Updating SunSoft Print Clients With Printer Information

Table 41-1 provides an overview of the tasks you perform to convert the printer configuration information from SunOS 5.x and 4.x systems at your site and distribute the information to SunSoft print clients so they can access existing printers.

Table 41-1 Task Map: Updating Sunsoft Print Clients to Access existing Printers

	Task			Description		For Instructions, Go To
	Convert Existing Printer Configuration Information			Convert Printer Configuration Information From a SunOS 5.x System. If your site uses SunOS 5.x software, convert the printer configuration information in a 5.x system's /etc/lp/printers directory to the SunSoft /etc/printers.conf configuration file. This is usually a one-time task.		"How to Convert Printer Information From a SunOS 5.x System"
				Convert Printer Configuration Information From a SunOS 4.x System. If your site uses SunOS 4.x software, convert the printer configuration information in a 4.x system's /etc/printcap file to the SunSoft /etc/printers.conf configuration file. This is usually a one-time task.		"How to Convert Printer Information From a SunOS 4.x System"

Converting Existing Printer Configuration Information

Existing printer configuration information will automatically be converted when installing or upgrading to the Solaris 2.6 release. This section explains how to convert the printer configuration information from a SunOS 5.x or 4.x system to the /etc/printers.conf printer configuration file used in the SunSoft Print Client software. You'll use one of two print administration commands to automate the conversion task:

• The conv_lp command enables you to convert information in the /etc/lp/printers directory on a SunOS 5.x system to entries in the system's /etc/printers.conf file. See "How to Convert Printer Information From a SunOS 5.x System" for instructions.

• The conv_lpd command enables you to convert information in a /etc/printcap configuration file from a SunOS 4.x system to entries in a /etc/printers.conf file. See "How to Convert Printer Information From a SunOS 4.x System" for instructions.

If you are not using a name service, you should create a master /etc/printers.conf file that includes the existing printers at your site. You can then copy the master file to all the SunSoft print clients or by loading it into NIS or NIS+. This is a good way to initially enable all the new SunSoft print clients access to the existing printers at your site.

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Caution -

If you are using the NIS or NIS+ name service to configure printer information, do not use a /etc/printers.conf file on your SunSoft print clients. A SunSoft print client uses the /etc/printers.conf file first to locate a printer; however, the /etc/printers.conf file may conflict with the printer information in the NIS or NIS+ maps and cause unexpected results. To avoid this problem, remove the /etc/printers.conf file on SunSoft print clients when you want them to use NIS or NIS+ for printer information.

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How to Convert Printer Information From a SunOS 5.x System

1. Log in as superuser on a system that has SunOS 5.x software and SunSoft Print Client software installed.

2. Convert the printer configuration information in the system's /etc/lp/printers directory to the /etc/printers.conf file.

   # /usr/lib/print/conv_lp

How to Convert Printer Information From a SunOS 4.x System

1. Copy the /etc/printcap file from a SunOS 4.x system to a SunOS 5.x system that has the SunSoft Print Client software.

2. Log in as superuser on the SunOS 5.x system to which you copied the /etc/printcap file.

3. Convert the printer configuration information in the /etc/printcap file to the /etc/printers.conf file.

   # /usr/lib/print/conv_lpd