DESCRIPTION
The
lp utility submits print requests to a destination. There are two formats of the
lp command.
The first form of
lp prints files (
file) and associated information (collectively called a
print request). If
file is not specified,
lp assumes the standard input. Use a hyphen (
−) with
file to specify the standard input. Files are printed in the order in which they appear on the command line.
The second form of
lp changes print request options. This form of
lp can only be used with print services and protocols that support job modification. The LP print service allows print requests to be modified when they are in a queue local to the system that the lp commands was executed on. The Internet Print Protocol (IPP) allows job modification on remote ipp print services.
The print request identified by
request-ID is changed according to the printing options specified. The printing options available are the same as those with the first form of the
lp. If the request has finished printing when the
lp command is executed, the change is rejected. If the request is in the process of printing, it is stopped and restarted from the beginning (unless the
-P option has been given).
The print client commands locate destination information using the "printers" database in the name service switch. See
nsswitch.conf(4),
printers(4), and
printers.conf(4) for details.
OPTIONS
Printers that have a 4.
x or
BSD-based print server are not configured to handle
BSD protocol extensions.
lp handles print requests sent to such destinations differently (see NOTES).
The following options are supported:
-c
Copies
file before printing.
Unless
-c is specified, users should not remove any
file before the print request has completely printed. Changes made to
file after the print request is made but before it is printed might be reflected in the printed output.
file is linked (as opposed to copied).
-d destination
Prints file on a specific destination. The -d option is used to set the destination only when the job is first created. ( Note: To move existing jobs to a different destination, see lpmove(1M).) destination can be either a printer or a class of printers (see lpadmin(1M)). Specify destination using atomic, URI-style ( scheme://endpoint), or POSIX-style ( server:destination) names. See printers.conf(4) for more information.
-f form-name
Prints file on form-name. The LP print service ensures that the form is mounted on the printer. The print request is rejected if the printer does not support form-name, if form-name is not defined for the system, or if the user is not allowed to use form-name (see lpforms(1M)).
-H special-handling
Prints the print request according to the value of
special-handling. The following
special-handling values are acceptable:
hold
Do not print the print request until notified. If printing has already begun, stop it. Other print requests are placed ahead of a request that has been put on hold ( held print request) until the print request is resumed.
resume
Resume a held print request. If the print request had begun to print when held, it is the next print request printed, unless it is superseded by an immediate print request.
immediate
Print the print request next. If more than one print request is assigned, the most recent print request is printed next. If a print request is currently printing on the desired printer, a hold request must be issued to allow the immediate request to print. The immediate request is only available to LP administrators.
-i request-ID
Changes options for the print request identified by
request-ID. There must be a space between
-i and
request-ID.
This option applies to jobs that are in a local queue on a print server. This also applies to remote queues on when the remote print server supports IPP with job modification.
-m
Sends mail after file has printed (see mail(1)). By default, no mail is sent upon normal completion of a print request.
-n number
Prints a specific number of copies of file. Specify number as a digit. The default for number is 1.
-o option
Specifies printer-dependent
options. Specify several options by specifying
-o option multiple times (
-o option -o option -o option ). Printer-dependent options can also be specified using the
-o keyletter once, followed by a list of options enclosed in double quotes (
-o"
option option option").
options take the following forms:
key=value
Associates information with the request for use by the backend print service. The keys and values that can be used are specific to the backend print service and queue configuration.
[no]key
Associates boolean information with the request for use by the backend print service. The keys that can be used are specific to the backend print service and queue configuration.
The following options are commonly used with the LP print service:
nobanner
Does not print a banner page with the request. This option can be disallowed by the
LP administrator.
On a system that is configured with Trusted Extensions, use of this option requires the
solaris.print.nobanner authorization.
nofilebreak
Prints multiple files without inserting a form feed between them.
nolabels
On a system that is configured with Trusted Extensions, specifies suppression of page header and footer labels. Use of this option requires the solaris.print.unlabeled authorization.
length=numberi |
numberc |
number
Prints the print request with pages of a specific length in inches, centimeters, or number of lines. Append the letter
i for inches or
c for centimeters to
number. Indicate the number of lines by specifying
number alone.
length=66 indicates a page length of
66 lines.
length=11i indicates a page length of
11 inches.
length=27.94c indicates a page length of
27.94 centimeters.
This option can not be used with the
-f option.
width=numberi |
numberc |
number
Prints the print request with pages of a specific width in inches, centimeters, or number of columns. Append the letter
i for inches or
c for centimeters to
number. Indicate the number of columns by specifying
number alone.
width=65 indicates a page width of
65 columns.
width=6.5i indicates a page width of
6.5 inches.
width=10c indicates a page width of
10 centimeters.
This option can not be used with the
-f option.
lpi=number
Prints the print request with the line pitch set to
number lines in an inch. Use
number to specify the number of lines in an inch.
