How to use the command 'okular' (with examples)
Okular is a document viewer application for KDE Plasma desktop environments. It allows users to view different types of documents, such as PDFs, EPUBs, and MOBIs. In this article, we will explore various use cases of the ‘okular’ command and how to use them effectively.
Use case 1: Launch document viewer
Code:
okular
Motivation: Launching the document viewer without any additional arguments allows users to quickly open the application and access its main interface. This is useful when you want to navigate through your documents library before choosing a specific file to open.
Explanation: The command ‘okular’ without any arguments launches the Okular application and opens the main interface.
Example output: The Okular window opens, ready for the user to interact with the application.
Use case 2: Open specific documents
Code:
okular path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...
Motivation: When you have multiple documents that you want to open simultaneously, using the ‘okular’ command with the file paths allows you to open them all at once. This is useful when you need to reference information from different documents or compare multiple files side by side.
Explanation: By providing the file paths as arguments after the ‘okular’ command, the specified documents will be opened in separate tabs within the Okular application.
Example output: The specified documents are opened in separate tabs within the Okular window, allowing easy access to each file.
Use case 3: Open a document at a specific page
Code:
okular --page page_number path/to/file
Motivation: If you want to directly access a particular page within a document, the ‘–page’ option allows you to open the document at the desired page. This is helpful when you need to quickly refer to a specific section or page.
Explanation: The ‘–page’ option followed by the page number and the path to the document opens Okular at the specified page.
Example output: The document opens in Okular, displaying the specified page.
Use case 4: Open a specific document in presentation mode
Code:
okular --presentation path/to/file
Motivation: Presentation mode is useful when you want to display a document in full-screen mode, hiding any distractions from the interface. This is especially beneficial when giving a presentation or showcasing a document to others.
Explanation: The ‘–presentation’ option followed by the path to the document opens the specified document in Okular’s presentation mode.
Example output: The document opens in full-screen presentation mode, optimized for showcasing its content.
Use case 5: Open a specific document and start a print dialog
Code:
okular --print path/to/file
Motivation: When you need to print a specific document, using the ‘–print’ option immediately presents the print dialog, streamlining the printing process. This is convenient for quickly printing files without having to navigate through the application’s menu.
Explanation: The ‘–print’ option followed by the path to the document opens Okular with the print dialog active, ready for the user to customize print settings and proceed with printing.
Example output: The print dialog opens with the specified document ready for printing.
Use case 6: Open a document and search for a specific string
Code:
okular --find search_string path/to/file
Motivation: Searching for a specific string within a document enables efficient navigation and information retrieval. When using the ‘–find’ option, Okular automatically performs a search for the specified string, saving time and effort.
Explanation: The ‘–find’ option followed by the search string and the path to the document opens Okular with the search results immediately available.
Example output: Okular highlights and displays the first occurrence of the specified search string within the document. The user can navigate through the search results using the search panel.
Conclusion:
In this article, we explored different use cases of the ‘okular’ command and how to apply them effectively. From launching the document viewer to opening specific documents, navigating to desired pages, enabling presentation mode, initiating print dialogs, and performing document searches, Okular provides a versatile set of options to enhance your document viewing experience.