Follow these steps to install a parallel printer on an SCO OpenServer 5.x system:
1. If the printer is not already connected to the Unix system, shut down the system and connect the printer to the desired parallel port of the computer. Then, turn on the printer and boot-up your computer.
2. Log in as the root user.
3. Verify that your connection to the printer is working properly by sending data directly to the device.
Enter the following command to send some test data to the printer:
date > /dev/lpn
(where n is the number of the parallel port you are using; for example, the first parallel port on a system is referred to as /dev/lp0)
If the system is working properly, the date information will be printed by the printer. (Note that on some systems the printed page will not be ejected, and it may be necessary to eject the page manually.)
If you receive an error indicating that the device (i.e., /dev/lp0) does not exist, it may be necessary to create the parallel communications device:
mkdev parallel
You can use the following command to see if a parallel communications device is already configured on your system:
hwconfig name=parallel
Once the test in Step 3 works properly, you are ready to configure the printer.
4. Start the SCO Administration utility by typing scoadmin at the command line.
5. In scoadmin, select Printers, then Printer Manager. Then select Printer | Add Local. Your screen will look similar to the diagram on the following page.
(picture omitted) Printer | Add Local screen in the SCOadmin Printer Manager
6. Fill in the form by supplying the necessary printer properties. Sample data for a parallel printer named "Sales" will look like this:
Name: Sales Description: Laser printer in Sales department Model: standard Device: /dev/lp0 (LPT0)
7. After entering this data, select "OK". Depending on your needs and default setup, this may be all you need to do to configure a parallel printer on an SCO OpenServer 5 system.
8. At this point the printer queue has been fully configured. Next, test the configuration by printing a sample file to the printer with the lp command:
lp -dSales /etc/passwd
You should also look at the printer with the lpstat command to make sure that it is configured properly. The following two lpstat commands will provide the information you need:
$ lpstat -t scheduler is running system default destination: Sales device for Sales: /dev/lp0 Sales accepting requests since Wed Apr 15 21:01:36 1998 printer Sales is idle. enabled since Sat Apr 18 15:40:06 1998. available.
$ lpstat -pSales -l
printer Sales is idle. enabled since Sun Apr 19 13:07:38 1998. available.
Form mounted:
Content types: simple
Printer type: unknown
Description:
Connection: direct
Interface: /usr/spool/lp/model/dumb
On fault: mail to root once
After fault: continue
Users allowed:
(all)
Forms allowed:
(none)
Banner not required
Number of banners printed: 0
Character sets:
(none)
Default pitch:
Default page size:
Default port settings: 9600 cs8 -parenb
