1.  I'd like some information on how to modify a Canon PS PPD for use with OSX

This page was commissioned from Matthew Klestrup.  Thanks very much Matthew, this is great!

How to setup Canon PostScript printers in Mac OS X

While setting up Canon PostScript printers in Mac OS X, you might have to do some editing of the PPD files and adding the printers to the Netinfo Manager to get several Canon printers to work. This might change in the future, but until then the following is a solution.

PPD files First of all, you have to use Mac OS X v10.1 or later. In versions prior to that, you can add a PPD file, but only the Page sizes will be shown from the PPD. No additional print features specific to that printer will be availeble.

No matter which printer/ppd you choose, the "Configure Printer" is not availeble in Print Center which is the tool used to setup client printers. You have to edit the ppd file before you add it to a printer. By changing the defaults for the relevant settings (like which CLC, Sorter etc.) before actually using the ppd, it will have the same effect as choosing "Installable Options" from a regular dialog box as seen in Mac OS 9.x .

Not so nice, but it's working. An example of this could be changing the line reading "*DefaultEFSortStapleOpt: Off" to "*DefaultEFSortStapleOpt: SorterStapler".

Another thing is the rather huge PPD files we have for some Canon printers/copiers. The print dialog boxes in Mac OS X will try to show the PPD options in sections divided with tabs, but if there are to many options, the first and last tabs will not by accessible. In this case you will have to strip out all the things not needed in the PPD file to make it fit. Examples of this is the huge PPD's for ColorPASS Z60 and Z5000, but iR C 2100 should work right a way in this matter. Place the PPD files in /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/en.lproj.

Communication method

If you chose to use AppleTalk you will only have to add the printer from the Print Center utility. But if you want to use TCP/IP and LPR and have several Canon printers using the queue name "print" you will only be able to add one LPR printer in Print Center. The reason is, that the first LPR printer will get the local name from the queue name, which typically is "print" in case of Canon, and you can only address one printer with this name, of cource. The trick is to use Netinfo Manager to setup the printers, and afterwards use Print Center to add the printers choosing them as Directory Service Printers.

Netinfo Manager can be maintained from a central server, but also usefull on a local basis. Follow these steps to add printers to Netinfo Manager:

a) Add a new Directory in "printers" - the directory being the name of the new printer.
b) Add a property to this new directory with the name "lo" and the value "lock".
c) Add a property to the same directory with the name "rp" and the value "print"/"hold" or what ever.
d) Add a property to the same directory with the name "rm" and the value being the hostname/IP address.
e) Add a property to the same directory with the name "lp" and the value "/dev/null".
f) Add a property to the same directory with the name "ppdurl" and the value being the path to the ppd
(/Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/en.lproj/ppd file name).
g) Add a property to the same directory with the name "sd" and the value "/var/spool/lpd/lp".
h) Quit Netinfo Manager and add this new printer as a Directory Service in Print Center.

By doing this, you can have several printers with print as the queue name (while using Netinfo Mananger, be specific when you use upper and lower case and don't type in the quotes).

Let's summarize:

1) Edit the PPD file to correct the defaults for Installable Options.
2) 2) Edit the PPD file to make it fit (you might have to test the PPD before
3) deciding to make it shorter).
4) 3) Place the PPD files in /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/en.lproj.
5) 4) If you use AppleTalk, just add your printer in the utility Print Center using AppleTalk as the method.
6) 5a) If you use TCP/IP and only have one Canon Printer with the queue name "print", use Print Center to add this LPR printer.
7) 5b) If you use TCP/IP and have several Canon printers with the queue name "print" use Netinfo Manager to setup these printers, and then add them from Print Center using Directory Service as the method.

More details on how to modify the PPD

The following outilnes the highlights of an OS X email conversation I recently had with Krista McCann
Thanks Krista for providing feedback and making it available for others

I downloaded the Windows 2000 driver for the iR-600 from the Canon website.
I extracted the file Efmc6a20.ppd from the download and sent it to my Mac.
Open the file in Word or similar application (This way you can see what is going on)
Do a find on the word Default
This is the section of the PPD for Finishing setup
Text contained between OpenUI and CloseUI have to deal with the Finisher selected

*OpenUI *EFFinisherOpt/Finisher    : PickOne
*DefaultEFFinisherOpt: None
*EFFinisherOpt None/Not Installed: ""
*EFFinisherOpt FinisherYFloor/Finisher: ""
*EFFinisherOpt FinisherYMinCRD/Saddle Finisher: ""
*CloseUI: *EFFinisherOpt

See the line *DefaultEFFinisherOpt: None
Your options are None,  FinisherYFloor or FinisherYMinCRD which each mean NotInstalled,  Finisher or Saddle Finisher respectively
If you change it to *DefaultEFFinisherOpt: FinisherYMinCRD  That will set the PPD permanetely for the Saddle Finisher
You will have to go through the entire PPD to permanetely change the Default sections to reflect the current IR600 configuration.

Once finished with the edits, save the file in MS-DOS Text format as iR600.ppd and suppress the .txt file extension

Then place the file in the folder that Matther Klestrup mentioned, which is /Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/en.lproj.

Open the Print Center in OS X, choose "Add Printer...", chose my printer and "iR600.ppd" from the Printer Model pull down menu.

The printer installed just fine.  I was tricked at one point because the "Configure Printer..." option under "Printers" was still grayed out and I thought the PPD hadn't worked.  However, when you go to an OS X application the finisher options are available in the dialog box.

So, that was the whole process.  Really not too bad if you know what all of the steps are.
Please feel free to distribute this information to those in need, as I was just recently a person in need.
 

2.  I'd like some information on CUPS for OS X
The Common UNIX Printing System ("CUPS") is a cross-platform printing solution for all UNIX environments. It is based on the "Internet Printing Protocol" and provides complete printing services to most PostScript and raster printers. CUPS is provided under the GNU GPL... (More Info)
 

3.  How can I change the names of LPR printers
This information is used with permission by Shakeel Ahmed of South Africa.  Thanks Shakeel

Attention OS X users. Just thought you would like to know how to change the names of LPR printers.

1.  Start up the "NetInfo Manager" application in /Applications/Utilities.
2.  Click the lock and type in your password to give yourself access.
3.  Now click "machines" (NOT "printers"!) in the list at the top of the window and then click to select "localhost" within that.
4.  Choose "Duplicate" from the Edit menu (or click the duplicate icon) to make a copy of this entry - we're going to edit it to be our printer.
5.  Make sure the copy is selected, not the original, and then in the bottom portion of the window click beside the "name" field and set its value to whatever name you want, but don't put spaces in the name.
6.  For example, named one of mine CLC1100.
7.  Next change the ip_address field to be the address of the printer in question.
8.  Quit NetInfo Manager and save your changes when prompted.
9.  Open Print Center and click the "Add Printer..." button.
10.  Select LPR printers using IP" from the pop-up menu. 
11.  Instead of typing in the IP address for the printer, type in the name you gave that IP address in NetInfo Manager.
12. Using the above example you would type, "CLC1100" into the IP field. Note that if you have correctly entered the name the notice reading "Incomplete or invalid address" that appears below the entry            field as you type will disappear.
13.  Lastly set the type of printer from the pop up menu, click the Add button and start printing to CLC1100 instead of 10.10.10.10