If you're running Linux machines on a Windows network, you may want to use a shared Windows printer as your output device. To do this, though, you will have to work in both operating systems to make sure all is set up properly for the printing to happen.
In the Windows operating system, set up the share on the printer as you would for any network share. Then, before you do anything else, make sure that you test the printer from another Windows system on the network, and then you're ready to move on to the setup in the Linux environment.
Now, on the Linux machine from which you want to print:
Open the /etc/printcap directory, create a directory for your printer at /var/spool/lpd/<printer name>/.config, and then enter the following:
# HP4MP
hp:
:sd=/var/spool/lpd/Epson:
:mx#0:
:sh:
:if=/var/spool/lpd/hp/filter:
:lp=/dev/null:
Once you have done this, check that any users you wish to print to the Windows share have access to your printer directory. Next enter the following into the .config file:
share='<servername>HP4MP
hostip=<print server IP#>
Go to the command prompt to enable the print share:
$ lpc up hp
$lpc enable hp
Finally, test your print share by sending it a file:
$ lpr <path>/<filename>
Barrie Sosinsky is president of consulting company Sosinsky and Associates (Medfield MA). He has written extensively on a variety of computer topics. His company specializes in custom software (database and Web related), training and technical documentation.
