Text of RFC1179 Standard for Windows NT TCP/IP Printing

Last reviewed: July 23, 1997
Article ID: Q124734

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

SUMMARY

Windows NT TCP/IP Printing Services are based on the standard defined in RFC1179, which contains the communication specification for line printer remote (LPR) and line printer daemon (LPD) printing and is based on TCP/IP printing with Berkeley versions of Unix. The Line Printer Daemon and its components in RFC1179 are known as Berkeley Style Daemons (BSD).

This article contains the text of RFC1179 for reference.

MORE INFORMATION

Network Printing Working Group                 L. McLaughlin III, Editor
Request for Comments:  1179                         The Wollongong Group
                                                             August 1990


                      Line Printer Daemon Protocol

Status of this Memo

   This RFC describes an existing print server protocol widely used on
   the Internet for communicating between line printer daemons (both
   clients and servers).  This memo is for informational purposes only,
   and does not specify an Internet standard.  Please refer to the
   current edition of the "IAB Official Protocol Standards" for the
   standardization state and status of this protocol.  Distribution of
   this memo is unlimited.

  • Introduction

    The Berkeley versions of the Unix(tm) operating system provide line printer spooling with a collection of programs: lpr (assign to queue), lpq (display the queue), lprm (remove from queue), and lpc (control the queue). These programs interact with an autonomous process called the line printer daemon. This RFC describes the protocols with which a line printer daemon client may control printing.

    This memo is based almost entirely on the work of Robert Knight at Princeton University. I gratefully acknowledge his efforts in deciphering the UNIX lpr protocol and producing earlier versions of this document.

  • Model of Printing Environment

    A group of hosts request services from a line printer daemon process running on a host. The services provided by the process are related to printing jobs. A printing job produces output from one file. Each job will have a unique job number which is between 0 and 999, inclusive. The jobs are requested by users which have names. These user names may not start with a digit.

  • Specification of the Protocol

    The specification includes file formats for the control and data files as well as messages used by the protocol.

    McLaughlin                                                      [Page 1]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    
    3.1 Message formats

       LPR is a a TCP-based protocol.  The port on which a line printer
       daemon listens is 515.  The source port must be in the range 721 to
       731, inclusive.  A line printer daemon responds to commands sent to
       its port.  All commands begin with a single octet code, which is a
       binary number which represents the requested function.  The code is
       immediately followed by the ASCII name of the printer queue name on
       which the function is to be performed.  If there are other operands
       to the command, they are separated from the printer queue name with
       white space (ASCII space, horizontal tab, vertical tab, and form
       feed).  The end of the command is indicated with an ASCII line feed
       character.
    
    

  • Diagram Conventions

    The diagrams in the rest of this RFC use these conventions. These diagrams show the format of an octet stream sent to the server. The outermost box represents this stream. Each box within the outermost one shows one portion of the stream. If the contents of the box is two decimal digits, this indicates that the binary 8 bit value is to be used. If the contents is two uppercase letters, this indicates that the corresponding ASCII control character is to be used. An exception to this is that the character SP can be interpreted as white space. (See the preceding section for a definition.) If the contents is a single letter, the ASCII code for this letter must be sent. Otherwise, the contents are intended to be mnemonic of the contents of the field which is a sequence of octets.

  • Daemon commands

    The verbs in the command names should be interpreted as statements made to the daemon. Thus, the command "Print any waiting jobs" is an imperative to the line printer daemon to which it is sent. A new connection must be made for each command to be given to the daemon.

    5.1 01 - Print any waiting jobs

          +----+-------+----+
          | 01 | Queue | LF |
          +----+-------+----+
          Command code - 1
          Operand - Printer queue name
    
       This command starts the printing process if it not already running.
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                      [Page 2]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    
    5.2 02 - Receive a printer job

          +----+-------+----+
          | 02 | Queue | LF |
          +----+-------+----+
          Command code - 2
          Operand - Printer queue name
    
       Receiving a job is controlled by a second level of commands.  The
       daemon is given commands by sending them over the same connection.
       The commands are described in the next section (6).
    
       After this command is sent, the client must read an acknowledgement
       octet from the daemon.  A positive acknowledgement is an octet of
       zero bits.  A negative acknowledgement is an octet of any other
       pattern.
    
    
    5.3 03 - Send queue state (short)

          +----+-------+----+------+----+
          | 03 | Queue | SP | List | LF |
          +----+-------+----+------+----+
          Command code - 3
          Operand 1 - Printer queue name
          Other operands - User names or job numbers
    
       If the user names or job numbers or both are supplied then only those
       jobs for those users or with those numbers will be sent.
    
