Adding a terminfo Entry for an Unsupported Printer

Adding a `terminfo` Entry for an Unsupported Printer
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Adding a `terminfo` Entry for an Unsupported Printer

The LP print service uses an interface program and the terminfo database to initialize each printer and establish the following:

Selected page size
Character pitch
Line pitch
Character set

Each printer is identified in the terminfo database with a short name. The short name required by the terminfo database is identical to the name used to set the TERM shell variable. This name is also the printer type that you specify when setting up a printer. For example, the entries for different types of PostScript printers are in the /usr/share/lib/terminfo/P directory. The default entries provided with the SunOS software release are PS (for PostScript) and PSR (for PostScript Reverse).

If you cannot find a terminfo entry for your printer, you still might be able to use the printer with the LP print service without the automatic selection of page size, pitch, and character sets. However, you might have trouble keeping the printer set in the correct modes for each print request.

If no terminfo entry exists for your type of printer and you want to keep the printer set in the correct modes, you can do one of the following:

Customize the interface program used with the printer.
Add an entry to the terminfo database.

A terminal or printer entry in the terminfo database contains and defines hundreds of items. The LP print service, however, uses fewer than 50 of these items. The following table lists the required terminfo items for a printer.

Table 6.2. Required terminfo Items for a Printer (Booleans)

Item		Description
Booleans:
	`cpix`	Changing character pitch changes resolution
	`daisy`	Printer requires an operator to change character set
	`lpix`	Changing line pitch changes resolution

Table 6.3. Required terminfo Items for a Printer (Numbers)

Item		Description
Numbers:
	`bufsx`	Number of bytes buffered before printing
	`cols`	Number of columns in a line
	`cps`	Average print rate in characters per second
	`it`	Tabs initially every `n` spaces
	`lines`	Number of lines on a page
	`orc`	Horizontal resolution, in units per character
	`orhi`	Horizontal resolution, in units per inch
	`orl`	Vertical resolution, in units per line
	`orvi`	Vertical resolution, in units per inch

Table 6.4. Required terminfo Items for a Printer (Strings)

Item		Description
Strings:
	`chr`	Changes horizontal resolution
	`cpi`	Changes number of characters per inch
	`cr`	Carriage return
	`csnm`	List of character set names
	`cudl`	Moves carriage down one line
	`cud`	Moves carriage down `n` lines
	`cuf`	Moves carriage to the right `n` columns
	`cvr`	Changes vertical resolution
	`ff`	Ejects page
	`hpa`	Horizontal position absolute
	`ht`	Tabs to next 8-space tab stop
	`if`	Is the name of initialization file
	`iprog`	Is the path name of initialization program
	`is1`	Is a printer initialization string
	`is2`	Is a printer initialization string
	`is3`	Is a printer initialization string
	`lpi`	Changes number of lines per inch
	`mgc`	Clears all margins (top, bottom, and sides)
	`rep`	Repeats a character `n` times
	`rwidm`	Disables double-wide printing
	`scs`	Selects character set
	`scsd`	Starts definition of a character set
	`slines`	Set page length to `n` lines per page
	`smgl`	Sets left margin at current column
	`smglp`	Set left margin
	`smgr`	Sets right margin at current column
	`smgrp`	Sets right margin
	`smglr`	Sets both left and right margins
	`msgt`	Sets top margin at current line
	`smgtp`	Sets top margin
	`smgb`	Sets bottom margin at current line
	`smgbp`	Sets bottom margin
	`smgtb`	Sets both top and bottom margins
	`swidm`	Enables double-wide printing
	`vpa`	Sets vertical position to absolute

How to Add a terminfo Entry for an Unsupported Printer

Note

Before you create a terminfo entry for a printer, make sure that none of the existing terminfo entries will support the printer. To do so, try to set up the printer with an entry for a similar printer, if a similar printer exists.

Log in as superuser, lp, or assume an equivalent role on the print server.
Determine a terminfo entry name for the printer.

The directories in the /usr/share/lib/terminfo directory contain all the valid terminfo entries. Use these entries as a guide for choosing a name for the printer.
Create a terminfo entry file for the printer.

Table 6–2 shows the items you must define in the terminfo entry to add a new printer to the LP print service. For more details about the structure of the terminfo database, see the terminfo ( 4 ) man page.

To help you start writing a new terminfo entry, use the infocmp command to save an existing terminfo entry to a file. This command is helpful if there is a terminfo entry that is similar to entry you want to create. For example, the following command saves the ps entry to the ps_cust file, which will become the new terminfo entry.

infocmp ps > ps_cust
Compile the terminfo entry file into the terminfo database.
```
# tic terminfo_entry
```
where terminfo-entry variable is the terminfo entry file you created.
Check for the new terminfo entry file in the /usr/share/lib/terminfo directory.

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