Occasionally we print a file and then change our mind and want to cancel the job. The lprm command allows us to do this.
h4: {154} % lpq
Printer: lp@h4 (printing disabled)
Queue: 3 printable jobs
Server: no server active
Status: job 'papowell@h4+17922' removed at 18:15:13.981
Rank Owner/ID Class Job Files Size Time
1 papowell@h4+17959 A 17959 (stdin) 3 18:23:24
2 papowell@h4+17962 A 17962 (stdin) 6 18:23:30
3 papowell@h4+17970 A 17970 (stdin) 5 18:23:35
h4: {155} % lprm
Printer lp@h4:
checking perms 'papowell@h4+17959'
dequeued 'papowell@h4+17959'
h4: {156} % lpq
Printer: lp@h4 (printing disabled)
Queue: 2 printable jobs
Server: no server active
Status: job 'papowell@h4+17922' removed at 18:15:13.981
Rank Owner/ID Class Job Files Size Time
1 papowell@h4+17962 A 17962 (stdin) 6 18:23:30
2 papowell@h4+17970 A 17970 (stdin) 5 18:23:35
h4: {157} % lprm 17970
Printer lp@h4:
checking perms 'papowell@h4+17970'
dequeued 'papowell@h4+17970'
h4: {158} % lpq
Printer: lp@h4 (printing disabled)
Queue: 1 printable job
Server: no server active
Status: job 'papowell@h4+17922' removed at 18:15:13.981
Rank Owner/ID Class Job Files Size Time
1 papowell@h4+17962 A 17962 (stdin) 6 18:23:30
By default, the lprm command removes the first job in the queue that the user has permission to remove. Also, as shown in the example, you can remove a job by specifying the job ID or the job number. If you specify a user name, you remove all of the user's jobs. This can be dangerous:
h4: {159} % lpq
Printer: lp@h4 (printing disabled)
Queue: 3 printable jobs
Server: no server active
Status: job 'papowell@h4+17922' removed at 18:15:13.981
Rank Owner/ID Class Job Files Size Time
1 papowell@h4+17962 A 17962 (stdin) 6 18:23:30
2 papowell@h4+18499 A 18499 /tmp/hi 3 18:56:00
3 papowell@h4+18501 A 18501 /tmp/there 6 18:56:02
h4: {160} % lprm papowell
Printer lp@h4:
checking perms 'papowell@h4+17962'
dequeued 'papowell@h4+17962'
checking perms 'papowell@h4+18499'
dequeued 'papowell@h4+18499'
checking perms 'papowell@h4+18501'
dequeued 'papowell@h4+18501'
h4: {161} % lpq
Printer: lp@h4 (printing disabled)
Queue: no printable jobs in queue
Status: job 'papowell@h4+17922' removed at 18:15:13.981
The special user all matches all jobs in a print queue. Clearly you should be careful not to specify lprm all by accident. Even more dangerous is the following command:
As you might surmise, this removes all print jobs in all queues, which is an excellent way to purge print queues of all jobs.