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Alternatives to and Hints for "PDF Services"
Authored by: Thomas Kaiser on Mar 20, '03 05:49:08PM
> See this article at Apple for more info about enabling a new PDF
> workflow feature in the Print dialogs.

Two things to mention:
  1. Not each and every application can produce PDF on their own.
    Currently there exist some DTP-centric apps that produce (high end)
    PostScript and do not rely on the Quartz PDF routines. With those apps
    both the "Save as PDF" feature and the "PDF Services" accessible via the
    print dialog won't work (ie. Adobe Illustrator)

  2. You can save some time in the print dialog, if you directly print into
    PDF files. All you need is a mechanism that prevents the CUPS filter
    system from converting Quartz' PDF output back to PostScript (either by
    not assigning a PPD or specifying raw output in the PPD - see below) and
    a backend mechanism that is able to handle printer output of type PDF
I wrote a small CUPS backend for this purpose and enhanced that the
last days. Have a look at another hint for more details:

When you want to use the Quartz PDFs in the same way as with "PDF
Services" you must CUPS stop filtering printjobs of type
"application/pdf". This can be done in different ways:
  1. Specify "application/pdf application/vnd.cups-raw 0 -"
    in /etc/cups/mime.convs. Note: This is not a good idea as it will
    permanently prevent PDFs from being filtered for use with printers

  2. Do not assign a PPD file to a printer. To do this, you can not use
    PrintCenter as it does not allow to choose "None" (it defaults to a very
    simple generic PPD instead)

  3. Use a PPD that forces the correct filter mechanisms. To prevent PDFs
    from being converted to PostScript, just use

    *cupsFilter: "application/pdf 0 -"

    in the PPD. To support apps that do not produce PDF output directly you
    should also add

    *cupsFilter: "application/pictwps 0 pictwpstops"

    (you can have a look at an example PPD for more details:
    http://users.phg-online.de/tk/MOSXS/postscriptfile-stuff/RAW2PD F.PPD)
Regards,

Thomas

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