[thirdparty/cups.git] / doc / help / overview.html

<HTML>
<!-- SECTION: Getting Started -->
<HEAD>
	<TITLE>Overview of CUPS</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>

<P>The Common UNIX Printing System<sup>TM</sup>, or CUPS, is the software you
use to print from applications like the web browser you are using to read this
page. It converts the <em>page descriptions</em> produced by your application
(put a paragraph here, draw a line there, and so forth) into something your
printer can understand and then sends the information to the printer for
printing.</P>

<P>Now, since every printer manufacturer does things differently, printing can
be very complicated. CUPS does its best to hide this from you and your
application so that you can concentrate on printing and less on <em>how</em> to
print. Generally, the only time you need to know anything about your printer is
when you use it for the first time, and even then CUPS can often figure things
out on its own.</P>

<H2 CLASS="title"><A NAME="WORK">How Does It Work?</A></H2>

<P>The first time you print to a printer, CUPS creates a <em>queue</em> to keep
track of the current status of the printer (everything OK, out of paper, etc.)
and any pages you have printed. Most of the time the queue points to a printer
connected directly to your computer via a USB or parallel port, however it can
also point to a printer on your network, a printer on the Internet, or multiple
printers depending on the configuration. Regardless of <em>where</em> the queue
points, it will look like any other printer to you and your applications.</P>

<P>Every time you print something, CUPS creates a <em>job</em> which contains
the queue you are sending the print to, the name of the document you are
printing, and the page descriptions. Job are numbered (queue-1, queue-2, and so
forth) so you can monitor the job as it is printed or cancel it if you see a
mistake. When CUPS gets a job for printing, it determines the best programs
(<em>filters</em>, <em>printer drivers</em>, <em>port monitors</em>, and
<em>backends</em>) to convert the pages into a printable format and then runs
them to actually print the job.</P>

<P>When the print job is completely printed, CUPS removes the job from the queue
and moves on to any other jobs you have submitted. You can also be notified when
the job is finished, or if there are any errors during printing, in several
different ways.</P>

<H2 CLASS="title"><A NAME="BEGIN">Where Do I Begin?</A></H2>

<P>Click on the <A HREF="/admin">Administration</A> tab at the top of this page.
Click on the <VAR>Add Printer</VAR> button and follow the prompts.</P>

<BLOCKQUOTE>When you are asked for a username and password, enter your login
username and password or the "root" username and password. On MacOS X, the login
username (or "short name") is typically your first and last name in
lowercase.</BLOCKQUOTE>

<P>After the printer is added, CUPS will ask you to set the default printer
options (paper size, output mode, etc.) for the printer. Make any changes as
needed and then click on the <VAR>Set Default Options</VAR> button to save
them. Some printers also support auto-configuration - click on the <VAR>Query
Printer for Default Options</VAR> button to update the options automaticaly.</P>

<P>Once you have added the printer, you can print to it from any application.
You can also choose <VAR>Print Test Page</VAR> from the maintenance menu to print
a simple test page and verify that everything is working properly.</P>

</BODY>
</HTML>
Commit	Line	Data
ef416fc2	1	<HTML>
	2	<!-- SECTION: Getting Started -->
	3	<HEAD>
	4	<TITLE>Overview of CUPS</TITLE>
	5	</HEAD>
	6	<BODY>
	7
58dc1933 MS	8	<P>The Common UNIX Printing System<sup>TM</sup>, or CUPS, is the software you
	9	use to print from applications like the web browser you are using to read this
	10	page. It converts the <em>page descriptions</em> produced by your application
	11	(put a paragraph here, draw a line there, and so forth) into something your
	12	printer can understand and then sends the information to the printer for
	13	printing.</P>
4744bd90	14
58dc1933 MS	15	<P>Now, since every printer manufacturer does things differently, printing can
	16	be very complicated. CUPS does its best to hide this from you and your
	17	application so that you can concentrate on printing and less on <em>how</em> to
	18	print. Generally, the only time you need to know anything about your printer is
	19	when you use it for the first time, and even then CUPS can often figure things
4744bd90	20	out on its own.</P>
	21
	22	<H2 CLASS="title"><A NAME="WORK">How Does It Work?</A></H2>
	23
58dc1933 MS	24	<P>The first time you print to a printer, CUPS creates a <em>queue</em> to keep
	25	track of the current status of the printer (everything OK, out of paper, etc.)
	26	and any pages you have printed. Most of the time the queue points to a printer
	27	connected directly to your computer via a USB or parallel port, however it can
	28	also point to a printer on your network, a printer on the Internet, or multiple
	29	printers depending on the configuration. Regardless of <em>where</em> the queue
	30	points, it will look like any other printer to you and your applications.</P>
4744bd90	31
58dc1933 MS	32	<P>Every time you print something, CUPS creates a <em>job</em> which contains
	33	the queue you are sending the print to, the name of the document you are
	34	printing, and the page descriptions. Job are numbered (queue-1, queue-2, and so
	35	forth) so you can monitor the job as it is printed or cancel it if you see a
	36	mistake. When CUPS gets a job for printing, it determines the best programs
	37	(<em>filters</em>, <em>printer drivers</em>, <em>port monitors</em>, and
	38	<em>backends</em>) to convert the pages into a printable format and then runs
	39	them to actually print the job.</P>
4744bd90	40
58dc1933 MS	41	<P>When the print job is completely printed, CUPS removes the job from the queue
	42	and moves on to any other jobs you have submitted. You can also be notified when
	43	the job is finished, or if there are any errors during printing, in several
	44	different ways.</P>
4744bd90	45
	46	<H2 CLASS="title"><A NAME="BEGIN">Where Do I Begin?</A></H2>
	47
58dc1933 MS	48	<P>Click on the <A HREF="/admin">Administration</A> tab at the top of this page.
58dc1933 MS	49	Click on the <VAR>Add Printer</VAR> button and follow the prompts.</P>
4744bd90	50
58dc1933 MS	51	<BLOCKQUOTE>When you are asked for a username and password, enter your login
	52	username and password or the "root" username and password. On MacOS X, the login
	53	username (or "short name") is typically your first and last name in
	54	lowercase.</BLOCKQUOTE>
4744bd90	55
58dc1933 MS	56	<P>After the printer is added, CUPS will ask you to set the default printer
	57	options (paper size, output mode, etc.) for the printer. Make any changes as
	58	needed and then click on the <VAR>Set Default Options</VAR> button to save
	59	them. Some printers also support auto-configuration - click on the <VAR>Query
	60	Printer for Default Options</VAR> button to update the options automaticaly.</P>
4744bd90	61
58dc1933 MS	62	<P>Once you have added the printer, you can print to it from any application.
	63	You can also choose <VAR>Print Test Page</VAR> from the maintenance menu to print
	64	a simple test page and verify that everything is working properly.</P>
ef416fc2	65
	66	</BODY>
	67	</HTML>