Cool hidden Jaguar printing feature!

Snowball

Snowball

Switched the Other Way
Sorry if everybody know this already, but I just found this cool new Jaguar feature after watching Phil Schiller's Seybold 2002 Keynote:

You can directly access the CUPS Unix printing system from within your web browser! It's kind of like configuring a router from within your browser.
Basically, the Print Center in its current form doesn't let you access the more advanced parts of CUPS that exist in Jaguar, but require Terminal (CLI) knowledge to get to. (and Schiller even said that himself :)) So, we just use our web browser instead. :p

I don't know if this will work if you haven't set up a printer on your computer already, as the one I'm on has a few network printers configured for it, but try this:
  • Open up a web browser (hopefully not IE).
  • Type this into the URL field: 127.0.0.1:631
Basically what this does is access your computer as if it were an internet site, but through port 631 which is what the CUPS service runs on. It's really cool, if you click "Do Administration Tasks", then "Manage Printers", then "Print Test Page" on one of your installed printers, then it will automatically print a test page, no Print dialog! It's such a weird feeling to see that happen without that trusty Print dialog :)! I think you can configure other computers too if you replace 127.0.0.1 with the other computers' IP address, but I haven't tried it yet. Probably it would require an admin login first to the other computer...

By the way, printing is SO much more improved since earlier Mac OS releases (like sharing of Shared Printer queues, regardless if it's USB or not!), watch Phil's keynote at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/seybold_02/ if you want to learn those extra thingies, just go to about 1 hour 10 minutes into the keynote to the end.
 
It doesn't work from another computer unless you set up your firewall to allow it.

That's good though because I wouldn't want someone messing with my printer over the network. :p
 
ah, that's good to know. :) what happens though if you want to just limit access? is it possible, or is it a "everybody's allowed" or "nobody's allowed" vs. "my upstairs comp (IP address) is allowed but nobody else" system?
 
I haven't really used ipfw(X's built in firewall) but you can probably allow certain IPs access and deny others.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top