Printing Extensions
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Printing extensions are add-on software components that can be created to extend the printing capabilities of applications. Printing extensions are used for tasks such as supporting hardware additions, modifying the appearance of printed pages, and allowing the provision of these capabilities without having to write an entire printer driver. When you place a printing extension in the Extensions folder (which is in the System Folder), the extension is available for use.
Printer Drivers
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Printer drivers translate the instructions that compose QuickDraw GX shapes and pictures into printed output on a specific output device. Each printer driver sends data and instructions in a form specific to the device that it drives and manages the physical communications with the device. A separate driver must be developed for each hardware device that has different characteristics. Whenever a desktop printer is created, the Macintosh system software loads and uses the driver for that printer.
QuickDraw GX printing extensions and printer drivers are largely data-driven and take advantage of the QuickDraw GX message-based printing architecture.
Article Change History:
14 Feb 1995 - Reviewed for technical accuracy.
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