The print system provides attributes for changing the characteristics of each print job. This appendix provides summaries of several commonly used attributes organized into the following categories:
Job and document attributes determine the printer requirements of jobs and documents.
Text job attributes provide controls for printing simple text jobs.
Physical printer attributes define the capabilities of the printer device the object represents.
For a detailed directory of all attributes and their associated values,
refer to the
Advanced Printing Software Command Reference Guide.
A.1 Common Job and Document Attributes
The following job and document attributes are available for use with print commands. The attribute always applies to the file name and filenames entered on the command-line after the attribute. See the accompanying examples.
additional-production-instructions
Specifies lpd processing options that are not representable as attributes.
Intended for use only by inbound and outbound gateways.
copy-count
Requests a number of copies of the document. For example:
pdpr -x "copy-count=2" report.txt
default-input-tray
Requests
that the document is to be printed on media drawn from the named input tray.
Input tray names are defined in the printer's
input-tray-supported
attribute.
For example:
pdpr -x "default-input-tray=bottom" report.txt
default-medium
Requests that
the document is to be printed on the named media.
Media names are defined
in the printer's
media-supported
attribute.
For example:
pdpr -x "default-medium=iso-a4-white" report.txt
document-sheets
Specifies whether
to print auxiliary sheets at the beginning of each document in a job.
If you
specify
doc-set-start-copies-separate
, a separator sheet
precedes each copy of the document.
For example:
pdpr -x "document-sheets=doc-set-start-copies-separate" report.txt
job-comment
Specifies a text
comment for a print job.
If you use the
job-sheets
attribute
to select job start sheets, then the
job-comment
is printed
on them.
For example:
pdpr -x "job-sheets=job-copy-start \
job-comment='final draft of secret report'" report.txt
job-copies
Requests a number of collated copies of all documents in the entire job. For example:
pdpr -x "job-copies=3" report.txt forecast.txt budget.txt
job-name
Supplies a name for
a print job.
The job name is printed on job start sheets and used in notification
and logging messages.
If you do not specify a
job-name
,
it defaults to the file name in a one document job or to the name of the first
file in a multi-document job.
For example:
pdpr -x "job-name='copy for Pokey'" report.txt
job-print-after
Specifies the calendar date and time after which the job should be scheduled. Use the format dd:mm:yyyy:HH:MM:SS. When the specified date and time arrive, the job is scheduled for printing. For example:
pdpr -x "job-print-after=31:12:1999:23:59" report.txt
job-priority
Specifies a print job scheduling priority value. Jobs with higher priorities are scheduled to print before jobs with lower priorities. For example:
pdpr -x job-priority=20 new_job.txt
job-retention-period
Specifies the period of time following job completion that the system retains the job, its attributes, and data. Use the format [HH:]MM[:SS]. By setting this attribute, you can obtain status information after your job has printed. It also allows you to print the job again, possibly with modified attributes. For example:
pdpr -x "job-retention-period=01:00" report.txt
printer-setup-module
Specifies one or more files used to set up printer modes or functions prior to printing a document.
job-sheets
Specifies the auxiliary
sheets that will print with a job.
If you specify
job-copy-start
, a start sheet prints in front of every copy of the job.
If you
specify
job-copy-wrap
, a start and end sheet prints for
every copy of the job.
For example:
pdpr -x "job-sheets=job-copy-start" report.txt
number-up
Requests that the
document is to be printed with multiple page images on one side of the sheet.
This is done by reducing the size of the printed page.
For example,
number-up=2
reduces two pages so they print side by side on one
sheet.
Values are defined in the printer's
numbers-up-supported
attribute.
A value of 0 is equivalent to no
number-up
processing.
This feature is generally limited to the printing of text files on PostScript
printers.
For example:
pdpr -x "number-up=4" report.txt
output-bin
Requests that the
job be deposited in the printer's specified output bin.
Output bin names are
defined in the printer's
output-bins-supported
attribute.
For example:
pdpr -x "output-bin=side" report.txt
sides
Requests that the document
is to be printed one-sided or two-sided.
Values of 1 or 2 or both are defined
in the printer's
sides-supported
attribute.
For example:
pdpr -x "sides=2" report.txt
The print system supports several attributes that are used primarily for documents that are free of formatting instructions, that is they contain only text. These attributes provide some control over the appearance and placement of text in the printed document. Some attributes are specific to document formats such as PCL or ESC/P and to printers that use those formats. Others apply only when using the text-to-PostScript translation filter supplied and Advanced Printing Software with a PostScript-capable printer.
