[cups.bugs] [LOW] STR #2186: Documentation incorrectly states that MultiPurpose is standard option

[John A. Murdie]

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[STR New]

The CUPS web page http://www.cups.org/documentation.php/options.html
implies that media=MultiPurpose is a standard option:

>Standard Printing Options
>
>The following options apply when printing all types of files.
>Selecting the Media Size, Type, and Source
>
>The -o media=xyz option sets the media size, type, and/or source:
>
>lp -o media=Letter filename
>lp -o media=Letter,MultiPurpose filename
>lpr -o media=Letter,Transparency filename
>lpr -o media=Letter,MultiPurpose,Transparency filename

yet I find printers (PPD files) which ignore it; one has to use
media=Upper (which itself does not always work) or media=Tray1 to have the
desired effect.

A couple of example PPD files which show the problem are:
http://www.linuxprinting.org/download/PPD/HP/mono_laser/HP_LaserJet_5M.ppd
and: 
http://www.linuxprinting.org/download/PPD/HP/color_laser/HP_Color_LaserJet_3800.ppd
(An odd pair, I know, but I've seen the effect with other PPDs.)

I don't have an example of media=Manual not working.

I have received several complaints here about the inconsistency of this
from users here. They ask why CUPS cannot provide a consistent standard
interface across all printers for an implementable option. (Of course,
where an option cannot be implemented, an error message should be given in
response to the print command.)

John A. Murdie

Link: http://www.cups.org/str.php?L2186
Version: 1.2.5