NAME

printcap − printer capability data base

SYNOPSIS

/etc/printcap

DESCRIPTION

Printcap is a simplified version of the termcap(5) data base used to describe line printers.  The spooling system accesses the 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

Refer to termcap for a description of the file layout. 

 NameTypeDefault Description
afstrNULLname of accounting file
brnumnoneif lp is a tty, set the baud rate (ioctl call)
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
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
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. 

SEE ALSO

lpq(1), lpr(1), lprm(1), termcap(5), lpd(8)

7th Edition