打印机驱动程序 英语

A printer driver (or a print processor) is a piece of software on a computer that converts the data to be printed to the form specific to a printer. The purpose of printer drivers is to allow applications to do printing without knowing the technical details of each printer model.

Printer drivers are typically used to convert the data that is produced by an application into something that the printer can understand. Data that the printer can understand could be in the form of a page description language like PS or PCL or might be a raw bitmap sent to the printer.

Printer drivers vary in complexity. Some printers come with their own basic drivers, while more sophisticated drivers allow more control of the printer and use of advanced features. For example, a driver might allow changing the paper size, changing the resolution of the output, adding text or graphics to the output, and even changing the font of the printed text.

In general, printer drivers must be installed on the specific computer that the printer is attached to. This ensures that the driver is appropriate for the printer, as well as for the operating system and application. The installation process varies depending on the driver, printer, and operating system. Usually, the driver installation is simple, requiring the user to only download the driver from the manufacturer’s website and run the installer.

After installation of the driver is complete, applications can begin using the printer. Applications generally have commands that allow a user to select the printer, paper size, resolution, and other options.

Printer drivers are important for the proper functioning of a printer. Without the driver, the operating system would not know how to communicate with the printer, so it would not be able to send data to the printer. As such, it is important to update printer drivers periodically to ensure that they are up to date and compatible with the latest operating systems and applications. Many printer manufacturers offer free driver updates that can be downloaded from their websites.