4.3BSD - /usr/man/cat1/lpq.0

LPQ(1)                                                                  LPQ(1)


NAME
       lpq - spool queue examination program

SYNOPSIS
       lpq [ +[ n ] ] [ -l ] [ -Pprinter ] [ job # ... ] [ user ... ]

DESCRIPTION
       lpq examines the spooling area used by lpd(8) for printing files on the
       line printer, and reports the status of the specified jobs or all  jobs
       associated  with  a user.  lpq invoked without any arguments reports on
       any jobs currently in the queue.  A -P flag may be used  to  specify  a
       particular  printer, otherwise the default line printer is used (or the
       value of the PRINTER variable in the environment).  If a + argument  is
       supplied,  lpq  displays the spool queue until it empties.  Supplying a
       number immediately after the + sign indicates that lpq should  sleep  n
       seconds  in  between  scans of the queue.  All other arguments supplied
       are interpreted as user names or job numbers to filter out  only  those
       jobs of interest.

       For  each  job  submitted  (i.e.  invocation of lpr(1)) lpq reports the
       user’s name, current rank in the queue, the names of  files  comprising
       the  job, the job identifier (a number which may be supplied to lprm(1)
       for removing a specific job), and the total  size  in  bytes.   The  -l
       option causes information about each of the files comprising the job to
       be printed.  Normally, only as much information as will fit on one line
       is  displayed.  Job ordering is dependent on the algorithm used to scan
       the spooling directory and is supposed to be FIFO (First in First Out).
       File  names comprising a job may be unavailable (when lpr(1) is used as
       a sink in a pipeline) in which case the file is indicated  as  ‘‘(stan‐
       dard input)".

       If lpq warns that there is no daemon present (i.e. due to some malfunc‐
       tion), the lpc(8) command can be used to restart the printer daemon.

FILES
       /etc/termcap            for manipulating the screen for repeated display
       /etc/printcap           to determine printer characteristics
       /usr/spool/*            the spooling directory, as determined from printcap
       /usr/spool/*/cf*        control files specifying jobs
       /usr/spool/*/lock       the lock file to obtain the currently active job

SEE ALSO
       lpr(1), lprm(1), lpc(8), lpd(8)

BUGS
       Due to the dynamic nature of the information in the spooling  directory
       lpq  may report unreliably.  Output formatting is sensitive to the line
       length of the terminal; this can results in widely spaced columns.

DIAGNOSTICS
       Unable to open various files.  The lock file being malformed.   Garbage
       files  when there is no daemon active, but files in the spooling direc‐
       tory.


4.2 Berkeley Distribution        June 5, 1986                           LPQ(1)