Custom Printer Driver
in [Device Drivers]
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From: andreas.baus on 19 Oct 2005 11:06 Hi. I'm trying to create a custom printer driver which is supposed to intercept the printer output and write it to a file (for example as PostScript or maybe as individual image filed) instead of sending it to an actual printer (it's supposed to do some more processing on the resulting files, so a simple "print to file" won't be enough, I'm afraid). I have the DDK installed, and I've looked at the documentation and the provided samples, but ... well, I admit I'm not sure I've fully understood where to begin. I suppose what I need to do to accomplish my goal is to create a Rendering Plugin DLL for the default Microsoft Printer Driver which provides a COM class implementing the IPrintOemPS2 interface, and then in my IPrintOemPS2::WritePrinter function write the code which saves the data sent to the printer in a file... (correct me if I am wrong). Sounds easy enough, but I still wonder if there's not some more examples or documents out there (besides those in the DDK) that would illustrate the basic steps necessary for doing this in a bit more detail. I'd be grateful for any hints or pointers in the right direction.
From: Kerry Krieske on 19 Oct 2005 12:40 You should look at the Genprint sample in the DDK. It is a print processor which can be modified to extract the emf data from the spool file.
From: andreas.baus on 20 Oct 2005 04:33 Hm, I don't think that does what I want. The point is that the user should be able to decide what happens to his print job by selecting either a real printer or my "virtual" one (once it has been properly set up) from the list of available printer drivers. If I understand the GenPrint example correctly, the dll created this way needs to be hooked into the spooler by some external executable which the user would have to run everytime he wants to activate this behaviour (or to deactivate if he wants to print normally again). Although this seems to be an easier method to implement, I believe the driver method would be more transparent to the user...
From: Kerry Krieske on 20 Oct 2005 12:35 Here is an FAQ about what a print processor can do with a dummy print driver... http://www.mabuse.de/faq.mhtml
From: Radu Cosoveanu on 20 Oct 2005 18:16 >From what I undestood, there are two problems: 1. GenPrint is a print processor. That means if you will print on a shared printer you will receive the data and will process data on the computer that share that printer. If I am mistaking, please correct me. 2. If you want to modify the emf file (spl file that have a collection of emf files on Windows XP by example), the emf format is Microsoft propretary and it si undocummented. I saw an example on the net with source code in VB.net. It is good and working on XP. Microsoft can change when they want the format of the file and your driver will not be reliable. If you want to use the genprint sample, it will be complicated for you if you have no idea about that. Take and read from codeproject. There is a project sample for genprint named separatorpp made by a good guy. Thanks again to him. I suggest to you to write a new driver. Do not take the genprint because of the problems related. Of course, you can use this print processor to any kind of printer. But this is not your target from what I undestand. Anyway, if you find a good ebook about device drivers, be generous with us. Radu Cosoveanu
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