backend(1)						      Easy Software Products							backend(1)

NAME

       backend - cups backend transmission interfaces

SYNOPSIS

       backend job user title num-copies options [ filename ]

DESCRIPTION

       The CUPS backend interface provides a standard method for sending document files to different physical interfaces.

       Backends  must be capable of reading from a filename on the command-line or from the standard input, copying the standard input to a tempo-
       rary file if required by the physical interface.

       The command name (argv[0]) is set to the device URI of the destination printer.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

       The following environment variables are defined by the CUPS server when executing the backend:

       CHARSET
	    The default text character set (typically us-ascii or iso-8859-1).

       CLASS
	    When a job is submitted to a printer class, contains the name of the destination printer class. Otherwise  this  environment  variable
	    will not be set.

       CONTENT_TYPE
	    The MIME type associated with the file (e.g. application/postscript).

       CUPS_DATADIR
	    The directory where data files can be found.

       CUPS_SERVERROOT
	    The root directory of the server.

       DEVICE_URI
	    The device-uri associated with the printer; this is provided for shell scripts which may not be able to get the passed argv[0] string.

       LANG
	    The default language locale (typically C or en).

       PATH
	    The standard execution path for external programs that may be run by the backend.

       PPD
	    The full pathname of the PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file for this printer.

       PRINTER
	    The name of the printer.

       RIP_CACHE
	    The recommended amount of memory to use for Raster Image Processors (RIPs).

       SOFTWARE
	    The name and version number of the server (typically CUPS/1.1).

       TZ
	    The timezone of the server.

       USER
	    The user executing the backend (typically lp).

SEE ALSO

       cupsd(8), filter(1) CUPS Interface Design Description, CUPS Software Administrators Manual, CUPS Software Programmers Manual, http://local-
       host:631/documentation.html

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright 1993-2002 by Easy Software Products, All Rights Reserved.

22 June 2000						    Common UNIX Printing System 						backend(1)