`/etc/printcap`

printer capability database

The printcap database is a simplified version of the termcap database for describing printers. The spooling system accesses the printcap file every time it's used, so printers can be added or deleted dynamically. Each entry in the database describes one printer.

Note that this database may not be substituted for - as is possible for termcap - because it may allow accounting to be bypassed.

The default printer is normally lp, though the environment variable PRINTER may be used to override this. Each spooling utility supports a -Pprinter option to explicitly name a destination printer.

Each entry in the printcap file describes a printer. An entry is a line consisting of a number of fields separated by : characters. The first entry for each printer gives the known names for the printer, separated by | characters.

The first name is conventionally a number. The second name is the most common abbreviation for the printer; the last name should be a long name fully identifying the printer. The second name should contain no blanks; the last name may well contain blanks for readability. Entries may continue onto multiple lines by giving a \ as the last character of a line. Empty fields may be included for readability.

Capabilities in printcap are all introduced by two-character codes and are of three types:

Boolean capabilities - indicate that the printer has some particular feature. Boolean capabilities are simply written between the : characters and are indicated by the word ``bool'' in the type column of the capabilities table below.
Numeric capabilities - supply information such as baud rate, number of lines per page, and so on. Numeric capabilities are indicated by the word ``num'' in the type column of the capabilities table below. Numeric capabilities are given by the two-character capability code followed by the # character, followed by the numeric value. The following example is a numeric entry stating that this printer should run at 1200 baud:
```
:br#1200:
```
String capabilities - give a sequence that can be used to perform particular printer operations such as cursor motion. String valued capabilities are indicated by the word ``str'' in the type column of the capabilities table below. String valued capabilities are given by the two-character capability code followed by an = sign and then a string ending at the next following :. For example:
```
:rp=spinwriter:
```
is a sample entry stating that the remote printer is named ``spinwriter.''

Capabilities

Name	Type	Default	Description
`af`	str	NULL	Name of accounting file
`br`	num	none	If lp is a tty, set the baud rate (ioctl() call)
`cf`	str	NULL	`cifplot` data filter
`df`	str	NULL	TeX data filter (DVI format)
`du`	str	`0`	Userid of user `daemon`
`fc`	num	`0`	If lp is a tty, clear flag bits
`ff`	str	`\f`	String to send for a form feed
`fo`	bool	false	Print a form feed when device is opened
`fs`	num	`0`	Similar to `fc` but set bits
`gf`	str	NULL	Graph data filter (plot(3X) format)
`hl`	bool	false	Print the burst header page last
`ic`	bool	false	Driver supports (non standard) ioctl() to indent printout
`if`	str	NULL	Name of input/communication filter (created per job)
`lf`	str	`/dev/console`	Error logging filename
`lo`	str	`lock`	Name of lock file
`lp`	str	`/dev/lp`	Device name to open for output
`mc`	num	`0`	Maximum number of copies
`ms`	str	NULL	List of terminal modes to set or clear
`mx`	num	1000	Maximum file size (in BUFSIZ blocks); zero = unlimited
`nf`	str	NULL	`ditroff` data filter (device independent troff)
`of`	str	NULL	Name of output/banner filter (created once)
`pc`	num	`200`	Price per foot or page in hundredths of cents
`pl`	num	`66`	Page length (in lines)
`pw`	num	`132`	Page width (in characters)
`px`	num	`0`	Page width in pixels (horizontal)
`py`	num	`0`	Page length in pixels (vertical)
`rf`	str	NULL	Filter for printing FORTRAN style text files
`rg`	str	NULL	Restricted group - only members of group allowed access
`rm`	str	NULL	Machine name for remote printer
`rp`	str	`lp`	Remote printer name argument
`rs`	bool	false	Restrict remote users to those with local accounts
`rw`	bool	false	Open printer device read/write instead of write-only
`sb`	bool	false	Short banner (one line only)
`sc`	bool	false	Suppress multiple copies
`sd`	str	`/usr/spool/output/lpd`	Spool directory
`sf`	bool	false	Suppress form feeds
`sh`	bool	false	Suppress printing of burst page header
`st`	str	`status`	Status filename
`tc`	str	NULL	Name of similar printer; must be last
`tf`	str	NULL	`troff` data filter (C/A/T phototypesetter)
`tr`	str	NULL	Trailer string to print when queue empties
`vf`	str	NULL	Raster image filter
`xc`	num	`0`	If lp is a tty, clear local mode bits
`xs`	num	`0`	Like `xc` but set bits

If the local line printer driver supports indentation, the daemon must understand how to invoke it.

Note that the fs, fc, xs, and xc fields are flag masks rather than values. Certain default device flags are set when the device is opened by the line printer daemon if the device is connected to a terminal port. The flags indicated in the fc field are then cleared; the flags in the fs field are then set (or vice versa, depending on the order of fc#nnnn and fs#nnnn in the /etc/printcap file).

The bits cleared by the fc field and set by the fs field are those in the sg_flags field of the sgtty structure, as set by the TIOCSETP ioctl() call, and the bits cleared by the xc field and set by the xs field are those in the ``local flags'' word, as set by the TIOCLSET ioctl() call. See ttcompat for a description of these flags.

For example, to set exactly the flags 06300 in the fs field, which specifies that the EVENP, ODDP, and XTABS modes are to be set and that all other flags are to be cleared, do:

:fc#0177777:fs#06300:

The same process applies to the xc and xs fields. Alternatively, the ms field can be used to specify modes to be set and cleared. These modes are specified as stty modes; any mode supported by stty may be specified, except for the baud rate (which must be specified with the br field). This lets you set or clear modes not supported by the older terminal interface described in ttcompat.

For example, to set the terminal port (to which the printer is attached) to even parity, TAB expansion, no NEWLINE to RETURN/LINEFEED translation, and RTS/CTS flow control enabled, do the following:

:ms=evenp,-tabs,nl,crtscts:

The tc field must appear last in the list of capabilities. Each type of printer should have a general entry describing common capabilities. Then an individual printer can be defined with its particular capabilities, plus a tc field that points to the general entry for that type of printer.

`/etc/printcap`

Name:

Description:

Capabilities

See also: