[cups.development] [RFE] STR #1771: Easy way to set custom paper sizes

Kurt Pfeifle kpfeifle at danka.de
Tue Jun 13 10:52:35 PDT 2006


Benjamin Quest <benjamin.quest at gmx.de> wrote (Tuesday 13 June 2006 15:29):

> 
> [STR New]
> 
> Lately, I tried to print menu cards, they have a size of 21x21cm. I can
> easily set this paper size in OOorg for creating the cards. However, the
> installed printer (HP PSC2355 on Ubuntu 6.06) does not support this paper
> size and the predefined paper sizes won't match this size either.

You should check if the PPD you're using contains a line like

   "*CustomPageSize true ..."

which would indicate its support for self-defined paper sizes. (However,
if the printer mechanic would support outputting it then is an entirely 
different dish of fish...)

The safest way to gain support (from all print client programs, CLI as
well as GUI), indeed is to define the additional size you need in the 
PPD. Just take care that

 a) you give the new paper size a unique name ("21x21cm" is OK),

 b) you add entries at all 3 (1) places: PageSize, PageRegion and
    ImageableArea! (units are in PS points, where 72 points = 1 inch).

> So I wish there was a convenient possibility to define custom paper sizes
> in CUPS. I only found some suggestions to edit the printers PPD file.

As I said, that's your safest and most universal option now, but one: 
try "sudo apt-get install xpp".

xpp is another gui frontend to CUPS and, AFAIK, the only one that supports
the "custom paper size" option. kprinter doesn't currently support custom
paper sizes, unfortunately.

If you need it from kprinter, kprinter will only pick it up if you have 
a defined page size of "21x21cm" inside the PPD.

> This feature would also be very useful for everyone that uses continuous
> forms or fanfold paper.

True. But this bug report is not valid for CUPS. CUPS supports all
page sizes that are defined in the PPD, as well as custom page sizes.
What you are missing is support from 3rd party print client app that
tell CUPS about your desired page size.

CUPS's commandline client does support it. Use

   lp -d printername -o PageSize=Custom.595x595 /path/to/filename

to print it on a 595x595 sheet (595 points == 21 cm).

> All the best
> 
> BEnjamin Quest
> 
> Link: http://www.cups.org/str.php?L1771

As I said, while your wish is very valid, the STR is not appropriate 
for CUPS. Please file bug reports with OpenOffice.org and KDE/KDEPrint
(which both do not support CustomPageSize even if they are supported 
by the PPD).

Cheers,
Kurt





More information about the cups-devel mailing list