NAME

       vtprint - print files from UNIX host to printer attached to local terminal

SYNOPSIS

       vtprint  [  -bBcCdDeEfFhlnNqQtvw  ]  [  -L  vtprintcap  ]  [ -T termtype ] [ -V device ] [
       filename...  ]

DESCRIPTION

       vtprint is a simple filter that prints ASCII text to a printer connected to a terminal  or
       terminal  emulator.   It  uses  terminal escape sequences to print, and can substitute for
       lpr(1) in circumstances where the printer  is  not  connected  directly  to  the  host  or
       available via TCP/IP.

OPTIONS

       -b     Causes  vtprint to open the output stream in binary modes, overriding any automatic
              postprocessing done by the host (e.g. CR/LF translations).  This has no  effect  if
              the output stream is not a tty device.

       -B     Undoes the effect of the -b option.  Note that this does not open the output stream
              in text mode if it would not normally be opened in that mode.

       -c     Causes vtprint to append any linefeeds (ASCII 0xA)  with  carriage  returns  (ASCII
              0xD).   This  is  useful for printing data from a UNIX or similar host to an MS-DOS
              system's printer that expects CR/LF line termination.

       -C     Causes vtprint to pass all carriage returns and linefeeds unmodified.

       -d     Use the tty device file instead of stdout for output.  This is defined as  /dev/tty
              on  this  system.  (This  is  operating system specific and may vary from system to
              system.) This is useful for using  vtprint  as  a  pipe  called  by  programs  that
              suppress or redirect the stdout stream of the pipe or printing process.

       -D     Use the stdout stream for output, rather than a tty device file.

       -e     Forces  vtprint to ignore the TERM environment variable and use the builtin control
              codes instead.

       -E     Undoes the effect of the -e option, which allows vtprint  to  attempt  to  find  an
              entry  in  /etc/vtprintcap  for  the  TERM  value and use the corresponding control
              codes.

       -f     Requests vtprint to suppress inclusion of formfeeds (ASCII  0xC)  between  multiple
              files.   Note  that  this has no affect on any formfeeds that may be present in the
              input files already.

       -F     Requests vtprint to include formfeeds  between  multiple  files  specified  on  the
              command-line and at the end of the last file printed.

       -h     Print out a simple usage message.

       -l     Print out the vtprint license agreement.

       -L vtprintcap
              Specifies an alternate file to use instead of /etc/vtprintcap.

       -n     Causes  vtprint  to  strip  the  CR from any CR/LF sequences.  This will not affect
              handling of any CRs present elsewhere in the file.

       -N     Causes vtprint to pass all carriage returns and linefeeds unmodified.

       -q     Quiet mode.  Suppress various status  messages  from  being  displayed,  useful  in
              situations where vtprint is used as part of a shell script, for example.

       -Q     Cancels the effect of the -q option, allowing normal progress reporting to occur.

       -t     Force the use of the TERM variable to perform a look up of the control sequences to
              be used in /etc/vtprintcap.  If an entry in that file can't be found, vtprint  will
              abort with an error.

       -T termtype
              Use  the  value  of  termtype instead of the value of the TERM environment variable
              when performing lookups in /etc/vtprintcap.

       -v     Display version information.

       -V device
              Specifies an alternate device file instead of /dev/tty to use.

       -w     Display important warranty waiver information.  NO WARRANTY!

       --     This option changes no special operational parameters  of  vtprint.   But  it  does
              indicate  to the program that all of the command-line arguments which follow are to
              be parsed as filenames, even if they begin with a dash.  Hence to process a  single
              file with the name "file" you would call vtprint as " vtprint  --  -file".

ENVIRONMENT

       TERM   the type of the terminal vtprint will assume is being used.

       VTPRINT
              string of options to be used by vtprint.

AUTHOR

       vtprint  was written by Garrett D'Amore, on December 27, 1993 and last modified on October
       25, 1994.  It is heavily derived from a  similar  program,  called  lprint,  by  the  same
       author.  He can be reached via Internet e-mail at garrett@sciences.sdsu.edu.

DISTRIBUTION

       The  latest  version  of  vtprint  can be obtained by anonymous ftp at ftp.sdsu.edu in the
       /pub/vtprint directory.  Please read the INDEX and README files before downloading.

       If you do not have ftp availability, then you can request a uuencoded copy of  vtprint  be
       sent  to  you  via  e-mail  from  the  author.   The  author is also willing to make other
       arrangements as needed, within certain limitations.

MAILING LIST

       A mailing list for the discussion of topics related  to  and  about  vtprint  exists.   To
       subscribe to this mailing list, send a message to "vtprint-request@sdsu.edu" with the word
       "subscribe" as the body.  An automated list server will reply with information  about  the
       mailing list.

COPYRIGHT

       vtprint  is  copyrighted  1994,  by  Garrett  D'Amore.   It may be freely redistributed or
       modified, so long as this and any other copyright notices are included in  their  original
       form  with  the  program.   The  user  is  granted  the  right to use this program without
       limitation.

DISCLAIMER

       vtprint is provided WITHOUT WARRANTY.  The user agrees to indemnify the  author  from  any
       claims  of  damage  or  loss arising from the use of or inability to use this program.  In
       other words, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

CAVEATS

       vtprint cannot be used to print files containing non-printable characters,  as  these  may
       cause conflicts with the terminal or emulator used.

       When  used over a serial (modem) connection, vtprint may not work properly unless hardware
       (CTS/RTS) flow control is used.  This is due to the fact that  most  printers  are  slower
       than serial connections in common use.

       vtprint  uses  terminal  escape sequences to print, and not all terminal emulators support
       these sequences, and of those that do, some  support  it  differently.   You  can  find  a
       listing  of  some  of  the programs known to work and not to work with vtprint in the file
       COMPAT.  The best thing to do is try your particular emulator, and find out if  it  works.
       The  author  would appreciate any reports of success or failure, or strange behavior.  You
       can send those to him via Internet e-mail.  (See the AUTHOR chapter for how to reach him.)

       The /etc/vtprintcap file  is  still  largely  incomplete.   The  author  would  very  much
       appreciate  it  if  individuals  with  more  information  different terminals would get in
       contact with him so that support can be added for these terminals in the master archive.

       Do not background this program, as it has no way of knowing when it is in  the  background
       and  when  it  is  in the foreground.  This will result in your foreground process' output
       being printed as well as the output from vtprint.

FILES

       /etc/vtprintcap

TODOS

       Fix any bugs present, clean-up the documentation, continue to build upon  entries  in  the
       COMPAT and /etc/vtprintcap files, and  finally, finish getting a college education!

BUGS

       vtprint  doesn't handle some signals properly, especially the SIGKILL and SIGSTOP signals,
       which can't be caught anyway.  Also it doesn't check to see if you have  backgrounded  the
       process.   The resulting condition may leave all output directed to the printer instead of
       the screen.  The fix for this condition is to run the provided vtprtoff  program  with  no
       arguments,  which  will  restore normal screen output.  (You probably won't be able to see
       what you're typing while you start vtprtoff from the shell.)

SEE ALSO

       lpr(1), vtprintcap(5), vtprtoff(1)