Bug 508291

Summary:	Printing the list of keyboard shortcuts results in an image PDF (no real text in the PDF file created).
Product:	[Applications] okular	Reporter:	VdeG75@Gmail.com <vdeg75>
Component:	printing	Assignee:	Okular developers <okular-devel>
Status:	REPORTED ---
Severity:	normal	CC:	oliver.sander
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	24.08.1
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	unspecified
OS:	Microsoft Windows
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description VdeG75@Gmail.com 2025-08-15 13:59:51 UTC

SUMMARY
Printing the list of keyboard shortcuts results in an image PDF (no real text in the PDF file created).
= NEW PHENOMENON for me.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
Settings → Configure keyboard shortcuts → Print → Microsoft Print to PDF.

OBSERVED RESULT
The PDF file is an image PDF (no real text in it).

EXPECTED RESULT
A PDF with real text («searchable» PDF).

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows 11 24H2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
I had several old “printed” shortcut list files which were/are PDF files made of text. The last one that I still have is dated March 2023.
But now the output file is an image PDF.
This anomaly appeared after reinstalling Okular (in the vain hope of obtaining a more recent version), or perhaps after a Windows update (I can't figure out because I only "print" shortcut list rarely, of course ; probably never since 2023 until today).

" Microsoft Print to PDF" may indeed be the issue, but:
- The fact that image PDFs are obtained via "Microsoft Print to PDF" from applications has been known to Internet users since well before 2023 (the date on which I obtained a text PDF from Okular);
- It is impossible for the user to correct "Microsoft Print to PDF" (I have explored everything that is accessible, I believe, in terms of settings and updates).

In conclusion, in order to allow Windows Okular users to obtain a list of shortcuts in a text PDF table (what you get via Settings → Configure keyboard shortcuts → Manage schemes → More Actions → Export Scheme is very useful but does not replace the PDF table), Okular would need to allow the production of a table list on PDF via a method other than “Microsoft Print to PDF.” There is currently no alternate option.

PS : The Microsoft Store (“recommended place to install Okular”) only offers version 23.08.1 of Okular.

Comment 1 Oliver Sander 2025-08-15 14:32:46 UTC

As far as I know, printing on windows has always involved rasterization before printing, and does to to this day:

  https://invent.kde.org/graphics/okular/-/blob/master/generators/poppler/generator_pdf.cpp?ref_type=heads#L1530

One way to fix this is https://invent.kde.org/graphics/okular/-/merge_requests/411, which has its own problems.

Comment 2 VdeG75@Gmail.com 2025-08-15 16:28:25 UTC

Oliver, thank you very much for your reply.
Unfortunately, I don't see how I can make use of the information contained in these pages. I'm not knowledgeable enough about these topics.
However, I now understand better why the resulting file is an image PDF.
When you say "printing on Windows has always involved rasterization before printing,“ I assume you mean ”printing with Okular on Windows has always involved rasterization before printing," right?

Furthermore, since I posted this bug, I have become almost certain that my 2023 file is a file that I had submitted to the ROC, which I had forgotten. I should amend my post, but apparently I can't edit it.