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Introduction

Unix Print Services consist of both hardware and software, but the focus of this section is the system software configuration. The software consists of the print services utilities and any filters (programs that process the data in a file before it prints) that may be available on your system.

Print services software built into your Unix system maintains printing services by providing the following functions:

  1. scheduling the print requests of multiple users;
  2. scheduling the work of multiple printers;
  3. starting programs that interface with the printers;
  4. filtering user's files (as needed) so they will be printed properly;
  5. tracking the status of print jobs;
  6. keeping track of any forms and print wheels currently mounted;
  7. alerting the System Administrator to printer problems;

Unix systems include a sophisticated spooling system that queues and routes user requests to the printers on the local Unix system and around an entire network. System Administrators are expected to configure these print services to make printing easy and convenient for the user community.

Please note that this training material was written primarily for SCO Unix, and SCO OpenServer. Some portions of this section that are SCO-specific may not apply to other operating systems.

up previous next contents
Next: Objectives Up: Managing Print Services Previous: Managing Print Services   Contents