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)