What the SunSoft Print Client Commands Do

This section briefly describes the functions of the SunSoft print client commands.

Submitting a Print Request

The lp and lpr commands enable you to submit a print request. When you submit a request, the command locks the file to be printed and attempts to send it directly to the print server. If the command can't lock the file or the destination printer is not responding, the command uses a temporary spooling area (/var/spool/print) on the print client to hold the print request, then becomes a daemon to perform the transfer later. After all the print requests in the spooling area are transferred, the daemon exits.

Checking Print Queues and the Status of Printers

With the lpstat and lpq commands, you can check print queues and the status of printers. These commands display the print server's queue and any local print requests on the print client that are waiting to be transferred to the print server.

One difference between these two commands is that the lpstat command parses the print queue to display the format you request. If lpstat can't parse a print queue in the requested format, it displays the queue in the format the print server used.

Canceling a Print Request

The cancel and lprm commands enable you to cancel, or remove, a print request. Either command first removes any local copies of a print request awaiting transfer to the print server, then sends a cancel request to the print server.

Moving a Print Request

If a client's print request hasn't been sent to the print server, you can use the lpmove command to move the request to another print server. This command also enables you to move print requests that are in the print server's queue to another printer.