Dynamically generated PPDs from foomatic-db

[Pascal De Vuyst]

>
> On Fri, Aug 25, 2006 at 08:09:01PM +0200, Pascal De Vuyst wrote:
>   
>> > Since CUPS 1.2 it is possible to use dynamically generated PPD files by
>> > using driver programs under the /usr/lib/cups/driver directory. Driver
>> > programs must implement a specific command-line interface as described
>> > in the cups-driverd manpage, foomatic-ppdfile provides the needed
>> > command-line interface since 20060420.
>> > 
>> > This means the foomatic-filters-ppds package could be dropped from
>> > Ubuntu and replaced by providing a symlink from
>> > /usr/lib/cups/driver/foomatic to /usr/bin/foomatic-ppdfile, so PPD are
>> > generated on the fly from foomatic-db. The symlink should be part of the
>> > cupsys package. Every printer queue setup tool using the CUPS API like
>> > CUPS web interface, gnome-cups-manager and KDE Print Manager will then
>> > use the dynamically generated PPDs automatically.
>> > 
>> > I have done some performance tests in Edgy:
>> > https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/foomatic-db-engine/+bug/55685
>> > and they look promising.
>> > 
>> > Has this been considered for Edgy?
>>     
>
> We have some serious CD size issues in Edgy, so (though I'm nowhere near
> a printing guru myself and in fact cannot test the change) I'd be
> willing to consider this to reclaim the 11.5MB used by
> foomatic-filters-ppds. Would some people be able and willing to test
> this if I made that change?
>
> Thanks,
>
> -- Colin Watson [cjwatson at ubuntu.com]
It would be nice if members of the Ubuntu Printing Team
(https://launchpad.net/people/ubuntu-printing) could give their opinion
before changing this.
All that is needed to test this in Edgy is a symlink from
/usr/lib/cups/driver/foomatic to /usr/bin/foomatic-ppdfile.
Does anybody see any problems with using dynamically generated PPDs from
foomatic-db versus the current static ones from foomatic-filters-ppds?
Since I'm not very familiar with KDE it would also be nice if someone
could do some tests on KDE.

Regards,
Pascal De Vuyst