards the job.
n
lpd(8) discards the job and mail is sent.
lock code
Description
u+x
Stop printing and leave queue disabled (S_IXUSR).
o+x
Rebuild the queue (S_IXOTH).
LOGGING
Error messages generated by the line printer programs themselves (that is, the lp* programs) are logged by syslog(3) using the LPR facility. Messages printed on stderr of one of the filters are sent to the corresponding lf file. The filters may, of course, use syslog(3) 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
lpq(1), lpr(1), lprm(1), termcap(5), lpc(8), lpd(8), pac(8)
4.3 BSD Line Printer Spooler Manual.
NOTES
The sh flag is a function of the spooler with the locally attached printer, and so has no effect when used with rm. NetBSD never adds a burst page when used as a remote spooler. To suppress the burst page for other systems or dedicated devices, refer to the documentation for those systems or devices.
HISTORY
The printcap file format appeared in 4.2BSD.