printcap(5)
NAME
printcap − printer capability data base
SYNTAX
/etc/printcap
DESCRIPTION
The /etc/printcap file is a simplified version of the termcap(5) data base used to describe line printers. The spooling system accesses the /etc/printcap file every time it is used, allowing dynamic addition and deletion of printers. Each entry in the data base is used to describe one printer. This data base 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 an option, −Pprinter, to allow explicit naming of a destination printer.
CAPABILITIES
For a description of the file layout, refer to termcap(5).
NameTypeDefault Description
afstr’/usr/adm/lpacct’name of accounting file
brnumnoneif lp is a tty, set the
baud rate (ioctl call)
dnstr’/usr/lib/lpd’name of printer daemon
dunum0uid for setuid daemon (lpd)
fcnum0if lp is a tty, clear
flag bits (sgtty.h)
ffstr’\f’string to send for a form feed
foboolfalseprint a form feed when device
is opened
fsnum0like ’fc’ but set bits
lfstr’/dev/console’error logging file name
lostr’lock’name of lock file
lpstr’/dev/lp’device name to open for output
mxnum1000maximum file size (in BUFSIZ
blocks), zero = unlimited
ncboolfalsesuppress printing of control char-
acters when using an output filter
ofstrNULLname of output filtering program
plnum66page length (in lines)
pwnum132page width (in characters)
rwboolfalseopen the printer device for
reading and writing
sdstr’/usr/spool/lpd’spool directory
sfboolfalsesuppress form feeds between pages
shboolfalsesuppress printing of burst
page header
trstrNULLtrailer string to print when
queue empties
xcnum0if lp is a tty, clear local
mode bits (tty (4))
xsnum0like ’xc’ but set bits
Error messages sent to the console have a carriage return and a line feed appended to them, rather than just a line feed.