For the following attributes, only content-orientation applies to both formats. See the accompanying examples.
bottom-margin
Specifies the distance in lines between the bottom edge of the logical page and the bottom edge of the text area when held in the intended reading orientation. For example:
pdpr -x "bottom-margin=3" report.txt
content-orientation
Specifies the most significant orientation of the document. Choices include:portraitlandscapereverse-portraitreverse-landscape
For example:
pdpr -x "content-orientation=landscape" report.txt
header-text
Specifies the text
that is to be printed on the first line of each printed page.
The
header-text
could be the title of the document.
For example:
pdpr -x "header-text='Favorite Pumpkin Recipes'" report.txt
left-margin
Specifies the distance as the number of characters between the left edge of the logical page and the left edge of the text area when held in the intended reading position. For example:
pdpr -x "left-margin=8" report.txt
length
Specifies the page length of the text area as a number of lines. For example:
pdpr -x "length=60" report.txt
number-pages
Indicates whether to print page numbers on the document pages. The value may be yes or no. For example:
pdpr -x "number-pages=yes header-text='Final Draft'" report.txt
number-up
Requests that the
document is to be printed with multiple page images on one side of the sheet.
This is done by reducing the size of the printed page.
For example, number-up=2
reduces two pages so they print side by side on one sheet.
Choices include
0, 1, 2, and 4.
The value 0 is equivalent to no
number-up
processing.
For example:
pdpr -x "number-up=4" report.txt
right-margin
Specifies the distance as the number of characters between the right edge of the logical page and the right edge of the text area when held in the intended reading position. For example:
pdpr -x "left-margin=6 right-margin=6" report.txt
top-margin
Specifies the distance in lines between the top edge of the logical page and the top edge of the text area when held in the intended reading orientation. For example:
pdpr -x "top-margin=5 bottom-margin=6" report.txt
width
Specifies the width of the text area as the number of characters. This is the maximum line width before text wrapping occurs. For example:
pdpr -x "length=56 width=132 content-orientation=landscape" report.txt
A.3 Commonly Used Logical Printer Attributes
Logical printers reside in and are controlled
by spooler processes.
As an end user, you normally cannot change logical printer
attributes, but you can query them.
Use the
pdls
command
and specify the logical printer name as the command operand.
When you use the
pdls
command to display properties
of a logical printer, you can request attributes associated with the printer.
For example, requesting the value of the
printer-state
attribute lets you know if the printer is idle, printing, needs attention,
or is in some other state.
You can use the
following logical printer attributes with the
pdls
command.
For example, the following command requests a list of the input trays that
are supported for a logical printer named printer_1:
$ pdls -c printer -r "input-trays-supported" printer_1
availability
Indicates the general availability of an object. It is set to none if the object is disabled and normal if the object is enabled.
character-sets-supported
Identifies the character set encodings supported by the printer.
On job submission, the spooler checks the character set specified for
a document against the logical printer's
character-sets-supported
attribute.
If there is no match, the spooler rejects the print
request.
Refer to the
Advanced Printing Software Command Reference Guide
for a list of values.
content-orientations-supported
Specifies the document content orientations supported by the printer. This attribute's values must include any content orientation for a document directed to the printer. Valid values are portrait, landscape, reverse-portrait, and reverse-landscape.
document-formats-supported
Specifies the document formats supported by the printer.
This attribute must
contain a value corresponding to the value of the
document-format
attribute of a document submitted to this printer.
Refer to the
Advanced Printing Software Command Reference Guide
for a list
of values.
document-sheets-supported
Specifies the auxiliary sheets supported by this printer.This attribute must
contain a value corresponding to the value of the
document-sheets
attribute of a job submitted to this printer.
Valid values are
none and doc-set-start-copies-separate.
enabled
Indicates whether
the specified object is enabled to accept print requests (value=yes).
This
attribute is set with
pdenable
or
pddisable
.
When an object is created, it is disabled by default (value=no).
For a server to accept print requests, the server's, the associated queue's, and the specified printer's enabled attributes must be set to yes.
finishings-supported
Identifies
the per-document finishings supported on the printer.
This attribute must
contain a value corresponding to the value of the
finishing
attribute of a document submitted to this printer.
Refer to the Advanced Printing Software Command Reference Guide for a list of values.
fonts-supported
Identifies the font resources supported by the printer.
