How do I use `lpr` to print multiple files using 4 pages per sheet?

Question

I create eps/png/pdf figures using python scripts. I want to use one lpr command to print several figures with 4 on each sheet of paper. The following command printed each figure on one fourth of a separate sheet.

lpr -o number-up=4 figure[0-9].eps 

How can I get these to print 4 per page?

Answer 1

You probably need to provide just a single file for lpr to print. If your files are encapsulated PostScript, perhaps all you need to do is concatenate them with an intervening showpage command:

  for f in figure[0-9]; do cat "$f"; echo 'showpage'; done |
  lpr -o number-up=4 

Answer 2

psmerge and psnup from psutils should do what you want.

psmerge figure[0-9].eps | psnup -4 | lpr 

From the Description field in the Debian packaged version:

Description-en: PostScript document handling utilities

This collection of utilities is for manipulating PostScript documents. Page selection and rearrangement are supported, including arrangement into signatures for booklet printing, and page merging for n-up printing.

The following programs are included in psutils: epsffit, extractres, fixdlsrps, fixfmps, fixmacps, fixpsditps, fixpspps, fixscribeps, fixtpps, fixwfwps, fixwpps, fixwwps, getafm, includeres, psbook, psmerge, psnup, psresize, psselect, pstops, showchar