Printing in Statistics

Printers are available for use by students and faculty that have accounts on the Statistics network. Authenticated users can print from Unix and MS Windows desktop computers managed by the department. It is also possible to print from computers attached to the wireless (authenticated) network for those that bring in their own notebook or desktop computers.

Printing should be limited to University related work only. There are currently no quotas imposed on black and white printing, but use is monitored. Care should be taken to avoid wasting paper through error and inefficient use.

Finding a Printer in Statistics:

The Statistics Computing Facilities page lists the printers that are available for your use

General Instructions for Printing in Statistics:

Please refer to the CSL Printing FAQs and HowTos for general instructions about printing on the Statistics/CSL network.

Setting Your Default Printer in Statistics:

In Linux

To assure that your default printer is set to the location you want, you should edit your .cshrc.local file located in your home directory. Add a line similar to the following at the end of the file:

setenv PRINTER pr1274

For this example, the printer in 1274 MSC will become your "permanent" default printer starting the next time you log in.

You can also temporarily change your default printer by executing the same type of command at Unix prompt:

public06% setenv PRINTER pr1207

For this example, the printer in 1205/07 MSC will temporarily be the default printer for the current terminal session opened on the public06 computer. When you close the terminal session, move to a different terminal session, or log out and back in, your default printer will be at the "permanent" setting.

In Windows

1. Open the Printers list, either from My Computer or from Start Menu -> Settings -> Printers
2. Double click on the printer queue you want to make the default
3. Select Printer -> Set As Default Printer

Printing from Linux in Statistics:

Printing from the Linux Command Line

If you want to print to your default printer, use the command:

lpr <filename>

For example, from a terminal session on public06, to print the file test.txt to your default printer, use:

public06% lpr text.txt

You can print files that have a plain text format, or files that are postscript (with .ps extension) or pdf (with .pdf extension). Other files must be converted to one of these formats before printing, or must be printed directly from an application as shown below (for example, printing a Word document from the winword application).

To print to other Statistics black and white printers, specify the printer name with -P<printer> where <printer> is one of:

pr1207, pr1224, pr1274, pr1335 or prb248

For example:

public06% lpr -Ppr1274 test.txt

Printing on Only One Side of the Page

Please print in duplex mode (on both sides of a page) whenever possible to save paper. However, if you need to print on one side only, use the simplex queue for the desired printer. If you want to print to one side of your default printer, you need to specify the full printer name and simplex queue option in the command line. For example, if your default printer is pr1274, or if you want to print simplex to pr1274, use a command of this type:

public06% lpr -Ppr1274-simplex test.txt

WARNINGS!

1. If you are not careful when specifying the printer name in an lpr command, bad things can happen, like accidentally printing reams of waste paper. Always specify the complete printer name as pr<room>. Don't forget the pr part or the -P part.

For example:

lpr -Ppr1274 <filename>
NOT
lpr -P1274 <filename> or
lpr -pr1274 <filename>

2. Do NOT print high-resolution versions of documents downloaded from JSTOR. These pdf files have caused slowdowns and lockups of the printers. A better option in general is to only download low-resolution versions of JSTOR documents. They take less space and less time to print, and they are less likely to lock up printers. The difference in readability is minimal. Selection of resolution can be done just before downloading the JSTOR document.

3. Print pdf files one at a time. If you try to print using wildcards, it won't cause major paper waste, but it probably won't work either.

For example:

lpr <filename1>.pdf
lpr <filename2>.pdf
lpr <filename3>.pdf
NOT
lpr *.pdf

Printing from Linux Applications

The printing support for Linux applications varies among the applications. Some have pull down menus to select printers, some allow entry of modifications to a default print command, and some will use only the default printer. Here are some instructions for a few popular applications. If your application is not specifically covered, see if you can find similarities with these methods.

Printing from Mozilla, OpenOffice (soffice) and CrossoverOffice (winword, excel and powerpnt):

Mozilla has a pulldown menu for selecting printers at File->Print. Statistics printers can be selected from the menu. Printer options, like whether to use duplex or simplex, can be selected by choosing the Properties button in the printer selection window. For more information, see the CSL Mozilla Printer Options page in the Mozilla FAQs.

OpenOffice (started with the soffice command) and CrossoverOffice applications, started with the winword, excel and powerpnt commands have pulldown menus similar to Mozilla under File->Print. Statistics printers can be selected from the menu. Options are selected from the Properties button.

Printing from the Acrobat Reader:

The Acrobat Reader is called up automatically from web pages for viewing pdf files, or it can be started with the commands acroread or pdfview. Printing is selected through the File->Print pulldown, and a window is presented that shows the default printing command string for the application (to the right of Printer Command:). That string can be changed to send the print job to the printer of your choice. For example, you can enter:

lpr -Ppr1274

and your pdf printout will be sent to the printer in 1274 MSC.

BE WARNED -- if you leave out the pr, you may waste reams of paper. NEVER enter something like:

lpr -P1274

Printing from Windows:

Please refer to the CSL Printing FAQs and HowTos under the Windows sections for details on printing from Windows.

Color Printing in Statistics

A color laser printer is available in Statistics. It is located in 1205/07 with the name statcolor.

There are different print queues defined on statcolor to allow selection of print media and for selecting one or two sided printing. For example, to print the file mydoc.pdf in different formats, use the following commands (assume printing from public06):

public06% lpr -Pstatcolor-paper mydoc.pdf (defaults to duplex mode - images on both sides of paper)
public06% lpr -Pstatcolor-paper-duplex mydoc.pdf (same as above)
public06% lpr -Pstatcolor-paper-ls-duplex mydoc.pdf (duplex but flip the page on the short side)
public06% lpr -Pstatcolor-paper-simplex mydoc.pdf (image on one side of paper only)
public06% lpr -Pstatcolor-slide mydoc.pdf (selects transparency film media for printing - one side only)

There is a per-page charge to print on statcolor, with costs of:

$0.15 per image on paper (one or two sided)
$0.80 per image on transparency

For comparison, Bob's Copy Shop charges $0.89 per color image on paper (low volume), and $1.70 per color image on transparency, and DoIT Digital Publishing & Printing Services in MSC charge about $0.60 per color image on paper and about $0.80 per color image on transparency.

To set up an account for printing on statcolor, please contact Denise <nop>Runyan.

Cancelling Print Jobs:

Please refer to the CSL Printing FAQs and HowTos under the Cancelling a Job sections for UNIX and Windows for instructions.

Printing from a Laptop to Statistics Printers

Please go to the Using Laptop Computers In Statistics section on Printing for How-To information.

Print Quotas for Graduate and Undergrad Major Accounts

Print quotas are set at the beginning of each semester to the following amounts:

Fall Session - 1000 pages (one page is one printed image, so 2 sided print is 2 pages)
Spring Session - 1000 pages
Summer Session - 500 pages

The allocated quota is expected to last for the entire session. Reset of the quota is typically 2 to 3 weeks after the session ends. If the allocated quota is exhausted, see Denise Runyan for options.

-- ColleenBrabender - 10 Aug 2012