testprns is a very simple test program to determine whether a given printer name is valid for use in a service to be provided by smbd.
"Valid" in this context means "can be found in the printcap specified". This program is very stupid - so stupid in fact that it would be wisest to always specify the printcap file to use.
Printer names are taken from the first field in each record in the printcap file, single printer names and sets of aliases separated by vertical bars ("|") are recognised. Note that no validation or checking of the printcap syntax is done beyond that required to extract the printer name. It may be that the print spooling system is more forgiving or less forgiving than testprns. However, if testprns finds the printer then smbd should do so as well.
printcapname
If no printcap name is specified, testprns will attempt to scan the printcap file specified at compile time (PRINTCAP_NAME).
It is recommended that the testprns program be installed under the /usr/local/samba hierarchy, in a directory readable by all, writeable only by root. The program should be executable by all. The program should NOT be setuid or setgid!
If a printer is found to be invalid, the message "Printer name <printername> is not valid" will be displayed.
All messages that would normally be logged during operation of smbd are logged by this program to the file test.log in the current directory. The program runs at debuglevel 3, so quite extensive logging information is written. The log should be checked carefully for errors and warnings.
Other messages are self-explanatory.
The testprns program and this man page were written by Karl Auer. Bug reports to samba-bugs@samba.anu.edu.au.
See samba(7) for a full list of contributors and details of how to submit bug reports, comments etc.