<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"><html><head><title>Setting up a Unix lpr filter for Ghostscript</title><!-- $Id: Unix-lpr.htm,v 1.39 2005/10/20 19:46:23 ray Exp $ --><!-- Originally: unix-lpr.txt --><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="gs.css" title="Ghostscript Style"></head> <body><!-- [1.0 begin visible header] ============================================ --> <!-- [1.1 begin headline] ================================================== --> <h1>Setting up a Unix <tt>lpr</tt> filter for Ghostscript</h1> <!-- [1.1 end headline] ==================================================== --> <!-- [1.2 begin table of contents] ========================================= --> <h2>Table of contents</h2> <blockquote><ul><li><a href="#Overview">Overview</a><li><a href="#What_it_can_do">What it can do</a><li><a href="#Setting_up">Setting it up</a><ul><li><a href="#Editing_device_list">Editing the device list <b><tt>DEVICES</tt></b></a><ul><li><a href="#Field_bpp">Field 1: bits per pixel</a><li><a href="#Field_colours">Field 2: colours</a><li><a href="#Field_dq">Field 3: dual queues</a><li><a href="#Device_example">Example definition of <b><tt>DEVICES</tt></b></a></ul><li><a href="#Editing_filter_list">Editing the filter list</a><li><a href="#Editing_printer_port">Editing the printer port and type</a><li><a href="#Modifying_printcap_insert">Modifying <b><tt>printcap.insert</tt></b></a><li><a href="#Multiple_queues">Single or dual queues</a></ul><li><a href="#Bugs">Bugs</a><li><a href="#Authors">Authors</a></ul></blockquote> <!-- [1.2 end table of contents] =========================================== --> <!-- [1.3 begin hint] ====================================================== --> <p>For other information, see the <a href="Readme.htm">Ghostscriptoverview</a> and the <a href="Use.htm">usage documentation</a>. <!-- [1.3 end hint] ======================================================== --> <hr> <!-- [1.0 end visible header] ============================================== --> <!-- [2.0 begin contents] ================================================== --> <h2><a name="Overview"></a>Overview</h2> <p>"How do I set up Ghostscript to provide PostScript queues in a standard lprenvironment on Unix systems?" is a Frequently Asked Question amongstGhostscript users.  The two shell scripts described by this document aredesigned to make this task a little easier. They are <blockquote><dl><dt><b><tt>unix-lpr.sh</tt></b><dd>a flexible, multi-option print filter <dt><b><tt>lprsetup.sh</tt></b><dd>A shell script which sets up soft links and creates a template insertfor the <b><tt>printcap</tt></b> file</dl></blockquote> <hr> <h2><a name="What_it_can_do"></a>What it can do</h2> <p>The print filter resides in the Ghostscript installation directory (often<b><tt>/usr/local/share/ghostscript</tt></b>, but may be something else atyour installation), together with a dummy filter directory containingvarious soft links which point to the filter. It offers the followingfeatures: <ul><li>Multiple devices supported by a single filter<li>Multiple bit-depths for the same device<li>Multiple number of colours for the same device<li>Direct (single-queue) and indirect (two-queue) setup<li>Support for the standard preprocessing filters if you have thecorresponding (whatever)-to-PostScript translators<li>Redirection of diagnostic and programmed output to a logfile inthe spooling directory<li>Maintaining of printer accounting records of the numbers of pagesprinted by each user (compatible with the <b><tt>pac</tt></b> command)<li>Straightforward editing for further customisation</ul> <hr> <h2><a name="Setting_up"></a>Setting it up</h2> <p>The <b><tt>lprsetup.sh</tt></b> script needs to have two lines editedbefore running, to set the printer devices to use and the list of filtersavailable. With this information, it <ul><li>creates a "<b><tt>filt</tt></b>" subdirectory under theGhostscript installation directory<li>creates the links in this directory which enable the filter todetermine the parameters for running Ghostscript<li>automatically generates <b><tt>printcap</tt></b> entries which shouldneed only a little editing before adding to your system<b><tt>printcap</tt></b> file</ul> <h3><a name="Editing_device_list"></a>Editing the device list <tt>DEVICES</tt></h3> <p>At the top of <b><tt>lprsetup.sh</tt></b> is a line of the form<b><tt>DEVICES=</tt></b><em>{list}</em>.  Replace the example list withyour own list of devices.  Each entry is the name of a device, followed bythree more optional fields, separated by dots "<b><tt>.</tt></b>". <h4><a name="Field_bpp"></a>Field 1: bits per pixel</h4> <p>The first field is required only if the printer device understands the <ahref="Devices.htm#deskjet_parameters"><b><tt>-dBitsPerPixel=</tt></b>switch</a>, which applies only to colour devices. For a particular number<b><em>N</em></b> of bits per pixel, add the suffix <b><em>.N</em></b> tothe device name, for instance <b><tt>cdj500.3</tt></b>,<b><tt>cdj500.24</tt></b>, etc. <h4><a name="Field_colours"></a>Field 2: colours</h4> <p>The second field is required only if the printer device understands thesetting of the <b><tt>Colors</tt></b> device parameter (as in<b><tt>-dColors=</tt></b>), which applies only to colour devices (and atpresent is only supported by the <b><tt>bjc</tt></b>* family of drivers).For a particular number <b><em>N</em></b> of colours, suffix<b><em>.N</em></b> to the device name, such as <b><tt>bjc600.24.3</tt></b>,<b><tt>bjc600.8.1</tt></b> etc. <h4><a name="Field_dq"></a>Field 3: dual queues</h4> <p>The third field is required in order to use two separate queues for thedevice, a "raw" queue and a PostScript queue (see"<a href="#Multiple_queues">Single or dual queues</a>" below).  