Printing from UNIX


The BSD system is used to support the departments heterogeneous computer network.

UNIX printing commands

The following commands are used by the BSD printing system.

Where queue is the queue name for the printer. See the list of printers page for the printer name and location.

To print a file

  • lpr -Pqueue file_name

    e.g. lpr -Plj-b57 paper.ps

  • This will print the postscript file paper.ps on the basement laser printer in room B094.

To show the printer queue

  • lpq -Pqueue

    e.g. lpq -Plj-b57

to cancel a print request

  • lprm -Pqueue job_number

  • Job_number is the print request job number obtained from the lpq command

Note.

  • For more information on these commands use the UNIX man command.
  • Some computer vendors have added extensions to there print commands to support
    • select different fonts
    • orientation
    • paper tray etc
  • Don' try and use these extensions as they will not work in our heterogeneous computer network.
  • You may need to cancel a print job from the same system as the print command was issued.

Example

This example

  1. submits a file netscape.ps to the printer queue lj-b57

  2. examines the print queue using the lpq command.
    Note.
    The print request for the file netscape.ps
    • is 2nd in the queue after the current active print request
    • has a job number of 81

  3. and cancels the print request for the file netscape.ps.
    The output from lpq shows the netscape.ps print request to have job number 81

User input is shown in bold text

orsay:~-108> lpr -Plj-b57 netscape.ps

orsay:~-109> lpq -Plj-b57
lj4_116 is ready and printing
Rank   Owner      Job  Files                   Total Size
active ubcg19a    262   ...                    668640 bytes
1st    ubcg19a    263   ...                    97009 bytes
2nd    richards   81   netscape.ps             6749 bytes

orsay:~-110> lprm -Plj-b57 81
sun2.cryst.bbk.ac.uk: dfA081orsay.cryst.bbk.ac.uk dequeued
sun2.cryst.bbk.ac.uk: cfA081orsay.cryst.bbk.ac.uk dequeued

orsay:~-111> lpq -Plj-b57
lj4_116 is ready and printing
Rank   Owner      Job  Files                    Total Size
active ubcg19a    262   ...                     668640 bytes
1st    ubcg19a    263   ...                     97009 bytes

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$Revision: 1.4 $ $Date: 2000/09/29 18:33:47 $