1printers(4) File Formats printers(4)
2
6 printers - user-configurable printer alias database
7
9 $HOME/.printers
10
13 The $HOME/.printers file is a simplified version of the system
14 /etc/printers.conf file. See printers.conf(4). Users create the
15 $HOME/.printers file in their home directory. This optional file is
16 customizable by the user.
17 The $HOME/.printers file performs the following functions:
20 1. Sets personal aliases for all print commands.
22 2. Sets the interest list for the lpget, lpstat, and cancel
24 commands. See lpget(1M), lpstat(1) and cancel(1).
25 3. Sets the default printer for the lp, lpr, lpq, and lprm com‐
27 mands. See lp(1), lpr(1B), lpq(1B), and lprm(1B).
28 Entries
30 Use a line or full screen editor to create or modify the $HOME/.print‐
31 ers file.
32 Each entry in $HOME/.printers describes one destination. Entries are
35 one line consisting of two fields separated by either BLANKs or TABs
36 and terminated by a NEWLINE. Format for an entry in $HOME/.printers
37 varies according to the purpose of the entry.
38 Empty lines can be included for readability. Entries can continue on to
41 multiple lines by adding a backslash (`\') as the last character in the
42 line. The $HOME/.printers file can include comments. Comments have a
43 pound sign (`#') as the first character in the line, and are terminated
44 by a NEWLINE.
45 Setting Personal Aliases
47 Specify the alias or aliases in the first field. Separate multiple
48 aliases by a pipe sign (`|'). Specify the destination in the second
49 field. A destination names a printer or class of printers, See lpad‐
50 min(1M). Specify the destination using atomic, URI-style (scheme://end‐
51 point), or POSIX-style (server:destination) names. See printers.conf(4)
52 for information regarding the naming conventions for destination names.
53 Setting the Interest List for lpget, lpstat and cancel
55 Specify _all in the first field. Specify the list of destinations for
56 the interest list in the second field. Separate each destinations by a
57 comma (`,'). Specify destinations using atomic, URI-style
58 (scheme://endpoint), or POSIX-style (server:destination) names. See
59 printers.conf(4) for information regarding the naming conventions for
60 destination names. This list of destinations can refer to an alias
61 defined in $HOME/.printers.
62 Setting the Default Destination
64 Specify _default in the first field. Specify the default destination in
65 the second field. Specify the default destination using atomic, URI-
66 style (scheme://endpoint), or POSIX-style (server:destination) names.
67 See printers.conf(4) for information regarding the naming conventions
68 for destination names. The default destination can refer to an alias
69 defined in $HOME/.printers.
70 Locating Destination Information
72 The print client commands locate destination information based on the
73 "printers" database entry in the /etc/nsswitch.conf file. See nss‐
74 witch.conf(4).
75 Locating the Personal Default Destination
77 The default destination is located differently depending on the com‐
78 mand.
79 The lp command locates the default destination in the following order:
82 1. lp command's -d destination option.
84 2. LPDEST environment variable.
86 3. PRINTER environment variable.
88 4. _default destination in $HOME/.printers.
90 5. _default destination in /etc/printers.conf.
92 The lpr, lpq, and lprm commands locate the default destination in the
95 following order:
96 1. lpr command's -P destination option.
98 2. PRINTER environment variable.
100 3. LPDEST environment variable.
102 4. _default destination in $HOME/.printers.
104 5. _default destination in /etc/printers.conf.
106 Locating the Interest List for lpget, lpstat, and cancel
108 The lpget, lpstat, and cancel commands locate the interest list in the
109 following order:
110 1. _all list in $HOME/.printers.
112 2. _all list in /etc/printers.conf.
114
116 Example 1 Setting the Interest List
117 The following entry sets the interest list to destinations ps, secure,
120 and dog at server west and finance_ps:
121 _all ps,secure,west:dog,lpd://server/printers/queue
124 Example 2 Setting Aliases to a Printer
128 The following entry sets the aliases ps, lp, and lw to sparc_printer:
131 ps|lp|lw sparc_printer
134 Example 3 Setting an Alias as a Default Destination
138 The following entry sets the alias pcl to hplj and sets it as the
141 default destination:
142 pcl|_default hplj
145 Example 4 Setting an Alias to a Server Destination
149 The following entry sets the alias secure to destination catalpa at
152 server tabloid:
153 secure tabloid:catalpa
156 Example 5 Setting an Alias to a Site Destination
160 The following entry sets the alias insecure to destination legal_ps
163 using IPP:
164 insecure ipp://server/printers/legal_ps
167
171 /etc/printers.conf System printer configuration database
172 $HOME/.printers User-configurable printer database
175 ou=printers LDAP version of /etc/printers.conf
178 printers.conf.byname NIS version of /etc/printers.conf
181 printers.org_dir NIS+ version of /etc/printers.conf
184
187 See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:
188 ┌─────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────┐
193 │ ATTRIBUTE TYPE │ ATTRIBUTE VALUE │
194 ├─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
195 │Availability │SUNWpcu │
196 ├─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
197 │Interface Stability │Stable │
198 └─────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┘
199
201 cancel(1), lp(1), lpq(1B), lpr(1B), lprm(1B), lpstat(1), lpadmin(1M),
202 lpget(1M), nsswitch.conf(4), printers.conf(4), attributes(5), stan‐
203 dards(5)
204 System Administration Guide: Basic Administration
207
209 $HOME/.printers is referenced by the printing commands before further
210 name resolution is made in /etc/printers.conf or the name service. If
211 the alias references a destination defined in /etc/printers.conf, it is
212 possible that the destination is defined differently on different sys‐
213 tems. This could cause output to be sent to an unintended destination
214 if the user is logged in to a different system.
215SunOS 5.11 5 Jun 2006 printers(4)