1printers.conf(4)                 File Formats                 printers.conf(4)
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NAME

6       printers.conf - system printing configuration database
7

SYNOPSIS

9       /etc/printers.conf
10
11
12   LDAP
13       ou=printers
14
15
16   NIS
17       printers.conf.byname
18
19
20   NIS+
21       printers.org_dir
22
23

DESCRIPTION

25       The  printers.conf  file is the system printing configuration database.
26       System administrators use printers.conf to  describe  destinations  for
27       the print client commands and the print protocol adaptor. A destination
28       names a printer or class of printers. See  lpadmin(1M).  The  LP  print
29       spooler  uses  private  LP  configuration  data  for represented in the
30       printers.conf database.
31
32
33       The lpset command can be used to define the printer table in  NIS+.  It
34       checks  to  see  if  the NIS+ table (printers.org_dir) exists and if it
35       does not it goes ahead and  creates  it  in  the  correct  format.  See
36       lpset(1M) for more information.
37
38   Entries
39       Each  entry in printers.conf describes one destination. Entries are one
40       line consisting of any number of fields separated by colons  (`:')  and
41       terminated  by  a  NEWLINE. The first field of each entry specifies the
42       name of the destination and aliases to which the entry describes. Spec‐
43       ify  one  or  more  names  or  aliases of the destination in this first
44       field. Specify the destination using atomic names. URI-style and POSIX-
45       style  names are not acceptable. See standards(5). Separate destination
46       names by pipe signs (`|').
47
48
49       Two destination names are reserved for special use in the first  entry.
50       Use  _all  to  specify the interest list for lpget, lpstat, and cancel.
51       Use _default to specify the default destination.
52
53
54       The remaining fields in an entry are key=value  pairs.  See  Specifying
55       Configuration Options for details regarding key=value pairs.
56
57
58       Empty lines can be included for readability. Entries can continue on to
59       multiple lines by adding a backslash (`\') as the last character in the
60       line.  printers.conf  can  include comments. Comments have a pound sign
61       (`#') as the first character in the line, and are terminated by a  NEW‐
62       LINE.  Use  the  lpset  command  to create or modify printers.conf. See
63       lpset(1M). Do not make changes in printers.conf by using an editor.
64
65   Specifying Configuration Options
66       key=value pairs are configuration options defined by the system  admin‐
67       istrator.  key  and  value can be of arbitrary length. Separate key and
68       value by the equal (`=') character.
69
70   Client/Server Configuration Options
71       The  following  client/server  configuration  options  (represented  as
72       key=value pairs) are supported:
73
74       printer-uri-supported=scheme://endpoint
75
76           Provides the information necessary to contact the print service for
77           the entry. The scheme generally identifies  the  print  service  or
78           protocol to use. Currently this is limited to lpsched, ipp, and lpd
79           but might be expanded in the future. Each of these schemes  imposes
80           a set of restrictions for specifying the endpoint and the function‐
81           ality provided.
82
83           lpsched://localhost/printers/queue
84
85                This is URI form is used for print queues that are  configured
86               under the local LP service.
87
88
89           ipp://server[:port]/printers/queue
90           http://server:631/printers/queue
91           ipp://server[:port]/...
92
93               This URI form is used for print queues that are remotely acces‐
94               sible by way of the Internet Print Protocol. This  protocol  is
95               the  preferred  method of accessing remote print queues because
96               it provides the greatest functionality over the wire.  The  ipp
97               uri scheme is specified in the internet print protocol specifi‐
98               cations and is much more  free  form  than  listed  above.  The
99               actual  content and format of the endpoint is determined by the
100               remote print service.
101
102
103           lpd://server/printers/queue[#Solaris]
104
105               This URI form is  used  for  print  queues  that  are  remotely
106               accessable  by way of the BSD Print Protocol. Though limited in
107               capability, this protocol is widely  used  between  client  and
108               server. It provides maximium interoperability with remote print
109               services. When used to communicate with  print  services  on  a
110               Solaris  print  server,  the optional #Solaris component of the
111               URI indicates that Solaris protcol extensions can be used  dur‐
112               ing print job submission.
113
114           If  an  entry  does  not  contain a printer-uri-supported key/value
115           pair, the bsdaddr value is converted to its equivalent uri form and
116           a  printer-uri-supported  key/value  pair is added to the resulting
117           data returned  to  applications  requesting  printer  configuration
118           data.
119
120
121       bsdaddr=server,destination[,Solaris]
122
123           Sets  the server and destination name. Sets if the client generates
124           protocol extensions for  use  with  the  lp  command  (see  lp(1)).
125           Solaris  specifies  a Solaris print server extension. If Solaris is
126           not specified, no protocol extensions are generated. server is  the
127           name  of the host containing the queue for destination. destination
128           is the atomic name by which the server knows the  destination.   If
129           the  configuration  file contents are to be shared with legacy sys‐
130           tems (Solaris 2.6 - Solaris 10), this key/value pair should be pro‐
131           vided for backward compatability.
132
133
134       use=destination
135
136           Sets the destination to continue searching for configuration infor‐
137           mation. destination is an atomic, URI-style (scheme://endpoint), or
138           Posix-style name (server:printer).
139
140
141       all=destination_list
142
143           Sets  the interest list for the lpget, lpstat, and cancel commands.
144           destination_list is a comma-separated list of destinations. Specify
145           destination  using atomic, URI-style (scheme://endpoint), or Posix-
146           style names (server:printer). See lpget(1M),  lpstat(1),  and  can‐
147           cel(1).
148
149
150   LP Server Options
151       The following LP configuration options (represented as key=value pairs)
152       are supported:
153
154       user-equivalence=true|false
155
156           Sets whether or not usernames are considered equivalent  when  can‐
157           celling  a  print request submitted from a different host in a net‐
158           worked environment. true means that usernames are considered equiv‐
159           alent,  and permits users to cancel a print requests submitted from
160           a different host. user-equivalence is  set  to  false  by  default.
161           false  means that usernames are not considered equivalent, and does
162           not permit users cancel a print request submitted from a  different
163           host.  If user-equivalence is set to false, print requests can only
164           be cancelled by the users on the host on whichs the print  prequest
165           was generated or by the superuser on the print server.
166
167
168   Print Queue Name Resolution
169       Applications needing to resolve print queue names (destinations) to the
170       associated print service and communications endpoint make use of a spe‐
171       cific name resolution ordering. Destination names in URI and POSIX form
172       are complete unto themselves and require no further resolution.   Names
173       in atomic form are resolved based on the printers database entry in the
174       /etc/nsswitch.conf file. See nsswitch.conf(4)
175
176   Locating the Personal Default Destination
177       The default destination is located differently depending  on  the  com‐
178       mand.
179
180
181       The lp command locates the default destination in the following order:
182
183           1.     lp command's -d destination option.
184
185           2.     LPDEST environment variable.
186
187           3.     PRINTER environment variable.
188
189           4.     _default destination in $HOME/.printers.
190
191           5.     _default destination in /etc/printers.conf.
192
193
194       The  lpr,  lpq, and lprm commands locate the default destination in the
195       following order:
196
197           1.     lpr command's -P destination option.
198
199           2.     PRINTER environment variable.
200
201           3.     LPDEST environment variable.
202
203           4.     _default destination in $HOME/.printers.
204
205           5.     _default destination in /etc/printers.conf.
206
207   Locating the Interest List for lpstat, lpget, and cancel
208       The lpget, lpstat, and cancel commands locate the interest list in  the
209       following order:
210
211           1.     _all list in $HOME/.printers.
212
213           2.     _all list in /etc/printers.conf.
214

