Tried CUPS-PDF on Suse 11.3 86x64 (I used it since Suse 10.3 and there was no problem with appearing Virtual Printer in manager printer or YAST2 Printer) , but Virtual Printer does not appear in Printer Manager or YAST2 - Printer . Tried to configured it with YAST2 Printer unsuccessfully . I will appreciate any help with CUPS-PDF or other idea for Virtual Printer .
I may not have the best answer here, (I don’t have 64-bit hardware and I havent yet installed openSUSE11.3), but if the cups-pdf package is not yet available, you could try this approach via tarball:
install CUPS-PDF on SUSE 64-bit - Varun’s Blog
Note, you will also need to have packages associated with compiling (including gcc) installed. Any errors you get may help determine any dependencies required.
AFAIK, KDE4 apps have this ‘print to pdf’ ability already , because QPrinter provides it. I’m not sure about Gnome though. Others correct me if I’m wrong here, or add to this thread…
I have no problem with compiling it, everything pass smooth, I followed the instructions and moved the files where I have been told - the cups-pdf.
building CUPS-PDF
Edit src/cups-pdf.h if you do not like /etc/cups/cups-pdf.conf as name
for the configuration file.
To compile CUPS-PDF, invoke gcc in the src/ directory:
gcc -O9 -s -o cups-pdf cups-pdf.c
To install the binary, simply copy cups-pdf to the backend directory
of CUPS (usually /usr/lib/cups/backend).
Now copy extra/cups-pdf.conf to /etc/cups (or whatever location you
selected in cups-pdf.h above). Here you can set all properties of
CUPS-PDF at runtime without the need for restarting any services.
(The defaults should work fine on most systems.)
In case you want to use the color PostScript driver that comes with
CUPS-PDF go to the extra/ subdirectory and copy CUPS-PDF.ppd to your
CUPS model directory (usually /usr/share/cups/model /Generic ] ).
But in Yast Printer or in Printer Managers or in Cups Manager the cups-pdf or virtual printer does not appear in order to be chosen .
In the list with generic drivers in YAST Printers cups-pdf.ppd exicts, the virtual printer as option in the list with printers available does not appear .
I note this is mentioned:
To install the binary, simply copy cups-pdf to the backend directory
of CUPS (usually /usr/lib/cups/backend).
For 64-bit sytems, this should be ‘/usr/lib64/cups/backend/’ (as described in guide). Maybe this is your problem?
Edit: Ooops, double replied…
I put it in both subfolders of /lib and /lib64, on the other hand in /usr/lib/lib/backend folder there are all the other backends for printers like hp , samsung and so on, actually I created thr /usr/lib64/cups/backend folder for cups backend, but unfortunatelly that was not the solution. As usual it is some small thing should be done, and I can not figure it out.
I’m using KDE4 which natively provides ‘Print to File’ (including ps and pdf options), so I’m not sure what extra functionality a ‘PDF virtual printer’ will provide.
Try configuring your virtual printer via the CUPS web interface:
Select ‘Administration’ (enter root user and root password when prompted), then ‘Add Printer’. For the Device, select CUPS-PDF (Virtual PDF Printer); Make/Manufacturer, choose Generic; Model/Driver, select Generic postscript color printer or Generic Cups-PDF Printer. This CUPS - ArchWiki guide may be helpful with configuration.
well, i tried that too, it always leads me to the trouble point - there is no Virtual PDF Printer in the list with choices nor in YAST Printer neither CUPS web administration. In some way any front-end of CUPS does not see cups-pdf, I tried changing permissions of cups-pdf.bin with no success.
FWIW, I found this Ubuntu HOWTO which mentions that the ‘cups-pdf’ option may be missing during the CUPS config. Not sure if this applicable to your situation.
It mentions navigating to /usr/lib/cups/backend/ and right-clicking on cups-pdf to adjust its permissions properties first. Is that what you meant’ by
In some way any front-end of CUPS does not see cups-pdf, I tried changing permissions of cups-pdf.bin with no success.
If using KDE, you’d need to be root first
kdesu konqueror
For Gnome
gnomesu nautilus
Then do the CUPS configuration…
Thank you , now it works. What I did is , I make a link from the /usr/lib64/cups/backend/cups-pdf to /usr/lib/cups/backend and left the permission as they are suggested in cups-pdf site - owner - can read&write, group - forbidden, others - forbidden , and checked executable . The printer appeared in Printer Manager of Gnome and has all the attributes and options. It printed test page and a page from application.
It seems cups make difference between cups-pdf 32 bits and cups-pdf 64 bits, and does not accepted 64 bit in /usr/lib but accepted as existing with soft link.
I tried with checked Set UID (after instruction http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=188860), on printing I got massage the page had been printed , but in spooler the program did not create a folder named after the user so the page did not appeared in spooler, then I unchecked Set UID ( kept the permissions as advised in cups-pdf site ) and the program immediately created a folder named after active user and the pdfs printed were loaded there .
Now everything work and thank you to all of you for helping me :):)
Peristence paid off!
Thats quite a common trick used to get 32-bit drivers working in 64-bit CUPS environments.
Amazing what I don’t notice over the years. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I’ve been trying to save web pages in a re-readable, durable, easily managed form. This should do it.
Yes, its a useful feature huh?
You bet, I no longer have to save web pages to my desktop, just print them to pdf.
This was great - I too use the print to PDF function with the cups-pdf package and also had this same trouble with 64-bit Suse 11.3. Just to note, the solution was the same:
Callandor:~ # ls -ld /usr/lib64/cups/backend/cups-pdf
-rwx------ 1 root root 27368 Feb 2 2009 /usr/lib64/cups/backend/cups-pdf
Callandor:~ # ln -s /usr/lib64/cups/backend/cups-pdf /usr/lib/cups/backend/
Callandor:~ # ls -ld /usr/lib/cups/backend/cups-pdf
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 32 Jan 15 11:20 /usr/lib/cups/backend/cups-pdf -> /usr/lib64/cups/backend/cups-pdf
Also, I had to find the cupd-pdf .rpm from rpm pbone, as I could not find in the 11.3 repos, nor webpin, nor factory. (I bet the 11.2 printing repo would actually work too.)
You can also modify /etc/cups/cups-pdf.conf to define where the output goes, I like:
Out /home/${USER}/Documents/PDFs
(Don’t forget to restart cups.)
Thanks for the hints in this thread - it was just what I was looking for.
Cheers,
Lews Therin
Glad it was useful to you