---
name: "foomatic-kitload"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "foomatic-db-engine"
version: "5:20200131-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/foomatic-kitload"
---

# foomatic-kitload(8)

installs a data kit into the foomatic database.

## NAME

foomatic-kitload - installs a data kit into the foomatic database.

## SYNOPSIS

**foomatic-kitload** \[ *-k kit-dir*\] \[ *-d dest-dir*\]...

## DESCRIPTION

**foomatic-kitload** installs a foomatic data kit into the local data library.  It takes a  *-k* *dirname* option, where *dirname* is the toplevel directory of a foomatic driver "kit".  A "kit" is a selection of XML source files arranged exactly as in the source/section of the master database (ie, opt/driver/printer/ subdirs).

Gimp-Print's foomatic-generator produces exactly such a kit.

Foomatic-kitload is moderately paranoid about kits: the kit must contain at least one of *printer*, *driver* or *opt*; the kit must contain only files ending in *.xml*, the kit cannot be the local library itself, etc.  But it does not inspect the contents of the kit files in any way.

### Options

- **-k** *dirname*

  dirname is the toplevel directory of a foomatic driver "kit".

- **-d** *destdir*

  destdir is a prefix to prepend to the install path.  This will not normally be required, but is useful if installing into a temporary \`staging area' prior to installing in the final destination.

## EXIT STATUS

**foomatic-kitload** returns 0 on success, 255 or something else when an error occurs.

## AUTHOR

Manfred Wassmann \<*manolo@NCC-1701.B.Shuttle.de*\> for the foomatic project using output from the associated binary.

## BUGS

Please post bug reports on

http://lists.freestandards.org/mailman/listinfo/printing-foomatic