Printer Driver Resource Toolkit

Real time printer driver hook

In some situations it is required to change printer settings like the file format, the output directory, the name of the generated image file, etc., based on the document that is currently printed. i.e. if the name of the document contains the word “Invoice" then we could generate a TIFF file in the c:\Invoice directory. If the name of the document contains “Report" we could save the generated image in JPEG format into the C:\Report directory.

To provide an simple, automated solution for this problem, Black Ice added a mechanism to the Windows NT/ Windows 2000/Windows XP printer drivers that lets developers create applications that monitor the printing process and modify the printer parameters depending on the document that is currently printed. The mechanism allows an application to change printer settings "on the fly" even page to page while the document is being printed and this way providing enormous control over the printing process.

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