(BSD System Compatibility)

lprm(1bsd)

lprm -- (BSD) remove jobs from the printer queue

Synopsis

   /usr/ucb/lprm [-Pprinter] [-] [job # . . . ] [username . . . ]

Description

lprm removes a job or jobs from a printer's spooling queue. Since the spool directory is protected from users, using lprm is normally the only method by which a user can remove a job.

Without any arguments, lprm deletes the job that is currently active, provided that the user who invoked lprm owns that job.

When the privileged user specifies a username, lprm removes all jobs belonging to that user.

You can remove a specific job by supplying its job number as an argument, which you can obtain using lpq(1bsd). For example:

   lpq  -Phost
   host is ready and printing
   Rank         Owner   Job     Files           Total Size
   active       wendy   385     standard input  35501 bytes
   lprm -Phost 385

lprm reports the names of any files it removes, and is silent if there are no applicable jobs to remove.

lprm Sends the request to cancel a job to the print spooler, LPSCHED.

Options

-Pprinter: Specify the queue associated with a specific printer. Otherwise the value of the PRINTER variable in the environment is used. If this variable is unset, the queue for the default printer is used.
-: Remove all jobs owned by you. If invoked by the privileged user, all jobs in the spool are removed. Job ownership is determined by the user's login name and host name on the machine where the lpr command was executed.

Files

/var/spool/lp/*: spooling directories

Diagnostics

lprm: printer: unknown printer: The printer was not found in the System V LP database. Usually this is a typing mistake; however, it may indicate that the printer does not exist on the system. Use `lpstat -p' to get the status of printers.
lprm: error on opening queue to spooler: The connection to lpsched on the local machine failed. This usually means the printer server started at boot time has died or is hung. Check if the printer spooler daemon /usr/lib/lp/lpsched is running.
lprm: Can't send message to the LP print service
lprm: Can't receive message from the LP print service: These indicate that the LP print service has been stopped. Get help from the system administrator.
lprm: Received unexpected message from the LP print service: It is likely there is an error in this software. Get help from system administrator.
lprm: Can't cancel request: You are not allowed to remove another user's print request.

References

lp(1), lpq(1bsd), lpr(1bsd), lpsched(1M)

Notices

An active job may be incorrectly identified for removal by an lprm command issued with no arguments. During the interval between an lpq(1bsd) command and the execution of lprm, the next job in queue may have become active; that job may be removed unintentionally if it is owned by you. To avoid this, supply lprm with the job number to remove when a critical job that you own is next in line.

Only the privileged user can remove print jobs submitted from another host.