README.txt
1README - CUPS v1.7.2 - 2014-01-29
2---------------------------------
3
4Looking for compile instructions? Read the file "INSTALL.txt" instead...
5
6
7INTRODUCTION
8
9 CUPS is a standards-based, open source printing system developed by Apple
10 Inc. for OS® X and other UNIX®-like operating systems. CUPS uses the
11 Internet Printing Protocol ("IPP") and provides System V and Berkeley
12 command-line interfaces, a web interface, and a C API to manage printers and
13 print jobs. It supports printing to both local (parallel, serial, USB) and
14 networked printers, and printers can be shared from one computer to another,
15 even over the Internet!
16
17 Internally, CUPS uses PostScript Printer Description ("PPD") files to
18 describe printer capabilities and features and a wide variety of generic
19 and device-specific programs to convert and print many types of files.
20 Sample drivers are included with CUPS to support many Dymo, EPSON, HP,
21 Intellitech, OKIDATA, and Zebra printers. Many more drivers are available
22 online and (in some cases) on the driver CD-ROM that came with your printer.
23
24 CUPS is licensed under the GNU General Public License and GNU Library
25 General Public License versions 2. See the file "LICENSE.txt" for more
26 information.
27
28
29READING THE DOCUMENTATION
30
31 Once you have installed the software you can access the documentation (and
32 a bunch of other stuff) online at:
33
34 http://localhost:631/
35
36 If you're having trouble getting that far, the documentation is located
37 under the "doc/help" directory.
38
39 Please read the documentation before asking questions.
40
41
42GETTING SUPPORT AND OTHER RESOURCES
43
44 If you have problems, READ THE DOCUMENTATION FIRST! We also provide many
45 discussion forums which are available at:
46
47 http://www.cups.org/newsgroups.php
48
49 See the CUPS web site at "http://www.cups.org/" for other resources.
50
51
52SETTING UP PRINTER QUEUES USING YOUR WEB BROWSER
53
54 CUPS includes a web-based administration tool that allows you to manage
55 printers, classes, and jobs on your server. Open the following URL in your
56 browser to access the printer administration tools:
57
58 http://localhost:631/admin/
59
60 DO NOT use the hostname for your machine - it will not work with the default
61 CUPS configuration. To enable administration access on other addresses,
62 check the "Allow Remote Administration" box and click on the "Change
63 Settings" button.
64
65 You will be asked for the administration password (root or any other user in
66 the sys/system/root/admin/lpadmin group on your system) when performing any
67 administrative function.
68
69
70SETTING UP PRINTER QUEUES FROM THE COMMAND-LINE
71
72 CUPS works best with PPD (PostScript Printer Description) files. In a pinch
73 you can also use System V style printer interface scripts.
74
75 CUPS includes several sample PPD files you can use:
76
77 Driver PPD Name
78 ----------------------------- ------------------------------
79 Dymo Label Printers drv:///sample.drv/dymo.ppd
80 Intellitech Intellibar drv:///sample.drv/intelbar.ppd
81 EPSON Stylus Color Series drv:///sample.drv/stcolor.ppd
82 EPSON Stylus Photo Series drv:///sample.drv/stphoto.ppd
83 EPSON Stylus New Color Series drv:///sample.drv/stcolor2.ppd
84 EPSON Stylus New Photo Series drv:///sample.drv/stphoto2.ppd
85 EPSON 9-pin Series drv:///sample.drv/epson9.ppd
86 EPSON 24-pin Series drv:///sample.drv/epson24.ppd
87 Generic PCL Laser Printer drv:///sample.drv/generpcl.ppd
88 Generic PostScript Printer drv:///sample.drv/generic.ppd
89 HP DeskJet Series drv:///sample.drv/deskjet.ppd
90 HP LaserJet Series drv:///sample.drv/laserjet.ppd
91 OKIDATA 9-Pin Series drv:///sample.drv/okidata9.ppd
92 OKIDATA 24-Pin Series drv:///sample.drv/okidat24.ppd
93 Zebra CPCL Label Printer drv:///sample.drv/zebracpl.ppd
94 Zebra EPL1 Label Printer drv:///sample.drv/zebraep1.ppd
95 Zebra EPL2 Label Printer drv:///sample.drv/zebraep2.ppd
96 Zebra ZPL Label Printer drv:///sample.drv/zebra.ppd
97
98 Run the "lpinfo -m" command to list the available drivers:
99
100 lpinfo -m
101
102 Run the "lpinfo -v" command to list the available printers:
103
104 lpinfo -v
105
106 Then use the correct URI to add the printer using the "lpadmin" command:
107
108 lpadmin -p printername -E -v device-uri -m ppd-name
109
110 Network printers typically use "socket" or "lpd" URIs:
111
112 lpadmin -p printername -E -v socket://11.22.33.44 -m ppd-name
113 lpadmin -p printername -E -v lpd://11.22.33.44/ -m ppd-name
114
115 The sample drivers provide basic printing capabilities, but generally do not
116 exercise the full potential of the printers or CUPS. The CUPS web site
117 provides links and drivers:
118
119 http://www.cups.org/ppd.php PPD files
120 http://www.cups.org/links.php Links to other drivers
121
122
123PRINTING FILES
124
125 CUPS provides both the System V "lp" and Berkeley "lpr" commands for
126 printing:
127
128 lp filename
129 lpr filename
130
131 Both the "lp" and "lpr" commands support printing options for the driver:
132
133 lp -o media=A4 -o resolution=600dpi filename
134 lpr -o media=A4 -o resolution=600dpi filename
135
136 CUPS recognizes many types of images files as well as PDF, PostScript,
137 HP-GL/2, and text files, so you can print those files directly rather than
138 through an application.
139
140 If you have an application that generates output specifically for your
141 printer then you need to use the "-oraw" or "-l" options:
142
143 lp -o raw filename
144 lpr -l filename
145
146 This will prevent the filters from misinterpreting your print
147 file.
148
149
150LEGAL STUFF
151
152 CUPS is Copyright 2007-2014 by Apple Inc. CUPS and the CUPS logo are
153 trademarks of Apple Inc.
154
155 The MD5 Digest code is Copyright 1999 Aladdin Enterprises.
156
157 This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.
158
159 CUPS is provided under the terms of version 2 of the GNU General Public
160 License and GNU Library General Public License. This program is distributed
161 in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even
162 the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
163 See the "doc/help/license.html" or "LICENSE.txt" files for more information.
164