smbspool

smbspool printername jobnumber username clientmachine printfile

printername
    Name of the printer as defined in smb.conf.

jobnumber
    Unique identifier for the print job.

username
    The username of the user who submitted the print job.

clientmachine
    The hostname or IP address of the client machine that sent the print job.

printfile
    Path to the file containing the print data.

The smbspool command is used in conjunction with Samba to manage print jobs sent from Windows clients to a Samba print server. It acts as a spooler, receiving print data from the client, placing it in a spool directory, and then triggering the actual print command defined in the Samba configuration (smb.conf).

It is crucial for enabling printing functionality for Windows users accessing shared printers via Samba. The command ensures that print jobs are handled reliably, even when the client disconnects before the job is fully printed.

Essentially, it's a bridge between the Windows printing system and the Linux printing backend, ensuring seamless printing functionality in a mixed-OS environment.

While `smbspool` is typically invoked automatically by Samba, understanding its role is helpful for troubleshooting printing issues.

smbspool is generally invoked automatically by Samba when a Windows client submits a print job. You wouldn't usually run it directly from the command line.

Problems with smbspool often manifest as printing failures in Samba. Checking the Samba logs (typically located in /var/log/samba/) can provide clues about the cause of the problem. Ensure the print command specified in smb.conf is correctly configured and executable.

smbd(8), nmbd(8), smb.conf(5)