LPRng has inherited a set of
so-called `print formats' from its
BSD ancestor. The format was used to specify the type of file
that was being printed. The lpd
server used the print format to select the filter for
processing the file. The default
format is f.
The user can specify the format (i.e., the file type) by
giving the appropriate option to lpr:
-b or -l: Binary (literal) file. No processing
should be done. The l format is
recorded as the file format.
-c: cifplot(1) output.
-d: TeX DVI file.
-g: Output from the plot(3X)
routines.
-n or -t: (di)troff output.
-p: Text file that should be
pre-processed by the pr command,
and then by the standard text filter.
-v: Benson Varian raster
image.
Alternatively, one can also use -Fx, where x is the
format specifier. (E.g., -Fc instead
of -c.) This last form also allows
you to use other (non-standard) format specifiers.
The filter for format X is the
value for the Xf printcap option,
with some minor exceptions. The following Xf options have a pre-defined meaning.
:if The f format filter, i.e. - for the default
f format. All print jobs are
passed through this one, unless another format is
selected.
cf Cifplot
data filter (for -c format).
df Filter
for DVI files (-d).
gf Graph
data filter (-g).
nf Ditroff
data filter (-n).
:of This filter is used for
processing the (optional) banner at the start and/or end
of the print job, and also for the interjob separators.
See OF Filter for
details.