lp

Print a file or modify a queued print job

Supplementary instructions

lp command is used to print files or modify queued print tasks. Similar to the lpr command, the lp command supports both file input and standard input. It differs from lpr in that it has a different (slightly more complex) set of parameter options.

grammar

lp(option)(parameter)

Options

-E: Force encryption when connecting to the print server;
-U: Specify the user name used when connecting to the print server;
-d: Specify the target printer to receive the print task;
-i: Specify an existing printing task number;
-m: Send E-mail when printing is completed;
-n: Specify the number of copies to print;
-t: Specifies the name of the print task;
-H: Specify the time when the print task starts;
-P: Specify the page number to be printed.

Parameters

File: File to be printed.

Example

To print the file /etc/motd on printer lp0 attached to device dlp0, enter:

lp /etc/motd

To print 30 copies of the /etc/motd file using one copy of the file, and to notify the user by email that the job is complete, enter:

lp -c -m -n30 -dlp0:lpd0 /etc/motd

To print the /etc/motd file using the backend flags -f and -a with a job title blah, enter:

lp -t "blah" -o -f -o -a /etc/motd

To queue a MyFile file and return the job number, enter:

lp myfile

To queue a MyFile file and suppress job numbers, enter:

lp -s myfile

Exit status

The command returns the following exit values:

• 0: All input files were processed successfully.

• 0: No output device is available, or an error occurred.