[HPADM] SUMMARY - Specifying Paper Size with LP

From: Hogue, Russ (rhogue@harrisinteractive.com)
Date: Sat Mar 20 2004 - 13:52:07 EST


I received three (serious) replies to my question, summarized below, thank
you!

The printer in question is an HP8150 connected via through an internal
JetDirect if that adds more light to the matter.

Eef Hartman wrote:

Options of course depend ON the printer model (and thus: script that
processes those options), so look into them first
(for non-JetDirect printers: /var/spool/lp/interface/<printername>,
and I believe for JetDirect ones the interface itself is the sending
script and the "option procssing" one is then in:
/var/spool/lp/interface/model.orig/<printername> ).

But if the model doesn't support A4 (but does support either setting
paper SIZE (A4 = 210 mm x 297 mm = 8.19" x 11.58") or number of lines
(at most about 66, if you still want some white margins on top at bottom),
you will have to use those options.
The standard HP "PCL?" model supports all of them, but only works
correctly on a real HP LaserJet (which supports at least THAT PCL level).

Note that for fully formatted (either PCL or PS) files the papersize
doesn't do a thing, the formatting program (the one that created that file)
has to set the papersize, not the printer.
Most printers WILL pauze when another paper size is requested (unless you
have more than one tray and "the other one" is set to contain that
papersize),
so "by hand" action is then needed to exchange the paper trays AND confirm
that the right tray is now loaded (some printers will auto-detect the tray
put in, though).

Again, all of this is highly printer (and printer model script) dependant.

-- 
Jim Turner wrote:
I believe your option may be: 
-o PageSize=A4
Steve Hamilton wrote:
It looks like you're using the right option, at least for some of the
"standard" HP printers.  You should be able to run 'lp -ooptions' on that
printer and should see a list of the valid options - check to see if A4 has
some strange option or something like that...
What type of printer are you trying to print to?
How's it connected - JetDirect/network, remote, local?
You probably want to check /etc/lp/interface/<printer_name> to see what
model script the printer is configured to use.
If it's a network/JetDirect printer, you will see something like (about the
4th line in the file):
# $Header: /users/hpnp/odyssey/repository/sh/hpnp.model.psh,v 1.1.1.1
2001/10/15 19:15:34 hpnp Exp $
That line (hpnp.model.psh) indicates that it's a Network Printer, and the
actual model script that the printer is using will be located in
/etc/lp/interface/model.orig/<printer_name> - check it for comments that
indicate how to print A4...
Russ Hogue
Harris Interactive Inc.
585-214-7389 (desk) 585-273-0567 (FAX)
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