grolbp

grolbp [ -option ... ] [ file ... ]

-F dir
    Prepend dir/fonttab to the font search path. This allows grolbp to locate font description files in custom directories.

-p paper_size
    Set the output paper size. Common values include A4, A3, Letter, and Legal, configuring the page dimensions for the CAPSL output.

-l
    Output in landscape orientation. By default, pages are printed in portrait mode.

-s
    Simulate bold characters by overstriking. This is the default behavior and is useful for printers without distinct bold fonts.

-S
    Do not simulate bold characters by overstriking. Characters will be printed without overstriking.

-C
    Enable compatibility mode. In this mode, grolbp attempts to handle or ignore certain groff-specific commands for broader compatibility with various CAPSL environments.

-o num
    Start page numbering at num. This can be useful for printing sections of a larger document.

-r num
    Rotate pages by num degrees. Common values are 90, 180, or 270 degrees, allowing for page orientation adjustments.

-P
    Enable variable pitch font selection for characters. By default, grolbp might use fixed-pitch fonts; this option allows for more flexible font rendering if the printer supports it.

-T dev
    Set the output device. For grolbp, this is intrinsically lbp. While often specified with groff (e.g., groff -Tlbp), grolbp can accept it without altering its fundamental output type.

-v
    Print the version number of grolbp to standard output and exit.

grolbp is a GNU groff output driver specifically designed to convert groff intermediate output into Canon CAPSL (Canon Advanced Printing System Language) commands. These commands are understood by older Canon LBP-4 and LBP-8 series laser printers, as well as compatible models. It functions as a backend processor, typically receiving its input via a pipe from the groff formatter. Its primary role is to interpret the typesetting and formatting commands generated by groff (such as font selection, character positioning, line drawing, and page layout) and translate them into the specific escape sequences and control codes required by CAPSL-compatible printers. While historically significant for supporting a particular range of printers, its use has significantly declined with the widespread adoption of more universal printer languages like PostScript and PCL, which are supported by drivers such as grops and grolj4.

grolbp is primarily designed for older Canon LBP-4/LBP-8 series printers and compatibles that utilize the proprietary CAPSL language. Its utility is significantly diminished in modern computing and printing environments, where printers overwhelmingly rely on industry-standard languages like PostScript or PCL. For broader compatibility with contemporary printers, users should typically employ grops (for PostScript) or grolj4 (for PCL) instead.

grolbp typically does not process raw roff source files directly. Instead, it consumes the intermediate output generated by the groff formatter. The common usage pattern involves piping the output of groff to grolbp:
groff -Tlbp document.roff | grolbp > document.capsl
In this example, groff first formats document.roff for the lbp device and then sends its intermediate output to grolbp, which converts it into CAPSL commands, redirecting them to document.capsl.

Canon Advanced Printing System Language (CAPSL) is a proprietary page description language used by certain Canon laser printers. It dictates how text, graphics, and images are rendered on a page through a sequence of control codes and escape sequences. Unlike more open standards, CAPSL is typically more low-level and tailored to specific Canon hardware capabilities. grolbp's primary function is to translate the generic groff output into this specific printer language.

grolbp is an integral component of the GNU groff project, which commenced development in the early 1990s as a free and open-source re-implementation of AT&T's troff typesetting system. As laser printers gained widespread adoption, specialized drivers like grolbp were developed to support various printer control languages, including proprietary ones such as Canon's CAPSL. Its existence reflects an era when specific drivers were crucial for interacting with diverse hardware, predating the widespread standardization provided by languages like PostScript.

groff(1), troff(1), groff_out(5), grops(1), grolj4(1), grotty(1), grohtml(1)