LPRng-HOWTO: 15 Oct 2001 (For LPRng-3.7.9)
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# 18.3. Accounting File

The Accounting File (`:af=`) option value specifies the destination of accounting information. If the format of the `:af` option is `:as=| ...` , then the value is assumed to be a program to be run to record start and end of job information. The program is run in the same manner as a print filter. The values of the `:as` and `:ae` options are written to the program's `STDIN` and the output from the program's `STDOUT` is used as described below for authorization.

If the `:af=` option has the format `host%port` then a TCP/IP connection is opened to the specified port on the indicated host. The values of the `:as` and `:ae` options are written to the remote host. The port that the connection originates from will be in the range set by the configuration or printcap originate_port option.

Finally, if the `:af=` has neither of these formats then it will be treated as a pathname to a file. If the file exists or the `create_files` option is true, then the file will be opened and the values of the `:as` and `:ae` options are written to the file. The accounting file should be periodically truncated.

By convention the `:af=` value is passed to filters as a command line option. LPRng will pass the option value only if it is specifies a file or network destination. This implies that accounting information can be written to the accounting file or network destinations by the print spooler, `:of` filters, or print file filters. The filters are responsible for opening the accounting file or network connection.

The following is an example of information written to the accounting file:

        jobstart '-Hh4.private' '-nroot' '-Pps' '-kcfA938h4.private' \
        '-b1093' '-tNov  5 19:39:25'
        start '-p12942' '-kcfA938h4.private' '-nroot' '-hh4.private' '-Pps' \
        '-c0' '-Fo' '-tSun Nov  5 19:39:25 1995'
        filestart '-p12944' '-kcfA938h4.private' '-nroot' '-hh4.private' '-Pps' \
        '-c0' '-Ff' '-tSun Nov  5 19:39:27 1995'
        fileend '-p12944' '-kcfA938h4.private' '-nroot' '-hh4.private' '-Pps' \
        '-b3' '-c0' '-Ff' '-tSun Nov  5 19:39:58 1995'
        end '-p12942' '-kcfA938h4.private' '-nroot' '-hh4.private' '-Pps' \
        '-b2' '-c0' '-Fo' '-tSun Nov  5 19:39:59 1995'
        jobend '-Hh4.private' '-nroot' '-Pps' '-kcfA938h4.private' \
        '-b1093' '-tNov  5 19:39:59'

The `jobstart` and `jobend` lines are written by lpd and are the expanded `:as` and `:ae` values. The `start` and `end` line are added by the `:of` filter. This filter usually queries the printer and gets printer dependent accounting information such as the pagecounter value. The `:of` filter is then suspended and the job is processed by the various format dependent filters. The the `filestart` and `fileend` lines are produced by the other filters.

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