In computing a virtual printer is a simulated device whose user interface and API resemble that of a printer driver, but which is not connected to a physical computer printer. When a document is "printed" by a virtual printer, instead of physically printing it on paper or other material the underlying software processes the images of its pages in some other way, often resulting in a file being produced or the images being transmitted.

History

In the early 1960s the B5500 Master Control Program (MCP) operating system included virtual printers, called "Printer Backups" in the form of Printer Backup Tapes (PBT) and Printer Backup Disks (PBD). IBM's VM/370 operating system allows users to spool a virtual printer (or punch) file to another user, who can read it as input. This provides a basic means of file transfer.

Functions

Typical uses of virtual printers include: