Definition of Line Printer Queue in the Network Encyclopedia.

What is Line Printer Queue?

Line Printer Queue, also known as LPQ, is a general TCP/IP utility on UNIX networks that is used for querying the status of the print queue on a print server. The UNIX print server runs a daemon called the Line Printer Daemon (LPD), and the client printing the job uses a utility called the Line Printer Remote (LPR). You can use the lpq command on a server running Microsoft Windows NT that has the Microsoft TCP/IP Printing service installed (or a server running Windows 2000 that has Microsoft Print Services for UNIX installed) to display the status of the print queue on a UNIX LPD server, a Windows NT–based server running the LPD service, or a Windows 2000–based server running the LPDSVC service.

The lpq command displays a list of files on the server that are waiting to be printed. You can also use this command to check the print queue on a UNIX print server; this is one way that Windows NT and Windows 2000 provide interoperability between the UNIX and Windows environments.

LPQ examples

Enter the command lpq -S Server7 -P Laser12 to display the status of the print queue Laser12 on a Windows NT–based server named Server7 that is running the LPD service.