cups-filter(r)        Easy Software Products       cups-filter(r)



NAME
       cups-filter - cups file conversion filter interfaces

SYNOPSIS
       filter job user title num-copies options [ filename ]

DESCRIPTION
       The  CUPS  filter interface provides a standard method for
       adding support for new document types to CUPS. Each filter
       is capable of converting from one or more input formats to
       another format that can  either  be  printed  directly  or
       piped into another filter to get it to a printable format.

       Filters must be capable of reading from a filename on  the
       command-line or from the standard input, copying the stan-
       dard input to a temporary file as  required  by  the  file
       format. All output must be sent to the standard output.

       The  command name (argv[0]) is set to the name of the des-
       tination printer.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
       The following environment variables  are  defined  by  the
       CUPS server when executing each filter:

       CHARSET
            The default text character set (typically us-ascii or
            iso-8859-1).

       CONTENT_TYPE
            The MIME type associated with the file (e.g. applica-
            tion/postscript).

       CUPS_DATADIR
            The directory where data files can be found.

       CUPS_SERVERROOT
            The root directory of the server.

       DEVICE_URI
            The device-uri associated with the printer.

       LANG
            The default language locale (typically C or en).

       PATH
            The  standard  execution  path  for external programs
            that may be run by the filter.

       PPD
            The full pathname of the PostScript Printer  Descrip-
            tion (PPD) file for this printer.

       PRINTER
            The  name  of the printer; this is provided for shell
            scripts which may not  be  able  to  get  the  passed
            argv[0] string.

       RIP_CACHE
            The  recommended  amount  of memory to use for Raster
            Image Processors (RIPs).

       SOFTWARE
            The name and version number of the server  (typically
            CUPS/1.1).

       TZ
            The timezone of the server.

       USER
            The user executing the filter (typically lp).

COMPATIBILITY
       While  the  filter  interface  is compatible with System V
       interface scripts, it will only work  with  the  System  V
       interface script as the only filter.  Typically the inter-
       face script will be provided via  the  lpadmin(n)  command
       using the -i option.

SEE ALSO
       cups-backend(d),  cupsd(d), CUPS Interface Design Descrip-
       tion, CUPS Software Administrators Manual,  CUPS  Software
       Programmers     Manual,    http://localhost:631/documenta-
       tion.html

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright 1993-2002 by Easy Software Products, All  Rights
       Reserved.



22 June 2000       Common UNIX Printing System     cups-filter(r)