If you wantdual queues, add the suffix <b><tt>.dq</tt></b> ("dual queue") to the name,whether or not a <a href="#Field_bpp">bits-per-pixel suffix</a> has alreadybeen added. <h4><a name="Device_example"></a>Example definition of<tt>DEVICES</tt></h4> <p>Thus the following list supports a <b><tt>cdj550</tt></b> device at threedifferent bit depths (24 bpp, 3 bpp and 1 bpp), with a dual queue (that is,a separate queue for the raw data); a monochrome <b><tt>deskjet</tt></b>device with a single queue; and a <b><tt>djet500</tt></b> device using aseparate queue: <blockquote><b><tt>DEVICES="cdj550.24.dq&nbsp;cdj550.3.dq&nbsp;cdj550.1.dq&nbsp;deskjet&nbsp;djet500.dq"</tt></b></blockquote> <h3><a name="Editing_filter_list"></a>Editing the filter list</h3> <p>The standard list contains only the generic "<b><tt>if</tt></b>" filter,but a commented-out list shows other filters which may be available.  Ifyou wish to use the support for these filters, you may need to edit the<b><tt>bsd-if</tt></b> file to add to the <b><tt>PATH</tt></b> thedirectories where the translators are stored, or to change the names of thefilters if yours are different.  The <b><tt>bsd-if</tt></b> script issupplied with an example setup using Transcript (a commercial package fromAdobe), and PBMPLUS, a freeware package by Jef Poskanzer and others. <h3><a name="Editing_printer_port"></a>Editing the printer port andtype</h3> <p>You can set the port and port type (parallel or printer) for an attachedprinter, but for remote printers you'll have to modify the<tt>printcap.insert</tt> file yourself. <h3><a name="Modifying_printcap_insert"></a>Modifying<tt>printcap.insert</tt></h3> <p>Running <b><tt>lprsetup.sh</tt></b> generates a file<b><tt>printcap.insert</tt></b> which has a template setup for yourprinter queues.  It cannot guarantee to do the whole job, and you willprobably need to consult your system documentation and edit this filebefore you add it to your <b><tt>printcap</tt></b> file.  The file has gooddefaults for serial printers, as these often cause problems in gettingbinary data to the printer.  However, you may need to change the baud rate,or the handshaking method.  Only a small change is required in the<b><tt>printcap</tt></b> file to use a networked remote printer instead ofan attached printer, and an example is given in<b><tt>printcap.insert</tt></b>. <h3><a name="Multiple_queues"></a>Single or dual queues</h3> <p>If you wish to provide a PostScript-only queue (for example, so that allpages printed go through accounting), and the printer port is local to thehost machine, a single queue is appropriate -- Ghostscript simply convertsPostScript into the printer's native data format and sends it to theport.  But if the printer is on a remote networked machine, or if you need tosend raw printer data to the printer, you must use two queues.  Simplyspecify the <a href="#Field_dq">"<b><tt>.dq</tt></b>" option</a> above. <hr> <h2><a name="Bugs"></a>Bugs</h2> <p>You must have write access to the Ghostscript installation directory for<b><tt>lprsetup.sh</tt></b> to create the filter directory and soft links. <p>If you have several different values of bits per pixel for the same device,you must list all instances of that device as adjacent items in the<a href="#Editing_device_list"><b><tt>DEVICES</tt></b></a> devicelist.  If you do not, <b><tt>printcap.insert</tt></b> will contain multipleentries for the same device, which is not supported. <hr> <h2><a name="Authors"></a>Authors</h2> <p>This material was contributed by George Cameron.  Yves Arrouye&lt;<a href="mailto:yves.arrouye@usa.net">yves.arrouye@usa.net</a>&gt;is responsible for the number-of-colours part of the script. <!-- [2.0 end contents] ==================================================== --> <!-- [3.0 begin visible trailer] =========================================== --><hr> <p><small>Copyright &copy; 1996, 1997, 1998 Aladdin Enterprises.  Allrights reserved.</small> <p>This software is provided AS-IS with no warranty, either express orimplied. This software is distributed under license and may not be copied,modified or distributed except as expressly authorized under the termsof the license contained in the file LICENSE in this distribution. For more information about licensing, please refer tohttp://www.ghostscript.com/licensing/. For information oncommercial licensing, go to http://www.artifex.com/licensing/ orcontact Artifex Software, Inc., 101 Lucas Valley Road #110,San Rafael, CA  94903, U.S.A., +1(415)492-9861. <p><small>Ghostscript version 8.53, 20 October 2005 <!-- [3.0 end visible trailer] ============================================= --> </body></html>