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Asked: 2024-09-24T17:35:57+05:30 In:

What are the steps to open a PDF document directly from the terminal in Ubuntu?

I’ve been diving into using Ubuntu more often lately, but I still feel like a total newbie when it comes to using the terminal. I know there’s a ton of cool stuff you can do, but sometimes, it’s just easier to use the GUI, right? But I want to go beyond my comfort zone and really explore the terminal, especially for opening files like PDFs.

So here’s the situation: I have a PDF document that I need to check out quickly, but I’m in the middle of a project, and switching back and forth between my applications feels like a hassle. I’ve heard that there’s a way to open PDF files directly from the command line, which sounds super efficient and a bit more ‘pro’! But every time I try to remember the steps, I get confused or can’t seem to get it right.

I mean, what’s the basic command I need to type to get my PDF open? Do I need to navigate to the folder first where the PDF is stored, or can I just type the location directly? Also, what applications do I need installed on my system to make sure it works? I’ve seen a bunch of different PDF viewers like Evince and Okular mentioned, but I’m not sure which one to choose—or if it even matters.

And then there’s the whole thing about having to use sudo or not. Do I need special permissions to open a PDF this way? I remember hearing something about that, but it felt kind of vague at the time. If I’m opening a file that’s in a restricted folder, does that change anything?

If anyone has a step-by-step breakdown or even just some tips on how to tackle this, I’d appreciate it. I really want to get the hang of this terminal stuff, and opening a PDF smoothly would be a great way to start. I’m looking for something that’s pretty straightforward—like you’re explaining it to a friend who has zero terminal experience. Thanks in advance for your help!

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    1. Opening PDF from Terminal in Ubuntu

      How to Open a PDF File from the Terminal in Ubuntu

      If you want to open a PDF file using the terminal, you can definitely do that! It’s pretty cool and will make you feel like a pro. Here’s a simple breakdown of how to go about it:

      1. Open the Terminal

      You can do this by searching for “Terminal” in your applications or by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.

      2. Check if You Have a PDF Viewer Installed

      Before we dive into commands, let’s make sure you have a PDF viewer installed. Some popular options are:

      • Evince
      • Okular

      You can check if Evince is installed by typing:

      evince --version

      If you get a version number, you’re good to go! If not, you can install it with:

      sudo apt install evince

      3. Opening the PDF

      Now, to open your PDF, there are two ways you can do it:

      Option A: Navigate to the Folder

      Use the command cd to change the directory to where your PDF is located. For example:

      cd /path/to/your/folder

      Then, just type:

      evince yourfile.pdf

      Option B: Open Directly with Full Path

      If you don’t want to navigate to the folder, you can open the PDF with its full path like this:

      evince /path/to/your/folder/yourfile.pdf

      4. About Using `sudo`

      You usually don’t need to use sudo for opening files in your home directory. But if the PDF is in a restricted folder (like /root), you might need it:

      sudo evince /root/yourfile.pdf

      5. General Tips

      • Make sure you’re typing the correct file name and path.
      • If you want to open multiple PDFs, you can put them all in the command like this: 
        evince file1.pdf file2.pdf
      • To close Evince, you can either close the window or press Ctrl + Q.

      With these steps, you should be able to open PDFs from the terminal without any hassle. It’s all about practice, so don’t hesitate to explore more commands as you get comfortable!



    2. To open a PDF file directly from the terminal in Ubuntu, you typically just need to use the application’s command followed by the path of your PDF file. For instance, if you want to use Evince as your PDF viewer, the command would look like this:

      evince /path/to/your/file.pdf

      If you’re already in the directory where your PDF is located, you can simply type evince filename.pdf. However, if you’re not in the correct directory, you can type the full path, as shown above. Make sure you have the application installed; you can use the following command to install Evince:

      sudo apt install evince

      Alternatively, if you prefer another PDF viewer like Okular, the command would be okular /path/to/your/file.pdf. You don’t typically need special permissions to open a PDF file, but if the file is located in a restricted folder (like /root), you might need to prefix your command with sudo. Otherwise, for files in your home directory or other accessible folders, just the command followed by the file path should suffice. This approach allows you to maintain focus on your project while quickly accessing files without navigating through the GUI.


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