Lpstat -v shows device as /dev/null

UNIX HP-UX
1

Hello,

I am new to HP-UX servers, can someone explain to me what does the /dev/null in the result of "lpstat -v" means? Been trying to search the answer but could not find any. Most of the printer queue on the server is pointing to /dev/null

Here is the sample result:

lpstat -v

device for : /dev/null

Also, what is the difference from this lpstat result?

lpstat -v

device for : /dev/null
remote to IP

2

On HP-UX all remote printers have device /dev/null

So probably not a problem?

If a local printer was pointing to /dev/null all output would disappear down a black hole.

Welcome to the forum.

3 Likes
3

The device is kind if legacy. In old times it was like /dev/lpt0 where a printer was hooked to a parallel or serial port.
The IP drivers are working differently - then it is set to /dev/null
(Would be interesting to see if bash's /dev/tcp/hostnane/port could be applied.)

4

Hello, thank you for answering. If the result of was like this:
#lpstat -v pkl_al23
device for pkl_al23: /dev/null
remote to: pkl_al23 on 10.46.0.5

  • does it mean that the ip of the printer queue is 10.46.0.5?
  • And for the other print queue that has only /dev/null in the result does not have an IP configured to them?
5

It's the IP address of a remote host, where the local host sends to, via the lpd service or lpnet service.
The remote host can be the printer or a print server.
If there is no remote host and no or a /dev/null device then there might be a filter that sends it (I think the HP jetdirect works like that).

The SysV printing with lpsched/lpnet/lpadmin/lpstat was painful from the beginning. I think HP did some enhancements, and now recommends to use sam as a front end for printer administration.

1 Like
6

Thank you much for the explanation. This is really helpful!

7

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