tulostustiedosto

Tulostustiedosto, often translated as print file or spool file, is a temporary file used in computing to hold data that is intended for printing. When a user or an application sends a document to a printer, the operating system doesn't immediately send the data directly to the printer hardware. Instead, it typically creates a tulostustiedosto in a designated spool directory. This process is known as spooling.

Spooling serves several important functions. Firstly, it allows the application that generated the document to return to its normal operations quickly, rather than waiting for the entire document to be physically printed, which can be a time-consuming process. Secondly, it enables multiple print jobs from different users or applications to be queued up and printed in an orderly fashion. The printer driver formats the document into a printer-readable language, and this formatted data is what resides in the tulostustiedosto.

The operating system's print spooler service manages these files. It takes the print job from the application, creates the tulostustiedosto, and then sends the data from the tulostustiedosto to the printer when the printer becomes available. This allows for efficient management of printer resources, especially in environments where multiple users share a single printer. Once a print job is successfully completed, the tulostustiedosto is usually deleted automatically. However, if a printer is offline or encounters an error, the tulostustiedosto may remain, allowing the print job to be resent once the issue is resolved. The exact location and naming convention of these files can vary depending on the operating system.