lienhart@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Bob Lienhart) (02/14/91)
How do 4.3 BSD spooler systems handle the concept of options to a print request? For example say I have a LaserJet printer that is capable of printing double-sided. How does one set up a printer on a 4.3 BSD spooler system to allow the user to choose between single-sided and double-sided output? Another example is chosing between portrait mode and landscape mode output? System V spoolers such as those found in HP-UX and SCO, the lp command includes a "-o" parameter in which a user can specify options. In the first example above, "lp -odouble <filename> would print the request on both sides of the page. Leaving out the "-odouble" would result in single-sided output. So how do 4.3 BSD spoolers handle this type of control--if at all? Bob Lienhart
wolfgang@wsrcc.com (Wolfgang S. Rupprecht) (02/16/91)
lienhart@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Bob Lienhart) writes: >How do 4.3 BSD spooler systems handle the concept of options to >a print request? For example say I have a LaserJet printer that >is capable of printing double-sided. How does one set up a >printer on a 4.3 BSD spooler system to allow the user to choose >between single-sided and double-sided output? Another example >is chosing between portrait mode and landscape mode output? Uh, a very good question. Unfortunately I don't think you will get a good answer. (I would only be too pleased to have someone come up with a better answer.) The hack way that I have seen is by using the -P (printer) switch. One just declares several printer names that all use different printcap entries. One printer (say lpr-land) can use the lanscape filter, another printer (lpr-wide) can use the wide-font filter etc. The possible combinations and entries are unlimited.... The "printers" all just happen to talk to the same serial line, so all output gets to the same printer. The major inconvenience with this hack is that in order to mark a single hardware-printer as up/down one has to enable or disable zillions of software printers. -wolfgang -- Wolfgang Rupprecht wolfgang@wsrcc.com (or) uunet!wsrcc!wolfgang Snail Mail Address: Box 6524, Alexandria, VA 22306-0524
prc@erbe.se (Robert Claeson) (02/18/91)
In article <10040001@hpfcdc.HP.COM> lienhart@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Bob Lienhart) writes: >How do 4.3 BSD spooler systems handle the concept of options to >a print request? For example say I have a LaserJet printer that >is capable of printing double-sided. How does one set up a >printer on a 4.3 BSD spooler system to allow the user to choose >between single-sided and double-sided output? Another example >is chosing between portrait mode and landscape mode output? ... >System V spoolers such as those found in HP-UX and SCO, the lp >command includes a "-o" parameter in which a user can specify >options. In the first example above, "lp -odouble <filename> >would print the request on both sides of the page. Leaving >out the "-odouble" would result in single-sided output. So >how do 4.3 BSD spoolers handle this type of control--if at all? You can't. While the System V spooler provides a flexible way of sending options and arguments to the back-end filters, the BSD spooler doesn't provide any of this functionality. Instead, it has a number of pre-defined input format types, with the ability to, in /etc/printcap, specify filters for any of these formats on a given printer. -- Robert Claeson Disclaimer: I represent myself and not my employer.