MATLAB: How does MATLAB choose the default printer on Unix/Linux machines

defaultlinuxMATLABprintersunix

How does MATLAB choose the default printer on Unix/Linux machines?

I would like to know how MATLAB determines the default printer, so I know what environment variables to change, or files to modify.

Best Answer

By default, MATLAB uses the printer specified in the 'cmd' variable output from PRINTOPT (if one is specified). If there isn't a printer specified in printopt.m, then the LPDEST and PRINTER environment variables are checked.

If the system print command specified in printopt.m contains 'lpr', then PRINTER is used; if it contains 'lp', then LPDEST is used. In both cases, if the first variable used is undefined, then the other will be used. The default printer will then be added to the beginning of the available printer list.

If both LPDEST and PRINTER are undefined, then MATLAB looks for the following files, in order:

$HOME/printers.conf

/etc/printers.conf

/etc/printcap

It will use the first valid file it finds, and begin processing the printer information it contains. The first printer whose name is preceded by 'lp' in the file will become the default printer. If none of the printers names are preceded by 'lp', then the first printer listed will become the default.

Related Solutions

MATLAB: Am I unable to print from an SGI, HP, or Sun Solaris computer

SGI, HP and Solaris 2 users who do not use BSD printing, i.e. 'lpr', need to edit the PRINTOPT.M file (located at $MATLABROOT/toolbox/local/printopt.m) and either uncomment the lines specific to their computer type (in the 'For SGI' or 'For Solaris' sections), or specify the print command explicitly after it is initialized as an empty matrix:

% Intialize options to empty matrices
pcmd = []; dev = [];
% This file automatically defaults to the dev and pcmd shown above
% in the online help text. If you would like to set the dev or pcmd
% default to be different than those shown above, enter it after this
% paragraph.  For example, pcmd = 'lpr -s -r -Pfred' would change the 
% default for Unix systems to send output to a printer named fred.
% Note that pcmd is ignored by the Windows drivers.
% See PRINT.M for a complete list of available devices.
%---> Put your own changes to the defaults here (if needed)
pcmd= 'lp -c'

If you are using MATLAB 5.3.0, then you will also need to replace the following code fragment starting at line 37, in $MATLABROOT/toolbox/matlab/graphics/@printjob/send.m (where $MATLABROOT is the root MATLAB directory):

%If user specified a printer, add it to the printing command

if isvms                   
      cmdOption = '/QUEUE='; 
else                       
      cmdOption = '-P';      
end

with the following:

%If user specified a printer, add it to the printing command
if isvms
      cmdOption = '/QUEUE=';
else
      if notBSD
          cmdOption = '-d';
      else
          cmdOption = '-P';
      end
end

If you are specifying a specific printername in your printopt.m file for MATLAB 5.3.0, you will need to make the following change to the @printjob/send.m file as well:

The line that reads

if strcmp( lprcmd, 'lp -c' )

Will need to read

if strcmp(lprcmd,<your print command in single quotes>)

Backup the current versions of these files before making changes to the files.

MATLAB: How to specify the paper tray I want to print to when using MATLAB on a Mac

The ability to specify the printer tray to which to print figures from a Mac is not available in MATLAB.

As a workaround, save the figures and then print them using an application that lets you specify the printer tray. You can save the figures using the PRINT command, For more information on PRINT, type

doc print

in the MATLAB Command Window.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

MATLAB: Am I unable to print from an SGI, HP, or Sun Solaris computer

MATLAB: How to specify the paper tray I want to print to when using MATLAB on a Mac

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