<!-- "$Id: api-cups.shtml 6649 2007-07-11 21:46:42Z mike $" CUPS API introduction for the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS). Copyright 2007 by Apple Inc. Copyright 1997-2006 by Easy Software Products, all rights reserved. These coded instructions, statements, and computer programs are the property of Apple Inc. and are protected by Federal copyright law. Distribution and use rights are outlined in the file "LICENSE.txt" which should have been included with this file. If this file is file is missing or damaged, see the license at "http://www.cups.org/". --> <h2 class='title'>Introduction</h2> <p>The CUPS library provides a whole collection of interfaces needed to support the internal needs of the CUPS software as well as the needs of applications, filters, printer drivers, and backends.</p> <p>Unlike the rest of CUPS, the CUPS API library is provided under the GNU Library General Public License. This means that you can use the CUPS API library in both proprietary and open-source programs.</p> <h2 class='title'>General Usage</h2> <p>The <var><cups/cups.h></var> header file must be included to use the CUPS functions.</p> <p>Programs using these functions must be linked to the CUPS library: <var>libcups.a</var>, <var>libcups.so.2</var>, <var>libcups.2.dylib</var>, <var>libcups_s.a</var>, or <var>libcups2.lib</var> depending on the platform. The following command compiles <var>myprogram.c</var> using GCC and the CUPS library:</p> <pre class='command'> <kbd>gcc -o myprogram myprogram.c -lcups</kbd> </pre> <h2 class='title'>Compatibility</h2> <p>Unless otherwise specified, the CUPS API functions require CUPS 1.1 or higher.</p>