How to use the command lpoptions (with examples)
The lpoptions command is used to display or set printer options and defaults. It allows you to manage various printer-specific options, such as setting the default printer, listing printer-specific options, setting new options, and removing options.
Use case 1: Set the default printer
Code:
lpoptions -d printer[/instance]
Motivation: Setting the default printer is useful when you have multiple printers connected to your system and you want to specify which one should be used by default for printing tasks.
Explanation:
The -d option is used to specify the default printer. You need to provide the name of the printer as an argument to this option. Optionally, you can also provide the instance number if your printer has multiple instances.
Example output: If you have a printer named “printer1” connected to your system, you can set it as the default printer by using the following command:
lpoptions -d printer1
Use case 2: List printer-specific options of a specific printer
Code:
lpoptions -d printer -l
Motivation: Listing printer-specific options allows you to view all the available options for a particular printer. This can be helpful when you want to customize the printer settings according to your needs.
Explanation:
The -l option is used to list the printer-specific options of a specific printer. You need to provide the name of the printer using the -d option.
Example output: If you want to list the options for a printer named “printer1”, you can use the following command:
lpoptions -d printer1 -l
The command will display a list of printer-specific options along with their current values, if any.
Use case 3: Set a new option on a specific printer
Code:
lpoptions -d printer -o option
Motivation: Setting a new option on a specific printer allows you to customize the printer settings according to your preferences. You can set options such as paper size, print quality, etc.
Explanation:
The -o option is used to set a new option on a specific printer. You need to provide the name of the printer using the -d option and specify the option you want to set.
Example output: Suppose you want to set the option “media=A4” for a printer named “printer1”. The following command can be used:
lpoptions -d printer1 -o media=A4
This will set the paper size to A4 for “printer1”.
Use case 4: Remove the options of a specific printer
Code:
lpoptions -d printer -x
Motivation: Removing the options of a specific printer can be useful when you want to reset the printer settings to their default values or remove any customizations.
Explanation:
The -x option is used to remove the options of a specific printer. You need to provide the name of the printer using the -d option.
Example output: If you want to remove all the options set for a printer named “printer1”, you can use the following command:
lpoptions -d printer1 -x
This will remove all the options of “printer1” and revert the printer settings to their default values.
Conclusion:
The lpoptions command provides a convenient way to manage printer options and defaults. Whether you need to set the default printer, customize printer-specific options, or remove options, lpoptions allows you to perform these tasks efficiently. By utilizing these various use cases, you can configure your printers to meet your specific printing requirements.
