System V print service

The System V print service is a collection of utilities that help you, as system administrator (or printer administrator), to configure, monitor, and control the printers on your system.

The print service does the following:

• Receives files users want to print
• Filters the files (if needed) so they can print correctly
• Schedules the work of one or more printers
• Starts programs that interface with the printers
• Keeps track of the status of jobs
• Alerts you to printer problems
• Keeps track of mounting forms and filters
• Issues error messages when problems arise

When a user sends a file to a printer, the print service assigns to the request (print job) a unique name, the request ID.

The request ID consists of the name of the printer on which the file is to be printed and a unique number identifying the file. Use this request ID to find out the status of the print job or to cancel the print job. The print service keeps track of all the print requests in the request log.

The print job is spooled, or lined up, with other print jobs to be sent to a printer. Each print job is processed and waits its turn in line to be printed. This line of pending print jobs is called a print queue.

Each printer has its own queue; you can hold jobs in the queue, move jobs up in a queue, or transfer jobs to another queue.