Viewing a shadowed print file

You can view a shadowed file sent from an endpoint to a printer by re-printing it or opening it in a utility for viewing print spooler files in formats appropriate for your printer.

When shadowing is enabled for a printer, the PRN file used by the printer to generate the printout is saved and logged on the endpoint. The file is then compressed and encrypted before being sent to the application server for storage in the Data File Directory. Shadowing also provides enforcement for printing operations using the Print Spooler API, both for local and remote printers.

Important: Only print jobs sent to printers that use the Microsoft Windows Print Spooler service are shadowed.

Option

Description

Printing a shadowed print file on a physical printer

  1. Open a command prompt.
  2. Enter: copy <filename.prn> /B \\<printer-server>\<printer-share-name>

<printer-server> must be the name or address of the computer to which the printer is physically connected.

You must print to the printer that shadowed the file, or a same model of printer, as the PRN file format is printer dependent.

Opening a shadowed print file using a utility for viewing print spooler files in formats appropriate for your printer.

As the PRN file contains both the printout content and commands necessary to control the specific printer used, an external viewer is required. Download and install a viewer, then associate it with the PRN file extension.

The contents of the shadowed print file are displayed and can be reviewed.

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