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The print service relies on the standard interface script and the terminfo database to initialize each printer and set up a selected page size, character pitch, line pitch, and character set. Thus, it is usually sufficient to have the correct entry in the terminfo database (/usr/lib/terminfo/terminfo.lp) to add a new printer to the print service.
The terminfo database identifies each printer by a short name, identical to the kind of name used to set the TERM shell variable. For example, the name in the terminfo database for the AT&T model 455 printer is ``455''.
To specify the terminfo type for your printer, in the Printer Setup Manager select Properties from the Printer menu, then select Printer Model. By default, the terminfo database includes entries for several popular printers. Select the terminfo type from the list that corresponds to your printer.
If terminfo does not include an entry for your printer, you might still be able to use the printer with the print service. However, you will not be able to use automatic selection of page size, pitch, and character sets, and you might have trouble keeping the printer set to the correct modes for each print request or using printer forms with the printer. In this case, you can either add an entry to terminfo for your printer or create a customized interface program to use with the printer.
You can define hundreds of items for each
terminal or printer in the terminfo database.
However, the print service uses fewer than 50 of these,
and most printers need even less than that.
You can check items defined for a specific terminfo entry
by typing the following command:
infocmp terminfo_name
See also:
To create a terminfo entry for your printer:
terminfo entry definitions for printers
| terminfo entry | Description |
|---|---|
| Booleans: | |
| daisy | printer needs operator to change character set |
| Numbers: | |
| bufsz | number of bytes buffered before printing |
| * cols | number of columns in a line |
| * it | tabs initially every # spaces |
| * lines | number of lines on a page |
| orc | horizontal resolution in units per character |
| orhi | horizontal resolution in units per inch |
| orl | vertical resolution in units per line |
| orvi | vertical resolution in units per inch |
| cps | average print rate in characters per second |
| Strings: | |
| * cr | carriage return |
| cpi | change number of characters per inch |
| lpi | change number of lines per inch |
| chr | change horizontal resolution |
| cvr | change vertical resolution |
| csnm | list of character set names |
| mgc | clear all margins (top, bottom, and sides) |
| * hpa | horizontal position absolute |
| * cud1 | down one line |
| * cuf1 | carriage right |
| swidm | enable double-wide printing |
| rwidm | disable double-wide printing |
| * ff | page eject |
| * is1 | printer initialization string |
| * is2 | printer initialization string |
| * is3 | printer initialization string |
| * if | name of initialization file |
| * iprog | pathname of initializing program |
| * cud | move carriage down # lines |
| * cuf | move carriage right # columns |
| * rep | repeat a character # times |
| * vpa | absolute vertical position |
| scs | select character set |
| smgb | set bottom margin at current line |
| smgbp | set bottom margin |
| * smgl | set left margin at current column |
| smglp | set left margin |
| * smgr | set right margin at current column |
| smgrp | set right margin |
| smgt | set top margin at current line |
| smgtp | set top margin |
| scsd | start definition of a character set |
| * ht | tab to next 8-space tab stop |
See terminfo(4) for the terminfo file structure and for information on how to construct a terminfo database entry for a new printer.
See also: