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December 15, 1997

X Print Service Overview

X Print Service Overview

Release 6.4

X Version 11

The X Print Service architecture has been designed so that support for specific page description languages
and spooler subsystems is isolated to the X Print Server's DDX layer and a corresponding layer in the Print
Dialog Manager. Using this architecture support for new page description languages and spooler subsystems
can be added centrally, without reconfiguring applications.

Support information for specific types of printers and descriptions of the printer topology is typically stored
in centralized configuration files, which are maintained by the X Print Server. Using libXp, the configuration
information can be retrieved both by applications and by the Dt Print Dialog Manager.

The key areas of configuration and system administration are:

X Print Service Startup - Deciding whether a "per-user " or "global service" model of operation is
desired. In the per-user model, a separate X Print Server process with its own Print Dialog Manager
exists for each desktop. In the global service model, a centralized X Print server process services
multiple users in a workgroup. Typically, there may be one such centralized process per shared
printer.

X Print Server Startup - Configuration files to control which printers are available.

Attribute files - A collection of files that define the full range of capabilities of the printers accessed
by the X Print Servers (e.g. 150, 300 and 600dpi supported), and default values (e.g. use 300dpi).

Printer Model files - A collection of files typically supplied by a printer vendor to describe the capa-
bilities of specific printer models (e.g. Laserjet 4si). These files will generally not require reconfig-
uration, but may be useful to reference when configuring files that describe the actual physical
printers available (e.g. eliminate the duplex printing option because the printer's duplexer isn't
working).