251292 - use kprinter if available; don't use internal print dialog

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 228083

(Firefox :: Shell Integration, enhancement)

Description

[Andrew Ziem]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030630 Galeon/1.3.8
Build Identifier: n/a

KDE's kprinter provides significantly enhanced printing capabilities, increases
easy of use, and is available on many systems.  kprinter provides access to all
CUPS printers (offices typically have several), to "special" printers (e.g.
faxes), and to various printing options.

Just before printing (File->Print is run), Firefox should check for
/usr/bin/kprinter existence and chmod +x.  If it's executable, Firefox should
ask the user if he would like to use kprinter or the internal printer system. 
If he accepts, then Firefox will print directly to kprinter.  Firefox's own
printer dialog is completely bypassed.  

A new configuration option will allow the setting to be reversed.


Thank you.

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1. Use any version of Windows since 95/NT.
2. Use almost any application there (including Firefox for Windows).
3. Click File->Print.

Actual Results:  
I could easily print to any printer configured in the system.

Expected Results:  
Used kprinter to provide equivalent feature-rich, convenient system.

0.
Currently it is possible to print to kprinter, but requires extra steps.  The
user must go through Firefox's own printer dialog.  This extra step confuses
some users and is one of Linux's stumbling blocks for Windows junkies (as in our
office environment).

1.
Kprinter's web site
http://printing.kde.org/overview/kprinter.php

2.
OpenOffice on Linux somehow interfaces with CUPS too.  Very nice.

Comment 1

[Roland Mainz]

You may install the Xprint RPM from http://xprint.mozdev.org/ which will enhance
Mozilla's print dialog a lot, too...

Comment 2

[Robert Bamler]

If Firefox is configured to print directly to kprinter, there should also be a
new configuration option for adjusting page size and page margins, as the
firefox-dialog where the user can set these settings won't be shown.

Comment 3

[Philip Withnall (unavailable)]

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 228083 ***