# Printing pdf documents

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/printing-pdf-documents/164264>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [March 30, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/printing-pdf-documents/164264 "2009-03-30T17:49:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![EdTaupier](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@EdTaupier](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/EdTaupier)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/printing-pdf-documents/164264/1 "2009-03-30T17:49:26Z")

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Is it possible to print existing pdf documents (located server side)  
directly to a client printer without using a viewer? Scenario: I  
have a list of reports on page where the client can check which  
reports they would like printed. Ideally, the print command would  
send all the selected reports (pdf doc) directly to a printer instead  
of having to display the reports in an adobe viewer. Ideas,  
suggestions, hints?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![EdTaupier](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@EdTaupier](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/EdTaupier)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/printing-pdf-documents/164264/2 "2009-03-30T19:13:22Z")

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yeah, I understand the network restrictions, etc. so I figured there  
wasn’t any direct, easy way. Could it be possible to tie in the  
printing of these reports to the standard browser print function? I  
guess the main point of interest for me is to not have to display all  
the reports before printing them unless the client wished to do so.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![EdTaupier](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@EdTaupier](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/EdTaupier)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/printing-pdf-documents/164264/3 "2009-03-30T19:06:53Z")

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Hi Ed,

On Mon, 2009-03-30 at 08:14 -0700, EdTaupier wrote:

> Is it possible to print existing pdf documents (located server side)  
> directly to a client printer without using a viewer?

In a word, no. At least not to my knowledge. It’s a security thing.  
Otherwise I could, knowing the address of your printer, mount a DOS  
attack against your network.

HTH,  
Bill

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**Author:** ![EdTaupier](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@EdTaupier](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/EdTaupier)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/printing-pdf-documents/164264/4 "2009-03-30T19:47:24Z")

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On Mon, 2009-03-30 at 10:12 -0700, EdTaupier wrote:

> yeah, I understand the network restrictions, etc. so I figured there  
> wasn’t any direct, easy way. Could it be possible to tie in the  
> printing of these reports to the standard browser print function?

I \> guess the main point of interest for me is to not have to display all \> the reports before printing them unless the client wished to do so.

The above assumes you’ll display each report but display will  
automatically invoke printing. AFAIK, that’s as good as it gets.

HTH,  
Bill