> dvips does not seem to have a config file for theory3 printer. Here is the log:
> > mack.lbl.gov 43: dvips -Ptheory3 paper.dvi
> dvips: ! no config file for printer `theory3'
> > I can use the syntax:
> > mack.lbl.gov 44: dvips -f paper.dvi | lpr -Ptheory3
> but this is inconvenient

Here is the answer to this problem.
lpr paper.dvi sends the file to the default printer defined by the environmental variable $PRINTER. This is in the system wide /etc/profile file
PRINTER="theory2"
export PRINTER

You can set your own PRINTER in your .bashrc to override this and send output to wherever you prefer. This method means that I do not have to maintain separate files for each printer. -------------------------------------------------------------------