cupsfilter(8) OpenPrinting cupsfilter(8)

# [NAME](#NAME)

cupsfilter - convert a file to another format using cups filters (deprecated)

# [SYNOPSIS](#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](#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](#OPTIONS)

[**--list-filters**](#list)

Do not actually run the filters, just print the filters used to stdout.

[**-D**](#D)

Delete the input file after conversion.

[**-U user**](#U)

Specifies the username passed to the filters. The default is the name of the current user.

[**-c config-file**](#c)

Uses the named cups-files.conf configuration file.

[**-d printer**](#d)

Uses information from the named printer.

[**-e**](#e)

Use every filter from the PPD file.

[**-i mime/type**](#i)

Specifies the source file type. The default file type is guessed using the filename and contents of the file.

[**-j job-id\[,N\]**](#j)

Converts document N from the specified job. If N is omitted, document 1 is converted.

[**-m mime/type**](#m)

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**](#n)

Specifies the number of copies to generate.

[**-o name=value**](#o)

Specifies options to pass to the CUPS filters.

[**-p filename.ppd**](#p)

Specifies the PPD file to use.

[**-t title**](#t)

Specifies the document title.

[**-u**](#u)

Delete the PPD file after conversion.

# [EXIT STATUS](#EXIT_STATUS)

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

# [ENVIRONMENT](#ENVIRONMENT)

All of the standard [**cups**(1)](/man/os/cups/cups.1) environment variables affect the operation of **cupsfilter**.

# [FILES](#FILES)

```
/etc/cups/cups-files.conf
/etc/cups/*.convs
/etc/cups/*.types
/usr/share/cups/mime/*.convs
/usr/share/cups/mime/*.types
```

# [NOTES](#NOTES)

CUPS printer drivers, filters, and backends are deprecated and will no longer be supported in a future feature release of CUPS. Printers that do not support IPP can be supported using applications such as [**ippeveprinter**(1)](/man/os/cups/ippeveprinter.1).

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](#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](#SEE_ALSO)

[**cups**(1)](/man/os/cups/cups.1), [**cupsd.conf**(5)](/man/os/cups/cupsd.conf.5), **[filter(7)](/man/os/cups/filter.7),** [**mime.convs**(7)](/man/os/cups/mime.convs.7), [**mime.types**(7)](/man/os/cups/mime.types.7), CUPS Online Help (http://localhost:631/help)

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2020-2024 by OpenPrinting.

CUPS 2021-02-28

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Document: cupsfilter(8) from cups 2.4.19-r6 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/OpenPrinting/cups