HOWTO: Install Cups-PDF

[factor]

Hi, i'm using 64 bits ubuntu and i have downloaded the cups-pdf package v2.4.1-1 from the debian.org repository, i have followed your instructions but the printer doesn't appear as detected, do you have any idea on how to get it to work?

Regards.

[Danny Boy]

Excellent How-To Thanks

[froggay]

Hi, i'm using 64 bits ubuntu and i have downloaded the cups-pdf package v2.4.1-1 from the debian.org repository, i have followed your instructions but the printer doesn't appear as detected

i have the same problem on a sun sparc server, i've used apt-get install cups-pdf and the printer pdf:/ does not appear.

So if you find a way, can you post a message here please

[mkw87]

I managed to get cups-pdf to work in Edgy. Instead of root-nautilus'ing and changing properties, simply open a gnome terminal and execute the following:

“sudo chmod +s /usr/lib/cups/backend/cups-pdf”

[EddyMac]

Thanks to everyone from this thread for all their guidance. The sticking point in this whole process is that you need to be root to edit the permissions on the executable.

1. Install the cups-pdf package (I used version 2.2.0-1)
2. Go to System -> Administration -> Printing
3. Doubleclick "New Pinter"
4. Notice that there is no mention of a CUPS PDF printer
5. Open a terminal and tpe "sudo nautilus" and then your password
6. Go to Filesystem -> usr -> lib -> cups -> backend
7. Rightclick "cups-pdf" and select Properties
8. Go to the Permissions tab and click the "Set user ID" special flag
9. Again try to add a new printer
10. There is now a "PDF Printer" detected, select it
11. Select the Generic, Postscript Color Printer (Rev 3b)
12. Give it a name, like PDF Printer
13. Right click on the newly created printer, and select Properties
14. Click "Print a Test Page"
15. The file should be in your Home folder, under the PDF folder

Thanks for this, it worked perfectly and allowed me to print off a rather important job application form. That's another small step towards getting everything working just the way I want it. Aren't these forums wonderful?

[makadam]

Thanks for this HOWTO. It helps me always to redo the CUPS-PDF installation.

[A. J. Rimmer]

Thanks for the help. Now I can save all the great things I find on the Ubuntu Forum (such as this how-to) as PDF documents rather than HTML files (which entails keeping track of both the page and the associated folder of images, etc.), and am seldom connected to a printer with this laptop anyway, (since I tend to use it mostly at away-from-home WiFi spots).

Thanks again!

[cemptor]

Thanks. It works in Edgy, without setting the setuid bit.

However, can anyone help me with the following (open to other packages)

1. Change the filename and location of the printed PDF file, instead of a fixed one. It picks up the title of the page as filename and puts in in $HOME/PDF. I want to choose the location everytime

2. If I try "Print to File", it lets me choose the name and location, but prints the file as a postscriptfile, and not pdf. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

I have Edgy 386 standard installation

[yopnono]

You will find the settings in the cups config file

/etc/cups/cups-pdf.conf

[cemptor]

You will find the settings in the cups config file

/etc/cups/cups-pdf.conf

I did look, but couldn't find any options to let me set the path to be variable. I can change the path to another fixed one, but I want it to be prompted everytime I print (just as in ghostscript on windows)

I changed the TitlePref key to 1, but it still doesn't ask for a filename. What other value could I give it?