terrylica Terminal Print
Print terminal output from iTerm2 to your HP network printer with a single command.
Self-Evolving Skill: This skill improves through use. If instructions are wrong, parameters drifted, or a workaround was needed — fix this file immediately, don't defer. Only update for real, reproducible issues.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
- Printing terminal output to a network printer
- Creating PDF copies of command-line session output
- Archiving terminal logs in print-friendly format
- Sharing terminal output in meetings or documentation
Quick Start
- Copy terminal output in iTerm2 (Cmd+C)
- Invoke this skill
- Review PDF preview, press Enter to print
How It Works
Clipboard → Strip ANSI → Markdown code block → pandoc/xelatex → PDF → Preview → Print
- ANSI codes stripped: Colors and escape sequences removed for clean B&W output
- Monospace font: DejaVu Sans Mono for proper character alignment
- Landscape orientation: Fits ~120 characters per line
- US Letter paper: Auto-detected from printer settings
Execution
/usr/bin/env bash << 'PRINT_EOF'
SKILL_DIR="$(cc-plugin-root doc-tools)/skills/terminal-print"
bash "$SKILL_DIR/assets/print-terminal.sh"
PRINT_EOF
Options
Run with arguments by modifying the execution block:
/usr/bin/env bash << 'PRINT_EOF'
SKILL_DIR="$(cc-plugin-root doc-tools)/skills/terminal-print"
bash "$SKILL_DIR/assets/print-terminal.sh" --no-preview
PRINT_EOF
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--file FILE |
Read from file instead of clipboard |
--no-preview |
Skip PDF preview, print directly |
--no-print |
Generate PDF only, don't send to printer |
--printer NAME |
Override target printer queue (default: system default) |
--bypass-airprint |
Use socket-9100 + PostScript queue. Workaround for HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101/3108/3201/3208/3301/3308 AirPrint blank pages. |
-h, --help |
Show help message |
Examples
Print from clipboard (default)
# Copy terminal output in iTerm2, then:
/usr/bin/env bash << 'EOF'
bash "$(cc-plugin-root doc-tools)/skills/terminal-print/assets/print-terminal.sh"
EOF
Print from file
/usr/bin/env bash << 'EOF'
bash "$(cc-plugin-root doc-tools)/skills/terminal-print/assets/print-terminal.sh" --file ~/session.log
EOF
Generate PDF only (no print)
/usr/bin/env bash << 'EOF'
bash "$(cc-plugin-root doc-tools)/skills/terminal-print/assets/print-terminal.sh" --no-print
EOF
Prerequisites
All dependencies are already available on macOS with MacTeX:
| Tool | Purpose | Status |
|---|---|---|
pandoc |
Markdown to PDF | Required |
xelatex |
PDF engine | Required (MacTeX) |
pbpaste |
Clipboard access | Built-in |
lpr |
CUPS printing | Built-in |
Output
- PDF location:
/tmp/terminal-output-YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.pdf - Markdown source:
/tmp/terminal-YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.md - Cleanup: macOS automatically cleans
/tmpperiodically
Troubleshooting
"No text in clipboard"
Copy terminal output first using Cmd+C in iTerm2.
"Missing pandoc" or "Missing xelatex"
Install MacTeX: brew install --cask mactex
Printer not found
Check printer status: lpstat -p -d
The script auto-detects the system default printer. Override with --printer NAME or set TERMINAL_PRINT_PRINTER in the environment.
Blank page came out (or lpr reported success but nothing printed)
Strong fingerprint of the HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101/3108/3201/3208/3301/3308 AirPrint blank-page bug — the printer's IPP-Everywhere PDF interpreter silently drops jobs while CUPS reports completed. Confirmed with this exact symptom on 2026-05-09.
Quick fix:
# 1. One-time setup of bypass queue (socket-9100 + Generic PostScript PPD)
"$(cc-plugin-root doc-tools)/skills/terminal-print/assets/setup-socket-9100-queue.sh"
# 2. Reprint with --bypass-airprint
bash "$(cc-plugin-root doc-tools)/skills/terminal-print/assets/print-terminal.sh" --bypass-airprint
Full diagnostic playbook with command sequences and decision tree: see airprint-blank-page-troubleshooting.md.
Key takeaway: do not trust lpstat -o or job-state=completed — query the printer's own job ledger via ipptool -tv ipp://<printer>.local.:631/ipp/print for job-impressions-completed and job-media-sheets-completed. CUPS lies; the printer (mostly) tells the truth.
Related Skills
- pandoc-pdf-generation - General Markdown to PDF conversion
- asciinema-converter - Convert terminal recordings
Post-Execution Reflection
After this skill completes, check before closing:
- Did the command succeed? — If not, fix the instruction or error table that caused the failure.
- Did parameters or output change? — If the underlying tool's interface drifted, update Usage examples and Parameters table to match.
- Was a workaround needed? — If you had to improvise (different flags, extra steps), update this SKILL.md so the next invocation doesn't need the same workaround.
Only update if the issue is real and reproducible — not speculative.