Create & Deleting CUPs Queues via CLI

Create A Print Queue

[root@host ~]# /usr/sbin/lpadmin -U adam -h cups.example.com:631 -p examplelm1 -E \
  -m "foomatic:HP-LaserJet-laserjet.ppd" -D "Example Pick Ticket Printer"\
   -L "Grand Rapids" -E -v lpd://printer.example.com/lp

This will create a queue named examplelm1 on the host cups.example.com as user adam.

• "-D" and "-L" specify the printer's description and location, respectively.
• The "-E" option, which must occur after the "-h" and -p" options instructs CUPS to immediately set the new print queue to enabled and accepting jobs.
• "-v" option specifies the device URI used to communicate with the actual printer.

The printer driver file "foomatic:HP-LaserJet-laserjet.ppd" must be a PPD file available to the print server. PPD files installed on the server can be listed using the "lpinfo -m" command:

[root@crew ~]# lpinfo -m | more
foomatic:Alps-MD-1000-md2k.ppd Alps MD-1000 Foomatic/md2k
foomatic:Alps-MD-1000-ppmtomd.ppd Alps MD-1000 Foomatic/ppmtomd
foomatic:Alps-MD-1300-md1xMono.ppd Alps MD-1300 Foomatic/md1xMono
foomatic:Alps-MD-1300-md2k.ppd Alps MD-1300 Foomatic/md2k
foomatic:Alps-MD-1300-ppmtomd.ppd Alps MD-1300 Foomatic/ppmtomd
...

The existence of the new printer can be verified by checking its status:

[root@host ~]# lpq -Pexamplelm1
examplelm1 is ready
no entries

The "-l" options of the lpstat command can be used to interrogate the details of the queue:

[root@host ~]# lpstat -l -pexamplelm1
printer examplelm1 is idle.  enabled since Fri 30 Aug 2019 02:56:11 PM EDT
    Form mounted:
    Content types: any
    Printer types: unknown
    Description: Example Pick Ticket Printer
    Alerts: none
    Location: Grand Rapids
    Connection: direct
    Interface: /etc/cups/ppd/examplelm1.ppd
    On fault: no alert
    After fault: continue
    Users allowed:
        (all)
    Forms allowed:
        (none)
    Banner required
    Charset sets:
        (none)
    Default pitch:
    Default page size:
    Default port settings:

Delete A Print Queue

A print queue can also be deleted using the same lpadmin command used to create the queue.

[root@host ~]# /usr/sbin/lpadmi -U adam -h cups.example.com:631  -x examplelm1
Password for adam on crew.mormail.com? 
lpadmin: The printer or class was not found.
[root@host ~]# lpq -Pexamplelm1
lpq: Unknown destination "examplelm1"!

Note that deleting the print queue appears to fail; only because the lpadmin command attempts to report the status of the named queue after the operation.