Print to PDF in the same folder as the source file

[Davide78]

Hi, I ask if possible the following setting:
Is it possible to print a PDF and save the generated file in the same folder as the source file?
It's ok if the "save as" dialog box appears in the printing phase, the requirement is that the same folder is already selected

Thanks

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi, Davide78

have you tried using %[DocPath] in the printer?

image.png

May I ask why you want to reprint the PDF rather than use the Save As feature? Printing PDF to PDF typically strips interactive content and is not generally recommended if it can be avoided.

[Davide78]

Hello and thank you in the meantime
I don't need the filename to also include the path, I need the generated PDF to be placed directly in the folder of the document to be printed in PDF
In the drop-down menu where you can change the destination of the file you can only choose between:

image.png

[Willy Van Nuffel]

Hi,

Myself, I do not find a way to automatically save a printed document to the same folder as the source file either.

Maybe you can try the following work-around.
Before printing the document, right-click on its document tab in PDF-XChange Editor and click "Copy Full File Name". Then print the document. In the "Save As"-dialog-box, immediately right-click in the "File Name"-field and click "Paste".
At this moment, you can still change the file-name if you like. Finally click "Save".
Does that help ?

Remaining question : do you have a particular reason to re-print the PDF (maybe to remove some security restrictions) ?

Kind regards.

[PHK]

I don't understand why this should be a problem unless you are trying to save the printed PDF with the same name as the source file.

When I print to PDF, a new version is created and the Printing Progress is paused after a bit of processing and this

image.png

appears at the bottom of my screen. If I click on it, the Save As... box pops up defaulting to the previous operation and then I can select where I want this new file saved and the option to name the file.

Do you not have the same?

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi, PHK

that is the functionality I see also. Now I played with this a little more I see it isn't working as I thought. I am not actually able to force it to use the source folder.

I am going to chat with the devs after Easter about this to see if it is the software or me...

[PHK]

... Now I played with this a little more I see it isn't working as I thought. I am not actually able to force it to use the source folder.

I am going to chat with the devs after Easter about this to see if it is the software or me...

It cannot possibly be you...

HOWEVER, I have no problem printing to the same folder. In fact, it even defaults to print with the same name as the source document, even if the source folder is selected. But does not print immediately due to the conflict with the open source document. I get the usual conflict resolution box giving me various workaround options such as renaming and assigning trailing-number file names.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi, PHK

It cannot possibly be you...

I thought it was working for me but what I was seeing was because of this:

image.png

[PHK]

I don't think that's it because I am optioned exactly the same way.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hmmm.

OK - I need to reach out to the devs then.

[PHK]

It might be security issue on your network.

I am not on a network.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

maybe, though I was using local files as well as network ones in my tests.

[PHK]

@Paul: Here's another thought.

image(1).png

[Willy Van Nuffel]

Hi all,

Thanks for your contribution @FringePhil, but it does not work for me neither (using local files).
In whatever folder I open a PDF, it always prints (Save As) to my "C:\Willy" folder.
.

PDF-XChange Editor - Print - Save As dialog.png

.
Kind regards.

[PHK]

@Willy: Hmmm, what happens if you uncheck the Save As box?

[Willy Van Nuffel]

Thanks again @FringePhil.

Unfortunately, when I uncheck the "Save As"-box, the resulting PDF is still saved to my "C:\Willy" folder.

Kind regards.

[PHK]

Willy, I assume that your subject document is NOT in your "Willy" folder so that is not exactly the same as what Paul was describing.

... Now I played with this a little more I see it isn't working as I thought. I am not actually able to force it to use the source folder.
...

But it doesn't matter, for me, if the destination folder is the same or not; everything works.

[Willy Van Nuffel]

Maybe there is a wrong interpretation of the original question.

There is indeed no problem to print to the same folder as the source file, but what the user wants is that the print should "automatically" happen to the same folder as the source file, without having to change to that folder "manually" in the "Save As" dialog-box.

At this time, it is always the folder in the "Path"-field that is selected, not the folder of the source file. There seems to be no way to change that behavior in the current build 385.

Kind regards.

[Davide78]

Willy's last answer perfectly sums up my initial question

[PHK]

Thanks for the clarifications.

Then, it seems to me, the real issue is whether there is an option for the source folder being "automtically" or by default selected as the path destination. After all, it is obvious that if the source folder is selected as the destination folder by the user that the 'printed' file will be placed in that folder.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi, PHK

I spoke to the devs about this. I learned that this is dependent on the application that sends the print job. Not all applications will send the path. AutoCAD does, Word does not for example. If the path is available we use it in the %[DocPath] macro. If we look for it and what we get is a blank, then there is no way for us to use the source folder.

Is that consistent with what you are seeing?

I don't believe we are going to be able to change this. We depend on what the print job sends us.

[Willy Van Nuffel]

The question is about printing from PDF-XChange Editor to PDF by using the PDF-XChange Standard printer and to automatically select the source folder for saving the resulting file.

To me, it seems that the DocPath-information is not sent by PDF-XChange Editor (current build 385).

The only way I see to automatically select the source folder is by checking (turning on) the option "Open the dialog in the last used folder" in the Save-options of the PDF-XChange Standard printer. Unfortunately, this is not working for me neither.

Maybe this option is based on the "Recent files and folders"-feature of Microsoft Windows itself ?
Myself, I can not check this, because this feature is turned off on my computer.

@pdf-xchange support
Would you be prepared to verify if the feature "Open the dialog in the last used folder" is working correctly for you ?

Kind regards.

EDIT:
Please forget about my question to verify the "Open the dialog in the last used folder" feature.
I totally misinterpret it. It just means to use the folder where the last "save" has happened.
Sorry, shame on me.

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

Hello, Willy Van Nuffel

If the printing is happening from the Editor, that is expected, we do not endorse printing PDF to PDF unless absolutely necessary, and so there is no need to offer such functionality.

If you need to save a copy of a PDF file to the same folder as the original PDF file, you can use the "save as" function instead of printing. The Editor already offers its own controls for the default save as location, including the current document folder:

image.png

Kind regards,

[PHK]

... I learned that this is dependent on the application that sends the print job. Not all applications will send the path. AutoCAD does, Word does not for example. If the path is available we use it in the %[DocPath] macro. If we look for it and what we get is a blank, then there is no way for us to use the source folder...

I thought what we were 'talking' about was printing an open document within the PDF-XCE app to a flat, dumb image PDF file, therefore others apps are not the concern.

Unusually for me, I have no problem doing this; it works flawlessly for me and has for years. On the other hand, I have transitioned from doing it frequently to doing it rarely as you guys have improved the product with your many useful updates. In other words, the app works much better than it did and I have improved my understanding of the product and have learned better ways of dealing with my content, thereby minimizing printing to PDF as low-grade work process. Furthermore, I respect PDF-Exchange's efforts to discourage doing that for what I am sure are valid reasons.

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]