Baffled by printcap/hosts files

[Loonygirl]

If you have a bunch of network printers set up on a network, what is the route that the Unix box will take when you send a print?

I always thought that it went to the printcap file, which then directed it to the hosts file so it knew what IP to print to.

But, my Sco box doesn't have all the printers in the printcap file (I deleted them by accident) yet it still prints. Does Unix automatically divert to the hosts file?! Most of the remote names on this setup have the same name in the hosts file.

My hosts files on my Tru64 box got blanked out (so it still existed, but it had no entries). The prints took longer, but they still printed to the correct printer. So how did Unix know where to print to?! Does it store a backup table somewhere?? (NB in this case, the printcap file was totally in tact - but the remote names are different to the printer names.).

Can someone clarify this for me, or at least point me to somwehere which explains the routes that Unix takes when it prints??

Thanks,

Sarah

 

[nawlej]

I think when you set up the queue, it goes through the same host lookup process as anything else.....since you set the queue up to print to that host, its either got to be in the hosts file or be able to be resolved via a dns lookup.

___________________________________
[morse]--... ...--[/morse], Eric.

 

[PHV]

The HP print servers configured on the sco box with HPNP doesn't need printcap.

Hope This Helps, PH.
Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at FAQ219-2884 or FAQ222-2244

 

[Loonygirl]

I'm not running HP print servers...
So I assume I'm not using HPNP?

Sarah