lpd -- System Administration

Spooler daemon for line printer
/usr/lib/lpd

lpd is the daemon that prints  listings queued by the command lpr. All jobs
are printed  on the  printer that is  accessed through device  /dev/lp. For
information on  this device, and on printer management  in general, see the
Lexicon entry printer.

lpr  invokes lpd  automatically.  If  there  is no  printing to  do, or  if
another daemon  is already running (indicated by the  file dpid), lpd exits
immediately.  Otherwise, it  searches the spool directory for control files
of listings to print.  A control file contains the names of files to print,
the user name, banners, and files to be removed upon completion.

lpd does not print listings in any particular order.  Priority is not given
to any file, either by size or by requester.

Files

/dev/lp -- Printer
/usr/spool/lpd -- Spool directory
/usr/spool/lpd/cf* -- Control files
/usr/spool/lpd/df* -- Data files
/usr/spool/lpd/dpid -- Lock and process id

See Also

Administering COHERENT,
init,
lpr,
lpskip,
printer

Notes

Beginning  with release  4.2,  COHERENT also  includes  the printer  daemon
despooler, which  prints files spooled with the command  lp. For details on
how COHERENT manages printing, see the Lexicon entry for printer.

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness