Printer admin alumni | Top users | Statistics

Usage

• ssh pingu.
• Check balance: /var/spool/mail/clpr -b
• Print on CL2 printer: /var/spool/mail/clpr -f file.ps or clpr -n <npages> -f file.pdf
• Print on Intel Lab printer: /var/spool/mail/clpr -l -f file.ps or clpr -n <npages> -l -f file.pdf (option -l for litec).

Guidelines

• If you do not have a printer account, send a mail to one of the printer admins. You will be notified of the default printer password in the reply. A printer account username is the same as your unix account, but the password can be different.
• Login to a machine in a lab using your unix account.
• Connect to machine pingu using ssh pingu. Use the clpr program located in /var/spool/mail/ to fire printout and check balance. Type /var/spool/mail/clpr.
• The clpr program will ask you for your printer password -- which may be different from your unix account password. By default it is empty, i.e., type Enter when asked for password.
• Firing printout requires your money. At the time of writing this document, the charge is 25 paisa per page (for single sided printing, the charge is 40 paisa per page).
• Increasing the balance of your account is not automated. You need to personally find one of the printer administrators and give money.
• You can print only PostScript (.ps) files. Use print to file option of acroread or xpdf to convert from PDF to PS. You can now print PDF directly.

Tips

• Running clpr without options will give you the command line options supported.
• You will be notified by email, if the rates of printing change or if there is anything new regarding the printer.
• Increase the balance in your account in multiples of INR 50. At the end of your tenure at IISc, when you wish to delete the account, get the balance amount from me.
• Please bring change. Torn notes will not be accepted.
• After I update the balance in your account, please check your balance once, using clpr.
• If there is a paper jam in the printer, please do not open the printer unless you are sure you are not increasing the problem. Better send a mail to us (you wont be held responsible if you send a mail; the printer sometimes malfunctions).
• Your printed pages are kept for one week on the printer table. Later, the dustbin is filled.
• If you find that the printer pages are over and you are not able to find us, go to Tata Book House (or any other stationery shop). Ask for a ream of printer pages. A ream contains 500 sheets. Get a receipt from the shopkeeper. Load the printer with the pages and get the money reimbursed later from me using the receipt. Please dont expect a reimbursement without a valid receipt having date and item name.
• If the printer is inaccessible, rebooting euler will NOT start the printer server. Some services and programs with different user ids need to be started manually. Better, drop us a mail and dont touch the machine.
• If the printer cartridge is over, the printouts will be unclear. In such a case, switch off the printer (by pressing the red button -- this should switch off the small light) and simply mail us. The cartridge is replaced by Mr. B K Pushparaj of CSA department and not by printer admins. Hence, it may take a while to get it replaced -- typically it is done by the next working day.
• As a printer user, you have full right to know how your money is getting spent on the printer. If you have any questions on these lines, feel free to ask admins for the expenditure details.

Known issues

• CL2 printer sometimes cuts the upper portion of a page.
  Workaround 1: Print to another file (.ps or .pdf) with additional top margin (about 1 cm).
  Workaround 2: Use Intel Lab printer.
• Some newer PDFs when directly printed are magnified in print.
  Workaround: Convert to .ps and then print.