1.

Printer Drivers In computers, a printer driver or a print processor is a piece of software that converts the data to be printed to the form specific to a printer. The purpose of printer drivers is to allow applications to do printing without being aware of the technical details of each printer model. On Microsoft Windows systems, printer drivers make use of GDI (Unidrv or PScript-based) or XPS (XPSDrv). Programs then use the same standard APIs to draw text and pictures both on screen and on paper. On Microsoft Windows systems, printer drivers make use of GDI (Unidrv or PScript-based) or XPS (XPSDrv). Programs then use the same standard APIs to draw text and pictures both on screen and on paper. 2. Types of Printers 2.1 Monolithic Driver: Drivers that all functions are implemented by a vendor. 2.2 Plug-in Driver: Driver that has partial function modification or extension by a vendor adding plug-in functions in a driver core. 2.3 Mini Driver: Vendor prepares only machine-dependent information file (PPD, GPD) and uses a driver core (drawing part and UI) that MS provides. 3. PDL (Page Description Language) It is the language that describes the appearance of a printed page and is understood by the printer controller (interpreter). They are textual or binary data streams. In principle, the same data stream could be rendered multiple times to generate multiple copies of the same image. Types of PDL 3.1. PCL (Printer Control Language): Developed by HP. 3.2. PS (Post Script): Developed by Adobe. 3.3. XPS (XML Paper Specification): Open specification for a page description language and a fixed-document format originally developed by Microsoft as XML Paper Specification (XPS) that was later standardized by Ecma International 4. Roll of Printer Driver * To translate a drawing order of OS into a PDL, which is understood by a printer. * To show options and enable users to use various printing functions.

5. Printing Sequence 5.1 Initialize The application, through GDI, sends a device context request to the OS, which, through DDI, sends an enable driver message to the printer driver. The printer driver sends back a function list. Now, the OS sends a request for enabling PDEV. Subsequently, information is sent back. The OS sends back a device context to the application. After receiving it, the application sends a request for the device capabilities, which is met by the OS. 5.2. Start Printing The application sends a request to start the document to the OS. The OS sends an enable surface request to the driver, which returns a handle of the surface to the OS. Then, the OS requests for the Doc to start. The application sends a request to start the page, which is subsequently conveyed to the driver. 5.3 Printing The application sends an array of messages to the OS to create a brush, to select object, etc which are subsequently sent to the driver. All the rendering requests are done in this section. 5.4. End Printing An end page and an end doc request is sent to the OS by the application. At the end, the deice context is also requested to be deleted. 6. Print Setting 6.1 DEVMODE The DEVMODE data structure contains information about the device initialization and environment of a printer. 6.2 DeviceCapabilities The Device Capabilities function retrieves the capabilities of a printer driver. 6.3 PJL (Printer Job Language) It is different from PDL. It allows job-level control. It sends the values of device function to device. 7. Printer Drivers UI The UI helps to change the settings of both the document and the device.

8. FUM2 Driver Features *Common Driver Core *Standard operation across multiple OSes, languages and models. *Supported PDLs: PS, PCL, XPS 9. Ini Files *Familiar for developers. *Easy to edit and save. Ideal for customization and localization. *Windows standard. * Six types of ini files on FUM2 driver 9.1 Basic.ini: Defines basic information of printer driver. It enables/disables features of the driver ad specifying feature types. 9.2 UIsetup.ini: It defines customization items for UI settings-default values, re-ordering, etc. It cannot customize features that are not defined in UIsetup.ini 9.3 Localise.ini: It defines UI wordings and messages. With its help, we can replace UI wordings, replace message strings, and set short-cut keys. 9.4 Cst.ini: It defines prohibitions. It grays out items when prohibition conditions are met. It displays hint information. It adds prohibition icons to prohibited items and things like such. 9.5 Command.ini: It defines output of PJL and other commands. 9.6 Version.ini: It specifies driver representative version. It displays each ini file version as a KPD version. 10. Procedure for Customisation of FUM2 Driver *Edit ini files by text editor. *Convert the new customized ini files to KPD files i.e. text to binary using iniToKPD2.exe. *Replace the KPD files into the driver.

RICOH UI

1.In RICOHs UI, any new set of settings can be registered and it appears as an icon in the list. In Konica Minolta UI such a feature was not observed by me. 2. In its [Detailed Settings], there is [Print Quality] options which have the following features 2.1 Resolutions Specify the print resolution. Measured in dots per inch (dpi), higher resolutions produce graphic images that are sharper and show finer detail, while lower resolutions result in faster printing but less detail. Available resolutions differ depending on the printer you are using. 2.2 Gradation Select a level of gradation that meets your requirement. Fast: Reduced quality (1 bit per pixel) gradation, but fast. Standard: Standard quality (2 bits per pixel) gradation. Fine: High quality (4 bits per pixel) gradation, but slow. 2.3 Dithering Specify the type of dithering to use when printing graphics. Auto: Automatically configures the best dithering method depending on the appearance of the document to print.

Photographic: Performs dithering using a pattern appropriate for photographs. Text: Performs dithering using a pattern appropriate for text. User Setting: Select this when you print images set in half tone in your application. 2.4 Image Smoothing Select an image smoothing setting. Image smoothing is a function for printing jagged curves in images smoothly.

HP UI

Here, on selecting N pages per sheet, we get the option of printing the page borders of the multiple pages to be printed on a sheet. Also, there is an option to order the page according to your choice. A drop down list appears, listing the options available. Correspondingly, on the right hand side, we are able to see a visual display of the same, with the appropriate numbering done.

The HP UI has a services tab, which provides facilities for support and troubleshooting when you are confronted with a problem. It provides online diagnostic tools and product manuals. You can also check for regular driver updates and order supplies.

Cannon UI

Fig1 Apart from adding your own Watermarks, you are also able to change attributes like text, font, size, color. You are also able to align and tilt the watermark according to your specification. You can also add a border and define the position of the watermark.

You can select different types of paper for the first, last and other pages of the document to be printed.

Here the above setting helps to print data in which the page size and orientation settings differ from page to page. It enables you to select different combination of paper sizes.