This option can not be used with the
-f option.
cpi=n|
pica|
elite|
compressed
Prints the print request with the character pitch set to number characters in an inch. Use number to specify the number of characters in an inch. Use pica to set character pitch to pica (10 characters per inch), or elite to set character pitch to elite (12 characters per inch) Use compressed to set character pitch to as many characters as the printer can handle. There is no standard number of characters per inch for all printers; see the terminfo database (see terminfo(4)) for the default character pitch for your printer. This option can not be used with the -f option.
stty=stty-option-list
Prints the request using a list of options valid for the stty command (see stty(1). Enclose the list in single quotes (`') if it contains blanks.
-P page-list
Prints the pages specified in
page-list in ascending order. Specify
page-list as a of range of numbers, single page number, or a combination of both.
The
-P option can only be used if there is a filter available to handle it; otherwise, the print request is rejected.
-p
Enables notification on completion of the print request. Delivery of the notification is dependent on additional software.
-q priority-level
Assigns the print request a priority in the print queue. Specify priority-level as an integer between from 0 and 39. Use 0 to indicate the highest priority; 39 to indicate the lowest priority. If no priority is specified, the default priority for a print service is assigned by the LP administrator. The LP administrator can also assign a default priority to individual users.
-s
Suppresses the display of messages sent from lp.
-S character-set |
-S print-wheel
Prints the request using the
character-set or
print-wheel. If a form was requested and requires a character set or print wheel other than the one specified with the
-S option, the request is rejected. Printers using mountable print wheels or font cartridges use the print wheel or font cartridge mounted at the time of the print request, unless the
-S option is specified.
Printers Using Print Wheels: If
print wheel is not one listed by the
LP administrator as acceptable for the printer the request is rejected unless the print wheel is already mounted on the printer.
Printers Using Selectable or Programmable Character Sets: If the
-S option is not specified,
lp uses the standard character set. If
character-set is not defined in the
terminfo database for the printer (see
terminfo(4)), or is not an alias defined by the
LP administrator, the request is rejected.
-t title
Prints a title on the banner page of the output. Enclose title in quotes if it contains blanks. If title is not not specified, the name of the file is printed on the banner page.
-Tcontent-type [
-r]
Prints the request on a printer that can support the specified content-type. If no printer accepts this type directly, a filter is used to convert the content into an acceptable type. If the -r option is specified, a filter is not used. If -r is specified, and no printer accepts the content-type directly, the request is rejected. If the content-type is not acceptable to any printer, either directly or with a filter, the request is rejected.
-w
Writes a message on the user's terminal after the files have been printed. If the user is not logged in, then mail is sent instead.
-y mode-list
Prints the request according to the printing modes listed in
mode-list. The allowed values for
mode-list are locally defined.
This option can be used only if there is a filter available to handle it; otherwise, the print request is rejected.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
See
environ(5) for descriptions of the following environment variables that affect the execution of
lp:
LANG,
LC_ALL,
LC_CTYPE,
LC_MESSAGES,
NLSPATH, and
PATH.
LC_TIME
Determine the format and contents of date and time strings displayed in the lp banner page, if any.
LPDEST
Determine the destination. If the LPDEST environment variable is not set, the PRINTER environment variable shall be used. The -d dest option takes precedence over LPDEST. Results are undefined when -d is not specified and LPDEST contains a value that is not a valid destination name.
PRINTER
Determine the output device or destination. If the LPDEST and PRINTER environment variables are not set, an unspecified output device is used. The -d dest option and the LPDEST environment variable shall take precedence over PRINTER. Results are undefined when -d is not specified, LPDEST is unset, and PRINTER contains a value that is not a valid device or destination name.
TZ
Determine the timezone used to calculate date and time strings displayed in the lp banner page, if any. If TZ is unset or null, an unspecified default timezone shall be used.
NOTES
CSI-capability assumes that printer names are composed of
ASCII characters.
Print jobs are assumed to contain one type of data. That type of data is either specified on the command line or autodetected (simple, PostScript) based on the contents of the first file in the job.
When using the BSD printing protocol to send print requests to a remote print service, functionality is limited.
Printers that have a 4.
x or BSD-based print server are not configured to handle BSD protocol extensions.
lp handles print requests sent to such printers in the following ways:
-
1.
-
Print requests with more than 52 filenames are truncated to 52 files.
-
2.
-
The -f, -H, -o, -P, -p, -q, -S, -T, and -y options might require a protocol extension to pass to a print server. If lp cannot handle the print request, it displays a warning message.
LP administrators enable protocol extensions by setting a printer's printer-uri-supported (or bsdaddr) entry in /etc/printers.conf. Changing the printer-uri-supported entry in /etc/printers.conf to:
printer-uri-supported=lpd\://server/printers/destination#Solaris
bsdaddr=server,destination,Solaris
Adding Solaris to either of these values causes the lp command to generate a set of BSD print protocol extensions that can be processed by a Solaris print server.
As a result of several limitations in the BSD print protocol, it is recommended that the IPP protocol be used for communication with print servers.
When IPP is in use, the user is prompted for a passphrase if the remote print service is configured to require authentication.