A printer spooler is a small application that manages the paper printing tasks sent out from a computer to a printer or print server, reports Techopedia. It makes it possible for saving multiple print tasks within a print queue or a buffer where it’s retrieved by the printer or print server.
Printers have a limited quantity of memory, frequently times much smaller than the size of a document that you are wishing to print. Printer spooling permits you to send out large documents, or multiple files, to a printer and not need to wait for it to end up printing prior to advancing to your next job.
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When It’s Happen
Printer spooling occurs on the computer that is connected to the printer or on the network server that manages printing. Print tasks are sent to the spooler program and the program then sends those documents one at a time to the printer in the order they were gotten. While files are waiting in line to be printed, you can continue to deal with your computer due to the fact that all of the print functions are being handled in the background by the spooler.
How Does Print Spooling Work?
The Spooler is a special process that handles access to printers by multiple users. For the majority of users, the function of the Spooler is transparent. They generate a task for a printer and go to the printer to get the output. The Spooler allows users to continue working without awaiting a print job to finish printing.
This section introduces how the Spooler works and the commands utilized to modify its operation. The main focus is on the Spooler-related jobs that can be carried out from user accounts, such as changing the default printer assignment, cancelling a job, and capturing output in Spooler hold files.
The Spooler has two roles:
- It spools print jobs by directing the output from a user’s process to a print file. It develops an entry in the print queue for the job.
- It despools print tasks by clearing the print line, one job at a time per printer, as the appointed printer appears.
Operational Spooler parameters include the following:
- Approximately 600 print files can be maintained on the queue.
- 60 files can be generated all at once per user process.
- As much as 1500 kind lines can be appointed across the system.
- 125 copies can be generated by a single print demand.
- Up to 1000 printers are supported.
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Benefits of Spooling
The advantages of printer spooling go beyond simply permitting you to multi-task. While documents are lined up in the printer spool they can be stopped briefly, canceled or appointed a greater or lower place in line. If you send out a big document to the printer by mishap, you can cancel the printing by means of the spooler interface without having to reboot the printer or waste a great deal of paper.
Print Spooler Setting Up
A print spooler can be set up directly on your computer for use in your home. Many operating systems feature print spooling developed in so most users never have to worry about it. In a large workplace, a print server is frequently utilized, which gets all print jobs and appoints them to the printers around the structure as required and manages all of the spooling, maximizing resources on the employees’ own computers.
Sources: https://www.techwalla.com/articles/what-does-spooling-mean-in-printers, https://www3.rocketsoftware.com/rocketd3/support/documentation/mvb/33/refman/operations/understanding_the_print_spooler.htm
