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====== Using CUPS ======

===== Checking Printer Status =====

* [[http://132.216.122.31:631/printers/Hewlett-Packard-hp-color-LaserJet-3500?which_jobs=all|Show All Jobs on ace-printer-1 in NW147]]

* [[https://cups.ncs.mcgill.ca:631/printers|McGill UPRINT Printers]]

===== A bit about CUPS and ipp (Internet printing protocol) =====

**CUPS**, an acronym for **Common Unix Printing System**, is a printing system for Unix-like operating systems such as Linux and Darwin (OS X). 

A computer running CUPS is a host that can accept print jobs from client computers, process them, and send them to the appropriate printers queue.

Printing via **CUPS** allows the usage of the **Internet printing protocol**, or **ipp** and has the following advantages:

  * Clients systems do not need to have printer drivers installed on them.
  * **IPP** uses a single port, port **631** for **TCP** and **UDP** traffic if **IPP printer discovery** is desired.

===== Printing =====

Most of your interaction with CUPS will be when you **print** something. **CUPS** and many users of Unix-like systems refer to the act of pressing the **Print** button as "submitting a print job".

Most of the time **print jobs** are sent to a printers queue and the printer prints them one after the other. 

===== Using the Printer Card =====

Printing to a McGill uPrint printer with the ACELab printer card can only be done from the command line.

==== List Printers ====
First check to see if the printers are available on your machine:
<code>
me@ace-ws-00:~$ lpstat -p
</code>

Output example:

<code>
printer HP-color-laserjet is idle.  enabled since Thu 26 Jan 2017 02:32:24 PM EST
printer McGill_Color is idle.  enabled since Thu 16 Feb 2017 02:43:59 PM EST
printer mcgill_mono is idle.  enabled since Thu 16 Feb 2017 02:44:14 PM EST
printer mcgill_mono_beta is idle.  enabled since Thu 16 Feb 2017 02:44:00 PM EST
</code>

You can see here a local printer and the McGill uPrint printers.

==== Printing ====
To print a file named myfile.txt to mcgill_mono using the amni16 "Evans Lab Students" account:

<code>
me@ace-ws-00:~$ lp -U amni16 -d mcgill_mono myfile.txt
request id is mcgill_mono-117 (1 file(s))
</code>
Then, find the amni16 uPrint card and release the job at the printer.

===== Configuring a system to use a CUPS network printer =====

==== Requirements ====

* You need to be using your MCIN user name and password to sign on to your system.
* Alternativly, your user must be a member of the local or LDAP enabled lpadmin group.

==== Adding networked printers to an Ubuntu client ====

=== Requirements: ===

  * The ''%%system-config-printer%%'' application.
  * User must be a member of the local systems ''%%lpadmin%%'' group.

=== Real world setup for the HP color LaserJet 3500 in NW 147 ===

Start the printers interface from the command line with sudo as follows:

<code>
sudo system-config-printer
</code>
  - Open the **Printing** application.
  - Choose **Add**.
  - Select the option **Network Printer**
  - Choose **Find Network Printer**
  - On the right side of the Window enter the following at the host:

<code>
cups.ncs.mcgill.ca
</code>
  - Choose the **Find** button.

  - Under **Enter device URI** enter something like this:


''%%ipp://132.216.122.31:631/printers/HP-color-LaserJet-3500%%''

or

''%%ipp://ace-printer-1:631/printers/HP-color-LaserJet-3500%%''

Then choose **Forward**

=== Printer Description ===

**Printer Name**

<code>
HP-color-laserjet
</code>

**Description**

<code>
HP color LaserJet 3500 USB
</code>

**Location**

<code>
NW 147
</code>

{{:1.png?400|}}    {{:2.png?420|}}

{{:3.png?400|}}    {{:4.png?420|}}


===== Held Jobs =====

Occasionally a job will be **held** and when a **held** job reaches the top of the print queue it is held and all of the jobs after it are also held until the held job is **cancelled**, **moved** or **deleted**.

===== Managing print jobs ======

1. Go to the CUPS web interface
( Make sure to include the **:631** after the name of the workstation hosting the printer or you will not get the CUPS web interface )

    https://ace-printer-1.cbrain.mcgill.ca:631/jobs/

2. Choose the **Jobs** tab and you will see all of the print requests (Jobs)

3. In this example the first job is **held** which stops the printer queue. This prevents all of the print jobs after it from printing. Choose the most approriate option from the following:

* Choose **Cancel Job** to cancel the print job and remove it from the job (or print) queue.
* Choose **Release Job** in order to print the **held** job or
* Choose **Move** if you want to move this to a different printer queue.

In the example below the document has been held in the queue since June 9th so I would probably choose the **Cancel Job** button.


{{:managing_print_jobs-highlighted.png?|}}



Do not print a test page at this time.  Double-click on the printer, select **Policies** and change **Operation Policy** from **Default Behavior** to **Authenticated** and click **Apply**.
==== References ====

  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Printing_Protocol|Wikipedia - Internet//Printing//Protocol - 2016-05-09]].
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