SAMPLE: Using a Device Driver to Send Binary Data to a Printer

 Last reviewed: January 15, 1998
Article ID: Q35708

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows versions 3.0, 3.1

SUMMARY

In the Microsoft Windows environment, device ports are a scarce resource that are shared by all applications running in the system. If an application is designed to send raw, unformatted data to a device port, it should use the Windows Print Spooler to ensure that two or more applications do not use the port at once.

MORE INFORMATION

The best method to implement this functionality is by means of a device driver through which an application can pass data to the port without change. Raw.exe is a file in the Microsoft Software Library that contains the source code to a device driver that implements the PASSTHROUGH escape function. The RAW printer driver is intended as a sample driver and has not been designed to be distributed as part of a commercial application.

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Software Library: 

 ~ Raw.exe (size: 40717 bytes)
For more information about downloading files from the Microsoft Software Library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services
Earlier versions of the RAW driver were incompatible with Adobe Type Manager (ATM) because ATM requires a printer driver to return a nonzero value when the driver processes the RealizeObject function. The current version of RAW has been updated to be compatible with ATM.

Additional query words: print log softlib RAW.EXE
Keywords : GdiPrn
Version : WIN3.X:3.0,3.1;
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbfile
Solution Type : kbsample

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: January 15, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.