On job submission, the spooler checks the font specified for a document
against the logical printer's
fonts-supported
attribute.
If there is no match, the spooler rejects the print request.
highlight-colours-supported
Indicates the values of highlight colors supported on this printer.
This attribute must contain a value corresponding to the value of the
highlight-colour
attribute of a document submitted to this printer.
Valid values are red, blue, green, cyan, magenta, yellow, cardinal, royalblue,
ruby, violet, black, or name.
input-trays-supported
Identifies the input trays supported on this printer.
This attribute must contain a value corresponding to the value of the
default-input-tray
attribute of a document submitted to
this printer.
Valid values are top, middle, bottom, envelope, manual, large-capacity,
main, side, or 1, 2, 3, and 4.
job-finishings-supported
Identifies the job-level finishing supported by this printer.
On job submission, the spooler checks the finishing specified for a
job against the logical printer's
job-finishings-supported
attribute.
If there is no match, the spooler rejects the print request.
Refer
to the
Advanced Printing Software Command Reference Guide
for a list of valid values.
job-sheets-supported
Specifies
the auxiliary sheets supported by this printer.
This attribute must contain
a value corresponding to the value of the
job-sheets
attribute
of a job submitted to this printer.
Values are none, job-copy-start, and job-copy-wrap.
jobs-pending
Specifies the
number of outstanding jobs in the queue.
Outstanding jobs are jobs with a
current-job-state
value of pending, held, or paused.
maximum-copies-supported
Indicates the maximum number of copies of a document that can be printed on this printer. This includes document copies specified via the attributes copy-count and job-copies. A value of zero (0) or empty indicates no limit.
media-supported
Identifies the media supported by the printer.
On job submission, the spooler checks the medium specified for a document
against the logical printer's
media-supported
attribute.
If there is no match, the spooler rejects the print request.
Refer to the
Advanced Printing Software Command Reference Guide
for a list
of valid values.
message
Supplies a human-readable string intended to indicate to users something about an object's state. This attribute can be used to indicate to users why an object is unavailable or when it is expected to be ready.
The
-m
option can also be used to attach a human readable
message to a job.
Users can retrieve the message with the
pdls
command.
numbers-up-supported
Indicates
valid values for the document attribute
number-up
.
Values
are 0, 1, 2, and 4.
output-bins-supported
Identifies the output bins supported on this printer. The value of this attribute can be an OID, a name, or a number.
This attribute must contain a value corresponding to the value of the
output-bin
attribute of a job submitted to this printer.
Refer to
the
Advanced Printing Software Command Reference Guide
for a list of values.
page-select-supported
Indicates the types of page identifiers supported by this printer. Numeric or alphanumeric page identifiers are used to specify one or more sequences of pages to be printed.
The values for
page-select-supported
must include
the value of
page-select
used by a document submitted to
this printer.
print-colour-types-supported
Identifies the colors that are supported on this printer. Values are black-and-white, highlight-colour, and full color.
On job submission, the spooler checks the print color types specified
for a job against the logical printer's
print-colour-types-supported
attribute.
If there is no match, the spooler rejects the print
request.
printer-associated-printers
Identifies the physical printers associated with this logical printer.
This
attribute is updated when the printer's
associated-queue
attribute is modified.
It is checked for end-to-end consistency when the printer
is enabled.
printer-initial-value-document
Identifies an initial-value-document on the server for use on this logical
printer.
This attribute is used if the document does not specify an
initial-value-document
object.
printer-initial-value-job
Identifies an initial-value-job on the server for use on this logical printer.
The attribute is used if the job does not specify an
initial-value-job
object.
printer-locations
Identifies the location of the printer.
printer-name
Specifies a unique name for a printer.
printer-problem-message
Some
printers produce a text message describing a problem.
In these cases, the
supervisor places the message in the
printer-problem-message
attribute.
printer-realization
Identifies if the printer is logical or physical. A printer created on a spooler is logical. A printer created on a supervisor is physical.
printer-state
Identifies the current state of the printer. Values are unknown, idle, printing, needs-attention, paused, shutdown, timed-out, connecting-to-printer, and needs-key-operator.
printers-ready
Identifies the physical printers ready to be used with the specified logical printer.
sides-supported
Indicates
the values of sides supported by this printer.
This attribute must contain
a value (1 or 2) corresponding to the value of the
sides
attribute of a document submitted to the specified printer.