Product Description

This unique and valuable collection of tips, tools, and scripts provides clear, concise, hands-on solutions that can be applied to the challenges facing anyone running a network of Linux servers from small networks to large data centers in the practical and popular problem-solution-discussion O'Reilly cookbook format. The Linux Cookbook covers everything you'd expect: backups, new users, and the like. But it also covers the non-obvious information that is often ignored in other books the time-sinks and headaches that are a real part of an administrator's job, such as: dealing with odd kinds of devices that Linux historically hasn't supported well, building multi-boot systems, and handling things like video and audio. The knowledge needed to install, deploy, and maintain Linux is not easily found, and no Linux distribution gets it just right. Scattered information can be found in a pile of man pages, texinfo files, and source code comments, but the best source of information is the experts themselves who built up a working knowledge of managing Linux systems. This cookbook's proven techniques distill years of hard-won experience into practical cut-and-paste solutions to everyday Linux dilemmas. Use just one recipe from this varied collection of real-world solutions, and the hours of tedious trial-and-error saved will more than pay for the cost of the book. But those who prefer to learn hands-on will find that this cookbook not only solves immediate problems quickly, it also cuts right to the chase pointing out potential pitfalls and illustrating tested practices that can be applied to a myriad of other situations. Whether you're responsible for a small Linux system, a huge corporate system, or a mixed Linux/Windows/MacOS network, you'll find valuable, to-the-point, practical recipes for dealing with Linux systems everyday. The Linux Cookbook is more than a time-saver; it's a sanity saver.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79240 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 553 pages

From the Publisher
Linux information can be found scattered in man pages, texinfo files, and source code comments, but the best source is the experts who have built up a working knowledge of managing Linux systems. The Linux Cookbook's tested techniques distill years of hard-won experience into practical cut-and-paste solutions to everyday Linux dilemmas. Use just one recipe from this collection of real-world solutions, and the hours of tedious trial-and-error saved will more than pay for the cost of the book. It's more than a time-saver; it's a sanity saver.

About the Author
Carla Schroder is a freelance system administrator and technical writer, who has written for IBM Developerworks, Intel, Crossnodes.com, and Computerbits.com.

Excerpted from Linux Cookbook by Carla Schroder. Copyright © 2004. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
CHAPTER 14 Printing with CUPS

14.1 Introduction
The Common Unix Printing System (CUPS) is a modern printing subsystem for Linux and Unix that replaces the hoary old Unix line-printer protocols. It runs on Unix, Linux, Mac OS, and Mac OS X, and it serves clients on nearly any platform, including Windows.

CUPS is thoroughly modern, supporting laser and inkjet printers as well as dot matrix and other legacy printers.

There are two versions of CUPS: the free GPL version, which is the default on most of the major Linux distributions, and a commercial edition. The commercial version comes with support, a larger selection of drivers, and nicer management interfaces. Printer drivers in CUPS consist of one or more filters specific to a printer, which are packaged in PPD (PostScript Printer Description) files. All printers in CUPS—even non-PostScript printers—need a PPD. The PPDs contain descriptions about the printers, specific printer commands, and filters.

Filters are the heart and soul of CUPS. Filters translate print jobs to formats the printer can understand, such as PDF, HP-PCL, raster, and image files, and they pass
in commands for things such as page selection and ordering. PPDs are text files —
take a look in /usr/share/cups/model/ to see what they look like. Installed printers have PPDs in /etc/cups/ppd.

Finding Drivers
Included in CUPS are generic PPDs for 9-pin and 24-pin Epson dot matrix printers, Epson Stylus and Color Stylus Photo printers, LaserJet and HP DeskJet printers, and even Dymo label printers. These will work for hundreds of printers, but they do not support all printer functions, such as duplexing, inkjet head-cleaning and alignment, or tray selection.

There are four good sources for printer drivers, if your printer manufacturer does not supply Linux drivers:

• Foomatic
• Gimp-Print
• The commercial edition of CUPS
• Windows PostScript drivers

Foomatic is a free printer-driver project that integrates with all the common Linux printing systems (CUPS, LPRng, LPD, GNUlpr, PPR, PDQ, CPS).

