Chapter 34. Printer
Configuration
The Printer Configuration Tool allows
users to configure a printer. This tool helps maintain the printer
configuration file, print spool directories, and print filters.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 uses the CUPS printing system. If a
system was upgraded from a previous Red Hat Enterprise Linux
version that used CUPS, the upgrade process preserved the
configured queues.
Using the Printer Configuration Tool
requires root privileges. To start the application, select
(the main menu on the panel)
=> => , or type the command system-config-printer. This command automatically
determines whether to run the graphical or text-based version
depending on whether the command is executed in the graphical
desktop environment or from a text-based console.
To force the Printer Configuration
Tool to run as a text-based application, execute the command
system-config-printer-tui from a shell
prompt.
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Important |
| |
Do not edit the /etc/printcap file or
the files in the /etc/cups/ directory.
Each time the printer daemon (cups) is
started or restarted, new configuration files are dynamically
created. The files are dynamically created when changes are applied
with the Printer Configuration Tool as
well.
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The following types of print queues can be configured:
-
— a printer
attached directly to the computer through a parallel or USB
port.
-
— a
printer that can be accessed over a TCP/IP network via the Internet
Printing Protocol, also known as IPP (for example, a printer
attached to another Red Hat Enterprise Linux system running CUPS on
the network).
-
— a
printer attached to a different UNIX system that can be accessed
over a TCP/IP network (for example, a printer attached to another
Red Hat Enterprise Linux system running LPD on the network).
-
— a
printer attached to a different system which is sharing a printer
over an SMB network (for example, a printer attached to a Microsoft
Windows™ machine).
-
— a
printer attached to a different system which uses Novell's NetWare
network technology.
-
— a printer
connected directly to the network through HP JetDirect instead of
to a computer.
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Important |
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If you add a new print queue or modify an existing one, you must
apply the changes for them to take effect.
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Clicking the Apply button saves any
changes that you have made and restarts the printer daemon. The
changes are not written to the configuration file until the printer
daemon is restarted. Alternatively, you can choose => .
To add a local printer, such as one attached through a parallel
port or USB port on your computer, click the New button in the main Printer Configuration Tool window to display the
window in Figure
34-2. Click Forward to proceed.
In the window shown in Figure 34-3, enter
a unique name for the printer in the Name
text field. The printer name cannot contain spaces and must begin
with a letter. The printer name may contain letters, numbers,
dashes (-), and underscores (_). Optionally, enter a short
description for the printer, which can contain spaces.
After clicking Forward, Figure 34-4 appears.
Select from the
menu, and select the
device. The device is usually /dev/lp0
for a parallel printer or /dev/usb/lp0
for a USB printer. If no devices appear in the list, click
Rescan devices to rescan the computer or
click Custom device to specify it
manually. Click Forward to continue.
Next, select the printer type. Refer to Section 34.7 Selecting the
Printer Model and Finishing for details.
