VTPRINT(1) | General Commands Manual | VTPRINT(1) |
vtprint - print files from UNIX host to printer attached to local terminal
vtprint [ -bBcCdDeEfFhlnNqQtvw ] [ -L vtprintcap ] [ -T termtype ] [ -V device ] [ filename... ]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
/etc/vtprintcap
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!
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.)
25 October 1994 | vtprint v2.0.2 |