Each entry in printers.conf describes one destination. Entries are one line consisting of any number of fields separated by colons (`:') and terminated by a NEWLINE. The first field of each entry specifies the name of the destination and aliases to which the entry describes. Specify one or more names or aliases of the destination in this first field. Specify the destination using atomic names. POSIX-style names are not acceptable. See standards(5). Separate destination names by pipe signs (`|').

Two destination names are reserved for special use in the first entry. Use _all to specify the interest list for lpget, lpstat, and cancel. Use _default to specify the default destination.

The remaining fields in an entry are key=value pairs. See Specifying Configuration Options for details regarding key=value pairs.

Empty lines can be included for readability. Entries may continue on to multiple lines by adding a backslash (`\') as the last character in the line. printers.conf can include comments. Comments have a pound sign (`#') as the first character in the line, and are terminated by a NEWLINE. Use the lpset command to create or modify printers.conf (see lpset(1M)). Do not make changes in printers.conf using an editor.

key=value pairs are configuration options defined by the system administrator. key and value may be of arbitrary length. Separate key and value by the equal (`=') character.

Client/Server Configuration Options

The following client/server configuration options (represented as key=value pairs) are supported:

bsdaddr=server,destination[,Solaris]

Sets the server and destination name. Sets if the client generates protocol extensions for use with the lp command (see lp(1)). Solaris specifies a Solaris print server extension. If Solaris is not specified, no protocol extensions are generated. server is the name of the host containing the queue for destination. destination is the atomic name by which the server knows the destination.

use=destination

Sets the destination to continue searching for configuration information. destination is an atomic or Federated Naming Service (FNS) (.../service/printer/...) name.

all=destination_list

Sets the interest list for the lpget, lpstat, and cancel commands. destination_list is a comma-separated list of destinations. Specify destination using atomic or FNS names (.../service/printer/...). See lpget(1M), lpstat(1), and cancel(1).

General Server Options

The following general server configuration options (represented as key=value pairs) are supported:

spooling-type=spooler[,version]

Sets the type of spooler under which a destination is configured. Dynamically loads translation support for the back-end spooling system from /usr/lib/print/bsd-adaptor/bsd_spooler.so[.version]. Specify spooler as lpsched, cascade, or test. lpsched is used as a default for locally attached destinations. cascade is used as a default for destination spooled on a remote host. Use test for the test module to allow the capture of print requests. If using a versioned spooler module, version specifies the version of the translation module.

spooling-type-path=dir_list

Sets the location of translation support for the type of spooler defined by the spooling-type key. Locates translation support for the for the type of spooler under which a destination is configured. dir_list is a comma-separated list of absolute pathnames to the directories used to locate translation support for the spooling system set by the spooling-type key.

LP Server Options

The following LP configuration options (represented as key=value pairs) are supported:

user-equivalence=true|false

Sets whether or not usernames are considered equivalent when cancelling a print request submitted from a different host in a networked environment. true means that usernames are considered equivalent, and permits users to cancel a print requests submitted from a different host. user-equivalence is set to false by default. false means that usernames are not considered equivalent, and does not permit users cancel a print request submitted from a different host. If user-equivalence is set to false, print requests can only be cancelled by the users on the host on whichs the print prequest was generated or by the super-user on the print server.

Test Configuration Options

The following test configuration options (represented as key=value pairs) are supported:

test-spooler-available=true|false

Sets whether or not the protocol adaptor accepts connection requests to the test adaptor for the destination. true means that the protocol adaptor accepts connection requests to the test adaptor for the destination. test-spooler-available is set to true by default. false means that the protocol adaptor does not accept connection requests to the test adaptor for the destination.

test-log=dir

Sets the location of the log file generated by the test translation module. Specify dir as an absolute pathname.

test-dir=dir

Sets the directory to be used during execution of the test translation module. Specify dir as an absolute pathname.

test-access=true|false

Sets whether or not the requesting client has access to the test translation module. true means that the requesting client has access to the test translation module. test-access is set to true by default. false means that the the requesting client does not have access to the test translation module.

test-accepting=true|false

Sets whether or not the configured destination is accepting job submission requests. true means that the configured destination is accepting job submission requests. test-accepting is set to true by default. false means that the configured destination is not accepting job submission requests.

test-restart=true|false

Sets whether or not a protocol request to restart the destination will be honored or return an error. true means that a protocol request to restart the destination will be honored. test-restart is set to true by default. false means that a protocol request to restart the destination return an error.

test-submit=true|false

Sets whether or not a protocol request to submit a job to a destination will be honored or return an error. true means that a protocol request to submit a job to a destination will be honored. test-submit is set to true by default. false means that a protocol request to submit a job to a destination will not be honored.

test-show-queue-file=file

Sets the name of the file whose contents are to be returned as the result of a status query. Specify file as an absolute pathname.

test-cancel-cancel-file=file

Sets the name of the file whose contents are returned as the result of a cancellation request. Specify file as an absolute pathname.

The print client commands and the print protocol adaptor locate destination information based on the "printers" database entry in the /etc/nsswitch.conf file. See nsswitch.conf(4).

Locating the Personal Default Destination

The default destination is located differently depending on the command.

The lp command locates the default destination in the following order:

1. lp command's -d destination option.
2. LPDEST environment variable.
3. PRINTER environment variable.
4. _default destination in $HOME/.printers.
5. _default destination in /etc/printers.conf.
6. _default destination in FNS.

The lpr, lpq, and lprm commands locate the default destination in the following order:

1. lpr command's -P destination option.
2. PRINTER environment variable.
3. LPDEST environment variable.
4. _default destination in $HOME/.printers.
5. _default destination in /etc/printers.conf.
6. _default destination in FNS.

Locating the Interest List for lpstat, lpget, and cancel

The lpget, lpstat, and cancel commands locate the interest list in the following order:

1. _all list in $HOME/.printers.
2. _all list in /etc/printers.conf.
3. _all list in FNS.

Federated Naming Service (FNS) supports resolution of composite names spanning multiple naming systems. FNS supports several underlying naming services: NIS+, NIS, and files.

Atomic destination names are resolved using the search order specified by the "printers" database entry in the /etc/nsswitch.conf file. When the "xfn" service is configured in the "printers" database, the following Federated Name Service contexts are searched for the supplied name:

thisuser/service/printer, myorgunit/service/printer,

The following entry sets the interest list for the lpget, lpstat and cancel commands to printer1, printer2 and printer3:

_all:all=printer1,printer2,printer3

The following entry sets the server name to server and and printer name to ps_printer for destinations printer1 and ps. It does not generate protocol extensions.

printer1|ps:bsdaddr=server,ps_printer

The following entry sets the server name to server and destination name to pcl_printer, for destination printer2. It also generates Solaris protocol extensions.

printer2:bsdaddr=server,pcl_printer,Solaris

The following entry sets the server name to server and destination name to new_printer, for destination printer3. It also sets the printer3 to continue searching for configuration information to printer another_printer.

printer3:bsdaddr=server,new_printer:use=another_printer

The following entry sets the default destination to continue searching for configuration information to destination printer1.

_default:use=printer1