Pass-through mode

Both virtual printers and the printer device driver can operate, or function, either in pass-through mode or in non-pass-through mode.

With pass-through mode, a data stream is "passed through" to the printer, byte by byte, unmodified. The mode of operation selected for a given job determines how or even if a data stream is processed. It is important to understand the difference between the two modes, when each mode is in effect, and if the mode can be changed.