aps2file(1) printing to a file via apsfilter

SYNOPSIS

aps2file [-D ] [-P queue ] [-Z options ] [-o output ] [input ]
aps2file [-h ]

DESCRIPTION

With aps2file you can direct the printer data generated by apsfilter(1) into an arbitrary file without the use of a spooler.

OPTIONS

-h
show help screen
-D
enable debug mode
-P queue
select a printer queue (different from the default one)
-Z options
use apsfilter command line options (comma-separated list)
-o output
direct data stream to output (default: stdout)
input
read data from input (default: stdin)

Unlike printing with lpr(1), you can only use one input file at a time.

Using aps2file is also the recommended way to create a debugging log of a failed printing attempt. If you include the -D flag, the apsfilter shell script will log every command and print it to stderr To save the output for inclusion into a bug report, you should therefore use a command of the sort

aps2file -D -o /dev/null [-P...] [-Z...] [input] 2> log.txt

NOTES

aps2file only works correctly with entries in /etc/printcap that have been created by /usr/share/apsfilter/SETUP.

FILES

/etc/printcap
printer capability data base
/usr/share/apsfilter/bin/apsfilter
apsfilter script

BUGS

See apsfilter software center - http://www.apsfilter.org/ - for new versions, bugfixes and known bugs.

Please use the new tool apsfilter-bug1 to release bug- or problem reports. It automatically presents you a form in an editor window which asks you some standard questions. If you save and quit the editor session, then this report is sent automatically via e-mail to the proper apsfilter mailinglist.

If apsfilter fails to print something or prints it in a way you wouldn't expect and you want to report an apsfilter error then please save the debugging output of one print session using the new aps2file(1) utility by typing aps2file -D -Z options file > /dev/null 2> file.debug and including the debugging output in the file file.debug into the edit session of the apsfilter-bug utility, so that it is included into the mail to the apsfilter mailinglist.

Please note that you need to run /bin/sh (Bourne Shell), bash or a compatible shell, so that the above mentioned output redirection works. Under C-shell (/bin/csh) or tcsh it would't work. If you don't know, then simply make sure you use the Bournce shell by typing /bin/sh or bash then you should have no problems with redirection of stdout and stderr (> /dev/null 2> file.debug).

DOCUMENTATION

See official apsfilter homepage

http://www.apsfilter.org/handbook.html
Apsfilter Handbook including the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

USER FORUM

Please send questions to the official apsfilter help channel [email protected] The above section BUGS and the file HOWTO-BUGREPORTS tells you how to report bugs. If you want to know how to troubleshoot your apsfilter installation, please read the manpage aps2file(1) and apsfilter-bug1 as well as the Apsfilter Handbook carefully.

HISTORY

The aps2file manpage has been written by Michael Loßin <[email protected]> and first appeared in apsfilter V 7.1.0.