Printer driver customization using incremental custom print processor

A custom print processor dynamic-link library located on a computer readable medium, the custom print processor dynamic-link library comprising:

• a set of external-referenced custom print processor subroutines that conform to the calling syntax of a set of external-referenced default print processor subroutines in a default print processor dynamic-link library, each custom print processor subroutine in the set including a call to a corresponding default print processor subroutine entry point, at least one of the custom print processor subroutines further comprising a custom action to be performed prior to calling the corresponding default print processor subroutine;
• and
• an initialization subroutine that loads the default print processor dynamic-link library and retrieves the default print processor subroutine entry points, the initialization subroutine providing a set of print processor subroutines entry points to a calling process;
• wherein the set of external-referenced custom print processor subroutines comprises one custom print processor subroutine entry point for each default print processor subroutine entry point.

A custom print processor dynamic-link library located on a computer readable medium, the custom print processor dynamic-link library comprising:

• a set of external-referenced custom print processor subroutines that conform to the calling syntax of a set of external-referenced default print processor subroutines in a default print processor dynamic-link library, each custom print processor subroutine in the set including a call to a corresponding default print processor subroutine entry point, at least one of the custom print processor subroutines further comprising a custom action to be performed prior to calling the corresponding default print processor subroutine;
• and
• an initialization subroutine that loads the default print processor dynamic-link library and retrieves the default print processor subroutine entry points, the initialization subroutine providing a set of print processor subroutines entry points to a calling process;
• wherein the set of external-referenced custom print processor subroutines includes one subroutine entry point for a subset of the default print processor subroutine entry points, the entry points supplied to a calling process by the initialization subroutine including default print processor subroutine entry points for those entry points not having a corresponding custom print processor subroutine entry point.

A method of installing a PostScript printer on a computer operating system, the method comprising:

• installing a PostScript Printer Definition (PPD) to define standard print routines and standard operating attributes for the PostScript printer;
• comparing the PPD to a feature set of the PostScript printer to identify custom print features that the PostScript printer is configured to perform but which are not supported by the PPD;
• installing a custom print processor that defines and implements the identified custom printer features not supported by the generic PostScript printer driver, the custom print processor dynamically linking to a default print processor to perform print processing other than the identified custom printer features;
• and
• configuring the operating system to call the custom print processor instead of the default print processor for print jobs spooled for the printer;
• when a user requests a custom print job, wherein the installed PostScript printer and the operating system are configured to print a user requested print job using the custom print processor responsive to the user request.

An apparatus comprising a computer-readable medium containing instructions and definitions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

• identify a printer definition file listing a plurality of generic printer functions operable by a first printer type;
• identify at least one non-generic printing function operable by the first printer type, the non-generic printing function being different than all the generic printing functions included in the printer definition file;
• configure a print spooler to pass a print job for the first printer type to a custom print processor;
• configure the custom print processor to modify spooler argument data received from the printer spooler to process the at least one non-generic printing function when a custom print action is requested over an input;
• configure the custom print processor to send the modified spooler argument data to a system print processor for processing at least one of the generic printing functions;
• configure the custom print processor to pass-through the spooler argument data received from the printer spooler without modification when the custom print action is not requested;
• configure the system print processor to process at least one of the generic printing functions in response to receiving the modified spooler argument data or the unmodified spooler argument data from the custom print processor.

A method, comprising:

• identifying a printer description file listing a generic printer arguments for a printer type and attributes for the default printer type;
• identifying at least one non-generic printing argument operable with the printer type, the at least one non-generic printing argument providing a non-generic printing function for the printer type, the non-generic printing function being independent from all the generic printing functions provided by the generic printing arguments included in the printer description file;
• configuring a print spooler to pass a print job for the printer type to a custom print processor;
• and
• configuring the custom print processor to accept the print job from the print spooler, process the at least one non-generic printing argument, and pass the print job to a system print processor for processing at least one of the generic printing arguments;
• wherein the print spooler is configured to process a user requested print job using the custom print processor responsive to a user request that identifies at least one of the non-generic printing arguments.