       The response is an ASCII stream which describes the printer queue.
       The stream continues until the connection closes.  Ends of lines are
       indicated with ASCII LF control characters.  The lines may also
       contain ASCII HT control characters.
    
    
    5.4 04 - Send queue state (long)

          +----+-------+----+------+----+
          | 04 | Queue | SP | List | LF |
          +----+-------+----+------+----+
          Command code - 4
          Operand 1 - Printer queue name
          Other operands - User names or job numbers
    
       If the user names or job numbers or both are supplied then only those
       jobs for those users or with those numbers will be sent.
    
       The response is an ASCII stream which describes the printer queue.
       The stream continues until the connection closes.  Ends of lines are
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                      [Page 3]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
       indicated with ASCII LF control characters.  The lines may also
       contain ASCII HT control characters.
    
    
    5.5 05 - Remove jobs

          +----+-------+----+-------+----+------+----+
          | 05 | Queue | SP | Agent | SP | List | LF |
          +----+-------+----+-------+----+------+----+
          Command code - 5
          Operand 1 - Printer queue name
          Operand 2 - User name making request (the agent)
          Other operands - User names or job numbers
    
       This command deletes the print jobs from the specified queue which
       are listed as the other operands.  If only the agent is given, the
       command is to delete the currently active job.  Unless the agent is
       "root", it is not possible to delete a job which is not owned by the
       user.  This is also the case for specifying user names instead of
       numbers.  That is, agent "root" can delete jobs by user name but no
       other agents can.
    
    

  • Receive job subcommands

    These commands are processed when the line printer daemon has been given the receive job command. The daemon will continue to process commands until the connection is closed.

    After a subcommand is sent, the client must wait for an acknowledgement from the daemon. A positive acknowledgement is an octet of zero bits. A negative acknowledgement is an octet of any other pattern.

    LPR clients SHOULD be able to sent the receive data file and receive control file subcommands in either order. LPR servers MUST be able to receive the control file subcommand first and SHOULD be able to receive the data file subcommand first.

    6.1 01 - Abort job

          Command code - 1
          +----+----+
          | 01 | LF |
          +----+----+
    
       No operands should be supplied.  This subcommand will remove any
       files which have been created during this "Receive job" command.
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                      [Page 4]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    
    6.2 02 - Receive control file

          +----+-------+----+------+----+
          | 02 | Count | SP | Name | LF |
          +----+-------+----+------+----+
          Command code - 2
          Operand 1 - Number of bytes in control file
          Operand 2 - Name of control file
    
       The control file must be an ASCII stream with the ends of lines
       indicated by ASCII LF.  The total number of bytes in the stream is
       sent as the first operand.  The name of the control file is sent as
       the second.  It should start with ASCII "cfA", followed by a three
       digit job number, followed by the host name which has constructed the
       control file.  Acknowledgement processing must occur as usual after
       the command is sent.
    
       The next "Operand 1" octets over the same TCP connection are the
       intended contents of the control file.  Once all of the contents have
       been delivered, an octet of zero bits is sent as an indication that
       the file being sent is complete.  A second level of acknowledgement
       processing must occur at this point.
    
    
    6.3 03 - Receive data file

          +----+-------+----+------+----+
          | 03 | Count | SP | Name | LF |
          +----+-------+----+------+----+
          Command code - 3
          Operand 1 - Number of bytes in data file
          Operand 2 - Name of data file
    
       The data file may contain any 8 bit values at all.  The total number
       of bytes in the stream may be sent as the first operand, otherwise
       the field should be cleared to 0.  The name of the data file should
       start with ASCII "dfA".  This should be followed by a three digit job
       number.  The job number should be followed by the host name which has
       constructed the data file.  Interpretation of the contents of the
       data file is determined by the contents of the corresponding control
       file.  If a data file length has been specified, the next "Operand 1"
       octets over the same TCP connection are the intended contents of the
       data file.  In this case, once all of the contents have been
       delivered, an octet of zero bits is sent as an indication that the
       file being sent is complete.  A second level of acknowledgement
       processing must occur at this point.
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                      [Page 5]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    

  • Control file lines

    This section discusses the format of the lines in the control file which is sent to the line printer daemon.

    Each line of the control file consists of a single, printable ASCII character which represents a function to be performed when the file is printed. Interpretation of these command characters are case- sensitive. The rest of the line after the command character is the command's operand. No leading white space is permitted after the command character. The line ends with an ASCII new line.

    Those commands which have a lower case letter as a command code are used to specify an actual printing request. The commands which use upper case are used to describe parametric values or background conditions.

    Some commands must be included in every control file. These are 'H' (responsible host) and 'P' (responsible user). Additionally, there must be at least one lower case command to produce any output.

