PDFwriter

Name: PDFwriter
Rating: 3.0909 (1 reviews)

1.2.1

15 November 2013

Virtual PDF printer.

Overview

PDFwriter is a printer driver for OS X, which will let you generate PDF files by simply printing. PDFwriter is heavily based on, but far superior to, CUPS-PDF. It doesn't use ghostscript to generate PDF files; instead it uses the OS X internal PDF capabilities.

What's new in PDFwriter

Version 1.2.1:

Release notes were unavailable when this listing was updated.

PDFwriter Screenshots

14 PDFwriter Reviews

See all

Mikael-B

15 November 2013

Most helpful

And the gain to using "save as pdf" is what exactly?

Like (3)

Version 1.2.1

As I generally "print" to PDF, this is useful as I don't have to go each time to the submenu and select "save as pdf", once I set it as my default printer. One great addition would be to open automatically the destination folder in the Finder, once printed: I do that with Hazel — I suppose it can be done also with a lauchagent.

Version 1.2.1

Volcanus

19 June 2016

Now there is a modified newer version; https://github.com/rodyager/RWTS-PDFwriter

Like (2)

Version 1.2.1

2 answer(s)

Buffalolee

04 October 2016

It works! Thank you.

Aargl

22 February 2017

Thanks!
I can't see any difference but yes it works. :-)

I've tried printing multiple files with this but when I try to open them in either Acrobat or Adobe Reader I get a message that the file is either not supported or is corrupt.

Version 1.2.1

This was great back in the day, it however no longer works under 10.11. look for VipRiser as a replacement.

Version 1.2.1

A pdf printer that DOESN'T use ghostscript is useless. Mac OS X has a native pdf output already, any use of a pdf printer would be to output as a printer, not using the internal capabilities. For example, it would solve the Autocad pdf/plot style problem, and become an invaluable mac program. For now, what's the point?

Like (1)

Version 1.2.1

britras

05 December 2014

Please help me! I'm desperate to find the file after it "printed." I see the thing below: /private/var/spool/pdfwriter but I don't know what to do with that or where to type it in order to find it. Can someone please help me? Thanks so much!

Version 1.2.1

1 answer(s)

fiery12

02 February 2015

PDFwriter installs a shortcut to printed files. You can find it at:
<boot folder>/Users/Shared/PDFwriter

You can also use Terminal app. Just paste the following command (then hit enter):
open /private/var/spool/pdfwriter/

Like (2)

It took me forever to find where this app actually prints and saves the PDFs. Here is the location: ../private/var/spool/pdfwriter

Like (1)

Version 1.2.1

1 answer(s)

Arie15

09 November 2014

Thank you very much for this tip! I almost uninstalled the app because I could not find the prints. It is a shame how bad the documentation is.
Because of your information here I can finally use this app.

Same concept as CutePDF for windows. A workaround to fix PDFs that open fine in Acrobat but not Preview. Would be good to have a save location but at least it works. Downside is that PDFs created are HUGE. Use Acrobat again to "optimize" them.

Version 1.2.1

1 answer(s)

Volcanus

12 March 2017

CutePDF uses GhostScript like CUPS-PDF. PDFwriter avoids this.

mmm....just installed on Yosemite beta, not sure if something has happened regarding finder and the folder structure, however users/shared can not be found. I have also just searched for the filename of the printed documents and it cant be found. Maybe im missing something but although it installed first time, i dont think this is compatible with Yosemite beta.

Version 1.2.1

2 answer(s)

Cattus-Thraex

13 November 2014

Why do you 'generously' give 2 stars for a simple and wonderful utility, which you cannot handle? You either ask how to use it and, if OK, you give the corresponding number of stars, 5. This is simple deontology...

fiery12

02 February 2015

PDFwriter installs a shortcut to printed files (tested on OS X 10.10.2) here:
<boot folder>/Users/Shared/PDFwriter

First you need to add the printer as explained in the Readme and print some file. This will create the spool folder. Otherwise the above link will not open anything. Finder and Spotlight don't look in the hidden /var folder. You can instead use the free EasyFind for better results.

Finally, you can use the Terminal app (/Applications/Utilities) to open that folder. Just paste the following command (then hit enter):
open /private/var/spool/pdfwriter/

Ochre

16 July 2014

There appears to be an error in the quoted release date for the current version, 1.2.1. According to Sourceforge (where this project is hosted), 1.2.1 was released 15th March 2011 (15-03-11), not 15th November 2013 (15-11-13).

Version 1.2.1

PDFwriter

Overview

What's new in PDFwriter

PDFwriter Screenshots

14 PDFwriter Reviews

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