How can I delete a printer from CUPS?

Question

My local CUPS server is confused about the name of the printer I use. It has two names: hpext and hpext@vm-cups. I can never predict which one is going to work, and if I use the wrong one, jobs just sit in its queue indefinitely.

There are no printers listed in /etc/cupsd/cupsd.conf; instead I have the line

BrowsePoll cups.eecs.tufts.edu

This server lists only hpext and not hpext@vm-cups.
I'm thinking that somehow my local server is confused, and if I can delete the printer from its memory, all will be well. But nowhere in the documentation can I find a command to delete a printer, and the DELETE PRINTER button on the stupid web interface has no effect.

What can I do?

did you take a look at lpadmin's man page?.. lpadmin helps you to manage cups' printers — Luciano Facchinelli, Aug 16 '11 at 20:59
@Luciano: dammit, lpadmin -x was there the whole time. Please write an answer so I can upvote and accept. — Norman Ramsey, Aug 18 '11 at 02:09

score 28 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 18 '11 at 16:38

28

lpadmin helps you to manage cups' printers

Try

man lpadmin

I believe what you need is

lpadmin -x

edited Aug 18 '11 at 16:38

warren

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answered Aug 18 '11 at 15:25

Luciano Facchinelli

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Maybe it's useful to list the printers before removing: `lpstats -s` – Jaime M. May 30 '15 at 17:56
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Think it should be `lpstat -s`. – sebastian Mar 18 '19 at 13:42
there is no option `-x` – Yanick Rochon Jul 14 '21 at 23:37

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 02 '18 at 07:49

5

On web, enter http://localhost:631/printers/
Click on printer to be deleted.
Select Delete Printer in Administration drop-down list.
Confirm Delete Printer by clicking on it.

answered Feb 02 '18 at 07:49

renonsz

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After pressing "Delete Printer" (step 4) I got an error "Forbidden". I needed to use Luciano Facchinelli's solution - `lpstat -s` to find the printer name, then `sudo lpadmin -x [printer name from lpstat -s]` – walnut_salami May 30 '21 at 05:35
doing this makes the printer immedately appear again. this is no use. – Yanick Rochon Jul 14 '21 at 23:37

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 24 '11 at 07:05

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The other way around this would be to turn off automatic browsing of Network Printers and just add the one printer you want manually. I think the reason the Delete button "has no effect" is that CUPS is getting a broadcast/notification that a "new" printer is available on the network.

Addition: If you don't want to lose those printers you already have, add them to your local CUPS instead of relying on broadcast.

edited Aug 24 '11 at 07:05

Community

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answered Aug 16 '11 at 23:01

Adam Baxter

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I don't want to lose the color printer, the high-speed copier, etc. – Norman Ramsey Aug 18 '11 at 02:09

How can I delete a printer from CUPS?

3 Answers3