printcap(SFF) printcap(SFF) Name printcap - printer capability database Syntax /etc/printcap Description printcap is a simplified version of the termcap(F) database used to describe line printers. The spooling system accesses the printcap file every time it is used, allowing dynamic addition and deletion of print- ers. Each entry in the database describes one printer. 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 an option, -Pprinter, to allow explicit naming of a destination printer. Capabilities Refer to termcap(F) for a description of the file layout. _________________________________________________________________________ Name Type Default _________________________________________________________________________ lf str ``/dev/console'' error logging filename lp str ``/dev/lp'' device name to open for output rm str NULL machine name for remote printer rp str ``lp'' remote printer name argument sc bool false suppress multiple copies sd str ``/usr/spool/lpd'' spool directory If the local line printer driver supports indentation, the daemon must understand how to invoke it. Logging Error messages generated by the line printer programs themselves (that is, the lp* programs) are logged by syslog(SLIB) using the LPR facility. Messages printed on stderr of one of the filters are sent to the corre- sponding lf file. The filters may, of course, use syslog themselves. Error messages sent to the console have a carriage return and a line feed appended to them, rather than just a line feed. See also termcap(F), lp(C), lpd(ADMN), lpstat(C), cancel(C)