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2e4ff8af 1README - CUPS v1.3.0 - 2007-08-13
7ff4fea9 2---------------------------------
ef416fc2 3
4Looking for compile instructions? Read the file "INSTALL.txt"
5instead...
6
ef416fc2 7
8INTRODUCTION
9
4744bd90 10 CUPS provides a portable printing layer for UNIX(r)-based
bc44d920 11 operating systems. It was developed by Easy Software Products
12 and is now owned and maintained by Apple Inc. to promote a
13 standard printing solution for all UNIX vendors and users. CUPS
14 provides the System V and Berkeley command-line interfaces.
ef416fc2 15
4744bd90 16 CUPS uses the Internet Printing Protocol ("IPP") as the basis
17 for managing print jobs and queues. The Line Printer Daemon
18 ("LPD") Server Message Block ("SMB"), and AppSocket (a.k.a.
19 JetDirect) protocols are also supported with reduced
20 functionality. CUPS adds network printer browsing and
21 PostScript Printer Description ("PPD") based printing options
22 to support real-world printing under UNIX.
ef416fc2 23
4744bd90 24 CUPS includes an image file RIP that supports printing of
7ff4fea9
MS
25 image files to non-PostScript printers. GPL Ghostscript now
26 includes the "cups" driver to support printing of PostScript
27 files within the CUPS driver framework. Sample drivers for
28 Dymo, EPSON, HP, OKIDATA, and Zebra printers are included that
29 use these filters.
ef416fc2 30
4744bd90 31 CUPS is licensed under the GNU General Public License and GNU
bc44d920 32 Library General Public License versions 2.
ef416fc2 33
34
35READING THE DOCUMENTATION
36
4744bd90 37 Once you have installed the software you can access the
38 documentation (and a bunch of other stuff) on-line at:
ef416fc2 39
4744bd90 40 http://localhost:631/
ef416fc2 41
4744bd90 42 If you're having trouble getting that far, the documentation
43 is located under the "doc/help" directory.
ef416fc2 44
4744bd90 45 Please read the documentation before asking questions.
ef416fc2 46
47
48GETTING SUPPORT AND OTHER RESOURCES
49
4744bd90 50 If you have problems, READ THE DOCUMENTATION FIRST! We also
51 provide many discussion forums which are available at:
ef416fc2 52
4744bd90 53 http://www.cups.org/newsgroups.php
ef416fc2 54
4744bd90 55 See the CUPS web site at "http://www.cups.org/" for other
56 site links.
ef416fc2 57
58
59SETTING UP PRINTER QUEUES USING YOUR WEB BROWSER
60
bc44d920 61 CUPS 1.3 includes a web-based administration tool that allows
4744bd90 62 you to manage printers, classes, and jobs on your server.
63 Open the following URL in your browser to access the printer
64 administration tools:
ef416fc2 65
4744bd90 66 http://localhost:631/admin/
ef416fc2 67
4744bd90 68 DO NOT use the hostname for your machine - it will not work
69 with the default CUPS configuration. To enable
70 administration access on other addresses, check the "Allow
71 Remote Administration" box and click on the "Change Settings"
72 button.
ef416fc2 73
4744bd90 74 You will be asked for the administration password (root or
75 any other user in the sys/system/root group on your system)
76 when performing any administrative function.
ef416fc2 77
78
79SETTING UP PRINTER QUEUES FROM THE COMMAND-LINE
80
4744bd90 81 CUPS works best with PPD (PostScript Printer Description)
82 files. In a pinch you can also use System V style printer
83 interface scripts.
ef416fc2 84
4744bd90 85 CUPS includes several sample PPD files you can use:
ef416fc2 86
4744bd90 87 Driver PPD File
88 ----------------------------- ------------
89 Dymo Label Printers dymo.ppd
bc44d920 90 Intellitech Intellibar intelbar.ppd
4744bd90 91 EPSON Stylus Color Series stcolor.ppd
92 EPSON Stylus Photo Series stphoto.ppd
93 EPSON Stylus New Color Series stcolor2.ppd
94 EPSON Stylus New Photo Series stphoto2.ppd
95 EPSON 9-pin Series epson9.ppd
96 EPSON 24-pin Series epson24.ppd
97 HP DeskJet Series deskjet.ppd
98 HP LaserJet Series laserjet.ppd
99 OKIDATA 9-Pin Series okidata9.ppd
100 OKIDATA 24-Pin Series okidat24.ppd
80ca4592 101 Zebra CPCL Label Printer zebracpl.ppd
4744bd90 102 Zebra EPL1 Label Printer zebraep1.ppd
103 Zebra EPL2 Label Printer zebraep2.ppd
104 Zebra ZPL Label Printer zebra.ppd
ef416fc2 105
4744bd90 106 Run the "lpinfo" command to list the available printers:
ef416fc2 107
4744bd90 108 lpinfo -v
ef416fc2 109
4744bd90 110 Then use the correct URI to add the printer using the
111 "lpadmin" command:
ef416fc2 112
4744bd90 113 lpadmin -p printername -E -v URI -m filename.ppd
ef416fc2 114
4744bd90 115 Network printers typically use "socket" or "lpd" URIs:
ef416fc2 116
4744bd90 117 lpadmin -p printername -E -v socket://11.22.33.44 -m filename.ppd
118 lpadmin -p printername -E -v lpd://11.22.33.44/ -m filename.ppd
ef416fc2 119
4744bd90 120 The sample drivers provide basic printing capabilities, but
121 generally do not exercise the full potential of the printers
bc44d920 122 or CUPS.
ef416fc2 123
124
125PRINTING FILES
126
4744bd90 127 CUPS provides both the System V "lp" and Berkeley "lpr"
128 commands for printing:
ef416fc2 129
4744bd90 130 lp filename
131 lpr filename
ef416fc2 132
4744bd90 133 Both the "lp" and "lpr" commands support printing options for
134 the driver:
ef416fc2 135
4744bd90 136 lp -omedia=A4 -oresolution=600dpi filename
137 lpr -omedia=A4 -oresolution=600dpi filename
ef416fc2 138
4744bd90 139 CUPS recognizes many types of images files as well as PDF,
140 PostScript, HP-GL/2, and text files, so you can print those
141 files directly rather than through an application.
ef416fc2 142
4744bd90 143 If you have an application that generates output specifically
144 for your printer then you need to use the "-oraw" or "-l"
145 options:
ef416fc2 146
4744bd90 147 lp -oraw filename
148 lpr -l filename
ef416fc2 149
4744bd90 150 This will prevent the filters from misinterpreting your print
151 file.
ef416fc2 152
153
154LEGAL STUFF
155
bc44d920 156 CUPS is Copyright 2007 by Apple Inc. CUPS, the CUPS logo, and
157 the Common UNIX Printing System are the trademark property of
158 Apple Inc.
ef416fc2 159
4744bd90 160 The MD5 Digest code is Copyright 1999 Aladdin Enterprises.
ef416fc2 161
4744bd90 162 The PDF filter (pdftops) is based on the Xpdf software,
163 Copyright 1996-2005 by Derek B. Noonburg.
ef416fc2 164
4744bd90 165 This software is based in part on the work of the Independent
166 JPEG Group.
ef416fc2 167
4744bd90 168 CUPS is provided under the terms of the GNU General Public
169 License and GNU Library General Public License. This program
170 is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
171 WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
172 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
173 "doc/help/license.html" or "LICENSE.txt" files for more
174 information.