Drivers and Profiles

A driver is a software program that enables a computer to communicate with a printer so that application data such as Word, Edge, or Photoshop converts into a printable format. When you click Print, the driver uses control commands to feed data to the printer, which outputs the data in a readable format.

Drivers Overview

Because every printer manufacturer has unique drivers for specific printer models, bit types, and operating systems, updating printer drivers on every workstation is time-consuming and increasingly unsustainable as the number of printers and workstations grows. The Admin Console lets you upload and manage printer drivers from a single location. Upload drivers and create profiles on the Drivers/Profiles tab of the printer object or within the Driver/Profile Repository in the Tools menu.

Universal Drivers

Organizations frequently use several different printer models from one or more manufacturers. To simplify driver management, printer manufacturers provide "universal" or "global" drivers compatible with multiple models. Rather than uploading printer-specific drivers for each model in an environment, upload a single, compatible universal driver.

For example, install a universal printer driver that supports all printers of the LaserJet series, so if you have five different LaserJet models, uploading one universal driver that supports all the LaserJet printers simplifies driver management in the environment. If a printer is not compatible with a universal driver, upload the driver recommended by the manufacturer.

Operating systems with different bit types (32-bit vs 64-bit) require different universal drivers.

Printer Profiles

Printer profiles are pre-configured driver settings applied to the printer during the installation. Profiles are the color, black and white, duplex, etc., settings configured in the Printer Properties. PrinterLogic is compatible with the printer's core native profile options. Profile options may vary based on the driver assigned to the printer object in the Admin Console.

Because we don't lock down profiles after printer installation, end-users can manually adjust profile settings from the workstation if needed. Administrators have reprofiling options within the Admin Console to reapply profiles after each print job and during the client check-in. These options help keep printing uniform while allowing for adjustments.

For more information, see Add a Profile.

Unused Drivers

Annotation Strings

When you upload a driver, PrinterLogic uses the name of the printer model as the name for the driver but does not allow multiple drivers in the repository to have the same name. Each driver uploaded into the Admin Console will have a unique annotation string that displays with the driver. The annotation string appends to the driver name allowing for multiple versions to be stored.

The string is useful for organizational purposes and when testing different drivers. Use it to add the date uploaded or the driver version as examples. As long as the string is unique, you can fill it in with whatever information best suits your environment.

Driver Cache

Printer driver files can be large. An end-user working in the home office with access to a fast network connection can quickly download a driver, but it may take longer for end-users who work in a remote office with limited bandwidth. Using caching, drivers can be locally stored so end-users can download the drivers/profiles quickly and not use up WAN bandwidth. Caching can be especially useful for organizations with a global workforce.

For more information, see Cache Drivers.