LPD Meaning & Full Form Explained

LPD Full Form:

LPD stands for Line Printer Daemon. It is a protocol used for printing on a network printer. The LPD protocol allows computers to send print jobs to a printer on the same network. It is widely used in Unix-like operating systems to send print jobs to remote printers.

How does LPD work?

The LPD protocol works by sending print jobs from a client computer to a print server. The print server then forwards the print job to the printer. The client computer can specify various options for the print job, such as the number of copies, paper size, and print quality.

LPD in Unix-like operating systems:

In Unix-like operating systems, LPD is implemented as a daemon process. The LPD daemon listens for print jobs on a specific port and handles the incoming print requests. It can also manage print queues, which allow multiple print jobs to be queued and printed in order.

LPD commands:

The LPD protocol uses several commands to control the printing process. Some of the commonly used commands include:

• Print job submission: The client computer sends a print job to the LPD server using the ‘lpr’ command.
• Print queue management: The LPD server manages the print queue using commands such as ‘lpq’ (to view the print queue) and ‘lprm’ (to remove a print job from the queue).
• Status and control: The LPD server provides commands to check the status of the printer and control the printing process, such as ‘lpstat’ (to view printer status) and ‘lpc’ (to control printer operations).

LPD vs LPRng:

LPD is an older protocol that has been largely replaced by newer printing systems such as LPRng (Line Printer Daemon Next Generation). LPRng provides additional features and improvements over LPD, such as better print job control and support for more print queues.

Conclusion:

LPD is a protocol used for printing on a network printer in Unix-like operating systems. It allows computers to send print jobs to a printer on the same network. LPD is implemented as a daemon process and uses various commands to control the printing process. Although LPD has been largely replaced by newer printing systems, it is still used in some environments.

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