Hi all,
I need a PDF printer: something that shows up in the printers list.
Coming from Debian I tried to install the printer-driver-cups-pdf package; but this package is missing in Manjaro.
How can I create a PDF printer that writes a file?
package name is cups-pdf
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And this allows a selectable Print to file (PDF) option to appear in most Print dialogs; at least on mine, using KDE Plasma 6.
Cheers.
sudo pacman -S cups-pdf
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It has been around for a long time, I’ve used it, as I haven’t had a printer in 15 years.
The Paperless office.
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I’ve had several in that time; most ultimately suffered from sparse usage.
Sorry, I live in Italy: the paperfull country 
Well,
cups-pdf is included in the default installation (using KDE 6) and, as you said, a pdf option shows up in some applications
But not all applications show this dialog. Moreover not showing in the printer list does not allow to access the settings
as it does in Debian.
There is any method to setup PDF printer showing in the primter list?
These are the only potentially useful sections from cups-printing-linux regarding cups-pdf. The image you posted seems to show access to those settings; or, is that from Debian?
There is no similar dialog in my KDE Printer preferences, either. However, I can access them via Properties in any application that seems to support this method of printing.
I don’t recall if such a dialog existed for cups-pdf prior to the Plasma 6 update (I only configure as needed from the application level), but if it did, perhaps it still remains to be implemented.
Well, seems I have found a workaround.
Going directly to the CUPS administration I see the PDF printer listed among the local printers
and adding the printer with generic brand, selecting the “Generic CUPS-PDF Printer (w/ options)(en)” model
I was able to install the printer. It now shows up in the printer list. But there is a wanring that “Printer drivers and raw queue are deprecated”
Can this be considered a solution?
There are other methods to install a PDF-Printer?
That is indeed why I gave the link.
I don’t need that myself, but that’s the best way to add it, as far as I can see. I performed a search for other possibilities, but found nothing that looked as promising.
I’ve never had to Add cups-pdf, it has always been installed when I install cups, from the Distro Repository. For me it has shown up in every application the offers printing.
Firefox, LibreOffice, kate, claws-mail, Kdevelop among others.
I’ve never seen that method for installing cups-pdf.
In fact cups-pdf is in the Manajaro Repos, and can be installed from pamac via GUI or CLI.
Well, it’s there, albeit unnecessary as far as I can tell; with cups-pdf already installed and functioning. Remember, it’s not actually installing the package, but a configuration, effectively; the same as might be available in a PostScript Printer Description (.ppd) file.
Aside:- This relates to the warning:
If I read that correctly, it’s been in place since at least 2018.
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Ok there is still a missing piece: the output go in the spool directory and not in my home.
I need to create a link
ln -s /var/spool/cups-pdf/mirto/ /home/mirto/cups-pdf
You are right, I’m using the wrong method.
Most applications offer to print pdf using the default installed cups-pdf
No need to create a pdf printer as it was necessary to do in the old days.
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Hi, I believe to have found a regression, but I don’t know much about it and it seems multilayered.
This is also a follow-up on How to install a PDF printer?
My need for cups-pdf over the “Print to PDF” in firefox and other is that it gives me more options like printing multiple pages on one and printing from any program that is able to print.
Problem 1:
I didn’t find the option in KDE printer settings, to add “CUPS-PDF (Virtual PDF Printer)” but I believe it was there in older Plasma versions.
Workaround:
go to http://localhost:631 → Administration → Add Printer → set radio button for “CUPS-PDF (Virtual PDF Printer)” → Add
Problem 2:
The next page is about the URI / connection and the field is prefilled with junk eg �|�� (seems like an error in encoding, but I don’t know how to debug this, hints welcome). Trying to proceed doesn’t work, as well as deleting the content and trying to proceed with an empty field.
Workaround:
put cups-pdf:/ into the field, after that everything works as usual.
I haven’t found anything with this problem in the kde bug tracker or in any forum, so I’m not sure whether these probleme originate from my machine or should be submitted to upstream.
PS: [quote=“Thenujan, post:1, topic:97442”]
By default, PDF files are stored in /var/spool/cups-pdf/username/ . The location can be changed in /etc/cups/cups-pdf.conf
[/quote]
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