1 README - CUPS v1.7rc1 - 2013-07-08
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7 **** PRE-RELEASE SOFTWARE - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK ****
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12 Looking for compile instructions? Read the file "INSTALL.txt" instead...
17 CUPS is a standards-based, open source printing system developed by Apple
18 Inc. for OS® X and other UNIX®-like operating systems. CUPS uses the
19 Internet Printing Protocol ("IPP") and provides System V and Berkeley
20 command-line interfaces, a web interface, and a C API to manage printers and
21 print jobs. It supports printing to both local (parallel, serial, USB) and
22 networked printers, and printers can be shared from one computer to another,
23 even over the Internet!
25 Internally, CUPS uses PostScript Printer Description ("PPD") files to
26 describe printer capabilities and features and a wide variety of generic
27 and device-specific programs to convert and print many types of files.
28 Sample drivers are included with CUPS to support many Dymo, EPSON, HP,
29 Intellitech, OKIDATA, and Zebra printers. Many more drivers are available
30 online and (in some cases) on the driver CD-ROM that came with your printer.
32 CUPS is licensed under the GNU General Public License and GNU Library
33 General Public License versions 2. See the file "LICENSE.txt" for more
37 READING THE DOCUMENTATION
39 Once you have installed the software you can access the documentation (and
40 a bunch of other stuff) online at:
44 If you're having trouble getting that far, the documentation is located
45 under the "doc/help" directory.
47 Please read the documentation before asking questions.
50 GETTING SUPPORT AND OTHER RESOURCES
52 If you have problems, READ THE DOCUMENTATION FIRST! We also provide many
53 discussion forums which are available at:
55 http://www.cups.org/newsgroups.php
57 See the CUPS web site at "http://www.cups.org/" for other resources.
60 SETTING UP PRINTER QUEUES USING YOUR WEB BROWSER
62 CUPS includes a web-based administration tool that allows you to manage
63 printers, classes, and jobs on your server. Open the following URL in your
64 browser to access the printer administration tools:
66 http://localhost:631/admin/
68 DO NOT use the hostname for your machine - it will not work with the default
69 CUPS configuration. To enable administration access on other addresses,
70 check the "Allow Remote Administration" box and click on the "Change
73 You will be asked for the administration password (root or any other user in
74 the sys/system/root/admin/lpadmin group on your system) when performing any
75 administrative function.
78 SETTING UP PRINTER QUEUES FROM THE COMMAND-LINE
80 CUPS works best with PPD (PostScript Printer Description) files. In a pinch
81 you can also use System V style printer interface scripts.
83 CUPS includes several sample PPD files you can use:
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87 Dymo Label Printers drv:///sample.drv/dymo.ppd
88 Intellitech Intellibar drv:///sample.drv/intelbar.ppd
89 EPSON Stylus Color Series drv:///sample.drv/stcolor.ppd
90 EPSON Stylus Photo Series drv:///sample.drv/stphoto.ppd
91 EPSON Stylus New Color Series drv:///sample.drv/stcolor2.ppd
92 EPSON Stylus New Photo Series drv:///sample.drv/stphoto2.ppd
93 EPSON 9-pin Series drv:///sample.drv/epson9.ppd
94 EPSON 24-pin Series drv:///sample.drv/epson24.ppd
95 Generic PCL Laser Printer drv:///sample.drv/generpcl.ppd
96 Generic PostScript Printer drv:///sample.drv/generic.ppd
97 HP DeskJet Series drv:///sample.drv/deskjet.ppd
98 HP LaserJet Series drv:///sample.drv/laserjet.ppd
99 OKIDATA 9-Pin Series drv:///sample.drv/okidata9.ppd
100 OKIDATA 24-Pin Series drv:///sample.drv/okidat24.ppd
101 Zebra CPCL Label Printer drv:///sample.drv/zebracpl.ppd
102 Zebra EPL1 Label Printer drv:///sample.drv/zebraep1.ppd
103 Zebra EPL2 Label Printer drv:///sample.drv/zebraep2.ppd
104 Zebra ZPL Label Printer drv:///sample.drv/zebra.ppd
106 Run the "lpinfo -m" command to list the available drivers:
110 Run the "lpinfo -v" command to list the available printers:
114 Then use the correct URI to add the printer using the "lpadmin" command:
116 lpadmin -p printername -E -v device-uri -m ppd-name
118 Network printers typically use "socket" or "lpd" URIs:
120 lpadmin -p printername -E -v socket://11.22.33.44 -m ppd-name
121 lpadmin -p printername -E -v lpd://11.22.33.44/ -m ppd-name
123 The sample drivers provide basic printing capabilities, but generally do not
124 exercise the full potential of the printers or CUPS. The CUPS web site
125 provides links and drivers:
127 http://www.cups.org/ppd.php PPD files
128 http://www.cups.org/links.php Links to other drivers
133 CUPS provides both the System V "lp" and Berkeley "lpr" commands for
139 Both the "lp" and "lpr" commands support printing options for the driver:
141 lp -o media=A4 -o resolution=600dpi filename
142 lpr -o media=A4 -o resolution=600dpi filename
144 CUPS recognizes many types of images files as well as PDF, PostScript,
145 HP-GL/2, and text files, so you can print those files directly rather than
146 through an application.
148 If you have an application that generates output specifically for your
149 printer then you need to use the "-oraw" or "-l" options:
154 This will prevent the filters from misinterpreting your print
160 CUPS is Copyright 2007-2013 by Apple Inc. CUPS and the CUPS logo are
161 trademarks of Apple Inc.
163 The MD5 Digest code is Copyright 1999 Aladdin Enterprises.
165 This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.
167 CUPS is provided under the terms of version 2 of the GNU General Public
168 License and GNU Library General Public License. This program is distributed
169 in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even
170 the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
171 See the "doc/help/license.html" or "LICENSE.txt" files for more information.