Spooler functions and services

The base operating system spooler is a collection of programs, configuration files, and data files.

The base operating system spooler provides the following functions or services:

• Provides for the construction of queues, which are software entities whose function is to process jobs in specific ways
• Allows users to submit jobs (usually but not always printer jobs) to a queue for processing.
• Provides serial access through a queue to a device (such as a real printer), or to a program (such as a compiler), avoiding simultaneous use of a single device or program by multiple users
• Allows users to query the status of queues through status files
• Allows users to control the availability of queues and the status of jobs
• Performs extensive manipulation of print job data stream
• Offers a wide-range of delivery mechanisms for the processed job