I have a very simple question about how to use lpr to print to
a network printer. This is probably staring me in the face in
the man files, but nothing I try seems to work, so I'd
appreciate a boost.

I have a printer with an ethernet interface and IP address
192.168.1.29. I have some Linux and OS X machines here but
I don't have Linux or OS X drivers. But I don't need to do
more than print tickets with a few characters. So I just want
to send text files to it and see if that's good enough.

So my question is how do I send a text file to this printer
using the lpq system? What tool do I use to create a print queue?
How do I send the file to that queue?

Thanks

Ty Roberts <tyrob@aool.com> wrote:
> I have a very simple question about how to use lpr to print to
> a network printer. This is probably staring me in the face in
> the man files, but nothing I try seems to work, so I'd
> appreciate a boost.

What have you tried so far?

> I have a printer with an ethernet interface and IP address
> 192.168.1.29.

What kind of printer is it? If it's a winprinter (many of the cheaper
Lexmark devices, and some DELLs) it's no better than a paperweight so
you won't get anything useful from it at all.

> I have some Linux and OS X machines here but I don't have Linux or OS
> X drivers.

Unless it speaks a known protocol you're on to a hiding to nothing.


> So my question is how do I send a text file to this printer
> using the lpq system? What tool do I use to create a print queue?
> How do I send the file to that queue?

It's all irrelevant unless you can confirm it's a proper printer that's
useable by the non-Windows world.

Chris

Ty Roberts <tyrob@aool.com> writes:

>I have a very simple question about how to use lpr to print to
>a network printer. This is probably staring me in the face in
>the man files, but nothing I try seems to work, so I'd
>appreciate a boost.

>I have a printer with an ethernet interface and IP address
>192.168.1.29. I have some Linux and OS X machines here but
>I don't have Linux or OS X drivers. But I don't need to do

Drivers? Why would you need drivers? Thje printer should be self contained.

Just set up your /etc/printcap file ( or more probably use cups) to send
stuff to the printer. Is it a postscript printr? What kind of printer is
it? What languages does it understand?

Note that if it really is a winprinter, then it will not print anything
without a driver. Not even chacters. The driver converts the stuff to be
printed to scan lines and it is those that are sent to the printer.

>more than print tickets with a few characters. So I just want
>to send text files to it and see if that's good enough.

>So my question is how do I send a text file to this printer
>using the lpq system? What tool do I use to create a print queue?
>How do I send the file to that queue?

>Thanks