Gimp-Print originally started out as a Gimp plug-in, but it has expanded to support all Linux printing. Gimp-Print drivers are very high quality; if there is one for your color printer, it is probably the best choice.

Be sure to check the hardware compatibility list for your Linux distribution, or the printer database on linuxprinting.org, before purchasing a printer.

Gimp-Print and Foomatic are available as packages that you can install on your system, if they are not already included in your distribution. This ensures that you get a complete selection of drivers, plus all the required subsystems that make everything work together correctly. The RPMs are complete; Debian splits them into several smaller packages. Visit the Debian package search page to find them.

You can use the Windows drivers for PostScript printers on Linux. Look for PPD
files in your Windows system directory. Note that only PPDs for real PostScript
printers will work. Many printers are only PostScript-compatible; your printer documentation will tell you.

Networking Printers
There are four ways to share printers on a network:

• Share printers that are attached to users’ PCs.
• Build a dedicated Linux printer server.
• Buy network-direct printers, such as the HP JetDirect series.
• Buy hardware printer servers, such as the Linksys EPSX3, that can connect any printer directly to your LAN.

This chapter covers the first two options. The last two are too diverse, and there are too many choices to try to cover here. Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re deciding which one to use:• Using a Linux box as a printer server gives you maximum flexibility and customisation options.

• Network-direct printers, with built-in networking hardware, tend to be expensive and require proprietary network hardware.
• Network-direct printers are usually built for heavy-duty use.
• A hardware printer server lets you network any printers you want.

Using network-direct printers and hardware printer servers means less power consumption and smaller space requirements than using a PC as a dedicated printer server. You must shop carefully for Linux support, though, because some of them come with Windows-only management software. Anything that is managed via a web interface should work fine.

Customer Reviews

Straight forward information
I have been waiting for a book like this for some time. Whilst not quite a Linux newbie, there is a lot I still have to learn and wish to find out about. I already have a reasonable library of books, but they tend to be of the "complete" series types, which have the information but it takes some time to find. On the other hand, the Linux Cookbook has it all there, all well laid out and properly explained. And its not just for the everyday Linux admin type jobs, there are some in-depth subjects covered. The 'recipe' and the jaunty have-a-go style for me is a real winner. Carla is obviously very enthusiastic about Linux, and this comes across in all the recipes. Well worth the money, highly recommended, this book is always on my desk.

Better than a library of RedHat & Suse manuals
This book just tells you how to do the tasks poorly explained elsewhere. I messed around with YAST for 2 days trying to setup postfix - Courier IMAP. This book had it going in less than an hour (because I type slowly). It's got useful stuff on topics like RPM and YUM which are just not documented this well elsewhere, and anyone who would use Debian if only they knew more, this is the answer too. If you've never quite had the courage to compile and install from source, it's here, and because all the other things from this book work, you'll finally have the courage to do it.

This book is the pinnacle of O'Reilly's skill at publishing "just damn useful books".

PS Thanks to Dawn Marie for giving Carla the time to write this book.

Reasonable Introductory Text
To be honest I expected this book (given the title) to be a bit more like the standard "Unix Power Tools" type of thing so I was a little surprised at the contents. I work with Linux everyday its the standard desktop environment in the company were I work. There is some excellent reference material here. But:

The writing style is clearly aimed at beginners. However,
I find it a curious mix of beginners' topics and Systems Administration material. It may be the ideal manual for someone just starting in a company were Unix/Linux based systems are the default development /deployment and testing environments. It may not get you to advanced-super-guru status but it would be a reasonable introduction.

There's less here for the user of a personal Linux system. A substantial amount of the material is never likely to be useful at home except to the most serious of hobbyists or perhaps comp-sci students. I'd advise all those considering the purchase of a Linux reference to examine the Table of Contents thoroughly.

From a professional point of view I found the material simplistic but generally clear. It's enough to get you up and running in areas were you have little or no experience. It's a useful, but by no means complete reference.