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NAME

       vtprint  -  print  files  from  UNIX  host to printer attached to local
       terminal

SYNOPSIS

       vtprint [ -bBcCdDeEfFhlnNqQtvw ] [ -L vtprintcap ] [ -T termtype ] [ -V
       device ] [ filename...  ]

DESCRIPTION

       vtprint  is  a  simple  filter  that  prints  ASCII  text  to a printer
       connected to a terminal or terminal emulator.  It uses terminal  escape
       sequences  to  print,  and  can  substitute for lpr(1) in circumstances
       where the printer is not connected directly to the  host  or  available
       via TCP/IP.

OPTIONS

       -b     Causes  vtprint  to  open  the  output  stream  in binary modes,
              overriding any automatic postprocessing done by the  host  (e.g.
              CR/LF translations).  This has no effect if the output stream is
              not a tty device.

       -B     Undoes the effect of the -b option.  Note  that  this  does  not
              open  the output stream in text mode if it would not normally be
              opened in that mode.

       -c     Causes vtprint to append any linefeeds (ASCII 0xA) with carriage
              returns  (ASCII  0xD).   This is useful for printing data from a
              UNIX or similiar host to an MS-DOS system’s printer that expects
              CR/LF line termination.

       -C     Causes  vtprint  to  pass  all  carriage  returns  and linefeeds
              unmodified.

       -d     Use the tty device file instead of stdout for output.   This  is
              defined  as  /dev/tty  on this system. (This is operating system
              specific and may vary from system to system.) This is useful for
              using  vtprint  as  a  pipe  called by programs that suppress or
              redirect the stdout stream of the pipe or printing process.

       -D     Use the stdout stream for output, rather than a tty device file.

       -e     Forces  vtprint  to ignore the TERM environment variable and use
              the builtin control codes instead.

       -E     Undoes the effect of the -e  option,  which  allows  vtprint  to
              attempt  to  find an entry in /etc/vtprintcap for the TERM value
              and use the corresponding control codes.

       -f     Requests vtprint to suppress inclusion of formfeeds (ASCII  0xC)
              between  multiple  files.   Note  that this has no affect on any
              formfeeds that may be present in the input files already.

       -F     Requests vtprint to include  formfeeds  between  multiple  files
              specified  on  the  command-line and at the end of the last file
              printed.

       -h     Print out a simple usage message.

       -l     Print out the vtprint license agreement.

       -L vtprintcap
              Specifies an alternate file to use instead of /etc/vtprintcap.

       -n     Causes vtprint to strip the CR from any CR/LF  sequences.   This
              will  not  affect  handling  of any CRs present elsewhere in the
              file.

       -N     Causes vtprint  to  pass  all  carriage  returns  and  linefeeds
              unmodified.

       -q     Quiet   mode.   Suppress  various  status  messages  from  being
              displayed, useful in situations where vtprint is used as part of
              a shell script, for example.

       -Q     Cancels  the  effect  of the -q option, allowing normal progress
              reporting to occur.

       -t     Force the use of the TERM variable to perform a look up  of  the
              control sequences to be used in /etc/vtprintcap.  If an entry in
              that file can’t be found, vtprint will abort with an error.

       -T termtype
              Use the value of termtype instead  of  the  value  of  the  TERM
              environment variable when performing lookups in /etc/vtprintcap.

       -v     Display version information.

       -V device
              Specifies an alternate device file instead of /dev/tty to use.

       -w     Display important warranty waiver information.  NO WARRANTY!

       --     This  option  changes  no  special  operational  parameters   of
              vtprint.   But  it  does indicate to the program that all of the
              command-line  arguments  which  follow  are  to  be  parsed   as
              filenames,  even  if they begin with a dash.  Hence to process a
              single file with the name "file" you would  call  vtprint  as  "
              vtprint  --  -file".

ENVIRONMENT

       TERM   the type of the terminal vtprint will assume is being used.

       VTPRINT
              string of options to be used by vtprint.

AUTHOR

       vtprint  was  written by Garrett D’Amore, on December 27, 1993 and last
       modified on October 25, 1994.  It is heavily  derived  from  a  similar
       program,  called  lprint,  by  the  same author.  He can be reached via
       Internet e-mail at garrett@sciences.sdsu.edu.

DISTRIBUTION

       The latest version of vtprint can  be  obtained  by  anonymous  ftp  at
       ftp.sdsu.edu  in the /pub/vtprint directory.  Please read the INDEX and
       README files before downloading.

       If you do not have ftp availability, then you can request  a  uuencoded
       copy  of vtprint be sent to you via e-mail from the author.  The author
       is also willing to make other arrangements as  needed,  within  certain
       limitations.

MAILING LIST

       A  mailing  list  for  the  discussion  of  topics related to and about
       vtprint exists.  To subscribe to this mailing list, send a  message  to
       "vtprint-request@sdsu.edu"  with  the word "subscribe" as the body.  An
       automated list server will reply with  information  about  the  mailing
       list.

COPYRIGHT

       vtprint  is  copyrighted  1994,  by  Garrett D’Amore.  It may be freely
       redistributed or modified, so long as  this  and  any  other  copyright
       notices are included in their original form with the program.  The user
       is granted the right to use this program without limitation.

DISCLAIMER

       vtprint is provided WITHOUT WARRANTY.  The user agrees to indemnify the
       author  from  any  claims  of damage or loss arising from the use of or
       inability to use this program.  In other words, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

CAVEATS

       vtprint  cannot  be  used  to  print  files  containing   non-printable
       characters,  as these may cause conflicts with the terminal or emulator
       used.

       When used over a  serial  (modem)  connection,  vtprint  may  not  work
       properly  unless  hardware (CTS/RTS) flow control is used.  This is due
       to the fact that most printers are slower than  serial  connections  in
       common use.

       vtprint  uses  terminal escape sequences to print, and not all terminal
       emulators support these sequences, and of those that do,  some  support
       it  differently.   You can find a listing of some of the programs known
       to work and not to work with vtprint in  the  file  COMPAT.   The  best
       thing  to do is try your particular emulator, and find out if it works.
       The author would appreciate any  reports  of  success  or  failure,  or
       strange behavior.  You can send those to him via Internet e-mail.  (See
       the AUTHOR chapter for how to reach him.)

       The /etc/vtprintcap file is still largely incomplete.  The author would
       very  much appreciate it if individuals with more information different
       terminals would get in contact with him so that support  can  be  added
       for these terminals in the master archive.

       Do  not background this program, as it has no way of knowing when it is
       in the background and when it is in the foreground.  This  will  result
       in  your foreground process’ output being printed as well as the output
       from vtprint.

FILES

       /etc/vtprintcap

TODOS

       Fix any bugs present, clean-up the  documentation,  continue  to  build
       upon  entries  in  the  COMPAT and /etc/vtprintcap files, and  finally,
       finish getting a college education!

BUGS

       vtprint doesn’t handle some signals properly,  especially  the  SIGKILL
       and  SIGSTOP  signals,  which  can’t be caught anyway.  Also it doesn’t
       check to see if you  have  backgrounded  the  process.   The  resulting
       condition  may  leave all output directed to the printer instead of the
       screen.  The fix for this condition is to  run  the  provided  vtprtoff
       program  with  no  arguments,  which will restore normal screen output.
       (You probably won’t be able to see what you’re typing while  you  start
       vtprtoff from the shell.)

SEE ALSO

       lpr(1), vtprintcap(5), vtprtoff(1)