Manual Pages for UNIX Operating System command usage for man printers

File Formats                                          printers(4)



NAME
     printers - user-configurable printer alias database

SYNOPSIS
     $HOME/.printers


DESCRIPTION
     The $HOME/.printers file is a simplified version of the sys-
     tem  /etc/printers.conf  file.  See  printers.conf(4). Users
     create the $HOME/.printers file  in  their  home  directory.
     This optional file is customizable by the user.


     The $HOME/.printers file performs the following functions:

         1.   Sets personal aliases for all print commands.

         2.   Sets the interest list for the lpget,  lpstat,  and
              cancel  commands. See lpget(1M), lpstat(1) and can-
              cel(1).

         3.   Sets the default printer for the lp, lpr, lpq,  and
              lprm  commands.  See  lp(1),  lpr(1B), lpq(1B), and
              lprm(1B).

  Entries
     Use a line or full screen editor to  create  or  modify  the
     $HOME/.printers file.


     Each entry in  $HOME/.printers  describes  one  destination.
     Entries  are  one line consisting of two fields separated by
     either BLANKs or TABs and terminated by  a  NEWLINE.  Format
     for an entry in $HOME/.printers varies according to the pur-
     pose of the entry.


     Empty lines can be included  for  readability.  Entries  can
     continue on to multiple lines by adding a backslash (`\') as
     the last character in the line. The $HOME/.printers file can
     include  comments.  Comments  have a pound sign (`#') as the
     first character in the line, and are terminated  by  a  NEW-
     LINE.

  Setting Personal Aliases
     Specify the alias or aliases in the  first  field.  Separate
     multiple  aliases by a pipe sign (`|'). Specify the destina-
     tion in the second field. A destination names a  printer  or
     class  of printers, See lpadmin(1M). Specify the destination
     using atomic, URI-style (scheme://endpoint), or  POSIX-style
     (server:destination)   names.   See   printers.conf(4)   for



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File Formats                                          printers(4)



     information regarding the naming conventions for destination
     names.

  Setting the Interest List for lpget, lpstat and cancel
     Specify _all in the first field. Specify the list of  desti-
     nations  for the interest list in the second field. Separate
     each destinations by a  comma  (`,').  Specify  destinations
     using  atomic, URI-style (scheme://endpoint), or POSIX-style
     (server:destination) names. See printers.conf(4) for  infor-
     mation  regarding  the  naming  conventions  for destination
     names. This list of  destinations  can  refer  to  an  alias
     defined in $HOME/.printers.

  Setting the Default Destination
     Specify _default in the first  field.  Specify  the  default
     destination  in the second field. Specify the default desti-
     nation  using  atomic,  URI-style  (scheme://endpoint),   or
     POSIX-style (server:destination) names. See printers.conf(4)
     for information regarding the naming conventions for  desti-
     nation  names. The default destination can refer to an alias
     defined in $HOME/.printers.

  Locating Destination Information
     The print client  commands  locate  destination  information
     based    on   the   "printers"   database   entry   in   the
     /etc/nsswitch.conf file. See nsswitch.conf(4).

  Locating the Personal Default Destination
     The default destination is located differently depending  on
     the command.


     The lp command locates the default destination in  the  fol-
     lowing order:

         1.   lp command's -d destination option.

         2.   LPDEST environment variable.

         3.   PRINTER environment variable.

         4.   _default destination in $HOME/.printers.

         5.   _default destination in /etc/printers.conf.


     The lpr, lpq, and lprm commands locate the default  destina-
     tion in the following order:

         1.   lpr command's -P destination option.

         2.   PRINTER environment variable.



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File Formats                                          printers(4)



         3.   LPDEST environment variable.

         4.   _default destination in $HOME/.printers.

         5.   _default destination in /etc/printers.conf.

  Locating the Interest List for lpget, lpstat, and cancel
     The lpget, lpstat, and cancel commands locate  the  interest
     list in the following order:

         1.   _all list in $HOME/.printers.

         2.   _all list in /etc/printers.conf.

EXAMPLES
     Example 1 Setting the Interest List


     The following entry sets the interest list  to  destinations
     ps, secure, and dog at server west and finance_ps:


       _all      ps,secure,west:dog,lpd://server/printers/queue



     Example 2 Setting Aliases to a Printer


     The following entry sets the  aliases  ps,  lp,  and  lw  to
     sparc_printer:


       ps|lp|lw  sparc_printer



     Example 3 Setting an Alias as a Default Destination


     The following entry sets the alias pcl to hplj and  sets  it
     as the default destination:


       pcl|_default   hplj



     Example 4 Setting an Alias to a Server Destination






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File Formats                                          printers(4)



     The following entry sets the  alias  secure  to  destination
     catalpa at server tabloid:


       secure    tabloid:catalpa



     Example 5 Setting an Alias to a Site Destination


     The following entry sets the alias insecure  to  destination
     legal_ps using IPP:


       insecure  ipp://server/printers/legal_ps



FILES
     /etc/printers.conf      System printer  configuration  data-
                             base


     $HOME/.printers         User-configurable printer database


     ou=printers             LDAP version of /etc/printers.conf


     printers.conf.byname    NIS version of /etc/printers.conf


ATTRIBUTES
     See attributes(5) for descriptions of the  following  attri-
     butes:



     ______________________________________________________________
    |       ATTRIBUTE TYPE        |        ATTRIBUTE VALUE        |
    |_____________________________|_______________________________|
    | Availability                | print/lp/print-client-commands|
    |_____________________________|_______________________________|
    | Interface Stability         | Committed                     |
    |_____________________________|_______________________________|


SEE ALSO
     cancel(1), lp(1),  lpq(1B),  lpr(1B),  lprm(1B),  lpstat(1),
     lpadmin(1M),  lpget(1M), nsswitch.conf(4), printers.conf(4),
     attributes(5), standards(5)



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File Formats                                          printers(4)



     System Administration Guide: Basic Administration

NOTES
     $HOME/.printers  is  referenced  by  the  printing  commands
     before further name resolution is made in /etc/printers.conf
     or the name service. If the alias references  a  destination
     defined  in /etc/printers.conf, it is possible that the des-
     tination is defined differently on different  systems.  This
     could  cause  output to be sent to an unintended destination
     if the user is logged in to a different system.













































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