Setting device-specific properties

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Setting device-specific properties

Device-specific properties describe the physical configuration of a printer, such as how much memory it has, which paper trays are loaded, and so on. When you add a new printer, make sure the device-specific properties match the settings of the printer. Although default settings work for many printing needs, some special options, such as those available with PostScript printer drivers, require specific settings.

Setting installable options

As an administrator, you have the ability to specify which options are actually installed on the printer. Many printers today support options such as duplex units (to allow printing on both sides of a paper), internal hard disks, envelope feeders, staplers, multi-bin mailbox trays, and others.

To set the options available to users, see Set installable options for a printer.

Setting printer memory

Because page printers must store an entire page in memory, they require relatively large amounts of memory. If you are using a page printer, such as a laser printer, make sure that the amount of memory available in the device matches the value shown in the Device Settings tab. If the printer has substantially more or less memory than what is shown in the Device Settings tab, print throughput can suffer. For example, your operating system might try to download more fonts to the printer than it can reasonably handle. (Running a printer self-test usually tells you how much RAM the printer contains.)

To change the amount of memory specified for a printer, see Set printer memory.

Assigning forms to paper trays

If a printer has multiple trays that hold different types of forms, you can assign a form to a specific paper tray. Users can then select the form from within the program that they are using. When they print a document, the print job is routed to the correct paper tray.

Windows-based programs can use different forms within a document. For example, a user might use Envelope for the first page, Letterhead for the second page, and Letter for the third and following pages.

The default form setting for a paper tray is Letter. To set forms to trays, see Match a form to a printer tray.

Choosing font types

Products in the Windows ServerĀ 2003 family support three types of fonts:

  • Device fonts actually reside in the hardware of your printer. They can be built into the printer itself or can be provided by a font cartridge or font card.

  • Screen fonts are fonts (including OpenType, TrueType, raster, and vector fonts) that can be translated for output to the printer. OpenType extends the TrueType font standard but is compatible with previous versions of Windows and any application that supports TrueType fonts.

  • Downloadable or soft fonts are sets of characters stored on disk and sent to a printer's memory when needed for printing a document. Clients that use downloadable fonts and that print to computers running Windows ServerĀ 2003 family operating systems should install the fonts locally.

Required screen and downloadable fonts are sent to the printer for each document. To improve printing times, use device fonts, which are already present at the printer.

Not all printers can use all three types of printer fonts. Pen plotters, for example, usually cannot use downloadable or print raster screen fonts.