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1. Introduction

1.0. Purpose

Describe the Dai Nippon Printing DS40 and DS80 printer driver components and functionality.

1.1. Background Information

The printer driver is based on CUPS (Common Unix Printing System). CUPS is standardsbased, open source printing system developed by Apple Inc. for Mac OS X and other

UNIX-like operating systems.

1.2. Audience

Quality Assurance

Customer Support

Developers

1.3. Related Documents

This functional specification describes all printer driver features. Additional information on installation, usage and basic troubleshooting is provided in a Read Me file distributed with the driver installation package.

1.4. Requirements

The DNP DS40 and DS80 printer driver should provide printing functionality similar to the capabilities of the Microsoft Windows printer driver.

The following OS versions and processor architectures should be supported:

For Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger) all executable modules should be 32-bit Universal binaries and support:

- PPC 32-bit processor architecture

- Intel 32-bit processor architecture (i386)

For Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) all executable modules except the printer dialog extension

(PDE) should be 32/64-bit Universal binaries and support:

- PPC 32-bit processor architecture

- Intel 32-bit processor architecture (i386)

- PPC 64-bit processor architecture

- Intel 64-bit processor architecture (x86_64)

64 bit PDEs are not supported in Leopard and the PDE should support 32 bit i386/PPC.

For Mac OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard) all executable modules and the printer dialog extension

(PDE) should be 32/64-bit Universal binaries and support:

- Intel 32-bit processor architecture (i386)

- Intel 64-bit processor architecture (x86_64)

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2. Detailed Specification

The term "printer driver" used here refers to a set of executable and non-executable components designed to provide the user interface, data processing and device communication for printing on Dai Nippon Printing DS40 and DS80 dye sublimation printers. These components are:

- Printer description file (PPD).

- CUPS filter.

- Printer Driver Extension (PDE) - Mac OS 10.5 Leopard and 10.6 Snow Leopard only.

- A tool for reporting the remaining print count to the user.

- Kernel extension for DNP printer matching - Mac OS 10.4 Tiger only.

- DNP printer class plugin - Mac OS 10.4 Tiger only.

- Installer package.

- Additional resources.

These components are described in detail below.

2.1. Printer description file (PPD).

The printer description file is a required component by the Mac OS printing system.

Historically, PPD files were used for printers supporting Adobe PostScript only and the abbreviation stayed for "PostScript Printer Description". The PPD file contains all the information required for:

- device matching, i.e the data needed to identify a connected device as a DS40 or DS80 printer.

- Paper size internal names and user-visible names. The supported paper sizes are (uservisible names listed):

For DS40 printer:

- 5x3.5

- 5x7

- 6x4

- (6x4) * 2

- 6x8

- 6x9

For DS80 printer:

- 5x3.5

- 5x7

- 6x4

- (6x4) * 2

- 6x8

- 6x9

- 8x10

- 8x12

- 8x4

- (8x4) * 2

- (8x4) * 3

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- 8x5

- (8x5) *2

- (8x5)+(8x4)

- 8x6

- (8x6) *2

- (8x6)+(8x4)

- (8x6)+(8x5)

- 8x8

- (8x8)+(8x4)

- A4_Length

- Custom printer controls. These are:

- Matte or Glossy print mode.

- resolution option: 300x300 dpi or 300x600 dpi

- Sharpness, 6 levels (0 - 5 inclusive)

- Gamma, 11 levels (-5 - +5 inclusive)

- Contrast, 11 levels (-5 - +5 inclusive)

- Brightness, 11 levels (-5 - +5 inclusive)

- Saturation, 11 levels (-5 - +5 inclusive)

- RGB color correction options.

- Color capabilities description.

- DS 40 supports ColorSync color matching only

- DS 80 supports ColorSync and Vendor color matching

- Paths to additional resources:

- Printer icon,

- CUPS filter to be used for specific MIME data types

- Path to the Printer Driver Extension (PDE) - Mac OS 10.5 Leopard only.

