打印机的数字驱动

A printer driver is a piece of software that enables communication between a printer and a computer. Once installed, the printer driver allows applications to print to the printer without any prior knowledge of the printer’s details.

Printer drivers may be classified according to their primary purpose, such as printing documents, images or photos. Generally, printer drivers can be categorised into three types—text-based, postscript-based and raster-based. Text-based drivers are the simplest type, and are designed to print text-based documents. Postscript-based drivers allow more complex graphics and larger documents to print, and are used for purposes such as desktop publishing. Raster-based drivers are the most common type, and are used for both text and image printing. Raster-based drivers are also the most complex type, as they require a lot of processing power to create the image data for the printer.

In addition to their primary purpose, printer drivers are also classified according to how they communicate with the printer. Most modern printers use what is called a Universal Printer Driver (UPD), which is a common standard across different printer brands and models. UPD drivers are used to allow the same driver to be used on multiple different printers, thus simplifying installation and setup. There are also printer drivers that are specific to only one manufacturer or model, and these are often referred to as OEM (original equipment manufacturer) drivers.

Finally, some high-end printers have what are known as digital printer drivers. These drivers are designed to process high-resolution images, and they require the printer to have dedicated hardware to support it. Digital printer drivers are able to produce greater detail in prints than their raster-based counterparts, and they can also create a smoother overall print.