How the SunSoft Print Client Commands Improve the Print Process

With the Solaris 2.6 SunSoft print client commands, the client system becomes a more effective print client: the commands use a greater number of options to locate printer configuration information, and the client communicates directly with the print server. In the previous Solaris operating environment, the print client did not have these advantages.

The Solaris 2.6 SunSoft print client commands:

• Use more options to locate printer information.

  The SunSoft print client commands check the following resources to locate printers and printer configuration information:

  • The command-line interface

  • A printer alias file in the user's home directory

  • Local (print client) configuration files

  • A network (shared) configuration file, if you use a name service

• Enable clients to submit requests directly to the print server.

  The SunSoft print client sends its requests to the print server's queue; the client does not have a local queue. The client writes the print request to a temporary spooling area only if the print server is not available or if an error occurs. This streamlined path to the server decreases the print client's use of resources, reduces the chances for printing problems, and improves performance.