Cloud Printer for Mac - How to setup Print Plugin to print to a Google Cloud Print printer

Cloud Printer for Mac is a simple utility, available from the Mac App Store, that will allow you to print to a Google Cloud Print enabled Printer from a Mac (Snow Leopard or later). However, it cannot automatically install itself as a service due to some distribution restrictions. This video provides a walk-through of how to setup Cloud Printer as a print plugin in Mac so that you will have the most seamless experience.

Step-by-step Guide to setup an automator based integration into Print Dialog:
1. Open Automator in Mac
2. Click 'Print Plugin'
3. Ensure that 'Actions' tab has been selected in 'Automator'
4. In the search box in Automator, enter 'Open Finder Items' (please translate this to your local language if English is not the language used in your Mac)
5. If you 'double click' on the 'Open Finder Items' in the list of 'Actions', it will add that action to the plugin being created.
6. On the right half of the Automator program (where there is a visual flow graph of the plugin being created) and in the 'Open Finder Items' action, select 'Cloud Printer' that you have installed in your Mac in the 'Open With' option.
7. Now, save your plugin with a name of your choice typically indicating 'Print using Cloud Printer'.

Now, you can print from any Mac application using the Cmd+P button. It will bring up the Mac Print Dialog. Typically, on the left bottom corner of the Print Dialog, there will be a drop-down list box with the default text 'PDF'. Please click that option and select the plug-in that you have just created. This will send the print job to the 'Cloud Printer' program from which you will able to select the Google-Cloud-printer/print-service/Googl­eDrive that you would like to print to.

You can also download the automator scripts from the Cloud Printer support website mentioned below.

http://itunes.apple.com/app/cloud-pri...

http://www.webabode.com/software/clou...


To remove the plugin that you have just created, please "Open Terminal" and delete relevant *.workflow files (each is actually a directory, so, use 'rm -rf') under "~/Library/PDF Services".

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[NEXT433]

I cannot get the sound on this video. No problem with other You Tube Videos. Is there a transcript available?

[Somasundaram Meiyappan]

The video was not made with audio. The steps involved are presented in the description section of the video itself. Please press the 'more' button if you have to. You may also want to switch the quality setting to 'HD' to view the screen in more detail.

[Matt Walterhausen]

Somasundaram, great App - thanks for sharing it!! Can I ask how you added in the 'Print to Google Docs' printer in your Google Cloud Print list? I have added my physical printers but can't see how to get this extra one added

[Somasundaram Meiyappan]

Sorry, I missed this question until now. That service (or an equivalent service) is added by default for all users by Google. It may appear as 'Save to Google Drive' in your account.

[Jeffrey Weinberg]

I cannot see what steps you are doing in the demo to set up cloud print on a mac. I downloaded the 3 files and placed them in the library>pdf services... then by magnifying the screen I saw that you opened automator... and selected print plug in... cannot tell what you are doing. don't want to cause harm while trying to do this. is there a step by step description written somewhere? how are others figuring this out?

[Somasundaram Meiyappan]

This is a HD video and you should be able to view the video in HD if YouTube does not select HD by default when viewing this video.

I have just added a step-by-step guide on setting this up to this video's information. Please click 'Show More' above to see if the step-by-step guide is helpful. I have also provided instructions to remove the plugin if you do not need it anymore.

[examiner173]

OK, thanks!!

[Somasundaram Meiyappan]

If you have created an Automator plug-in and if you want to remove it, Please "Open Terminal" and delete relevant *.workflow files (each is actually a directory, so, use 'rm -rf') under "~/Library/PDF Services".

[examiner173]

How do I remove this plugin??

Thanks

[Stanley Cole]

I cannot get any audio. I can hear the next audio you uploaded fine.