Spool files instruct printers how to print documents. There are two types: EMF and raw. Raw files are seen as plain text and can correct errors, but may have lower quality and slower speed.
Spool files are files used by the Windows® operating system that communicate with the printer and provide specific instructions on how to print a file or document. Spooled files come in two varieties: advanced metafile (EMF) and raw. The difference is in how the printer processes the spooled file. Raw spooled files have advantages, such as causing fewer glitches than EMF, and disadvantages, such as lower print quality and longer print times, depending on the situation.
The general role of a print spool file is to act as the inbox and outbox for commands involving the printer. The inbox would be the user pulling up a document and instructing the computer to print the document. This activates the spool file, which takes over the inbox and then starts talking to the printer. The outgoing part is triggered when the printer prints, as indicated in the spooled file.
Spooled files are provided as EMF or raw. EMF spool files are processed by the printer and are considered device independent, which means that the resolution of a document remains the same regardless of the dots per inch (DPI) of the document. Raw files are not processed through the printer; the printer only sees that the print instructions are just text. Raw spooled files speak PostScript®, a common language found in most printers.
Raw spooled files have an advantage over spooled EMF files because they are seen as plain text. This means that if the printer cannot understand the EMF, using raw spool files may correct the error. These files talk to PostScript® instead of the printer itself, which allows the files to create some effects that EMF wouldn’t be able to create and to execute some commands that are impossible for EMF files. EMF files can commonly be changed to raw, or used as a raw file, by simply changing the printer preferences.
Disadvantages of spooled raw files include occasionally lower quality and printer speed. Unlike EMF files, spooled raw files are device dependent, so the resolution may be lower, especially for images printed from the Internet. This problem usually does not occur with text documents and graphic files created in a graphic design program. On another level, if your printer doesn’t include PostScript®, a raw spool file won’t work. They also tend to print slower than the EMF variety.
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