I don't really expect KDE's print preview to work properly without the PostScript viewer it uses emerged, but the error message it generates "Could not open file:/tmp/kde-ian/kdeprint_Oo3VHQR" does not exactly make it obvious what the problem is! A message such as "Print preview not available - essential component not installed" would be much more helpful. Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. Install kdebase CUPS, and any KDE application that allows printing, but don't install kdegraphics. 2. Print something, checking the 'preview' option. Actual Results: Error dialog comes up, something like "Could not open file:/tmp/kde-ian/kdeprint_Oo3VHQR" Expected Results: Print a more helpful message explaining that the print preview component is not installed or could not be found.
Hmm. In kde 3.1.1 (and in cvs HEAD) the preview window opens for me, but it remains gray and empty because the embeddable kghostview component isn't installed. The 'print' and 'cancel' buttons are there though. No cryptic error message, in fact no message at all. It's possible that this is because I only temporarily uninstalled kdegraphis, and had it until a few minutes ago, but I doubt that interpretation. Try kde 3.1.1?
I probably ought to have said - after dismissing the cryptic dialog, the preview window opens just like you said. However, I still think a message telling you something is not installed, or better still, exactly what is not installed, would be better.
I agree. But, I'm not getting any message at all, so i'd like us to get to the same position before (fex.) submitting a bugreport to upstream devs. BTW it's possible to define an "external" preview program (e.g. gv) instead of kghostview. The comment in the printing manager dialog says that if kghostview isn't found, kde will try to autolocate another viewer, and I suppose it would use gv if it found it. For some reason, however, that didn't work for me - I got the empty embed window instead. (Do you have gv installed?) So that's another potential bug to report to upstream.
Unmerged kdegraphics (after quickpkg /var/db/pkg/kde-base/kdegraphics-3.1/) and then tried the test again. I confirm the same dialog box comes up as came up before (that is, before I first merged kdegraphics): "Could not open file:/tmp/kde-ian/kdeprint_jc6ZbTG". When dismissed, the Print Preview window comes up, blank except for the Print and Cancel buttons (as before). Interestingly, the file that it says it cannot open does in fact exist. The permissions are -rw-r--r--, owner ian (i.e. the logged-in user), group users. I don't have any immediate plans to upgrade to 3.1.1, but when I do upgrade, I will let you know if it makes any difference. I don't have any other PostScript viewer installed.
Would like to request that if this problem persists to have you submit it to bugs.kde.org for their inclusion into the official kde tree. Thanks!
