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5 <title>CUPS Command File Format</title>
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12
13 CUPS command file format specification for the Common UNIX Printing
14 System (CUPS).
15
16 Copyright 2007-2009 by Apple Inc.
17 Copyright 1997-2006 by Easy Software Products.
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25
26 <H1 CLASS="title">CUPS Command File Format</H1>
27
28 <h2 class='title'><a name='INTRODUCTION'>Introduction</a></h2>
29
30 <p>This specification describes the CUPS command file format
31 (application/vnd.cups-command) which is used to send printer
32 maintenance commands to a printer in a device-independent way.
33 The current specification supports basic maintenance functions
34 such as head cleaning and self-test pages and query functions
35 such as auto-configure, report supply levels, and report status.</p>
36
37 <p>Printer drivers advertise support for the CUPS command file
38 format by providing a filter for the
39 <var>application/vnd.cups-command</var> file type. Applications
40 can determine if a printer supports printing of CUPS command
41 files by checking the <code>printer-type</code> attribute for the
42 <code>CUPS_PRINTER_COMMANDS</code> capability bit.</p>
43
44 <p>In addition, the PPD file for a printer can contain a
45 <code>cupsCommands</code> keyword that provides a list of supported
46 commands separated by spaces, for example:</p>
47
48 <pre class='command'>
49 *cupsCommand: "AutoConfigure Clean PrintSelfTestPage ReportLevels ReportStatus"
50 </pre>
51
52 <p>If no <code>cupsCommands</code> keyword is provided, the command filter
53 must support <a href='#AutoConfigure'><code>AutoConfigure</code></a>,
54 <a href='#Clean'><code>Clean</code></a>,
55 <a href='#PrintSelfTestPage'><code>PrintSelfTestPage</code></a>,
56 and <a href='#ReportLevels'><code>ReportLevels</code></a>. The scheduler also
57 provides the <code>printer-commands</code> attribute containing the list of
58 supported commands.</p>
59
60
61 <h2 class='title'><a name='SYNTAX'>File Syntax</a></h2>
62
63 <p>CUPS command files are ASCII text files. The first line of a
64 CUPS command file MUST contain:</p>
65
66 <pre class='command'>
67 #CUPS-COMMAND
68 </pre>
69
70 <p>After that, each line is either a command or a comment.
71 Comments begin with the # character, e.g.:</p>
72
73 <pre class='command'>
74 # This is a comment
75 </pre>
76
77 <p>Commands are any sequence of letters, numbers, and punctuation characters
78 optionally followed by parameters separated by whitespace, e.g.:</p>
79
80 <pre class='command'>
81 Clean all
82 PrintSelfTestPage
83 </pre>
84
85 <p>Command names are case-insensitive, so "PRINTSELFTESTPAGE",
86 "printselftestpage", and "PrintSelfTestPage" are equivalent. Vendor-specific
87 commands should use a domain name prefix, e.g.:</p>
88
89 <pre class='command'>
90 com.vendor.foo
91 com.vendor.bar param param2 ... paramN
92 </pre>
93
94
95 <h2 class='title'><a name='COMMANDS'>Standard Commands</a></h2>
96
97 <p>The following are the standard commands supported by the format. The only
98 required command is
99 <a href='#PrintSelfTestPage'><code>PrintSelfTestPage</code></a>.</p>
100
101
102 <h3><a name='AutoConfigure'>AutoConfigure</a></h3>
103
104 <p class='summary'>AutoConfigure</p>
105
106 <p>The <code>AutoConfigure</code> command updates the printer's PPD file
107 and driver state information to reflect the current configuration of the
108 printer. There are no arguments for this command.</p>
109
110 <p>Example:</p>
111
112 <pre class='command'>
113 #CUPS-COMMAND
114 AutoConfigure
115 </pre>
116
117
118 <h3><a name='Clean'>Clean</a></h3>
119
120 <p class='summary'>Clean <i>colorname</i></p>
121
122 <p>The <code>Clean</code> command performs a standard print head cleaning. The
123 "colorname" parameter specifies which color or head to clean. If a printer does
124 not support cleaning of individual colors or cartridges, then all colors are
125 cleaned. Command filters MUST support the "all" colorname. Other standard color
126 names include "black", "color", "photo", "cyan", "magenta", "yellow",
127 "light-cyan", "light-magenta", "light-black", "light-gray", and "dark-gray".</p>
128
129 <p>Example:</p>
130
131 <pre class='command'>
132 #CUPS-COMMAND
133 Clean all
134 </pre>
135
136
137 <h3><a name='PrintAlignmentPage'>PrintAlignmentPage</a></h3>
138
139 <p class='summary'>PrintAlignmentPage pass</p>
140
141 <p>The <code>PrintAlignmentPage</code> command prints a head alignment page on
142 the printer. The "pass" parameter provides a pass number from 1 to N. The number
143 of passes is device-dependent.</p>
144
145 <p>Example:</p>
146
147 <pre class='command'>
148 #CUPS-COMMAND
149 PrintAlignmentPage 1
150 </pre>
151
152
153 <h3><a name='PrintSelfTestPage'>PrintSelfTestPage</a></h3>
154
155 <p class='summary'>PrintSelfTestPage</p>
156
157 <p>The <code>PrintSelfTestPage</code> command prints a self-test page on the
158 printer. Typically this page shows whether all jets on a print head are
159 functioning and that the print feed mechanisms are working properly.</p>
160
161 <p>Example:</p>
162
163 <pre class='command'>
164 #CUPS-COMMAND
165 PrintSelfTestPage
166 </pre>
167
168
169 <h3><a name='ReportLevels'>ReportLevels</a></h3>
170
171 <p class='summary'>ReportLevels</p>
172
173 <p>The <code>ReportLevels</code> command queries the supply levels on a printer
174 and reports "marker-colors", "marker-levels", "marker-names", and
175 "marker-types" attributes using "ATTR:" messages sent to the scheduler. This
176 command should also report the current printer status using "STATE:" messages
177 like the <a href='#ReportStatus'><code>ReportStatus</code></a> command.</p>
178
179 <p>Example:</p>
180
181 <pre class='command'>
182 #CUPS-COMMAND
183 ReportLevels
184 </pre>
185
186
187 <h3><a name='ReportStatus'>ReportStatus</a></h3>
188
189 <p class='summary'>ReportStatus</p>
190
191 <p>The <code>ReportStatus</code> command queries the printer for its current
192 status and reports it using "STATE:" messages sent to the scheduler.</p>
193
194 <p>Example:</p>
195
196 <pre class='command'>
197 #CUPS-COMMAND
198 ReportLevels
199 </pre>
200
201
202 <h3><a name='SetAlignment'>SetAlignment</a></h3>
203
204 <p class='summary'>SetAlignment pass value ... valueN</p>
205
206 <p>The <code>SetAlignment</code> command sets print head alignment values. The
207 "pass" parameter is a number from 1 to N. All parameters are
208 device-dependent.</p>
209
210 <p>Example:</p>
211
212 <pre class='command'>
213 #CUPS-COMMAND
214 SetAlignment 1 14
215 </pre>
216
217
218 </body>
219 </html>