backend

backend(1)		    Easy Software Products		   backend(1)



NAME
       backend - cups backend transmission interfaces

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

DESCRIPTION
       The CUPS backend interface provides a standard method for sending doc-
       ument files to different physical interfaces.

       Backends must be capable of reading from a filename  on	the  command-
       line  or from the standard input, copying the standard input to a tem-
       porary file if required by the physical interface.

       The command name (argv[0]) is set to the device URI of the destination
       printer.

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

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

       CLASS
	    When  a job is submitted to a printer class, contains the name of
	    the destination printer class. Otherwise this  environment	vari-
	    able will not be set.

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

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

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

       PPD
	    The	 full  pathname	 of  the PostScript Printer Description (PPD)
	    file for this printer.

       PRINTER
	    The name of the printer.

       RIP_CACHE
	    The recommended amount of memory to use for Raster Image  Proces-
	    sors (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  backend,	 typically  root; consult the
	    cupsd.conf file for the current setting.

SEE ALSO
       cupsd(8), filter(1) CUPS Interface Design Description,  CUPS  Software
       Administrators Manual, CUPS Software Programmers Manual, http://local-
       host:631/documentation.html

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright 1993-2004 by Easy Software Products, All Rights Reserved.



22 June 2000		 Common UNIX Printing System		   backend(1)