Print Server Service

Remote print jobs are intercepted by a print server service before passing to the server spooler. Different services are provided for different clients. A Microsoft® MS-DOS® client running Microsoft Client for Networks, for instance, cannot use the same service as a UNIX client.

The service determines whether the spooler alters the document and how to alter it, and assigns the corresponding data type value to the job. Alternatively, the service can omit the data type and let the print processor component of the spooler apply the default value. Each service supplied with Windows 2000 uses different logic to determine how the document prints. The print server service assigns the RAW (ready to print) data type to all print jobs from clients that are not running Windows 2000 or Windows NT. Print server services, such as Print Services for Unix and Print Server for Macintosh, can also assign the RAW data type to incoming jobs, based on information from the client about the type of printer.

Note

This component is used only if the print client has added the printer as a local printer and redirected to a network printer. If the print client has connected to the printer, the job goes directly to the spooler.

The default print server service for Windows 2000 is Windows 2000 Server Service, or Srv.sys. The service receives jobs from print clients that use SMB redirectors. Srv.sys does not set the data type. For more information about the data types used with Windows clients, see "Print Processor" later in this chapter.

Other print server services available with Windows 2000 are listed in Table 4.1.

Table   4.1 Special Print Server Services