I have a cups-pdf printer that takes the output from glabels-3-batch
# Using glabels-3-batch results in a PDF you can select and copy the text from
cat merge.csv | glabels-3-batch -i - -o out.pdf 100x50sample.glabels
The PDF file which glabels-3-batch creates can be opened in Adobe Reader and the text can be copied and pasted
But when I went the next step and and passed it through Cups-PDF I got a PDF that had been converted into an image
# this created an image that you can't copy and select text from
# step 1 - create a PDF using glabels-3-batch
cat merge.csv | glabels-3-batch -o out.pdf -i - 100x50sample.glabels
# step 2 - send to cups-pdf printer
# creates a PDF image
lpr -PPDF out.pdf
I found a fix. You need to add an option to your /etc/cups/printers.conf for the CUPS-PDF queue:
How to configure Cups-PDF for searchable text output
First make sure you have poppler-utils installed as this contains the necessary cairo utility
apt-get install poppler-utils
Next stop cups and then add Option pdftops-renderer pdftocairo
to your /etc/cups/printers.conf and restart cups
# Printer configuration file for CUPS v2.2.7
# Written by cupsd
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE WHEN CUPSD IS RUNNING
<Printer PDF>
UUID urn:uuid:d679f6dc-050c-3026-6287-eca3fb996187
Info PDF
Location
MakeModel Generic CUPS-PDF Printer (w/ options)
DeviceURI cups-pdf:/
State Idle
StateTime 1580115111
ConfigTime 1580115023
Type 8450124
Accepting Yes
Shared No
JobSheets none none
QuotaPeriod 0
PageLimit 0
KLimit 0
OpPolicy default
ErrorPolicy retry-job
# add this line
Option pdftops-renderer pdftocairo
</Printer>
Following are images of what you see when you have default CUPS-PDF installed and then with the pdftocairo
option set
Document Properties when CUPS-PDF outputs Images without selectable / accessible Text
![](https://toggen.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-27-at-9.02.56-pm-1024x952.png)
Fonts tab is completely empty
![](https://toggen.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-27-at-9.03.08-pm-1024x952.png)
Document Properties when CUPS-PDF is configured to use pdftocairo which outputs PDF that allows text selection and copying
![](https://toggen.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-27-at-9.06.57-pm-1024x952.png)
Note that now fonts are embedded and you can select and copy text from the CUPS-PDF printed PDF file
![](https://toggen.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Screen-Shot-2020-01-27-at-9.07.02-pm-1024x952.png)
THANK YOU!
Really:) CUPS ouput massively improved.
What does it do? Option pdftops-renderer pdftocairo. I’m curious.