Classes and Priorities

[Helge Blischke]

Timetrinus wrote:

> Hello!
> 
> We are creating postscript files that are transferred to 3g / gprs
> connected laptops in the field via lpd. For doing this every laptop has a
> so called "Mobile" printqueue. This Printqueue defaults to a cups-pdf
> backend. But in case the user connects a usb printer the printjob has to
> be printed out there instead of creating a PDF.
> 
> I thought about cups classes for automatically handling this behaviour. So
> I would create a class Mobile and put in a PDF-Printer and if user
> connects a USB Printer add it to this class. But: is it possible to
> configure the class to use PDF-Printer only if no other printer is
> configured in the queue? Disabeling the PDF-Printer in case the User
> connects a USB Printer is not a good Idea because from local Applications
> (for example openoffice, or browser) the user should be able to create PDF
> output every time.
> 
> Thanks in advance!

As for current CUPS, you need to set up sort of a "store and forward" 
printer which uses a backend script that forwards the job to the real 
printer if it is connected but otherwise to the pdf-printer.
The details of such a configuration depend on the properties of the possible 
real printers.

Helge