How Windows NT LPD Server Implements LPR Control Characters

 Last reviewed: July 23, 1997
Article ID: Q124735

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

SUMMARY

The Windows NT LPD Server is based on RFC1179, which defines the standard for TCP/IP Printing using Berkeley Style Daemons (BSD). However, the Windows NT LPD Server does not implement all incoming control characters because of overlapping functionality which already is present in Windows NT or because the control character is Unix-specific.

MORE INFORMATION

The following format control characters as specified in RFC1179 are implemented by Windows NT's LPD Server: 

   f - Print formatted file

   l - Print file leaving control characters
Other LPR format control characters, such as 'o' for format file as PostScript, can be emulated in Windows NT by setting the print queue's Datatype to TEXT and using the proper printer driver. When the TEXT Datatype is selected for a print queue, any incoming jobs are formatted using the driver that is set up for the queue.

To emulate LPR jobs that send the 'o' control character, the print queue should be set up to use the proper PostScript driver and the Datatype should be set to TEXT. Then, any incoming jobs (regardless of source) will be formatted using the PostScript driver. Thus, the 'o' control character does not need to be implemented by LPD, as the Datatype already provides this functionality.

Also, because the TEXT Datatype can use any Windows NT printer driver, more functionality is provided than the control characters defined in RFC1179, as there are several types of printers supported by Windows NT whose formats are not specified in RFC1179.

Other LPR control characters, such as L for print banner page, can be emulated in Windows NT by using the proper set up. To print a banner page, set up the Windows NT Separator Page for the queue.

Some LPR control characters are Unix-specific, such as S for symbolic link data, thus they cannot be emulated in Windows NT.

For additional information on RFC1179, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q124734
   TITLE:      Text of RFC1179 Standard for Windows NT TCP/IP Printing

Additional query words: 3.50 3.51 4.00
Keywords : kbprint ntprint NTSrvWkst
Version : 3.5 3.51 4.0
Platform : WinNT

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Last reviewed: July 23, 1997
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