The lpc utility controls the operation of local printers.

Use lpc to perform the following functions:

• start or stop a printer,
• disable or enable a printer's spooling queue,
• rearrange the order of jobs in a print queue, or
• display the status of a printer print queue and printer daemon.

lpc can be run from the command line or interactively. Specifying lpc with the optional command and parameter arguments causes lpc to interpret the first argument as an lpc command, and all other arguments as parameters to that command. Specifying lpc without arguments causes it to run interactively, prompting the user for lpc commands with lpc>. By redirecting the standard input, lpc can read commands from a file.

lpc commands may be typed in their entirety or abbreviated to an unambiguous substring. Some lpc commands are available to all users; others are available only to super-users.

All users may execute the following lpc commands:

? [command ...] | help [command ...]

Displays a short description of command. command is an lpc command. If command is not specified, displays a list of lpc commands.

exit | quit

Exits from lpc.

status [all | printer ...]

Displays the status of print daemons and print queues. all specifies that this command is performed on all locally attached printers. printer indicates this command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf(4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

Only a super-user may execute the following lpc commands:

abort [all | printer ...]

Terminates an active spooling daemon. Disables printing (by preventing new daemons from being started by lpr(1B)) for printer. all specifies this command is performed on all locally attached printers. printer indicates this command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf (4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

clean [all | printer ...]

Removes files created in the print spool directory by the print daemon from printer 's print queue. all specifies that this command is performed on all locally attached printers.printer indicates this command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf(4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

disable [all | printer ...]

Turns off the print queue for printer. Prevents new printer jobs from being entered into the print queue for printerby lpr(1B). all specifies that this command is performed on all locally attached printers. printer indicates this command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf (4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

down [all | printer ...] [message]

Turns the queue for printer off and disables printing on printer. Inserts message in the printer status file. message does not need to be quoted; multiple arguments to message are treated as arguments are to echo(1). Use down to take a printer down and inform users. all specifies that this command is performed on all locally attached printers. printer indicates this command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf(4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

enable [all | printer ...]

Enables lpr(1B) to add new jobs in the spool queue. all specifies that this command is performed on all locally attached printers. printer indicates this command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf(4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

restart [all | printer ...]

Attempts to start a new printer daemon. restart is useful when a print daemon dies unexpectedly and leaves jobs in the print queue. all specifies that this command is performed on all locally attached printers. printer indicates that this command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf(4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

start [all | printer ...]

Enables printing. Starts a spooling daemon for the printer. all specifies that this command is performed on all locally attached printers. printer indicates the command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf(4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

stop [all | printer ...]

Stops a spooling daemon after the current job is complete. Disables printing at that time. all specifies that this command is performed on all locally attached printers. printer indicates this command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf(4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

topq printer [request-ID ...] [user ...]

Moves request-ID or print jobs belonging to user on printer to the beginning of the print queue. Specify user as a user's login name. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf(4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

up [all | printer ...]

Turns the queue for printer on and enables printing on printer. Deletes the message in the printer status file (inserted by down). Use up to undo the effects of down. all specifies that this command is performed on all locally attached printers. printer indicates this command is performed on specific printers. Specify printer as an atomic name. See printers.conf( 4) for information regarding naming conventions for atomic names.

The following exit values are returned:

0

Successful completion.

non-zero

An error occurred.

/var/spool/lp/*

LP print queue.

/var/spool/lp/system/pstatus

Printer status information file.

See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

echo(1), lpq(1B), lpr(1B), lprm(1B), lpstat(1), lpsched(1M), lpshut(1M), printers.conf(4), attributes(5)

Ambiguous command

Indicates that the lpc command or abbreviation matches more than one command.

?Invalid command

Indicates that the lpc command or abbreviation is not recognized.

?Privileged command

Indicates that the lpc command or abbreviation can be executed only by a super-user.

lpc: printer: unknown printer to the print service

Indicates that printer does not exist in the LP database. Check that printer was correctly specified. Use lpstat -p or the status command (see lpstat(1) or USAGE) to check the status of printers.

lpc: error on opening queue to spooler

Indicates that the connection to lpsched failed. Usually means that the printer server has died or is hung. Use /usr/lib/lp/lpsched to check if the printer spooler daemon is running.

lpc: Can't send message to LP print service

lpc: Can't receive message from LP print service

Indicates that the LP print service stopped. Contact the LP administrator.

lpc: Received unexpected message from LP print service

Indicates a problem with the software. Contact the LP administrator.