Knowledge Base - Technical Articles
FAQ: What printers are supported by ArcGIS Desktop?
| Article ID: | 32745 |
|---|---|
| Software: | ArcGIS - ArcEditor 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 10 ArcGIS - ArcInfo 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 10 ArcGIS - ArcView 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 10 ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced 10.1, 10.2 ArcGIS for Desktop Standard 10.1, 10.2 ArcGIS for Desktop Basic 10.1, 10.2 |
| Platforms: | Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows 8, Server 2012 |
Question
What printers are supported by ArcGIS Desktop?
Answer
The ArcGIS Desktop ArcMap application supports printing with one of three different printer engines: the Windows printer engine, the PostScript printer engine, and the ArcPress printer engine.
Windows printer engine: ArcMap supports printing by way of the Windows printer engine to any printing device with one of the following designations when using the printer's manufacturer-provided driver installed as a local printer or shared as a Windows print queue:
▪ 'Designed for Microsoft Windows XP'
▪ 'Designed for Microsoft Windows 2000'
▪ 'Designed for Microsoft Windows Server 2003'
▪ 'Certified for Windows Server 2008'
▪ 'Certified for Windows Server 2008 R2'
▪ 'Certified for Windows Server 2012'
▪ 'Certified for Windows Vista'
▪ 'Compatible with Windows 7'
▪ 'Windows 8 Compatible'
Microsoft maintains a list of tested devices in the Windows Catalog, Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) and Windows Marketplace Web sites. See the link for Products Designed for Microsoft Windows in the Related Information section below.
PostScript printer engine: ArcMap supports printing by way of the PostScript printer engine to any PostScript device with PostScript Level 2 or Level 3 compatibility.
The PostScript printer engine is only recommended for special printing cases such as output to PostScript color-separated files. For other printing jobs, use the Windows or ArcPress printer engines.
ArcPress printer engine: ArcMap supports printing by way of the ArcPress printer engine to a specific list of printer models. Esri maintains a list of ArcPress-supported printer models in a separate technical article for each ArcGIS version. See the links in the Related Information section below for a detailed list of printers supported by each ArcGIS Desktop version.
Windows printer engine: ArcMap supports printing by way of the Windows printer engine to any printing device with one of the following designations when using the printer's manufacturer-provided driver installed as a local printer or shared as a Windows print queue:
▪ 'Designed for Microsoft Windows XP'
▪ 'Designed for Microsoft Windows 2000'
▪ 'Designed for Microsoft Windows Server 2003'
▪ 'Certified for Windows Server 2008'
▪ 'Certified for Windows Server 2008 R2'
▪ 'Certified for Windows Server 2012'
▪ 'Certified for Windows Vista'
▪ 'Compatible with Windows 7'
▪ 'Windows 8 Compatible'
Microsoft maintains a list of tested devices in the Windows Catalog, Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) and Windows Marketplace Web sites. See the link for Products Designed for Microsoft Windows in the Related Information section below.PostScript printer engine: ArcMap supports printing by way of the PostScript printer engine to any PostScript device with PostScript Level 2 or Level 3 compatibility.
The PostScript printer engine is only recommended for special printing cases such as output to PostScript color-separated files. For other printing jobs, use the Windows or ArcPress printer engines.ArcPress printer engine: ArcMap supports printing by way of the ArcPress printer engine to a specific list of printer models. Esri maintains a list of ArcPress-supported printer models in a separate technical article for each ArcGIS version. See the links in the Related Information section below for a detailed list of printers supported by each ArcGIS Desktop version.
Related Information
- Products designed for Microsoft Windows – Windows Catalog and HCL
- Which printers are supported with ArcGIS Desktop and the ArcPress Printer Engine in ArcGIS Desktop?
This article contains links to Esri Knowledge Base articles that contain information about ArcGIS Desktop and ArcPress supported printers and plotters.
Created: 3/1/2007
Last Modified: 2/7/2013
