Specifications

PostScript-only printers must receive PostScript commands to print. A simple printer test that does work with PostScript print-
ers is part of the venerable Microsoft MSD utility shipped with MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 and found on the Windows
95 CD-ROM. A dual-mode printer with both PostScript and PCL modes will use the PCL mode for this print test if PCL is the
default mode.
DOS Drivers
Many DOS programs use no printer drivers, relying instead on the capabilities of the printer and the
ASCII characters that represent control codes (such as carriage return and line feed). Larger applica-
tions, however, such as word processors and spreadsheets, typically do include drivers for specific
printers. Normally, the driver selection is part of the program’s installation process.
Only a few DOS applications provide driver support for a large selection of printers. WordPerfect, for
example, traditionally took pride in its comprehensive printer support, but most applications tend to
include a few generic drivers that enable you to specify your printer only in the most general sense.
There have been virtually no new MS-DOS programs in several years, meaning that you will probably
have a difficult time finding support for a new-model printer even in a product such as WordPerfect.
If you have a laser printer that is not specified in the applications list of drivers, you should be able to
use a driver supporting the same version of the page description language your printer uses. A LaserJet
III driver, for example, will function with any of the LaserJet III variants—such as the IIId and the
IIIsi—because they all use PCL 5. The same driver also should work with the LaserJet 4 and 5 lines if
necessary because the versions of PCL these printers use are backward-compatible with PCL 5.
These more generic drivers might not support all your printer’s paper trays and the other features that
distinguish the various models. For example, you will not be able to print at 600dpi on your LaserJet
5 printer with a PCL 5 (not PCL 5e) driver. However, you should be able to expect reasonably good
results with this type of driver support.
If you have an inkjet printer, you might need to use it in an emulation mode, treating it as a very
quiet dot-matrix printer. Check the emulations recommended by the vendor of your printer.
Caution
DOS printing support, once a given except for PostScript-only printers, is becoming a missing feature, especially with low-
cost laser and inkjet printers. Some models offer printing from within a “DOS box” under Windows, but this is of no help
if you need to print BIOS setup screens or need to print from a DOS program without Windows in the background. The
lack of DOS support in new printers is a good reason to keep older inkjet or dot-matrix printers that use a true PDL or
escape-code sequence programming around for utility jobs.
Windows Drivers
Printer drivers in Windows differ from those in DOS in two ways:
■ The printer drivers are part of the operating system, so a Windows printer driver supports every
Windows application.
■ You can get printer drivers for your specific model from the printer manufacturer rather than
waiting on an application software developer.
Windows 3.1, Windows 9x/Me, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 might use different drivers to sup-
port the same printer, and the interface you use to add printer support might be different in each
operating system, but the process of installing a driver is fundamentally the same: