<!-- "$Id: api-ppd.shtml 6649 2007-07-11 21:46:42Z mike $" PPD 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 PPD API provides read-only access the data in PostScript Printer Description ("PPD") files. With it you can display printer options to users, mark option choices and check for conflicting choices, and output marked choices in PostScript output.</p> <h2 class='title'>General Usage</h2> <p>The <var><cups/ppd.h></var> header file must be included to use the <tt>ppd</tt> 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 PPD API functions require CUPS 1.1 or higher.</p>