LPD(8)

NAME
lpd - line printer daemon

SYNOPSIS
/etc/lpd

DESCRIPTION
lpd is the daemon (spool area handler) invoked by opr. It uses the directory /usr/lpd. The file lock in that directory is used to prevent two daemons from becoming active. Lpd is automatically initiated by the line printer command opr. After the program has successfully set the lock, it forks and the main path exits, thus spawning the daemon.

The directory is scanned for files beginning with df. Each such file contains lines specifying files to be printed.

To restart lpd (in the case of hardware or software malfunction), it is necessary first to kill the old daemon (if still alive), and remove the lock file before initiating the new daemon. This is done automatically when the system is brought up, by /etc/rc, in case there were any jobs left in the spooling directory when the system last went down.

The command prstop(1) can be used to send a signal to lpd, causing it to abort the printing of the current file, and go on to the next one.

FILES
/usr/lpd/* spool area for line printer daemon
/dev/pr printer

SEE ALSO
opr(1), prstop(1)