This section describes how to set up and administer printers after you install Solaris 7 software. This chapter also describes the changes to printer commands that have taken place between the SunOS release 4 and the Solaris 7 release environments.
The SunOS release 5.7 LP print service replaces the SunOS release 4 printing facilities, which were provided by the lpd daemon and lpr, lpq, lprm, and lpc commands. Admintool enables youto set up and administer printers through a graphical user interface. You can also use a command-line interface for the LP print service to administer SunOS release 5.7 printers. For detailed information about Admintool and the command-line interface to the LP service, see System Administration Guide, Volume II.
The services provided by the /etc/printcap file in the SunOS release 4 software are handled in the Solaris 7 operating environment by the terminfo database and by the files in the /etc/lp directory.
You can still use many SunOS release 4 print commands if the system is running the SunOS/BSD Source Compatibility Package. Compatibility mode uses SunOS release 4 command names as an interface to underlying Solaris 7 LP print services and does not actually run them the way a SunOS release 4 system would. When a user types SunOS release 4 commands to set up printing or to print files from a Solaris 7 system, the commands create message files that are handled by the SunOS release 5.7 LP print service scheduler.
Solaris 7 printing provides additional capabilities not available in SunOS release 4 systems. These capabilities enable you to control forms, print wheels, and interface programs, and to set up network print services.
As discussed in a previous section, you can continue to use SunOS release 4 print commands if you have the SunOS/BSD Source Compatibility Package. Table 11-1 shows the basic user print command equivalents.
Table 11-1 User Print Command Equivalents
SunOS release 4 |
SunOS release 5.7 |
Function |
---|---|---|
|
Print a file to the default printer |
|
lpr -P printer filename |
lp -d printer file |
Print a file to a specific printer |
Look at a list of the files waiting to print on the default printer |
||
lpstat -d |
Determine which is the default printer |
|
Check /etc/printcap
|
lpstat -a |
Determine which printers are available |
|
|
Cancel a print job on the default printer |
This section describes differences between printer setup and administration on SunOS release 4 and Solaris 7 systems. All the underlying system services described are available only in the Solaris 7 operating environment. The SunOS release 4 counterparts are not available even in compatibility mode.
You must use the System V printer administration commands lpadmin(1M) and lpsystem(1M) , the terminfo database, and the configuration files in the /etc/lp directory. See System Administration Guide, Volume II for details.
Table 11-2 shows the command equivalents for setting up printing.
Table 11-2 Printer Administration, Setup, and File Equivalents
SunOS release 4 |
SunOS release 5.7 |
Function |
---|---|---|
Control line printer functions |
||
/etc/lp/printers/printername/* |
File that defines printer functions |
|
|
Directory where printing system stores spool and lock files |
|
Not available |
Move print queues between printers |
|
lpc down |
Stop queueing to a printer |
In the SunOS release 4 software, you need the following command to send a troff file to the default printer.
% troff filename |
In the Solaris 7 operating environment, you must specify that you want the file printed by piping (|) the output to the lp command. Table 11-3 shows the SunOS release 5.7 troff commands.
Table 11-3 SunOS release 5.7 troff Commands
SunOS release 5.7 Command |
Function |
---|---|
troff file | /usr/lib/lp/postscript/dpost|lp |
Sends to default printer that supports troff jobs |
troff file| /usr/lib/lp/postscript/dpost|lp -d printer |
Sends to a particular printer |
troff file | lp-Ttroff |