Add a network printer with command line

Question

fabio168 Author

Level 1

47 points

Add a network printer with command line

Windows Environment and Windows Printer Server.

When I add a printer to the MAC users using the GUI this is what I do:

System Preferences
Printers & Scanner
Unlock the lock
Type the administrator credentials
Press the + sign
Select the IP Tab
Fill the Address box e.g. 10.1.20.12
I select Add and OK
I lock again the lock

How can I achieve the above process with the terminal command line?

Thank you so much

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Feb 23, 2017 1:03 PM

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Answer 1

Andbrowny

Level 4

1,614 points

Feb 23, 2017 2:31 PM in response to fabio168

Hi Fabio,

This can be done via the lpadmin command. To add a printer, use this format:

lpadmin -p Printer_Name -L "Printer Location" -E -v ipp://10.1.20.12 -P /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/Printer_Driver.gz

replace "Printer_Driver.gz" with the appropriate driver.

Hope this helps

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Answer 2

fabio168 Author

Level 1

47 points

Feb 27, 2017 11:28 AM in response to Andbrowny

Hi Andbrowny, and thank you so much to take your time to replay my post.

Do I have to type the -P /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/Printer_Driver.gz ????

I just typed the following command below but nothing is happing. I do not see any printer added to my system preference printer and scanner.

The command line does not give me any error message, it just accept my command line

lpadmin -p Printer_Name -L "Printer Location" -E -v ipp://10.1.20.26

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Answer 3

Andbrowny

Level 4

1,614 points

Feb 27, 2017 1:29 PM in response to fabio168

Hi fabio, this is all one command.

The -P option is the PPD you want to use for this printer.

If you have the printer drivers/ppd installed for this printer you should use the path for these here.

What make/model printer are you trying to install?

thanks

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Answer 4

Andbrowny

Level 4

1,614 points

Feb 27, 2017 2:19 PM in response to fabio168

Hi again fabio,

When you add the printer manually, what driver/ppd does it use?

try this

lpadmin -p Test_Printer_Name -L "Printer Location" -E -v ipp://10.1.20.26 -P "/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks /PrintCore.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Generic.ppd"

This is one line and It is using the generic ppd so it may or may not work.

thanks

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Answer 5

fabio168 Author

Level 1

47 points

Feb 27, 2017 3:21 PM in response to Andbrowny

when i run the command now i receive these two error messages:

lpadmin: Unable to open PPD “/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks /PrintCore.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Generic.ppd”: Unable to open PPD file on line 0.

lpadmin: Unable to open PPD file “/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks /PrintCore.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Generic.ppd” - No such file or directory

about your question: When you add the printer manually, what driver/ppd does it use?

The printer it is located on a windows printer server, so I do believe it takes the whatever driver are installed for that printer in the server OR it just automatically find a generic drive online during the installation

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Answer 6

Andbrowny

Level 4

1,614 points

Feb 27, 2017 3:35 PM in response to fabio168

I am not sure why this is not working, I have tested this on both 10.11 and 10.12.

in terminal can you run this command?

open /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks /PrintCore.framework/Versions/A/Resources/

does it give you the same error?

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Answer 7

fabio168 Author

Level 1

47 points

Feb 28, 2017 8:16 AM in response to Andbrowny

I run the following: open /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks /PrintCore.framework/Versions/A/Resources/

and this is what I get:

The file /PrintCore.framework/Versions/A/Resources does not exist.

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Answer 8

fabio168 Author

Level 1

47 points

Feb 27, 2017 1:39 PM in response to Andbrowny

HP OfficeJet 6700 Premium

I just tried to add the printer with the above GUI and it works perfect, but I would like to do with the terminal otherwise life does not have sense :-)

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