UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Problem Solution description :

In a nutshell , the problem was ultimately solved firstly by using the interface script /usr/lib/hpnp/hpnpIS.model as a default interface and then adding the printer. Then , the new script in /etc/lp/interfaces was amended slightly so as to use the landscape mode as the default.

At line 314 of the /etc/lp/interfaces/[printer] script there should be a CASE statement that handles the control codes that get sent to the printer based on the required mode of printing.

314 case "$orientation" in
315 landscape)
316 echo "\033&l1O\c"
317 ;;
318
319 *)
3 echo "\033&l0O\c"
321 ;;
322 esac

I solved the problem by setting the landscape option as the default. Remove the line 3 and add a copy of the line of code at 316. This was necessary to do because currently the script , like many others , sets landscape or portrait options based on what the user specifies on the command line using 'lp'. What is not mentioned in most existing hardcopy SCO documentations is that Even although you do NOT need filters to print in landscape mode , a filter defined by the UNIX command 'lpfilter' needs to be associated with the relevant printer if you are going to use the '-y landscape' or equivalent option to the lp command. If you try to use the '-y landscape' option with the lp command for a printer that does not have a filter , you will get the following error message :


# lp -d hotkey -y landscape /etc/hosts
UX:lp: ERROR: There is no filter to convert the file content.
UX:lp: TO FIX: Use the lpstat -p -l command to find a
printer that can handle the file type
directly, or consult with your system
administrator.
#


Because of this , the solution you have outlined in /SCOFAQ/scotec7.html#defaults will not work if the printer does not have a filter , at least in UW7 systems ; I cannot vouch for others.