- low ink tool (in our case, the tool for reporting the remaining print count)

- ICC profiles to be used for color conversions

Because some of the components are different for Mac OS 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6, different versions of the PPD files are installed using a single installer package.

The PPD integrity and correctness is validated with a command-line validation tool by developers and by observing the Page Setup and DNP Printer Settings by the QA.

2.2. CUPS filter.

The CUPS filter is the central component of the printer driver. It processes the input data stream and generates the data in the format described by the DS printer command specification. It communicates with the printer via the CUPS back-end (Mac OS 10.5) or

DNP printer class plugin (Mac OS 10.4), sends the required commands depending on the user input and sends the data for printing. It also sends the required page log information as well as status and error logs.

The CUPS filter applies the user-selected custom printer controls, if any.

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The CUPS filter is responsible for controlling the multi-cut printing. When a multi-cut size is selected, the filter should group the pages to fit the requested multi-cut layout. If there are any pages or copies left, the best size to complete the printing should be selected. For example, if (8x4) * 3 was selected and there are 2 copies left, they should be printed using

(8x4) * 2 paper size, if one copy is left, 8x4 paper size should be used.

The cups filter takes as an input a file (e.g. when used from command line or by a shell script) or data stream. The data should be described by one of the following MIME types:

- application/vnd.apple-pdf

- application/octet-stream

The first type is used when printing from Mac OS application. The second - when printing from Microsoft Windows client to Mac OS shared printer. If the data is passed by the application in a different format, the CUPS automatically converts it to application/ vnd.apple-pdf. A wide variety of input data is supported, including PostScript, PDF, text only, various image formats. All selected special features (scaling, layout options etc.) are also applied by the CUPS system before the data is converted to application/vnd.apple-pdf.

The values for the custom printer controls (resolution, sharpness, gamma, contrast , brightness and saturation) are passed by the operating system to the CUPS filter as arguments. If the default value is used the respective argument may be skipped.

For Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger) the CUPS filter is provided as a two-way Universal binary supporting:

- PPC 32-bit processor architecture

- Intel 32-bit processor architecture (i386)

For Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) and Mac OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard) the CUPS filter is provided as a two-way Universal binary supporting:

- PPC 32-bit processor architecture

- Intel 32-bit processor architecture (i386)

- PPC 64-bit processor architecture

- Intel 64-bit processor architecture (x86_64)

Note that 64-bit versions are not used by 10.5 (Leopard) but are provided per Apple recommendation.

Two versions of the CUPS filter are produced and installed as needed:

- for Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger)

- for Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) and Mac OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard).

The validation is provided by debug builds, using available debug tools and log mechanisms by the developers and by printing test prints by the QA. Since some of the user selection in the UI is passed as arguments to the CUPS filter and the output is generated based on these parameters, the following scenarios should be tested as a minimum:

- Printing one copy of a single page

- Printing multiple copies of a single page

- Printing multiple copies of 2 or more pages, collated

- Printing multiple copies of 2 or more pages, non-collated

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The test should be made by printing directly from Mac OS, by printing from Mac OS X client to a Mac OS shared printer and from a Microsoft Windows client to a Mac OS shared printer.

To test the proper handling of the printer resources a number of consecutive print jobs should be executed.

2.3. Printer Driver Extension (PDE) - Mac OS 10.5 and 10.6 only.

The Mac OS printing system automatically extracts the available custom printer controls from the PPD file (see 2.1 above) and displays them under the DNP Printer Settings section in one of the pop-up menus in the print dialog. The settings are represented in a text form, as defined in the PPD, with the available options selectable from a pop-up menu. To improve the user experience the printer dialog extension presents the appropriate custom printer controls as sliders. Also, it tries to apply the user selection to the page preview thumbnail.

Note: Because the applications may overwrite the standard page thumbnail preview or hide it altogether, the settings are not guaranteed to be applied to the page thumbnail for all applications.

The look of the PDE-provided controls are shown on Pict. 1 and Pict. 2.

