Printing in NT4

Print devices – physical components.

Printer – software translate applications print request into form that print device can understand. = (Novell equal queue)

Printer pool – one printer services more than one print device hence all printers have the same type.

 

NT Print Model

(GDI) Graphic Device Interface (WINNT system for presenting graphical info to the user)

Translates application’s print requests into device driver requests: (DDI) – device driver interface calls, that specific for drawing characteristics of printer not printer device.

Print Driver – translates printer generic DDI calls into printer specific commands that passed to actual printer. You need a print driver for the type of printer your computer is connected to.

Application => GDI interface + printer’s device driver => File named print job that contains either 1. A raw print job – instruction to printer to produce printed document or 2. A journal file print job – list of DDI calls that will produce raw print job: in case of printing to the local printer, raw print job produced by print processor.

Print Router – 1. Direct print job to print provider 2.Download print driver if printer is on remote computer.

Print Provider (Spooler) – storage place for print jobs.

Local – accept print job from the router => calls print processor for final modification => transfer jobs one by one to the print monitor + adds separator pages if requested by user in the Print Manager.

Default directory winNTroot\system32\spool\printers – change:

Start menu – settings – printers – file – server properties – advanced.

Remote – locates network print server => transfers print job to the server ( it don’t spools the print job)

 

Print Processor – final modifications to print job if needed => print monitor.

Windows pp. handles print jobs from Windows 95 and older include DOS, Unix,

Macintosh to Postscript.

Macintosh pp. handles print jobs from Macintosh to non Postscript.

Print Monitor – transmits print job to the print device.

Local Print Monitor(localmon.dll) – communicate with print device via serial & parallel ports, remote print share, named pipes and can store print job in file.

HP Print Monitor(hpmon.dll) – send print job directly to HP printer directly connected to the network.

Line Printer Print Monitor(lprmon.dll) – sends print job to UNIX LPD(Line Print Daemon) print server over the network. – add Microsoft TCP/IP printing service to print on that printer
 

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