Working with the CUPS Print Server

Run the following command to see what you printers you have installed (there should not be any at this point):

lpstat -s

Next, run the following command to see what types of printer connections you have available to you. To set up the PDF print server, you will need the cups-pdf:/ available:

sudo lpinfo -v

Install a PDF printer to use with CUPS (we will use the -p option to set the name of the printer to CUPS-PDF and the -v option for the connection type):

sudo lpadmin -p CUPS-PDF -v cups-pdf:/

We now need to determine what driver files we can use with this printer. Run the following command to query the CUPS database for files that contain the term "PDF":

lpinfo --make-and-model "PDF" -m

We will want to use the first option as our driver file.

sudo lpadmin -p CUPS-PDF -m "CUPS-PDF.ppd"

Run the following command, and note that we do not have a default printer yet:

lpstat -s

Check on the status of the printer we just installed:

lpc status

We will need to enable this printer so that it can accept jobs, and we should set it as the system default as well:

sudo lpadmin -d CUPS-PDF -E
sudo cupsenable CUPS-PDF
sudo cupsaccept CUPS-PDF

Check its status again:

lpc status

Run the following command to print a copy of the /etc/passwd file to a PDF file in your home directory:

lpr /etc/passwd

Verify that there is a passwd.pdf file within your home directory:

ls

Configure the printer so that it will not accept new print jobs at this time:

sudo cupsreject CUPS-PDF

Verify the status of the printer (look for the line queuing is disabled):

lpc status

Attempt to print the /etc/group file to your printer:

lpr /etc/group

You should have seen the following when you tried to print the file: lpr: Destination "CUPS-PDF" is not accepting jobs.

Instruct your printer to accept incoming print jobs again:

sudo cupsaccept CUPS-PDF

Verify that your printer can accept jobs again (look for the line queuing is enabled):

lpc status

Configure your printer so that it can accept print jobs in its queue, but it will not print them:

sudo cupsdisable CUPS-PDF

Verify that your printer can accept jobs, but not print them (look for the lines queuing is enabled and printing is disabled):

lpc status

Attempt to print the /etc/group file again:

lpr /etc/group

Running the ls command on your home directory should not show a new PDF file.

Check the printer's queue:

lpq

Note that your print job is still in the queue. Your printer can accept new jobs, but not print them at this time (as noted by the CUPS-PDF is not ready line in your lpq output). Run the following command, and substitute the JobID with the Job ID listed in your lpq command's output:

lprm JobID

Verify that the job has been removed from your queue. Note that your printer is still not ready to print new jobs:

lpq

Re-enable your printer's ability to print new jobs:

sudo cupsenable CUPS-PDF

Verify that your printer is ready:

lpq