Pict. 1. The custom Printer Driver Extension view is shown at the bottom left of the Print dialog under the “DNP Printer Settings” section.

The Printer dialog extension is installed on Mac OS 10.5 and 10.6 only.

The Printer dialog extension should be validated by comparing the selected values with the ones listed in the Summary view of the Print dialog and by test prints.

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Pict. 2. The RGB color correction settings in the Printer Driver Extension.

2.4. A tool for reporting the remaining print count to the user.

This tool, if referenced from the PPD file (see 2.1 above), is invoked automatically when the print dialog is opened, when the user presses the Supply levels button in the Print Queue toolbar or the Supply levels tab in the Options and supplies window (see Pict. 3 - Pict. 6).

Pict. 3. Remaining print count as shown in the Supply Levels menu in the Print dialog.

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Pict. 4. The Print & Fax Preferences pane with Open Print Queue and Options & Supplies buttons.

Pict. 5. Remaining print count when Supply Levels is selected from the print queue toolbar.

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Pict. 6. Remaining print count when Options & Supplies button is pressed from the Print & Fax

Preferences pane.

Since the number reported by the printer and the actual number differ, the following table should be used to convert between the number reported by the printer and the actual number

(the maximal number for each media is provided, e.g. the number when new ribbon is inserted):

Media code

200

210

300

310

400

500

Number reported by the printer

500

280

450

230

230

160

Actual number

400

230

400

180

180

110

510 160 110

Table. 1. The total number of prints returned by the printer vs. the actual number reported by the driver for the available media codes.

Mac OS 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6 require different versions of the tool to be installed.

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2.5. Kernel extension for DNP printer matching - Mac OS 10.4 Tiger only.

A codeless kernel extension is provided for Mac OS 10.4. The purpose of the extension is to redirect all the communication to a custom DNP printer class plugin when a DNP printer is plugged in (see section 2.6). This is necessary because Mac OS 10.4 printing system does not provide a channel for getting a printer response after sending a command.

Installing a kernel extension requires a system reboot to take effect. This is ensured by the

Installer package (see 2.7 below).

If the kernel extension is not installed properly or does not function properly, no printing can take place. Because DS40 and DS80 are matched as different printer models, the proper functioning of the extension should be ensured by making test prints on both models.

2.6. DNP printer class plugin - Mac OS 10.4 Tiger only.

The DNP printer class plugin overwrites the default USB printer class plugin provided by the system. It acceps printer commands or printer data as an input and returns the printer response to the calling client. The client is either the CUPS filter (see 2.2. above) or the the remaining print count tool (see 2.4. above).

If the DNP printer class plugin is not installed properly or does not function properly, no printing can tae place.

2.7. Installer package.

The installer package is a special Mac OS X bundle processed by Apple's Installer application. The installer provides:

- Preflight of the host operating system version. The Installer should report an error and perform no action if the host operating system version is not supported. This includes versions prior to Mac OS 10.4 Tiger (estimated less than 0.5% of the installed base) and future versions (post 10.6 OS releases).

- Present the End User License agreement to the user and request acceptance by the user. If the user does not accept the conditions of the End User License agreement the Installer should perform no action and quit.

- Present a Read Me file to the user. To encourage the user to read the file, a short version of the Read Me is presented by the installer. The full version is provided on the install disk.

- Install all the required components (2.1 - 2.6 and 2.8) at their target locations.

- Prompt the user to restart the computer (Mac OS 10.4 Tiger only).

2.8. Additional resources.

These includes all resources required by 2.1 - 2.7 above:

- The printer icon file.

- The Read Me file.

- The End User License agreement file.

- ICC profiles for the DS40 and DS80 printers

- XML file used by the CUPS filter and the remaining print count tool for determining the remaining print count, media codes and print size validation.

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2.9. Support for standard Mac OS printer driver features.

The driver should support the standard Mac OS Printer driver features such as Save settings, load Settings, Color Matching support.