cups, lpr and -o options like cpi

Hi everyone,

I am trying to print some text files via the commandline, which works,
but it seems the cpi, and lpi options are ignored. Any suggestions on
how do this?

lpr -o cpi=12 sample.txt

looks just the same as

lpr -o cpi=8 sample.txt

The results are the same on my LaserJet 1300, DeskJet 960C, and Dymo
LabelWriter. So it's something happening early in the process. Does the

default cups setup use Ghostscript? My system has it, but I don't
remember if it was me who put it there. Are there some gs options I
should be passing?

The idea is to be able to do simple formatting for printing text files
via the command line.

Suggestions?

Joseph

PS: For anyone curious, I want to do this to use my Dymo as a reciept
printer for my home-grown (sucky but free) Point Of Sale system.

 

It would help to know which version of Mac OS you're using. Assumong
it's a recent version of OS X, printing is controlled by CUPS and from
the CUPS documentation:
5.2.4 cpi (type2 enum)
The cpi attribute specifies the number of characters per inch when
printing text files. Only the values 10, 12, and 17 are currently
supported. The default value is 10.

 

Hi,

Looks like you are a unix guy I just remembered Epson note about the
standard unix printer test, it maybe related:

http://tinyurl.com/93xyn

Why when I tried to test my Epson printer by ‘cat. cshrc > /dev/lp0'
nothing prints?

FileID: KB020223EN

The classic test of printer connectivity (sending an ASCII file to it)
doesn't work on many Epson printers out of the box (or after printing
from Windows or Macintosh).
Epson printers from the Stylus Color 740 and newer use a special
"packet mode" in which they do not recognize standard commands or ASCII
text.
They must be sent a special sequence that takes them out of packet mode.
The command escputil -u -s -r /dev/lp0 will take the printer out of
packet mode and enable you to print to it. As soon as you've read back
status from the printer, you know it's working.

Also, for cups you know http://www.cups.org , your printer is at
standard cups port,

http://127.0.0.1:631

I messed around with CUPS yesterday including a trial for the "real"
CUPS (pro version with drivers), because I am new to colour laserjets
and this thing doesn't have a real postscript built in (too much $$$) I
gave up for now.

If you try on Tiger, its uninstaller deletes some cover pages by the
way Thank God for Pacifist and printer setup repair, they saved a
future stupid problem.

I am not sure your printer problem related but consider yourself lucky
with cups etc since HP got much more stuff than Epson for instance. You
know, postscript drivers, PCL etc.

Ilgaz