# thinlinc

The thinlinc environment provides a simple printing solution for workstations and personal devices.

- Workstation: 
    - Every workspace at the institute provides access to Thinlinc (login with your I-MATH credentials)
    - All the Printers are already configured. Press Ctrl+P inside your document to print.
- Personal Device: 
    - Install the TL-Client: [https://www.cendio.com/thinlinc/download/](https://www.cendio.com/thinlinc/download/)
    - Once installed, login with your I-MATH Credentials. (URL=tl.math.zuh.ch)
    - All the Printers are already configured. Press Ctrl+P inside your document to print.

## Create own printer instances

Create own printer instances with **personal settings**. Such instances are only available via command line.

```

[user@host
# Create an instance 'jcolor/bw', which prints to 'jcolor', but always in b/w:
$ lpoptions -p jcolor/bw -o ColorModel=Gray

# To use the new instance:
$ lp -d jcolor/bw output.pdf

# Show all printer, incl. instances:
$ lpstat -t

# The local instances are saved under
~/.cups/lpoptions

```

## Printing with Command Line

<table id="bkmrk-descriptionsyntax-%2F-" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td>Description</td><td>Syntax / Example</td></tr><tr><td>List all printers</td><td>`lpstat -a`</td></tr><tr><td>Show default printer</td><td>`lpstat -d`</td></tr><tr><td>Set default printer</td><td>`lpoptions -d `  
Ex: `lpoptions -d k`</td></tr><tr><td>Print</td><td>`lp [-d ] `  
Ex: `lp -d h52 paper.pdf`</td></tr><tr><td>Print several copies (see notes)</td><td>`lp -n  [-d ] `  
Ex: `lp -n 5 paper.pdf`</td></tr><tr><td>Print several copies (see notes) in the order 1,2,3...</td><td>`lp -o Collate=True -n  `  
Ex: `lp -o Collate=true -n 5 paper.pdf`</td></tr><tr><td>Print several copies with staples (see notes)</td><td>`lp -d  -o RepeatJob= -o StaplePos=1PLU`  
Ex: `lp -d j -o RepeatJob=10 -o StaplePos=1PLU exam.pdf`</td></tr><tr><td>Print 2 pages on one site</td><td>`lp -o number-up=2 `  
Ex: `lp -p number-up=2 paper.pdf`</td></tr><tr><td>Printing one sided on a duplex printer</td><td>`lp -o duplex=None `  
Ex: `lp -o duplex=None paper.pdf`</td></tr><tr><td>Printing duplex with turning on short edge</td><td>`lp -o duplex=DuplexTumble `  
Ex: `lp -o duplex=DuplexTumble paper.pdf`</td></tr><tr><td>Printing transparencies</td><td>`lp -o media=Transparency `  
Ex: `lp -o media=Transparency `</td></tr><tr><td>Printing with stapling (see note 1) - only `j`, `jcolor`, `k`, `kcolor`</td><td>`lp -d jcolor -o StapleType=StapleON -o StaplePos=(1PLU|1PRU|1PLB|1PRB|2PL|2PR|2PU|2PB) `  
Ex: `lp -d jcolor -o Duplex=None -o StapleType=StapleON -o StaplePos=1PLU -o sides=one-sided `</td></tr><tr><td>Printing booklet via `jcolor_booklet` and `kcolor_booklet` (see note 3)</td><td>`lp -d  -o print-color-mode=Color|Grayscale `  
Ex: `lp -d jcolor_booklet -o print-color-mode=Color -o PageSize=A5 paper.pdf`</td></tr><tr><td>Printing booklet via `j-ps` and `k-ps` (see note 3)</td><td>`lp -d  -o BindMode=SaddleStitch -o Duplex=None -o Booklet=Left -o print-color-mode=Color `  
Ex: `lp -d jcolor -o PageSize=A5 -o BindMode=SaddleStitch -o Duplex=None -o Booklet=Left -o Finishing=Col -o print-color-mode=Color paper.pdf`</td></tr></tbody></table>

**Note 1:** Pay attention on combining *copies* and *stapling*. If you like to print a PDF (e.g. 4 pages) 10 times, do **NOT** use the `-n ` parameter. The whole printjob, 4 pages \* 10 copies, will be stapled together (only one)!

