Question

How can I script a test print on Linux

Asked by: chees

I rarely use my ink jet printer and the cartridges dry up - both expensive and frustrating when I do need to print. Is there a way to script a color test page to print automatically on boot or every week or such to keep the ink flowing?

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Asked On
2009-08-28 at 07:36:17ID24689922
Tags

Linux scripting

,

printing

Topic

Linux Printing

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
4

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Answers

 

by: nociPosted on 2009-08-28 at 08:03:11ID: 25208401

You can use cron to print a nice postscript file with all kinds of stuff to the printer
(assuming you are using cups for the psotscript part).
an entry that would print every monday would be:

* * * * 1 lp -d ThePrinter SomeNiceFile.ps

 

by: oklitPosted on 2009-08-28 at 08:06:55ID: 25208441

If you have cups installed, you should have testprint.ps file.
If you want to print it while booting, add proper line (/usr/bin/lpr /path/to/your/testprint.ps) to your startup script (you didn't specify your distribution, so I don't know where exactly you should put this (it can be for example /etc/rc.d/rc.local or something in /etc/init.d/ directory).
If you want to print this page once a week, you may use crontab for this. Just add something like below to /etc/crontab:
* * * * * root /usr/bin/lpr /path/to/testprint.sh
Or make simple script containing /usr/bin/lpr /path/to/testprint.sh and save this script in /etc/cron.weekly/ directory.

 

by: nociPosted on 2009-08-30 at 14:06:28ID: 25219361


Oops..   This will print it every minute on monday....
* * * * 1 lp -d ThePrinter SomeNiceFile.ps

better use:
0 8 * * 1 lp -d ThePrinter SomeNiceFile.ps  # should print it at 8 o clock on monday.

Oh and  * * * * *  will print every minute....

 

by: cheesPosted on 2009-08-30 at 17:22:49ID: 31621735

Again, I haven't been able to test this yet but I''m sure you've given me enough to play with here - Thanks!

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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