# Test Preferences – Printer

Standard test

The standard test sends pages of text to the default Windows printer. The pages printed by the printer should be a page of solid text in a fixed-point font filling the printable area of the page. There should be a small margin (usually under 1cm) around the block of text.

Standard color printer test

The standard color test sends pages of color text to the default Windows printer.

Printer command file

The user can define a printer command file to be used in place of the standard test. A printer command file is a file containing a series of printer commands which is used by the printer to carry out certain actions.

Print cover page before sending job to printer

The user may choose to print a cover page before sending the command file to the printer. This may help troubleshooting possible command file, as opposed to, printer errors.

How to create a printer command file

There is an example printer command file included with BurnInTest. The example file is called “HP Printer file.pcl” and can be found in the BurnInTest installation directory. This file is a list of printer commands used with HP inkjet printers. It moves the print head without actually printing any pages.

The language used for each make of printer is different, but you can still make your own printer command file. You need to create a document, then print this document to a file using the correct printer device driver.

For example in Microsoft word, when printing your document select the “Print to file” checkbox in the Print window. Once a file is created it can then be used with BurnInTest.

Normally printer command files have a ‘.prn’ file name extension but this may vary depending on the printer language used.

PCL = Printer command language (from Hewlett Packard)

PS = Postscript.