    7.1 C - Class for banner page

          +---+-------+----+
          | C | Class | LF |
          +---+-------+----+
          Command code - 'C'
          Operand - Name of class for banner pages
    
       This command sets the class name to be printed on the banner page.
       The name must be 31 or fewer octets.  The name can be omitted.  If it
       is, the name of the host on which the file is printed will be used.
       The class is conventionally used to display the host from which the
       printing job originated.  It will be ignored unless the print banner
       command ('L') is also used.
    
    
    7.2 H - Host name

          +---+------+----+
          | H | Host | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'H'
          Operand - Name of host
    
       This command specifies the name of the host which is to be treated as
       the source of the print job.  The command must be included in the
       control file.  The name of the host must be 31 or fewer octets.
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                      [Page 6]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    
    7.3 I - Indent Printing

          +---+-------+----+
          | I | count | LF |
          +---+-------+----+
          Command code - 'I'
          Operand - Indenting count
    
       This command specifies that, for files which are printed with the
       'f', of columns given.  (It is ignored for other output generating
       commands.)  The identing count operand must be all decimal digits.
    
    
    7.4 J - Job name for banner page

          +---+----------+----+
          | J | Job name | LF |
          +---+----------+----+
          Command code - 'J'
          Operand - Job name
    
       This command sets the job name to be printed on the banner page.  The
       name of the job must be 99 or fewer octets.  It can be omitted.  The
       job name is conventionally used to display the name of the file or
       files which were "printed".  It will be ignored unless the print
       banner command ('L') is also used.
    
    
    7.5 L - Print banner page

          +---+------+----+
          | L | User | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'L'
          Operand - Name of user for burst pages
    
       This command causes the banner page to be printed.  The user name can
       be omitted.  The class name for banner page and job name for banner
       page commands must precede this command in the control file to be
       effective.
    
    
    7.6 M - Mail When Printed

          +---+------+----+
          | M | user | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'M'
          Operand - User name
    
       This entry causes mail to be sent to the user given as the operand at
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                      [Page 7]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
       the host specified by the 'H' entry when the printing operation ends
       (successfully or unsuccessfully).
    
    
    7.7 N - Name of source file

          +---+------+----+
          | N | Name | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'N'
          Operand - File name
    
       This command specifies the name of the file from which the data file
       was constructed.  It is returned on a query and used in printing with
       the 'p' command when no title has been given.  It must be 131 or
       fewer octets.
    
    
    7.8 P - User identification

          +---+------+----+
          | P | Name | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'P'
          Operand - User id
    
       This command specifies the user identification of the entity
       requesting the printing job.  This command must be included in the
       control file.  The user identification must be 31 or fewer octets.
    
    
    7.9 S - Symbolic link data

          +---+--------+----+-------+----+
          | S | device | SP | inode | LF |
          +---+--------+----+-------+----+
          Command code - 'S'
          Operand 1 - Device number
          Operand 2 - Inode number
    
       This command is used to record symbolic link data on a Unix system so
       that changing a file's directory entry after a file is printed will
       not print the new file.  It is ignored if the data file is not
       symbolically linked.
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                      [Page 8]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    
    7.10 T - Title for pr

          +---+-------+----+
          | T | title | LF |
          +---+-------+----+
          Command code - 'T'
          Operand - Title text
    
       This command provides a title for a file which is to be printed with
       either the 'p' command.  (It is ignored by all of the other printing
       commands.)  The title must be 79 or fewer octets.
    
    
    7.11 U - Unlink data file

          +---+------+----+
          | U | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'U'
          Operand - File to unlink
    
       This command indicates that the specified file is no longer needed.
       This should only be used for data files.
    
    
    7.12 W - Width of output

          +---+-------+----+
          | W | width | LF |
          +---+-------+----+
          Command code - 'W'
          Operand - Width count
    
       This command limits the output to the specified number of columns for
       the 'f', 'l', and 'p' commands.  (It is ignored for other output
       generating commands.)  The width count operand must be all decimal
       digits.  It may be silently reduced to some lower value.  The default
       value for the width is 132.
    
    
    7.13 1 - troff R font

          +---+------+----+
          | 1 | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - '1'
          Operand - File name
    
       This command specifies the file name for the troff R font.  [1] This
       is the font which is printed using Times Roman by default.
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                      [Page 9]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    
    7.14 2 - troff I font

          +---+------+----+
          | 2 | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - '2'
          Operand - File name
    
       This command specifies the file name for the troff I font.  [1] This
       is the font which is printed using Times Italic by default.
    
    
    7.15 3 - troff B font

          +---+------+----+
          | 3 | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - '3'
          Operand - File name
    
       This command specifies the file name for the troff B font.  [1] This
       is the font which is printed using Times Bold by default.
    
    
    7.16 4 - troff S font

          +---+------+----+
          | 4 | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - '4'
          Operand - File name
    
       This command specifies the file name for the troff S font.  [1] This
       is the font which is printed using Special Mathematical Font by
       default.
    
    
    7.17 c - Plot CIF file

          +---+------+----+
          | c | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'c'
          Operand - File to plot
    
       This command causes the data file to be plotted, treating the data as
       CIF (CalTech Intermediate Form) graphics language. [2]
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                     [Page 10]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    
    7.18 d - Print DVI file

          +---+------+----+
          | d | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'd'
          Operand - File to print
    
       This command causes the data file to be printed, treating the data as
       DVI (TeX output). [3]
    
    
    7.19 f - Print formatted file

          +---+------+----+
          | f | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'f'
          Operand - File to print
    
       This command cause the data file to be printed as a plain text file,
       providing page breaks as necessary.  Any ASCII control characters
       which are not in the following list are discarded: HT, CR, FF, LF,
       and BS.
    
    
    7.20 g - Plot file

          +---+------+----+
          | g | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'g'
          Operand - File to plot
    
       This command causes the data file to be plotted, treating the data as
       output from the Berkeley Unix plot library. [1]
    
    
    7.21 k - Reserved for use by Kerberized LPR clients and servers.

    7.22 l - Print file leaving control characters

          +---+------+----+
          | l | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'l' (lower case L)
          Operand - File to print
    
       This command causes the specified data file to printed without
       filtering the control characters (as is done with the 'f' command).
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                     [Page 11]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    
    7.23 n - Print ditroff output file

          +---+------+----+
          | n | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'n'
          Operand - File to print
    
       This command prints the data file to be printed, treating the data as
       ditroff output. [4]
    
    
    7.24 o - Print Postscript output file

          +---+------+----+
          | o | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'o'
          Operand - File to print
    
       This command prints the data file to be printed, treating the data as
       standard Postscript input.
    
    
    7.25 p - Print file with 'pr' format

          +---+------+----+
          | p | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'p'
          Operand - File to print
    
       This command causes the data file to be printed with a heading, page
       numbers, and pagination.  The heading should include the date and
       time that printing was started, the title, and a page number
       identifier followed by the page number.  The title is the name of
       file as specified by the 'N' command, unless the 'T' command (title)
       has been given.  After a page of text has been printed, a new page is
       started with a new page number.  (There is no way to specify the
       length of the page.)
    
    
    7.26 r - File to print with FORTRAN carriage control

          +---+------+----+
          | r | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'r'
          Operand - File to print
    
       This command causes the data file to be printed, interpreting the
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                     [Page 12]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
       first column of each line as FORTRAN carriage control.  The FORTRAN
       standard limits this to blank, "1", "0", and "+" carriage controls.
       Most FORTRAN programmers also expect "-" (triple space) to work as
       well.
    
    
    7.27 t - Print troff output file

          +---+------+----+
          | t | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 't'
          Operand - File to print
    
       This command prints the data file as Graphic Systems C/A/T
       phototypesetter input.  [5] This is the standard output of the Unix
       "troff" command.
    
    
    7.28 v - Print raster file

          +---+------+----+
          | v | file | LF |
          +---+------+----+
          Command code - 'v'
          Operand - File to print
    
       This command prints a Sun raster format file. [6]
    
    
    7.29 z - Reserved for future use with the Palladium print system.

    REFERENCES and BIBLIOGRAPHY

       [1] Computer Science Research Group, "UNIX Programmer's Reference
           Manual", USENIX, 1986.
    
       [2] Hon and Sequin, "A Guide to LSI Implementation", XEROX PARC,
           1980.
    
       [3] Knuth, D., "TeX The Program".
    
       [4] Kernighan, B., "A Typesetter-independent TROFF".
    
       [5] "Model C/A/T Phototypesetter", Graphic Systems, Inc. Hudson, N.H.
    
       [6] Sun Microsystems, "Pixrect Reference Manual", Sun Microsystems,
           Mountain View, CA, 1988.
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                     [Page 13]
    
    
    RFC 1179                          LPR                        August 1990
    
    
    
    Security Considerations

       Security issues are not discussed in this memo.
    
    
    Author's Address

       Leo J. McLaughlin III
       The Wollongong Group
       1129 San Antonio Road
       Palo Alto, CA 94303
    
       Phone: 415-962-7100
    
        EMail: ljm@twg.com
    
    
    McLaughlin                                                     [Page 14]
    

  • Additional query words: 3.50 3.51 4.00
    Keywords : kbprint ntprint NTSrvWkst
    Version : 3.5 3.51 4.0
    Platform : WinNT


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    Last reviewed: July 23, 1997
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