The printer type is a generic name for a type of printer. It identifies the terminfo database entry that contains various control sequences for the printer. By convention, printer type is usually derived from the manufacturer's model name. For example, the printer type name for the DECwriterTM printer is decwriter. However, the common printer type PS does not follow this convention. PS is used as the printer type for many models of PostScriptTM printers, such as Apple LaserWriter®I and Apple LaserWriterII printers.
You can specify the printer type by using the lpadmin -T command or Solaris Print Manager.
Solaris Print Manager lets you select a printer type from a menu or choose Other and specify any printer type in the terminfo database. This provides you as much capability as the lpadmin command.
Information about each printer type is stored in the terminfo database (/usr/share/lib/terminfo). This information includes the printer capabilities and initialization control data. The printer you install must correspond to an entry in the terminfo database.
$ pwd /usr/share/lib/terminfo $ ls 1 3 5 7 9 B H P a c e g i k m o q s u w y 2 4 6 8 A G M S b d f h j l n p r t v x z $ |
Each subdirectory contains compiled database entries for terminals or printers. The entries are organized by the first letter of the printer or terminal type. For example, if you have an Epson\256 printer, look in /usr/share/lib/terminfo/e to find your particular model of Epson printer.
$ cd /usr/share/lib/terminfo/e $ ls emots ep2500+high ep48 ergo4000 exidy2500 env230 ep2500+low epson2500 esprit envision230 ep40 epson2500-80 ethernet ep2500+basic ep4000 epson2500-hi ex3000 ep2500+color ep4080 epson2500-hi80 exidy $ |
The entries for Epson printers are included in the preceding example.
If you have a NEC\256 printer, look in the /usr/share/lib/terminfo/n directory for your NEC printer model.
$ cd /usr/share/lib/terminfo/n $ ls ncr7900 ncr7900iv netronics network nuc ncr7900-na ncr7901 netty netx nucterm ncr7900i nec netty-Tabs newhp ncr7900i-na net netty-vi newhpkeyboard $ |
The entry in this directory for NEC is included in the preceding example.