Bug 129208 - Print to file with multiple copies produces only a single copy
Summary: Print to file with multiple copies produces only a single copy
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Printing and PDF export (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
Inherited From OOo
Hardware: All All
: low minor
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks: Print
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Reported: 2019-12-05 14:24 UTC by Buovjaga
Modified: 2023-05-06 00:46 UTC (History)
6 users (show)

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Description Buovjaga 2019-12-05 14:24:26 UTC
1. File - Print
2. Print to file, multiple copies

Observe created PDF: it has only a single copy. For comparison, Microsoft PDF Printer produces multiple copies in a single PDF.

First mentioned in bug 128032.

Seems to have always been like this.
Comment 1 Timur 2020-02-08 16:58:59 UTC
I cannot imagine a situation that would justify this bug request, when would you need multiple copies inside PDF. If you need multiple copies, you print them from PDF.
So, this would be "I reproduce what you say, but you didn't explain why it's a bug".

Repro from OO. With 6.0 we would get multiple Save As windows (also makes not sense). Repro again with 6.2.8 and 7.0+.
Also reproduced with MSO printing to virtual PDF printer PDFill and PDFcreator. I don't have Microsoft Print to PDF to test.

So I have doubts that this is a bug and if it's NotOurBug.
Comment 2 Buovjaga 2020-02-08 19:30:14 UTC
(In reply to Timur from comment #1)
> Repro from OO. With 6.0 we would get multiple Save As windows (also makes
> not sense). Repro again with 6.2.8 and 7.0+.
> Also reproduced with MSO printing to virtual PDF printer PDFill and
> PDFcreator. I don't have Microsoft Print to PDF to test.

MS Print to PDF comes with Win 10.
Comment 3 QA Administrators 2022-02-08 03:49:30 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 4 Timur 2022-02-08 05:49:32 UTC
Use case was not explained, not independently confirmed.
Comment 5 Buovjaga 2022-02-08 05:57:21 UTC
(In reply to Timur from comment #4)
> Use case was not explained, not independently confirmed.

Use case was to harmonise behaviour with Microsoft PDF Printer and the confirmation is inherited from bug 128032.
Comment 6 Julien Nabet 2022-09-23 17:27:17 UTC
I agree it's possible to workaround by printing n times the pdf, but I think it's up to the user to decide.
It's not as if there was additional code for this, it's rather a limit that's been added (I'm still searching where in the code).
If you really don't want the user choose a number more than one, we should disable the option then when "print to file" is selected.
As it is, it's unexpected (and so buggy) to be able to choose n>1 with print to file and LO doesn't apply it.

=> let's ask UX eval to know what would be the more appropriate here:
1) disable the "number of copies" option when printing to file
2) let it enabled but apply it
3) Other idea?
Comment 7 Heiko Tietze 2022-09-26 10:40:22 UTC
For sake of simplicity I'd disable the option. Don't see a good use case to create multiple files.
Comment 8 Julien Nabet 2022-09-26 15:47:30 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #7)
> For sake of simplicity I'd disable the option. Don't see a good use case to
> create multiple files.

Ok for me but just to be sure here, it's not about creating multiple files but to generate a pdf (not several ones) containing n times (the number of copies) the content of a file.
Comment 9 Heiko Tietze 2022-09-27 09:28:38 UTC
(In reply to Julien Nabet from comment #8)
> Ok for me but just to be sure here, it's not about creating multiple files
> but to generate a pdf (not several ones) containing n times (the number of
> copies) the content of a file.

Good point. Do you have an use case for this?
Comment 10 Julien Nabet 2022-09-27 16:20:39 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #9)
> (In reply to Julien Nabet from comment #8)
> > Ok for me but just to be sure here, it's not about creating multiple files
> > but to generate a pdf (not several ones) containing n times (the number of
> > copies) the content of a file.
> 
> Good point. Do you have an use case for this?

Personally no, but sometimes users have needings we don't think about.
If we really think it's useless, let's disable number of copies when PDF printer chosen at least that's clear.
I really see it as the principle of least astonishment. If you let this option with PDF printer, LO should just apply what's demanded.
Comment 11 Heiko Tietze 2022-09-28 09:03:27 UTC
I'm afraid of this band aid to be a source of trouble later. Like the state not being updated correctly. Talked to Ilmari and we maybe close this non-issue until a user comes with a clear use case.
Comment 12 Julien Nabet 2022-09-28 10:22:03 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #11)
> I'm afraid of this band aid to be a source of trouble later. Like the state
> not being updated correctly. Talked to Ilmari and we maybe close this
> non-issue until a user comes with a clear use case.

I'm strongly disagree here.
If you think since there's no use case LO shouldn't use n copies in a pdf file, why not disabling the option instead of letting this as it is?
Comment 13 Heiko Tietze 2022-09-28 12:43:49 UTC
(In reply to Julien Nabet from comment #12)
> why not disabling the option instead of letting this as it is?

It's a rather academic topic with no clear issue from users. A solution adds complexity, think of a people who see the code to disable the number of copies in 10 years, and has the danger of being not perfect, for example the state is not updated correctly. But feel free to reopen.
Comment 14 Julien Nabet 2022-09-28 13:01:51 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #13)
> (In reply to Julien Nabet from comment #12)
> > why not disabling the option instead of letting this as it is?
> 
> It's a rather academic topic with no clear issue from users. A solution adds
> complexity, think of a people who see the code to disable the number of
> copies in 10 years, and has the danger of being not perfect, for example the
> state is not updated correctly. But feel free to reopen.

Ok let's not annoy people who may be disturb by this.
In this case, there's already a complexity here since LO specifically doesn't respect "n copy entries" for pdf output.
So let's follow KISS principle, we should just let a user choose to put n times the same content on the pdf without wondering if it's sensible or not so no need to search a use case here.
Comment 15 Stéphane Guillou (stragu) 2023-05-06 00:46:59 UTC
Agree with Buovjaga and Julien here: to make it consistent and to keep it simple.

Furthermore, two use cases:
1) PDF needs to be sent to be printed via an interface that does not offer many options. My University had such a service: a website to send a job to networked printers, in which it wasn't possible to, for example, have several pages per sheet (imagine you're printing A6 flyers). One would have to prepare the PDF beforehand.
2) QA usecase: we can't keep printing paper to test issues, for obvious reasons. Therefore, we need Print to File to be as close as possible to Print to Paper.