How to print PDF files automatically from a directory?

printing pdf

6,956

Install the package inoticoming
```
sudo apt-get install inoticoming
```
Install the package trash-cli to use your trash folder instead of deleting the PDF
```
sudo apt-get install trash-cli
```
If you prefer the deletion of the file via the classical rm, than you don't need this package and you have to replace the line
```
lpr "$2/$1" && trash "$2/$1"
```
with
```
lpr "$2/$1" && rm "$2/$1"
```
in the script below.
Create wrapper script printpdf
```
mkdir -p ~/bin
gedit ~/bin/printpdf
```

Add the code below, save the file and close the editor

#!/usr/bin/env bash
FILE="$1"
if [ "${FILE##*.}" = "pdf" ]
then
    lpr "$2/$1" && trash "$2/$1"
fi
exit 0

Make the script executable
```
chmod +x ~/bin/printpdf
```

Watch your folder

inoticoming /path/to/MY-SHARED ~/bin/printpdf {} /path/to/MY-SHARED \;

And as @Rmano said in the comments

About point 4, notice that is practically impossible to be sure that the file has been printed. You can check it has been sent to the printer, but printed is quite more complex and really never fail-proof (and probably printer-dependent).

6,956

maryuri sanzonetti

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

maryuri sanzonetti almost 2 years
Currently, I have a directory called MY-SHARED, and I need the following to happen:
1. Print all PDF files that I place into MY-SHARED
2. The printing must initiate automatically (no human interaction)
3. After printing, it should automatically delete the file
How can I accomplish such task?

As a side note, I'm novice in the Ubuntu world.
- Rmano almost 9 years
  
  About point 4, notice that is practically impossible to be sure that the file has been printed. You can check it has been sent to the printer, but printed is quite more complex and really never fail-proof (and probably printer-dependent).
Rmano almost 9 years

+1, even if you forgot to delete the file after printing (or at least moving in a trash, on the line of lpr [...] && mv file trash) ;-)
A.B. almost 9 years

@Rmano Ups o_O =)
maryuri sanzonetti almost 9 years

Great guys, now all my home computers can print to the Epson L200 printer installed on the station with Zorin 9.1. At home my dad has a notebook with Linux Canaima. And now I need not install drivers. Also happens to my mom using a Chromebook like mine, it's just print the PDF to said network folder and everything working. Thanks very much, I love you a world ;-*
maryuri sanzonetti almost 9 years

If I have a problem I call to 0800 ASKUBUNTU GUYS! hehehe