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From: bkogawa@primenet.com (Bryan Ogawa)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: How to set up lpr properly
Date: 11 Oct 1996 12:24:01 -0700
Organization: Primenet Services for the Internet
Lines: 76
Message-ID: <53m6sh$bls@nnrp1.news.primenet.com>
References: <53go2i$d16@taco.cc.ncsu.edu>
X-Posted-By: bkogawa@206.165.5.109 (bkogawa)
rdkeys@unity.ncsu.edu (Bob Keys) writes:
>I have set up the FreeBSD 2.1.5 stable system on a machine locally, and
>have used the net install, and basically have it up and running, except
>I can't get anything to print to a postscript printer on the standard
>parallel printer port. Since I am not a unix guru, this is a problem.
>I know enough to get the system to install, but not enough to sysadmin
>it very well. But, we fools have to start somewhere......
This installation was a bit tricky for me, as well. I had a number of
different problems. I found the handbook entry about printer installation
helpful, although imperfect. See http://www.freebsd.org/ and look for the
handbook, or look in /usr/share/doc/handbook and use your favorite browser
on handbook_toc.html .
>How is the printer system properly set up, to, for example:
> cat filename.ps | lpr
> or lpr filename.ps
> and get it to print.
>I am close but no joy yet....(:+{{.....
>1. I uncommented /etc/printcap to set up the lp printer. The default
> lp as came with the FreeBSD installation was used. It was:
> lp:local line printer:\
> :lp=/dev/lpt0:sd=/var/spool/output/lpd:lf=/var/log/lpd-errs:
>2. I rebooted cold the machine.
You don't need to do this for modifying the lp file.
>3. I created /var/spool/output/lpd directory manually because it was not
> there by default in installation --- why not?
I think that this is because lpd creates them automatically, although I'm
not sure.
>4. A 10 line groff file was used to generate a simple postscript
> printer file. The identical file was used on dos troff to
> make a similar file.
> The FreeBSD and the dos files were printed fine on dos to the printer.
> The FreeBSD box file flushed both the dos and FreeBSD generated
> postscript files when sent to the printer (same printer).
OK. Sounds like your file generation is right, but not your printer
connection.
I'm presuming this is a postscript printer? And it's connected via the
parallel port?
There's information about how to manually test your printer port and
printer in the handbook section on printers. You might want to go through
the handbook and see what you find.
>Alas, something is still not right on the FreeBSD box, but almost.....
>Thanks and pardon the fool's question, but I can't get the manpages or
>the handbook or the faq to print otherwise.....(:+{{.....
You can browse the handbook by installing a browser. lynx works well,
even on many machines without many features (you don't even need X). Look
for it in the packages.
>Still learning.....
>Bob Keys
>rdkeys@unity.ncsu.edu
--
bryan k. ogawa <bkogawa@primenet.com> <bkogawa@netvoyage.net>