---
name: "xdpr"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xorg-xpr"
version: "1.2.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xdpr"
---

# xdpr(1)

dump an X window directly to a printer

## NAME

xdpr - dump an X window directly to a printer

## SYNOPSIS

**xdpr** \[*filename*\] \[**-display** *host:display*\] \[**-P*printer***\] \[**-device** *devtype*\]\
      \[*option*...\]

## DESCRIPTION

**Xdpr** uses the commands [**xwd**(1)](/xwd/1.md), [**xpr**(1)](/xpr/1.md), and [**lpr**(1)](/lpr/1.md) or [**lp**(1)](/lp/1.md) to dump an X window, process it for a particular printer type, and print it out on the printer of your choice. This is the easiest way to get a printout of a window. **Xdpr** by default will print the largest possible representation of the window on the output page.

The options for **xdpr** are the same as those for [**xwd**(1)](/xwd/1.md), [**xpr**(1)](/xpr/1.md), and [**lpr**(1)](/lpr/1.md) or [**lp**(1)](/lp/1.md). The most commonly-used options are described below; see the manual pages for these commands for more detailed descriptions of the many options available.

## OPTIONS

- *filename*

  Specifies a file containing a window dump (created by **xwd**) to be printed instead of selecting an X window.

- **-P*printer***

  Specifies a printer to send the output to. If a printer name is not specified here, **xdpr** (really, **lpr** or **lp**) will send your output to the printer specified by the **PRINTER** environment variable. Be sure that type of the printer matches the type specified with the **-device** option.

- **-display** *host:display*\[*.screen*\]

  Normally, **xdpr** gets the host and display number to use from the environment variable **DISPLAY**. One can, however, specify them explicitly; see [**X**(7)](/X/7.md).

- **-device *devtype***

  Specifies the device on which the file will be printed. Currently supported:

  - **ljet**

    HP LaserJet series and other monochrome PCL devices such as ThinkJet, QuietJet, RuggedWriter, HP560 series, and HP 2930 series printers

  - **pjet**

    HP PaintJet (color mode)

  - **pjetxl**

    HP PaintJet XL Color Graphics Printer (color mode)

  - **pp**

    IBM PP3812

  - **ps**

    PostScript printer

-

  The default is PostScript. **-device lw** (LaserWriter) is equivalent to **-device ps** and is provided only for backwards compatibility.

- **-help**

  This option displays the list of options known to **xdpr**.

Any other arguments will be passed to the [**xwd**(1)](/xwd/1.md), [**xpr**(1)](/xpr/1.md), and [**lpr**(1)](/lpr/1.md) or [**lp**(1)](/lp/1.md) commands as appropriate for each.

## SEE ALSO

[**xwd**(1)](/xwd/1.md), [**xpr**(1)](/xpr/1.md), [**lpr**(1)](/lpr/1.md), [**lp**(1)](/lp/1.md), [**xwud**(1)](/xwud/1.md), [**X**(7)](/X/7.md)

## ENVIRONMENT

- **DISPLAY**

  which display to use by default.

- **PRINTER**

  which printer to use by default.

## AUTHORS

Paul Boutin, MIT Project Athena\
 Michael R. Gretzinger, MIT Project Athena\
 Jim Gettys, MIT Project Athena