# cupsfilter(8)

## Name

cupsfilter - convert a file to another format using cups filters

## Synopsis

cupsfilter [ --list-filters ] [ -D ] [ -U user ] [ -c config-file ] [ -d printer ] [ -e ] [ -i mime/type ] [ -j job-id[,N] ] [ -m mime/type ] [ -n copies ] [ -o name=value ] [ -p filename.ppd ] [ -t title ] [ -u ] filename

## Description

cupsfilter is a front-end to the CUPS filter subsystem which allows you to convert a file to a specific format, just as if you had printed the file through CUPS. By default, cupsfilter generates a PDF file. The converted file is sent to the standard output.

## Options

--list-filters
  Do not actually run the filters, just print the filters used to stdout.
-D
  Delete the input file after conversion.
-U user
  Specifies the username passed to the filters. The default is the name of the current user.
-c config-file
  Uses the named cups-files.conf configuration file.
-d printer
  Uses information from the named printer.
-e
  Use every filter from the PPD file.
-i mime/type
  Specifies the source file type. The default file type is guessed using the filename and contents of the file.
-j job-id[,N]
  Converts document N from the specified job. If N is omitted, document 1 is converted.
-m mime/type
  Specifies the destination file type. The default file type is application/pdf. Use printer/foo to convert to the printer format defined by the filters in the PPD file.
-n copies
  Specifies the number of copies to generate.
-o name=value
  Specifies options to pass to the CUPS filters.
-p filename.ppd
  Specifies the PPD file to use.
-t title
  Specifies the document title.
-u
  Delete the PPD file after conversion.

## Exit Status

cupsfilter returns a non-zero exit status on any error.

## Environment

All of the standard cups(1) environment variables affect the operation of cupsfilter.

## Files

##

##

##

##

    /etc/cups/cups-files.conf
    /etc/cups/*.convs
    /etc/cups/*.types
    /usr/share/cups/mime/*.convs
    /usr/share/cups/mime/*.types
    Notes
    Unlike when printing, filters run using the
    cupsfilter
    command use the current user and security session. This may result in different output or unexpected behavior.
    Example
    The following command will generate a PDF preview of job 42 for a printer named "myprinter" and save it to a file named "preview.pdf":

        cupsfilter -m application/pdf -d myprinter -j 42 >preview.pdf

    See Also
    cups(1),
    cupsd.conf(5),
    filter(7),
    mime.convs(7),
    mime.types(7),
    CUPS Online Help (http://localhost:631/help)
    Copyright
    Copyright © 2007-2014 by Apple Inc.