Can non-admins export multiple pages or a Space as a single PDF file?
Asked by Janet Fisher:

(I think there's a couple minor doc bugs, and a possible feature request here.)

The topic "Exporting Confluence Pages and Spaces to PDF" at <https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/DOC/Exporting+Confluence+Pages+and+Spaces+to+PDF> says:

"To use the space export functionality, you need the 'Export Space' permission. See the guide to space permissions."

It also says:

"If your space uses the Documentation theme:

1. Choose Browse \> Space Operations
2. Choose PDF Export from the left menu
3. Follow the steps above to export the Space."

First, there's no such menu item called **Space Operations**, whether you're the space admin or not, whether you're using the Documentation theme or not. (The docs suggested anyone could export the Space or a node to a single PDF file; both in the front matter and in the procedure for Documentation theme, but there is a single warning in the procedure for the Default theme that says you have to be an admin.)

Second, even if you're viewing the **Space Admin** page, there's no **PDF Export** item on the left side. You have to go into the **Advanced** tab first. (So, the docs seem out of date with the menu items.)

Is it true that, regardless of theme, a user has to be a Space Admin to view the **Export PDF Options** page (on top of requiring **Space Export** permissions)?

If so, is there any way to allow non-admin users to export multiple pages or the entire Space to a single PDF file? I saw a comment that suggested you could allow Anonymous users to Export Space, but how do Anonymous users get to the **Export PDF Options** page if they can't open the **Space Admin** page?

Allowing non-admins to export nodes or a space to a single PDF file would be a great feature to have for our users. Would it help anyone else's workflow?


Answers:
author: Janet Fisher
body: Ah. OK, so a non-admin user can click **Browse** \| **Advanced** , and then if they have export permissions, the **Export** section will show up in the panel on the left. That was the missing bit of information that I needed.

I guess this snippet from the docs:

"If your space uses the Documentation theme:

1. Choose Browse \> Space Operations"

Becomes this, for version 4.x.x:

"If your space uses the Documentation theme:

1. Choose Browse \> **Advanced**"

I was worried that only space admins could export multiple pages as a single PDF because of this line in the docs:

**Exporting multiple pages or the entire space**   
...  
1. ...  
Note: The 'Space tools' option *appears only if you are a space administrator* for the space or you are a super user (a member of the confluence-administrators group).

(Also, this bit of info saved some time for us: if you don't want to add **Permissions** for individual users, you can add the **confluence-users** group and give them **View** and **Space** \| **Export** permissions. Thanks to whoever posted this tidbit in the Comments.)


author: PeterKoczan
body: Hi,

If you grant the 'Export Space' permission for an user directly, the user will see the 'Space Tools' link on the sidebar then also 'Content Tools' where the user will be able to export the space into PDF for example, selecting the desired pages as well.

The documentation for me seems correct for me, as of my local tests on Confluence 5.1.3 according to this. Can you please try locally and add an user with only export space permission and see the behavior?

Kind regards,

Peter

comments: author: Janet Fisher
body: Thank you for your quick reply!

I don't see **Space Tools** nor **Content Tools**, and neither do my team mates who are non-admins.

We're using Confluence 4.3.6, and the Documentation theme.

The sidebar on the left is a table of contents.

There is no other sidebar.

At the top, under Browse, I see **Pages** , **Blog** , **Templates** , **Labels** , **Attachments** , **Mail** , **Activity** , **Advanced** , **Space Admin**, and other stuff.

My non-admin team mates can **Export to PDF** a single topic from the **Tools** menu. I (as an admin) can export the entire space or multiple pages by going through the **Space Admin** menu to the **Advanced** tab.

What part of any of that matches the docs? Is version 4 so very different than version 5?


Tags: export

pdf

pdf-export