foomatic-rip

foomatic-rip [-P printer] [-J job-id] [-o option=value ...] [-raw] [-V] [-D] [file ...]

-P printer
    Specifies the name of the printer to use. This is typically the queue name known to the print spooler.

-J job-id
    Provides the job ID assigned by the print spooler. This is primarily for logging and job management purposes.

-o option=value
    Passes specific printer options and their values, as defined in the printer's PPD file. Examples include PageSize=A4, Duplex=DuplexNoTumble, or Resolution=600dpi.

-raw
    Instructs foomatic-rip to pass the input data directly to the printer without any processing or filtering. This is typically used for PostScript printers receiving raw PostScript data.

-V
    Displays the version information of foomatic-rip.

-D
    Enables verbose debug output to standard error, useful for troubleshooting printing issues.

-L
    Logs debug information to the system's syslog facility, often used when -D output is not practical.

file ...
    One or more input files to be processed and sent to the printer. If no files are specified, foomatic-rip reads from standard input.

foomatic-rip is a crucial component of the Foomatic printing system, designed to act as a universal print filter. It bridges the gap between print spoolers (like CUPS or LPD) and the actual printer drivers, converting print job data into a format that a specific printer can understand.

When a user sends a print job, foomatic-rip takes the input (often PostScript or PDF), consults a PPD (PostScript Printer Description) file for the selected printer, and processes any user-specified options (e.g., paper size, resolution, duplexing). It then pipes the transformed data to the appropriate backend driver, which is often a Ghostscript command or another printer-specific utility. This modular design allows foomatic-rip to support an extensive range of printers and drivers, making it a cornerstone of Linux printing environments for many years, simplifying printer setup and management.

Several options like -u (no PPD) and -X (no PPD options) are considered deprecated and should be avoided in modern setups.

Proper functionality of foomatic-rip relies heavily on the availability of correct Foomatic PPD files and the underlying printer drivers (often Ghostscript or vendor-specific binaries). Configuration errors in PPDs or missing drivers are common sources of printing problems.

As foomatic-rip executes external commands based on PPD definitions, security considerations are paramount. Ensure PPD files are sourced from trusted locations to prevent arbitrary command execution vulnerabilities.

foomatic-rip is typically invoked by a print spooler (e.g., CUPS or LPD) as a filter. The spooler provides the necessary environment variables and command-line arguments, such as the printer name (-P), job ID (-J), and input file or standard input. It acts as the final processing step before the data is sent to the printer's physical device.

At the heart of foomatic-rip's operation are PPD (PostScript Printer Description) files. These files contain detailed information about a printer's capabilities, supported options, and the specific commands (often Ghostscript invocations) required to convert print data into the printer's native language. foomatic-rip parses these PPDs to correctly interpret user options and generate the appropriate output for the printer.

Foomatic-rip emerged as a core component of the Foomatic project, which was initiated around the year 2000. Its primary goal was to provide a standardized, flexible, and unified approach to printer driver management on Linux and Unix-like systems, especially for the vast number of non-PostScript printers available.

Developed by various contributors, including MandrakeSoft (later Mandriva), Foomatic aimed to abstract away the complexities of different printer technologies by leveraging PPD files and Ghostscript. foomatic-rip quickly became an essential part of most Linux distributions' printing stacks, integrated seamlessly with print spoolers like CUPS and LPD. While newer driverless printing technologies (e.g., IPP Everywhere) are gaining traction, foomatic-rip remains vital for supporting a wide legacy of printers and proprietary drivers.

foomatic-db(1), foomatic-ppdfile(1), cupsd(8), lpr(1), lp(1), gs(1)