lpq(1) - NetBSD Manual Pages

LPQ(1)                  NetBSD General Commands Manual                  LPQ(1)


NAME

     lpq -- spool queue examination program


SYNOPSIS

     lpq [-al] [-P printer] [-w maxwait] [job# ...] [user ...]


DESCRIPTION

     lpq examines the spooling area used by lpd(8) for printing files on the
     line printer, and reports the status of the specified jobs or all jobs
     associated with a user.  lpq invoked without any arguments reports on any
     jobs currently in the queue.

     Options:

     -P      Specify a particular printer, otherwise the default line printer
             is used (or the value of the PRINTER variable in the environ-
             ment). All other arguments supplied are interpreted as user names
             or job numbers to filter out only those jobs of interest.

     -l      Information about each of the files comprising the job entry is
             printed.  Normally, only as much information as will fit on one
             line is displayed.

     -a      Report on the local queues for all printers, rather than just the
             specified printer.

     -w maxwait
             Specify the maximum time to wait in seconds for remote responses.
             The default is 300 seconds or 5 minutes.

     For each job submitted (i.e. invocation of lpr(1)) lpq reports the user's
     name, current rank in the queue, the names of files comprising the job,
     the job identifier (a number which may be supplied to lprm(1) for remov-
     ing a specific job), and the total size in bytes.  Job ordering is depen-
     dent on the algorithm used to scan the spooling directory and is supposed
     to be FIFO (First in First Out).  File names comprising a job may be
     unavailable (when lpr(1) is used as a sink in a pipeline) in which case
     the file is indicated as ``(standard input)''.

     If lpq warns that there is no daemon present (i.e. due to some malfunc-
     tion), the lpc(8) command can be used to restart the printer daemon.


ENVIRONMENT

     If the following environment variable exists, it is used by lpq:

     PRINTER  Specifies an alternative default printer.


FILES

     /etc/printcap             To determine printer characteristics.
     /var/spool/output/*       The spooling directory, as determined from
                               printcap.
     /var/spool/output/*/cf*   Control files specifying jobs.
     /var/spool/output/*/lock  The lock file to obtain the currently active
                               job.


DIAGNOSTICS

     Unable to open various files.  The lock file being malformed.  Garbage
     files when there is no daemon active, but files in the spooling direc-
     tory.


SEE ALSO

     lpr(1), lprm(1), lpc(8), lpd(8)


HISTORY

     lpq appeared in 3BSD.


BUGS

     Due to the dynamic nature of the information in the spooling directory
     lpq may report unreliably.  Output formatting is sensitive to the line
     length of the terminal; this can result in widely spaced columns.

NetBSD 9.1                      April 28, 1995                      NetBSD 9.1