Subject: Re: local filters and remote printer with lpd
To: None <netbsd-help@netbsd.org>
From: Jeremy C. Reed <reed@reedmedia.net>
List: netbsd-help
Date: 04/03/2001 21:33:41
On Wed, 4 Apr 2001, Matthias Buelow wrote:

> "Jeremy C. Reed" <reed@reedmedia.net> writes:
> 
> >I am trying to configure lpd so it will process the data locally before
> >sending it to a remote server (which has the printer).
> 
> That doesn't work with the NetBSD lpd (or with any BSD-derived lpds
> that haven't been modified to support this) since for some obscure
> reason, the implementors of lpd explicitly disabled use of local
> filters for remote printers and there is no way to re-enable it,
> quoting printcap(5):
> 
> FILTERS
>      If a printer is specified via lp (either local or remote), the lpd(8)
>      daemon creates a pipeline of filters to process files for various printer
>      types.  The pipeline is not set up for remote printers specified via rm
>              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>      unless the local host is the same as the remote printer host given.  The
>      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Yes, I read that. And I remember that from past experiences. But then I
saw the "-r" option.

> the lpd -r setting won't work either (as far as I have investigated,
> it's broken and does nothing observable, certainly not what was
> advertised.)  I have discussed this about a year ago or so on

Okay.

> a netbsd mailing list already and also pointed out that the (imho)
> rather stupid restriction of not starting filters when stuff is
> intended for a remote printer is removed since quite some time from
> the FreeBSD lpd (so it might be beneficial to look at what they've done.)

I am looking at it now. (The patch doesn't apply automatically -- so I am
applying it by hand.)

> The easiest solution, however, is to use LPRng (a BSD-lpd compatible
> reimplementation with lotsa extra bloat but also some nice features
> and general cleanup).  I didn't use the LPRng from pkgsrc since it

I need to try LPRng someday (but I am usually against bloat).

...
> The filter in question is specified via the filter= directive, obviously.

Thanks for your LPRng examples and information. If I don't get this lpd
fixed soon, then I'll use LPRng.

   Jeremy C. Reed
   http://www.reedmedia.net/