Data Types

Every print job is assigned a data type, which indicates how a Windows NT print server should modify the job (if at all). The data types that Windows NT supports are summarized in the following table:

Table 6.2 The data types for print jobs

Data type

Assumptions

Print Processor's Action

RAW

The job is already fully rendered.

Don't alter the job at all.

RAW [FF Auto]

The job is simple text sent by an application that does not add a form feed to the end of its jobs.

Add a PCL command to produce a form feed at the end of the job.

RAW [FF Appended]

The job is simple text sent by an application that does not add a form feed to the end of its jobs.

Add a PCL command to produce a form feed at the end of the job, unless a simple check indicates a form feed is already there.

TEXT

The job is simple text. This data type is most useful with print devices that don't accept simple text as a valid print job, such as PostScript print devices, or plotters.

Use GDI and the Windows NT printer driver to create a print job that prints the original job's text on the target print device.

Journal (NT JNL 1.000)

A Windows NT-based application running locally on the print server sent this job, and the job is already halfway rendered into printer commands.

Use the graphics engine and the printer driver to finish rendering the job into printer commands.

PSCRIPT1

The job is PostScript code from a Macintosh client, targeted for a non-PostScript print device.

Interpret the PostScript code, creating a bitmap which GDI and the printer driver can convert into the target device's language.


Print clients set their jobs' data type to RAW, journal, or PSCRIPT1. If the job is RAW, then you can use the Default Data type option in Print Manager to use RAW [FF Auto], RAW [FF Appended], or TEXT. However, if the job is already marked journal or PSCRIPT1, the Default Data type setting is ignored.