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getprops(C)


getprops -- get local printer options

Syntax

getprops [ -v ] printer | model
getprops [ -v ] -p printer
getprops [ -v ] -m model

Description

getprops reports the options provided by the interface program of a printer. These options can be used with the -o option of the lp(C) command. getprops reads the printer interface program and writes the available options on the standard output.

Printer interface program scripts exist in a default (model) form in the directory /usr/spool/lp/model. When a printer is configured or installed, the appropriate script is copied to the directory /usr/spool/lp/admins/lp/interfaces and given the same name as the printer.

If you do not specify a relative or absolute pathname for printer or model, getprops searches the default directories /usr/spool/lp/admins/lp/interfaces and /usr/spool/lp/model for the appropriate file. getprops only examines the first script file that it finds.

getprops takes the following options:


-m
Only the directory /usr/spool/lp/model is searched for the file specified by model.

-p
Only the directory /usr/spool/lp/admin/lp/interfaces is searched for the file specified by printer.

-v
Provides a fuller description of the options found. getprops extracts the descriptions from the file /usr/spool/lp/options_list. (Note that an option may not have a description in this file; if so, getprops displays "printer specific option".)
getprops does not produce any output if it does not find any options.

Exit values

getprops returns the following exit values:

0
Normal exit on success.

1
Interface program script or common description file (/usr/spool/lp/options_list) not found.

2
Usage error.

3
Interface program script not found because printer is remote.

Examples

Find the options to lp -o provided by the model printer interface program standard:

getprops -m standard

This produces the output:

   nobanner
   nofilebreak
   cpi=pica
   cpi=elite
   cpi=*
   lpi=*
   length=*
   width=*
   stty=*
Option arguments listed as * require a scaled decimal number, a list, or other data item to be specified. See lp(C) for more information.

The verbose version of the report is obtained by specifying the -v option:

getprops -v -m standard

This produces the output:

   nobanner        "printer specific option"
   nofilebreak     "printer specific option"
   cpi=pica        "characters per inch"
   cpi=elite       "characters per inch"
   cpi=*           "characters per inch"
   lpi=*           "lines per inch"
   length=*        "set page length in lines"
   width=*         "set page width in characters"
   stty=*          "stty options"

Limitations

getprops returns meaningful information for local printers only.

Authorization

All users may examine the options available with printer interface programs that have been installed in the /usr/spool/lp/admins/lp/interfaces directory.

Only root and users with the lp authorization are permitted to examine the options available with the model printer interface programs.

Files


/usr/bin/getprops
full pathname of the getprops executable

/usr/spool/lp/options_list
long descriptions of printer interface options

/usr/spool/lp/model/*
default versions of printer interface programs

/usr/spool/lp/admins/lp/interfaces/printer
interface program specific to an installed printer

See also

lp(C), lpadmin(ADM), standard(ADM)

Standards conformance

getprops is not part of any currently supported standard; it is an extension of AT&T System V provided by The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
© 2003 Caldera International, Inc. All rights reserved.
SCO OpenServer Release 5.0.7 -- 11 February 2003