EXAMPLES

216       Example 1 Setting the Interest List
217
218
219       The  following  entry  sets the interest list for the lpget, lpstat and
220       cancel commands to printer1, printer2 and printer3:
221
222
223         _all:all=printer1,printer2,printer3
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225
226
227       Example 2 Setting the Server Name
228
229
230       The following entry sets the server name to server and and printer name
231       to  ps_printer  for  destinations printer1 and ps. It does not generate
232       BSD protocol extensions.
233
234
235         printer1|ps:bsdaddr=server,ps_printer
236
237
238
239       Example 3 Setting Server Name and Destination Name
240
241
242       The following entry sets the server name to server and destination name
243       to  pcl_printer,  for  destination  printer2. It also generates Solaris
244       protocol extensions.
245
246
247         printer2:printer-uri-supported=lpd//server/printers/pcl_printer#Solaris
248
249
250
251       Example 4 Setting Server Name  and  Destination  Name  with  Continuous
252       Search
253
254
255       The following entry sets the server name to server and destination name
256       to new_printer, for destination printer3. It also sets the printer3  to
257       continue   searching   for   configuration   information   to   printer
258       another_printer.
259
260
261         printer3:bsdaddr=server,new_printer:use=another_printer
262
263
264
265       Example 5 Setting Default Destination
266
267
268       The following entry sets the default destination to continue  searching
269       for configuration information to destination printer1.
270
271
272         _default:use=printer1
273
274
275
276       Example 6 Using IPP as the URI
277
278
279       The following example uses IPP as the URI:
280
281
282         printer4:printer-uri-supported=ipp\://server/printers/queue
283
284
285

FILES

287       /etc/printers.conf            System configuration database
288
289
290       $HOME/.printers               User-configurable printer database
291
292
293       ou=printers                   LDAP version of /etc/printers.conf
294
295
296       printers.conf.byname (NIS)    NIS version of /etc/printers.conf
297
298
299       printers.org_dir (NIS+)       NIS+ version of /etc/printers.conf
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301

ATTRIBUTES

303       See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:
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305
306
307
308       ┌─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────┐
309       │      ATTRIBUTE TYPE         │      ATTRIBUTE VALUE        │
310       ├─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
311       │Availability                 │SUNWpcu                      │
312       ├─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
313       │Stability Level              │Stable                       │
314       └─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┘
315

SEE ALSO

317       cancel(1),  enable(1),  enable(1),  lp(1),  lpq(1B), lpr(1B), lprm(1B),
318       lpstat(1), accept(1M), in.lpd(1M), lpadmin(1M), lpget(1M),  lpmove(1M),
319       lpset(1M),  accept(1M),  nsswitch.conf(4),  printers(4), attributes(5),
320       standards(5)
321
322
323       System Administration Guide: Basic Administration
324
325
326
327SunOS 5.11                        2 Jun 2006                  printers.conf(4)
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