Check the LP Print Service

For printing to work, the LP scheduler must be running on both the print server and print client. If it is not running, you need to start it using the /usr/lib/lp/lpsched command. If you have trouble starting the scheduler, see How to Restart the Print Scheduler.

In addition to the scheduler running, a printer must be enabled and accepting requests before it will produce any output. If the LP print service is not accepting requests for a printer, the submitted print requests are rejected. Usually, in that instance, the user receives a warning message after submitting a print request. If the LP print service is not enabled for a printer, print requests remain queued on the system until the printer is enabled.

In general, you should analyze a printing problem as follows:

• Follow the path of the print request step-by-step.

• Examine the status of the LP print service at each step.

  • Is the configuration correct?

  • Is the printer accepting requests?

  • Is the printer enabled to process requests?

• If the request is hanging on transmission, set up lpr.debug in syslog.conf to display the flow.

• If the request is hanging locally, examine the lpsched log (/var/lp/logs/lpsched).

• If the request is hanging locally, have notification of the printer device errors (faults) mailed to you, and re-enable the printer.

The procedures found in Troubleshooting Printing Problems use this strategy to help you troubleshoot various problems with the LP print service.