Bug 62700 - The selectable UI item are obscured by UIConstraints(of PPD) without any notice
Summary: The selectable UI item are obscured by UIConstraints(of PPD) without any notice
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Printing and PDF export (show other bugs)
Version: 4.0.1.2 release
Hardware: All Linux (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
QA Contact:
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2013-03-24 15:09 UTC by Naruhiko Ogasawara
Modified: 2013-11-11 23:28 UTC (History)
0 users

See Also:
i915 platform:
i915 features:


Attachments
Bug description DRAW file (some screenshots and comments) (345.96 KB, application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.graphics)
2013-03-24 15:09 UTC, Naruhiko Ogasawara
Details
Ricoh Aificio C831DN PostScript PPD (200.67 KB, application/vnd.cups-ppd)
2013-03-24 15:12 UTC, Naruhiko Ogasawara
Details

Description Naruhiko Ogasawara 2013-03-24 15:09:22 UTC
Created attachment 76965 [details]
Bug description DRAW file (some screenshots and comments)

Background:
===========
In Linux printing system, PPD (a text file with the target printer description) have some "UIConstraints" information.
This information helps the application such as LibreOffice to inhibit incapable UI selection regarding the printers' specifications.

For example, some printer don't allow any duplex features if user choose "thick" media type.  See fig.1 on attached .odg file.


Problem:
========
Current LibreOffice specification supports UIConstraints feature, but implementation is not good and sometimes it might let users confuse.  See fig.2 on attached .odg file; here is an example.


How to Reproduce:
=================
With following step you can reproduce the problem; however it's not a only case.  It seems a specification problem.


Step 1.
-------
Get PPD file of the printer "Ricoh Aficio SP C831DN" from:
http://www.openprinting.org/printer/Ricoh/Ricoh-Aficio_SP_C831DN
(The ppd is attached here, so you can use this)

Step 2.
-------
Create printer queue with the PPD with your Linux distro way named "TEST" and set it as a default.
No "installed option" is needed.

Step 3.
-------
Launch LibreOffice (any application), then open print dialog "File" > "Print".

Step 4.
-------
Select "TEST" from "Printers" list (because of TEST is set as default in Step 2 so it already selected), and press "Property" button to bring the printer property dialog up.

Step 5.
-------
Now you're in "Paper" tab, so check "Duplex" to "Off". If not, select "Off" and press "OK." The dialog might be closed so try from Step 4 again.

Step 6.
-------
Move to "Device" tab and check "Paper Type" selector.  There are four types of
"Thick" papers.
- Thick 1 (106 - 169 g/m2)
- Thick 2 (170 - 220 g/m2)
- Thick 3 (221 - 256 g/m2)
- Thick 4 (257 - 300 g/m2)

Step 7.
-------
Back to "Paper" tab and select "Duplex" to "Long Edge", then push "OK" to close the dialog.

Step 8.
-------
Same as Step 3 and 4 to come print dialog come up. Move to "Device" and check "Paper Type" selector.


Excepted Result:
================
We still have for Thick paper types:

- Thick 1 (106 - 169 g/m2)
- Thick 2 (170 - 220 g/m2)
- Thick 3 (221 - 256 g/m2)
- Thick 4 (257 - 300 g/m2)

But if we choose "Thick 2" to "Thick 4", some error occurs (because of UIConstraints).


Current Result:
================
We have only one Thick paper 

- Thick 1 (106 - 169 g/m2)

Because this paper type is enable to use duplex, another are not.
This might be a specification of LibreOffice how let users know which items are restricted by UIConstraints, but I consider it should be correct because:

- User can't understand why another thick papers are gone.
- In this case, if duplex was set "Long Edge" or "Short Edge," most of users only see "Thick1".  PPD provides four thick papers, but LibreOffice hidden a part of these.


Suggestion:
===========
In gedit, GNOME text editor using GTK-Print, GTK+ standard print dialog, works good.  They show all of items, but message will come up when user will a select item inhibited by UIConstraints.  See fig.3 in attached .odg file.

It's not perfect (for example, we want to know which selections or items caused such kind of error but GTK-Print don't show that), but it is better than current LibreOffice specification.
Comment 1 Naruhiko Ogasawara 2013-03-24 15:12:28 UTC
Created attachment 76966 [details]
Ricoh Aificio C831DN PostScript PPD

The PPD is one of example to reproduce the bug, but any other (not so special) PPD s might have same problem.


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