PDF printing with automatic filename

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I need to print lots of pdf files, so it’s a pain to choose a filename for every print operation. The context is Zinio offline reader and I want to print an entire magazine. Unfortunately, the reader (offline or online) does not support printing the entire magazine in one piece. Online it will print two pages at a time. Offline, you can select multiple pages but it sends each page as a single print file. I’m told the new reader will have additional functionality, but I’m not holding my breath it will do this. So I’m try to print the entire magazine as a collection of pdf files, and then I believe there are tools I can use to merge them into a file, and print. A mess, but if I can get it to work I don’t think it will take that much of my attention, although it will probably run slowly. I’ve tried several pdf writers including primopdf, cutepdf, and pdfill all of which seem to insist on asking me for a filename every time, even though their generated name would work great. Any suggestions on configuring one of these, a different pdf writer, or a different methodology for printing this.

Aside: getting my PC Magazine subscription online has been such a pain, even aside from my frustration at not being able to read my paper copy wherever I want to and not be tied to a computer.

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Use PDFCreator and set the AutoSave option.

cheers, Paul

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Zinio is not PDF. What Zinio is doing is creating PDF files on the fly and printing those. Though I guess you already know this which is why you are asking for a batch mechanism to print PDF files. The FoxIt PDF Reader has a set of command line switches that you can use to print PDF files silently (the reader window does not open). You could use that within a batch file to print all of the PDFs in a single directory.

I absolutely detested Zinio and its horribly clumsy interface. I also didn’t appreciate being lied to (Yes you can read your magazine offline! No you do not need to install any software to read the magazine! The thing is, those statements are not true simultaneously.) I dropped PC Magazine and got a refund. Maximum PC still has a print edition, and they archive their older editions as unencumbered PDF files online. I gladly pay for the print edition – nothing like sitting on the easy chair with a paper magazine in hand. And I transfer my notes to the PDF when it becomes available online. Perfect.

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I know that this is old, but I wanted to add my two cents.

You CAN add the filename, although it is not automatic. The windows print box has a tab called “Properties” Click on that. Go to “Watermarks”

In the “Edit” box you can add the filename. (If, when you went to open the file you copied the filename, you can simply insert it at this point.)

Then, change the size to (say) 12 point and move it from the center to about -5 inches. That will place it about 1/2 inch from the top. You can drag it to that position.

The default color is a light gray. If you want to edit the color, you can change it to dark black.

(You can save this all by going back to the “Setup” tab, and saving the settings. You will of course have to reenter the filename. To avoid confusion, I made the unedited filename XXXX.)

Now if I could only automate all that it would be nice. I don’t know how to do it with what is on my computer which is really, really locked down. I have only the Microsoft suite to work with.

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