How to Use the Command 'ippfind' (with Examples)

The ippfind command is a versatile tool used primarily to discover Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) services registered on the network, as well as those available through local devices. This command can locate printers and determine specific details about them, such as the supported document formats and their current status. This functionality is particularly useful in network environments where multiple printers and print services are deployed, allowing IT administrators to easily manage and troubleshoot printing resources. Through various options, ippfind can selectively filter and perform actions on discovered printers, thus automating and streamlining printer management tasks.

Use Case 1: List IPP Printers Registered on the Network with Their Status

Code:

ippfind --ls

Motivation:

The primary motivation for using this command is to quickly identify all the printers that are registered on your local network. It provides a concise list of printer services along with their current status. This is particularly useful for IT administrators who need an overview of accessible printers, assisting them in monitoring printer availability and reviewing any issues at a glance.

Explanation:

• ippfind: This is the base command used for finding IPP services on the network.
• --ls: This option tells ippfind to list each of the discovered IPP printers. It exposes detailed information about each printer’s status and configuration.

Example Output:

When you run this command, it could show a list like the following:

ipp://printer1.local:631/printers/OfficePrinter1
ipp://printer2.local:631/printers/OfficePrinter2

This output lists the network location of each discovered printer, which helps in understanding their availability and connectivity status.

Use Case 2: Send a Specific PostScript Document to Every PostScript Printer on the Network

Code:

ippfind --txt-pdl application/postscript --exec ipptool -f path/to/document.ps '{}' print-job.test \;

Motivation:

The motivation for using this command is to automate the process of sending a specific document to all compatible printers across a network, without having to individually configure each device. This is useful for environments where uniform distribution of documents is necessary - for example, sending updated forms or notices to all printers in an office.

Explanation:

• --txt-pdl application/postscript: This option filters printers based on the PDL (Page Description Language) they support. Here, it targets printers that can handle application/postscript document format.
• --exec ipptool: Invokes another command, ipptool, on the matched printer services.
• -f path/to/document.ps: Specifies the file path for the PostScript document that needs to be sent to the printers.
• '{}': A placeholder for the printer URI discovered by ippfind.
• print-job.test: Refers to the IPP operation to be performed, in this case, sending the print job to the printer.
• \;: Ends the --exec command sequence.

Example Output:

After executing this command, you might see outputs similar to:

printer1.local: Successful print job
printer3.local: Successfully printed
printer2.local: Print job failed

This notifies the user of the success or failure of sending documents to different network printers.

Use Case 3: Send a PostScript Test Document to Every PostScript Printer on the Network

Code:

ippfind --txt-pdl application/postscript --exec ipptool -f onepage-letter.ps '{}' print-job.test \;

Motivation:

This command is used to send a standardized test document to all the network printers that support PostScript, which is often used for diagnosing printing capabilities and ensuring consistent printer behavior across the network. IT personnel can use this to verify and profile each printer’s ability to handle specific document formats within a controlled test.

Explanation:

• --txt-pdl application/postscript: Filters to ensure only PostScript-compatible printers are targeted.
• --exec ipptool: Executes a command for each filtered printer.
• -f onepage-letter.ps: Identifies the particular PostScript test document that will be printed.
• '{}': Represents the automatically detected URI of each discovered printer service.
• print-job.test: Indicates the IPP command to send a print job.
• \;: Denotes the completion of the execution command sequence.

Example Output:

The response could resemble:

printer4.local: Test document printed successfully
printer5.local: Error in printing

This informs which printers completed the task and which encountered issues.

Use Case 4: Send a PostScript Test Document to Every PostScript Printer on the Network, Whose Name Matches a Regular Expression

Code:

ippfind --txt-pdl application/postscript --host regex --exec ipptool -f onepage-letter.ps '{}' print-job.test \;

Motivation:

The motivation here is to target printers whose names match a specific pattern, enabling more selective application of the document distribution to particular printers based on their naming convention. This is useful for managing large environments where printers are categorically named, allowing efficient handling and dispatching.

Explanation:

• --txt-pdl application/postscript: Selects printers based on their support for the PostScript PDL.
• --host regex: Utilizes a regular expression to filter printers based on their hostnames.
• --exec ipptool: Employs the ipptool command on each selected printer.
• -f onepage-letter.ps: Directs the command to use the specified test document file.
• '{}': Placeholder for the URI of the printer found by ippfind.
• print-job.test: Conducts the print job operation on matched devices.
• \;: Terminates the execution sequence.

Example Output:

Output akin to:

printer7.local: Successfully executed with matching name
printer8.local: Match not found

This output signals which printer names matched the given regular expression and the result of the print job command, providing immediate feedback on the selective targeting functionality.

Conclusion:

Utilizing ippfind allows administrators and users in networked environments to efficiently manage and interact with printers. By leveraging its various options and filters, one can automate tasks such as document distribution and printer status monitoring, thus maintaining a streamlined and effective printing infrastructure.