Two HP Coler LaserJet PostScript printers CP3525dn are managed as a single printer called lj to automatically divide the load over the available printers. This will reduce the wait time and make the printers wear evenly. When one is not working, it will not be used.

The printers are located in NPB 2308.

They print duplex by default. The software manageging the printers is CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) used by MacOS and Linux. It is very careful and will not print invalid PostScript, thus avoiding expensive printing of many pages of nonsense when an invalid file is sent to the printer. It will also recognize PDF files and print them correctly from Solaris, but not from Windows or MacOS.

From crunch or buddy (or any SUN Solaris 8 workstation), use the command lp:
lp -d lj myfile.pdf, or
lp -d lj myfile.ps, or
lp -d lj myfile.txt.

The most common options for the lp command are the following:

-n 10 print 10 copies
-o portrait portrait mode
-o landscape landscape mode
-o sides=one-sided single sided
-o sides=two-sided-long-edge long edge duplex
-o sides=two-sided-short-edge short edge duplex

NOTE:
On crunch and buddy the commands in /usr/bin and /usr/local/bin are identical.
On the SUN Solaris 8 workstations the commands in /usr/bin are the old commands and the commands in /usr/local/bin are the new commands. Both work. The old commands produce a cover page. It can be avoided by using
lp -o nobanner myfile

To print from a Windows, Mac, or Linux laptop or desktop inside the New Physics Building, you must use SAMBA printer services.

dj800

Hewlett-Packard DesignJet 800PS plotter. Prints 42 inch wide plots. Recommended size is 36 inch by 48 inch or 42 inch by 38 inch. This printer is normally turned off to avoid accidental printing. It is only operational during normal M-F 9-5 hours. Plan your work properly to get the print on time. Located in NPB 2330. Your must follow the instructions for printing posters

Default printers

The default printer in Solaris is defined for you from your .bashrc or .kshrc by calling the /usr/local/lib/global.shrc which sets the environment variable
LPDEST=lj

The new printers show up in the menu for printing inside Firefox automatically.

In Windows, you can choose the default printer in the printers panel from the Start -> Settings selection.

Troubleshooting

Garbage on paper output
PostScript figures that are printed without being interpreted, in raw ASCII "as they are," often start with lines of garbage that must be deleted. Residual lines of mail headers are a typical candidate, if the PostScript figures have been received by electronic mail.
If the result of
gv filename
is satisfying but the printed output has the useless ASCII (text) form, empty (blank) lines at the beginning of the file may be present that must also be removed. The first two characters in the PostScript file must be the sharp and the exclamation mark.
The message of
file filename
should contain the word "PostScript." The first two characters of
head -1 filename
should be \#!

White pages on or no paper output
One standard reason why no output is produced at all after the PostScript file has been sent to the printer is that the file is an encapsulated PostScript (EPS) file. In this case
gv filename
shows the file correctly, as it interprets the PostScript instructions and shows the results "on-line", but the printer does not print anything because a "showpage" command may be missing in the file.
Available workarounds are:
(i) Export the file not as encapsulated PostScript but as PostScript in the originating program.
(ii) Include the file in an environment (like LaTeX) which is prepared to incorporate encapsulated PostScript files.
(iii) Use epsffit(1) with the -s option to add the showpage.
(iv) Insert the missing showpage manually (some knowledge of PostScript is required).

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Last Updated 6/14/09