Linux Printing

Chapter 14

Linux Printing

• Configuring a local printer

• Configuring a remote printer

• Traditional UNIX printing

• CUPS web Interface

• CUPS on the command line

• Integration with Windows

Printing with CUPS

• The role of printing– Receive print job from application– Get it to the appropriate queue– Format it for printing

LPR / CUPS / IPP

• LPR & LPD are the traditional Unix/Linux printing systems– Used the Line Printer Daemon for the server – Line Pinter Remote for the client end

LPR / CUPS / IPP

• CUPS– Common UNIX Printing System is a cross

platform print server built around IPP

• IPP – Internet Printing Protocol (based on http)

LPR / CUPS / IPP

• CUPS– Contains numerous standard printer drivers– Cross platform – Linux, Windows, & Mac OS X– Supports

• LPD/LPR, http, SMB, and JetDirect protocols

IPP Project

• The IPP project began in 1996 when Novell and several other companies decided to design a protocol for printing over the Internet

• IPP is capable of determining:– the capabilities of a printer– Status of a printer– Status of a print job– As well as submitting and cancelling printjobs

Getting ready for CUPS

• The following packages need to be installed for CUPS printing:- CUPS- System-config-printer (optional)- Kdebase (provides optional kprinter)

Starting CUPS

• To start CUPS– /etc/rc.d/init.d/cups start

• To set CUPS to auto start in Multiuser mode– /sbin/chkconfig cups on

Configuring a local printer

• The fastest way to add a printer is to use the “system-config-printer” command

• This will bring up Printer Configuration

Adding a new printer queue

Adding a new printer queue

• Queue name– The name needs to start with a letter and contains no

spaces– Queue description is optional but a good idea

• Queue Type– By default this will be set to “Locally-connected” – LPT1 port will be displayed as /dev/lp0– USB ports will be displayed as /dev/usb/lp0

• They appear as Line printers inder the USB directory

Adding a new printer queue

• Printer Model– Standard printers can be chosen from a list of

manufacturers and models– If a printer is not listed, check to see if there is

a printer that can be emulated

• Finish

Configuring a Remote Printer

• CUPS allows you to connect to a printer over the network and manipulate the configuration or check its status.

• CUPS runs on port 631– To connect to a host you will need to

reference the port.– To connect to your local port you will need to

use your browser to get to http://localhost:631

Admin of a remote printer

Admin of a remote print server

LPR/LPD printing

• Command based printing uses the “lp” or “lpr” command.– “lp memo.txt” will send the memo.txt file to the

default printer– To specify a printer use the “-d” command

• ‘lp –d colorlaser memo.txt”

LPR/LPD printing• “lpstat” is used to display information

about a printer’s queue

• Each print job is given a job number – you can use the “cancel” command to remove them from a queue– “cancel 15”

• This is also availablethrough the browser

CUPS on the Command Line

• lpinfo– Displays the available drivers – Try combining this with a grep search to

minimized the list – lpinfo | grep “Brother”

• Lpadmin – Add, modify or configure printers – Add: “lpadmin –p colourlaser –m hp4150c.ppd.gz

• Adds an HP 4150C printer called colourlaser

CUPS Files & Services

• /etc/cups/printers.conf– Printer information

• /usr/share/cups/model– Printer drivers

• /etc/cups/cupsd.conf– CUPS configuration

• /sbin/service cups– Cups daemon

KDE Print Manager

• Kprinter – GUI manager

Microsoft Integration

• Printing from Windows– Requires SAMBA (Chapter 23)– Printers are shared and Windows 2000 and

later printers can print to the Linux printer via IPP

• Printing to Windows– Linux treats a Windows IPP printer as any

other printer

Linux Printing

• Configuring a local printer

• Configuring a remote printer

• Traditional UNIX printing

• CUPS web Interface

• CUPS on the command line

• Integration with Windows

Today’s Task

• Install CUPS and get a printer installed

• Test your install by printing to file or getting your document to show up in the queue