Overview and installation instructions for Windows PPD files
What are PPD files?
PostScript® printer description (PPD) files describe the fonts, paper sizes, resolution capabilities, and other features that are standard for your PostScript printer. PPD files are used by PostScript printer drivers to determine how to print your document. If you do not print using the correct PPD file, your document might not print correctly, or not all of the printer's features will be available when you print.
Do I need a PPD file?
You need a PPD file if your printer supports the page description language called PostScript. To determine if your printer supports PostScript, do one or more of the following:
- Contact your network administrator
- See the documentation included with your printer
- Contact the printer manufacturer
Where do I get PPD files?
Adobe redistributes a number of PPD files as a courtesy to Adobe customers from the Adobe Web site at: www.adobe.com/support/downloads/main.html in the Printer Drivers section.
However, since Adobe does not create PPD files for printer manufacturers, Adobe does not guarantee to have the PPD file for your printer. Your printer manufacturer is ultimately responsible for creating and providing the correct PPD file for your printer.
If the Adobe Web site does not contain the PPD file you need, do one or more of the following:
- You can usually find the PPD file on the floppy disk or CD-ROM included with your printer. If it is lost or damaged, contact your printer manufacturer for a replacement.
- If your printer manufacturer has a Web site or other online service, visit that location using a Web browser to download the PPD file you need. See your printer documentation to determine if these services are available and how to reach them.
- Contact the customer support department of your printer manufacturer to find out how to obtain a PPD file. See your printer documentation to determine how to reach them.
How do I install a PPD file?
To install and use a PPD file, you must install it with a PostScript printer driver, such as the Adobe PostScript printer driver called AdobePS™.
AdobePS is available for free from the Adobe Web site at: www.adobe.com/support/downloads/main.html in the Printer Drivers section.
| If you are using... | Your operating system is compatible with this Adobe PostScript printer driver: |
|---|---|
| Windows 98 | AdobePS 4.3 |
| Windows NT 4.0 | AdobePS 5.x |
| Windows 98 | AdobePS 4.x |
To install your PPD file using the AdobePS PostScript printer driver, find the section below that matches your operating system. If you use PPD files with a PostScript printer driver other than AdobePS, the installation instructions below do not apply to you.
Installing in Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 98
- If you have not yet installed AdobePS, install it using the installation instructions that came with it. AdobePS is available for free from the Adobe Web site at: www.adobe.com/support/downloads/main.html For example, if you download AdobePS from the Adobe Web site, follow the instructions available at the point of download to install AdobePS.
- You will need to know the location of the PPD file for your printer. If your PPD file is on a floppy disk, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM, this location will be the name of your floppy drive (e.g., A:\) or your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive (e.g., D:\). If your PPD file was downloaded from the Internet or another online service, this location will be the same location on your hard drive where you decompressed the archive file (e.g., C:\TEMP\ADOBE\HP).
Open My Computer or use Windows Explorer to find the folder containing the PPD file for your printer and verify that PPD files appear in it. You will need to know this folder location for Step 5 below. - Start the AdobePS Setup Utility: From the Start Menu, choose Programs > AdobePS > AdobePS Setup Utility.
- Follow the instructions that appear on your screen to begin the installation.
- When the Setup Utility prompts you for the location of the PPD file, navigate to the folder containing your PPD file.
- Select your PPD file by clicking once (not twice). A filename will appear in the lower left corner of the "Install PostScript Printer from PPD" dialog. For instance, the filename may say "TK340692.PPD".
- Write down the filename that appears. (You may need this in Step 12 below.)
- Click Next and follow the instructions that appear on your screen to complete the installation.
- When the Properties Sheet for your printer appears, you may optionally modify any default settings. Click OK when you are done.
- Once the software has been successfully installed, you may click Exit to close the installer or click Add Another to add a new printer.
Your PPD file installation is complete.
Some applications such as Adobe PageMaker® may require the PPD file to be copied to an additional location. See your application's documentation to determine if your application searches for PPD files in a specific directory. If you have any such applications, you will need to follow these additional steps to ensure that they print properly: - Open My Computer or use Windows Explorer to navigate to the Windows\System folder.
- Locate the filename that you wrote down in Step 7 above.
- Copy the file to the location(s) that your applications require.
