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openprinting:database:documentation

Contents

Documentation Index

openprinting.org documentation

  • CUPS is the Common Unix Printing System. This is the recommended spooler for all Linux distributions, and the one we prefer to support. It is intended to be a simple, integrated method of setting up both local and network printers.
  • LPD is ancient, and the foomatic-rip system for it has some quirks. But it does cover all the basics: option specification, network and local printing, easy use of most drivers, etc. You will observe that this 'quick' start has many more steps as either CUPS or PDQ…
  • PDQ computes the entire job before sending it to the printer. This means that large and/or computationally intensive jobs may involve a long delay before printing. This will mostly be of concern to color inkjet owners. For large format printers (A3/13x18inch and bigger) PDQ is not recommended.
  • We support PPR through the PPD-O-Matic PPD generator and companion foomatic-rip filter script. This filter script can be used as a PPR RIP filter or as a PPR interface. What follows is quick-start information on setting up your printer with this pair, followed by some details on how it all works.
  • Spooler-less printing has its advantages and disadvantages. It is a simple solution for machines without a local network where only one user is working at. One has no hassle with the requirements of most spoolers to have a correct network installation or with the many configuration options of the spoolers.
  • How to contribute to openprinting.org: Printer/driver data, code, and other stuff …

HOWTO's and Hints

  • Tutorial written by Till Kamppeter showing the most important steps of setting up printers with CUPS and Foomatic and sharing them on networks with Linux/Unix and Windows clients.
  • This is a chapter from Kurt's new printing book. This chapter covers printing with CUPS and SAMBA version 3.0. It explains configuration, explanations of the configuration options, how to install drivers, common erros, network logins, PostScript diver download, and much more. Most SAMBA/CUPS related questions can be answered there.
  • There are many applications which use PPD files to know about the capabilities of printers, so that their printing dialogs can make available all options which the printer/its driver provide and also show additional information about the printer. In addition to applications as Star Office/OpenOffice.org, GIMP (for printers not supported by Gimp-Print), GPR, … PPD files can also be used on Windows, Mac, or LPD clients to get access to the printer's capabilities and options. foomatic-rip makes the full capabilities of PPDs available for all supported spoolers (CUPS, LPRng, LPD, GNUlpr, PPR, PDQ, CPS, spooler-less printiung).
  • The LPRng print spooler is an enhanced, extended, and portable implementation of the Berkeley lpr print spooler functionality. The LPRng; Printing Software consists of the LPRng print spooler, the ifhp print filter, and the LPRngTool graphical user interface.

Developer Documentation

  • This site (Undocumented Printing Wiki) presents documentation of most available page description languages: PostScript, PCL, ESC/P, and even less common languages. Very valuable resource for driver programmers.
openprinting/database/documentation.txt · Last modified: 2016/07/19 01:20 (external edit)