pdftk or alternative to print watermarks ?

[John A. Murdie]

> hi
> anyone that knows how to integrate "pdftk" with CUPS ??
>
> reason is .. I need to be able to print header,footer and a
> watermark(basically a complete page) before printing the actual text on the page,
> and wondered whether "pdftk filename background background_page outputfile"
> would do the trick???
>
> Alternative ideas are also most welcome .....
>
> --
>
> kind regards/mvh
> niels

Many printers' PostScript Printer Description (PPD) files I've seen have watermarking as a CUPS print option.

Use 'lpoptions -d printer -l' to see what options are available. When I try that with an HP Colour LaserJet CM6040 (asterisk is the default option) I see:

...
HPwmSwitch/Mode: *Off Watermark Overlay
HPwmPages/Pages: *AllPages FirstPage
HPwmTextMessage/Text: *Draft CompanyConfidential CompanyProprietary CompanyPrivate Confidential Copy Copyright FileCopy Final ForInternalUse Preliminary Proof ReviewCopy Sample TopSecret Urgent Set
HPwmFontName/Font: CourierB *HelveticaB TimesB
HPwmFontSize/Size: pt24 pt30 pt36 pt42 *pt48 pt54 pt60 pt66 pt72 pt78 pt84 pt90
HPwmTextAngle/Angle: Deg90 Deg75 Deg60 *Deg45 Deg30 Deg15 Deg0 DegN15 DegN30 DegN45 DegN60 DegN75 DegN90
HPwmTextStyle/Style: Thin *Medium Thick Halo Fill
HPwmTextColor/Color: *Black Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Purple
HPwmBrightness/Intensity: Darkest Darker Dark MediumDark *Medium MediumLight Light Lighter Lightest

and using this command in a command line shell:

$ lpr -P cm6040 -o HPwmSwitch=Watermark
Hello, world!
^D
$

I should expect to see "Draft" as a watermark, but I see only the text.

John A. Murdie