*Solution*: Use the 'Repeat Job' option in the advanced tab of the print dialog

**Note 2:** Do not print many copies at once, because it requires a lot of resources of the printer.

*Solution*: Use the `lpRepeat` script instead (with the `-s` parameter to specify a delay):

```

$ lpRepeat -d h52 -n 30 -s 15 big_file.pdf

```

**Note 3:** Booklet printing can be simplified with the `lpBooklet` script:

```

# Color print
$ lpBooklet -d jcolor -f booklet.pdf

# Black & white print
$ lpBooklet -d j -f booklet.pdf

```

### Option values

#### Duplex: one/two sided print

<table id="bkmrk-valuemeaning-noneone" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td>**Value**</td><td>**Meaning**</td></tr><tr><td>None</td><td>One sided</td></tr><tr><td>!DuplexTumble</td><td>Two sided along long edge</td></tr><tr><td>!DuplexNoTumble</td><td>Two sided along short edge</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### StaplePos: staple position

<table id="bkmrk-valueportrait-modela" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td>**Value**</td><td>**Portrait mode**</td><td>**Landscape mode**</td></tr><tr><td>!PosNone</td><td>No staple</td><td>No staple</td></tr><tr><td>1PLU</td><td>Upper left</td><td>Upper right</td></tr><tr><td>1PRU</td><td>Upper right</td><td>Bottom right</td></tr><tr><td>1PLB</td><td>Bottom left</td><td>Upper left</td></tr><tr><td>1PRB</td><td>Bottom right</td><td>Bottom left</td></tr><tr><td>2PL</td><td>Left x2</td><td>Upper x2</td></tr><tr><td>2PR</td><td>Right x2</td><td>Bottom x2</td></tr><tr><td>2PU</td><td>Upper x2</td><td>Right x2</td></tr><tr><td>2PB</td><td>Bottom x2</td><td>Left x2</td></tr><tr><td>SDL</td><td>Middle x2</td><td>Middle x2</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Printing with graphical interface (evince PDF viewer)

### Stapling

In the print preview dialog select j, jcolor, k, or kcolor and on the tab 'Advanced'

1. choose the position of a staple (here upper left corner)
2. specify *Repeat Job* if you need more than one copy

[![print-staples-pcl-advanced.png](https://wiki.math.uzh.ch/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-06/print-staples-pcl-advanced.png)](https://wiki.math.uzh.ch/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-06/print-staples-pcl-advanced.png)

**Note**: do not specify *Copies* on the *General* tab to print several stapled copies! If you do so, all copies are stapled together!

### Booklet

In the print preview dialog select *jcolor\_booklet* or *kcolor\_booklet* - these printers are already configured for booklet printing.

Alternatively, select *j*, *jcolor*, *k*, or *kcolor* and choose the following options:

1. *Left binding* for *Booklet Printing* on the tab *Finishing*
2. *Saddle Stitch* for *Staple Position* on the tab *Advanced*

[![print-booklet-pcl-finishing.png](https://wiki.math.uzh.ch/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-06/print-booklet-pcl-finishing.png)](https://wiki.math.uzh.ch/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-06/print-booklet-pcl-finishing.png)[![print-booklet-pcl-advanced.png](https://wiki.math.uzh.ch/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-06/print-booklet-pcl-advanced.png)](https://wiki.math.uzh.ch/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-06/print-booklet-pcl-advanced.png)

**Note**: booklet printing requires A4 or A5 format.

## Printing exams - lpSequential

If you have a personalized exam, one PDF for all students, and you like to print it and the output should be:

- shifted (easy separation), or
- stapled,

than use the `lpSequential` script (commandline).

- For each exam print, the current page number is shown.
- You can stop a running print job, by pressing Ctrl-C in the commandline.
- If you stopped the printing, restart the printjob by specifing the last printed page + 1.
- : a printer name like `k`, `kcolor`, `j`, or `jcolor`.
- : If you have an exam pdf with 200 pages (one big file, 25 students, 8 pages per exam) the whole file will be split in jobs as and such part will be printed.
- : '1', if you start from scratch, else the last reported printed page + 1.
- : This is only necessary if you want to be sure that all exams are in exact same order as in the PDF. A **re**ordering might appear inside the printer, if there are multiple print jobs at the same time in the local printer queue. If a delay is specified, this helps to take care that are never more than 2 jobs in the local printer queue at the same time. The amount of delay in seconds depends on the print job size. Start with 5 seconds and stop and increase if it is too short. You can check the local printer queue on the touchscreen at the copier.

```

# K Floor (k)
$ lpSequential -o Duplex=None -o StaplePos=1PLU -o StapleType=StapleON -o sides=one-sided <file.pdf> k <pages per exam> <start page to print from> <delay in seconds>
# J Floor (jcolor_booklet) - with color
$ lpSequential -o Duplex=None -o StaplePos=1PLU -o StapleType=StapleON -o sides=one-sided -o print-color-mode=Color <file.pdf> jcolor <pages per exam> <start page to print from> <delay in seconds>

```

Example:

<table id="bkmrk-staplelpsequential--" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td>Staple</td><td>`lpSequential -o Duplex=None -o StaplePos=1PLU -o StapleType=StapleON -o sides=one-sided exam.pdf k 16 1 0`</td><td>printer 'k', 16 pages per exam, starting at 1, no delay</td></tr><tr><td>Shifting</td><td>`lpSequential -o Duplex=None -o sides=one-sided exam.pdf jcolor 8 33 5`</td><td>printer 'jcolor', 8 pages per exam, starting at 33, 5 seconds delay</td></tr></tbody></table>

- Most exams are single sided, so switch of the default Duplex mode.