pdftops(1) General Commands Manual pdftops(1)
NAME
pdftops - Portable Document Format (PDF) to PostScript converter (version 3.00)
SYNOPSIS
pdftops [options] <PDF-file> [<PS-file>]
DESCRIPTION
Pdftops converts Portable Document Format (PDF) files to PostScript so they can be printed.
Pdftops reads the PDF file, PDF-file, and writes a PostScript file, PS-file. If PS-file is not specified, pdftops converts file.pdf to
file.ps (or file.eps with the -eps option). If PS-file is '-', the PostScript is sent to stdout.
OPTIONS
-f number
Specifies the first page to print.
-l number
Specifies the last page to print.
-level1
Generate Level 1 PostScript. The resulting PostScript files will be significantly larger (if they contain images), but will print
on Level 1 printers. This also converts all images to black and white. No more than one of the PostScript level options (-level1,
-level1sep, -level2, -level2sep, -level3, -level3Sep) may be given.
-level1sep
Generate Level 1 separable PostScript. All colors are converted to CMYK. Images are written with separate stream data for the four
components.
-level2
Generate Level 2 PostScript. Level 2 supports color images and image compression. This is the default setting.
-level2sep
Generate Level 2 separable PostScript. All colors are converted to CMYK. The PostScript separation convention operators are used
to handle custom (spot) colors.
-level3
Generate Level 3 PostScript. This enables all Level 2 features plus CID font embedding.
-level3Sep
Generate Level 3 separable PostScript. The separation handling is the same as for -level2Sep.
-origpagesizes
Generate a PostScript file with variable page sizes and orientations, taking for each page the size of the original page in the PDF
file. The PostScript file contains "<</PageSize [WIDTH HEIGHT]>> setpagedevice" lines in each page header, so that the paper input
tray gets correctly changed on the printer. This option should be used when pdftops is used as a print filter. Any specification of
the page size via -paper, -paperw, or -paperh will get overridden as long as each page of the PDF file has a defined paper size. No
more than one of the mode options (-origpagesizes, -eps, -form) may be given.
-eps Generate an Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) file. An EPS file contains a single image, so if you use this option with a multi-page
PDF file, you must use -f and -l to specify a single page. No more than one of the mode options (-origpagesizes, -eps, -form) may
be given.
-form Generate a PostScript form which can be imported by software that understands forms. A form contains a single page, so if you use
this option with a multi-page PDF file, you must use -f and -l to specify a single page. The -level1 option cannot be used with
-form. No more than one of the mode options (-origpagesizes, -eps, -form) may be given.
-opi Generate OPI comments for all images and forms which have OPI information. (This option is only available if pdftops was compiled
with OPI support.)
-binary
Write binary data in Level 1 PostScript. By default, pdftops writes hex-encoded data in Level 1 PostScript. Binary data is non-
standard in Level 1 PostScript but reduces the file size and can be useful when Level 1 PostScript is required only for its
restricted use of PostScript operators.
-r number
Set the resolution in DPI when pdftops rasterizes images with transparencies or, for Level 1 PostScript, when pdftops rasterizes
images with color masks. By default, pdftops rasterizes images to 300 DPI.
-noembt1
By default, any Type 1 fonts which are embedded in the PDF file are copied into the PostScript file. This option causes pdftops to
substitute base fonts instead. Embedded fonts make PostScript files larger, but may be necessary for readable output.
-noembtt
By default, any TrueType fonts which are embedded in the PDF file are copied into the PostScript file. This option causes pdftops
to substitute base fonts instead. Embedded fonts make PostScript files larger, but may be necessary for readable output. Also,
some PostScript interpreters do not have TrueType rasterizers.
-noembcidps
By default, any CID PostScript fonts which are embedded in the PDF file are copied into the PostScript file. This option disables
that embedding. No attempt is made to substitute for non-embedded CID PostScript fonts.
-noembcidtt
By default, any CID TrueType fonts which are embedded in the PDF file are copied into the PostScript file. This option disables
that embedding. No attempt is made to substitute for non-embedded CID TrueType fonts.
-passfonts
By default, references to non-embedded 8-bit fonts in the PDF file are substituted with the closest "Helvetica", "Times-Roman", or
"Courier" font. This option passes references to non-embedded fonts through to the PostScript file.
-preload
preload images and forms
-paper size
Set the paper size to one of "letter", "legal", "A4", or "A3". This can also be set to "match", which will set the paper size to
match the size specified in the PDF file. -origpagesizes overrides this setting if the PDF file has defined page sizes.
-paperw size
Set the paper width, in points. -origpagesizes overrides this setting if the PDF file has defined page sizes.
-paperh size
Set the paper height, in points. -origpagesizes overrides this setting if the PDF file has defined page sizes.
-nocrop
By default, output is cropped to the CropBox specified in the PDF file. This option disables cropping.
-expand
Expand PDF pages smaller than the paper to fill the paper. By default, these pages are not scaled.
-noshrink
Don't scale PDF pages which are larger than the paper. By default, pages larger than the paper are shrunk to fit.
-nocenter
By default, PDF pages smaller than the paper (after any scaling) are centered on the paper. This option causes them to be aligned
to the lower-left corner of the paper instead.
-duplex
Set the Duplex pagedevice entry in the PostScript file. This tells duplex-capable printers to enable duplexing.
-opw password
Specify the owner password for the PDF file. Providing this will bypass all security restrictions.
-upw password
Specify the user password for the PDF file.
-q Don't print any messages or errors.
-v Print copyright and version information.
-h Print usage information. (-help and --help are equivalent.)
EXIT CODES
The Xpdf tools use the following exit codes:
0 No error.
1 Error opening a PDF file.
2 Error opening an output file.
3 Error related to PDF permissions.
99 Other error.
AUTHOR
The pdftops software and documentation are copyright 1996-2004 Glyph & Cog, LLC.
SEE ALSO
pdffonts(1), pdfimages(1), pdfinfo(1), pdftocairo(1), pdftohtml(1), pdftoppm(1), pdftotext(1)
31 July 2009 pdftops(1)