ppdi

ppdi [options] [ppdfile]

-h
    Display help message.

-d destination
    Specifies the destination printer or class. if using ppd-options.txt, this is required.

-p ppd-file
    Specifies the PPD file to be used.

-o option=value
    Specifies a printer option and value.

-v
    Be verbose.

The ppdi command is a utility for manipulating PostScript Printer Description (PPD) files. PPD files are used by CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) and other printing systems to describe the capabilities of a printer. ppdi allows you to list, filter, and extract information from these files. It's primarily a command-line tool used for tasks like identifying driver options, checking PPD syntax, or creating customized PPD files.
PPD files define available printer features, paper sizes, resolutions, and other printing options, enabling the correct driver and configuration setup. ppdi provides a set of tools to parse, modify, and understand these files, which is critical for system administrators and developers in printer management. It simplifies printer configuration by providing a simple method to access PPD files. It is typically used in conjunction with other CUPS utilities to manage printers and print queues.

The ppdi command is highly dependent on the CUPS printing system. The options and behaviour may vary slightly depending on the CUPS version installed. Improper use of ppdi can lead to printing issues or system instability. It's crucial to consult the CUPS documentation and printer-specific documentation when making changes to PPD files.

To display information about specific options in your system using the PPD file of your printer, you can run: ```bash ppdi -p printer_model.ppd -o OptionName=Value ``` Replace 'printer_model.ppd' with the actual PPD file's name and 'OptionName=Value' with the desired options.

The ppdi command is a part of the CUPS printing system, which was originally developed by Easy Software Products and later acquired by Apple. CUPS was designed as a modern, standards-based printing system for Unix-like operating systems. PPD files have been the standard for describing printer capabilities in PostScript environments for a long time, and ppdi was developed to enable better management of those files within the CUPS ecosystem. Its inclusion in CUPS has facilitated a more standardized and manageable approach to printer configuration.

lpadmin(8), lpoptions(1), cupsd(8)