The Common UNIX Printing System is quickly becoming the standard printing solution for Linux. This book provides you with detailed instructions on using, administering, and programming for the Common UNIX Printing System. In addition to the CUPS software, this book includes information and online downloads of many popular add-ons to CUPS that provide enhanced graphical interfaces and printer drivers.

Table of Contents

Preface. 1: Using CUPS. 1. Introduction to CUPS. 2. Compiling and Installing CUPS. 3. Setting Up Printers and Classes. 4. Printing with CUPS. 5. Server Configuration. 6. Client Configuration. 2: The Internet Printing Protocol. 7. Overview of IPP. 8. Anatomy of an IPP Request. 9. Printer Objects. 10. Job Objects. 11. Subscription Objects. 12. CUPS Extensions to IPP. 3: Programming with CUPS. 13. Overview of CUPS Programming. 14. Using CUPS API Functions. 15. Sending IPP Requests Using CUPS. 16. Writing File Filters for CUPS. 17. Writing Printer Drivers for CUPS. 18. Writing Backends for CUPS. 19. Writing Notifiers for CUPS. 4: Appendixes. Appendix A. IPP Reference. Appendix B. CUPS Constants. Appendix C. CUPS Structures. Appendix D. CUPS Functions. Appendix E. CUPS Software License Agreement.

About the Author

Michael Sweet is co-owner of Easy Software Products, a small software firm specializing in Internet and printing technologies. He first started using a computer terminal at the age of 6 and sold his first program at age 12. Michael's obsession with printing and graphics led him to develop image printing software for dot-matrix and later inkjet printers. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in computer science from the SUNY Institute of Technology in Utica/Rome, he moved to Maryland to pursue a career in real-time computer graphics for the Navy. After a few years working for the Navy, he again began writing printer drivers. He released a freeware program called "topcl", and then went on to found Easy Software Products and develop the highly successful ESP Print software. In 1997 he began work on the Common UNIX Printing System, and in 1999, his company released CUPS under the GNU GPL and ESP Print Pro as a commercial product. Aside from writing printer drivers, Michael is also author or co-author of several books, including Serial Programming Guide for POSIX Operating Systems and OpenGL Superbible.