V4 Printer Driver Localization

Windows 8 has provided standard, localized display strings to support the development of printer extensions and UWP device apps.

These standard, localized display strings are provided through the new IPrintSchemaCapabilities objects to support some features and their associated standard options. The following table shows the features that Windows 8 can localize with its standard display strings:

Feature Standard options
Input bins Job/Document/PageInputBin
Media types PageMediaType
Duplexing JobDuplexAllDocumentsContiguously
Collation DocumentCollate
Output color PageOutputColor
Orientation PageOrientation
N-Up JobNUpAllDocumentsContiguously
Hole punching

  • JobHolePunch

  • DocumentHolePunch
Stapling

  • JobStapleAllDocuments

  • DocumentStaple
Binding

  • JobBindAllDocuments

  • DocumentBinding
Output quality PageOutputQuality
Media size PageMediaSize

In addition, these strings are available in the XML forms of PrintCapabilities, provided that the driver does not specify a display name using a resource DLL for the feature or option. If a driver does specify a display name using a resource DLL, it will be provided in the XML, as well as to the legacy COMPSTUI-based print preferences UI used on previous versions of Windows.

Across the different user interfaces and APIs, the display names vary. Use the following three flowcharts to see an overview of the expected localization behavior for a given scenario.

The following flowchart shows the expected localization behavior in UWP apps, as well as in the IPrintSchemaFeature and IPrintSchemaOption families of objects.

localization behavior flowchart for Windows apps, iprintschemafeature or iprintschemaoption

The following flowchart shows the expected localization behavior in PrintCapabilities XML documents.

localization behavior flowchart for printcapabilities xml documents

The following flowchart shows the expected localization behavior in the standard, Compstui-based print preferences dialog.

localization behavior flowchart for compstui-based dialog

To use the Microsoft-localized display names, follow the instructions in this table to properly edit your GPD or PPD configuration files.

File type Instructions
GPD

  • Specify the Name entry for the GPD feature or option.

  • Do not specify the rcNameID entry.

  • For the following features/options, you must also specify PrintSchemaKeywordMap to map GPD features or options to the corresponding Print Schema-defined features or options, unless they are specified as Standard Features. To see examples showing how to use PrintSchemaKeywordMap to map features, see GPD/PPD-Based Feature Description Changes. o JobHolePunch, DocumentHolePunch o JobStapleAllDocuments, DocumentStaple o JobBindAllDocuments, DocumentBinding o PageOutputQuality o PageMediaType

  • For N-Up, do not use PrintSchemaKeywordMap on the option values.
PPD

  • Use PrintSchemaKeywordMap to map PPD features or options to the corresponding Print Schema-defined features or options. To see examples showing how to use PrintSchemaKeywordMap to map features, see GPD/PPD-Based Feature Description Changes.

  • For N-Up, do not use PrintSchemaKeywordMap on the option values.

Localizing PPD Based Drivers

PPD based drivers do not support resource DLLs. As a result, it may be necessary to provide multiple PPD files. Microsoft recommends that v4 print drivers that use PPD configuration files should use the techniques outlined in this topic to include one PPD file per locale.

IPrintSchemaCapabilities
IPrintSchemaFeature
IPrintSchemaOption
GPD/PPD-Based Feature Description Changes
Standard Features