2.2.7.2 DAT File Format

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The DAT file contains options for installing a printer driver on the client machine. The following restrictions apply to DAT files:

  • The name of the DAT file is "cab_ipp.dat".

  • The DAT file is a text file, in Unicode UTF-16LE character encoding.

DAT file options are specified as follows:

 /if
 /x
 /Q<PackageList>
 /b<PrinterBaseName>
 /f<InfName>
 /r<PrinterPortName>
 /m<DriverName>
 /n<UncName>
 /a<BinName>
 /q

Note  These options are presented in the form of a list for readability. This is not to specify that a newline character is required to separate each option in a DAT file.

Option parameters are defined as follows:

PackageList: A list of CAB file names containing driver packages included in the .webpnp file. The individual CAB file names are separated by ";".

PrinterBaseName: "\\http://<ServerName>\<PrinterName>", if the HTTP transport is being used; or "\\https://<ServerName>\<PrinterName>", if the HTTPS transport is being used.

ServerName: The NetBIOS name, fully qualified domain name (FQDN), or IPv4 address.

PrinterName: The name of the printer.

InfName: The name of the INF file that is included in the .webpnp file.

PrinterPortName: The URL of the printer.

DriverName: The name of the printer driver.

UncName: The Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path of the server.

BinName: The name of the BIN file (section 2.2.7.1) that is included in the .webpnp file.

The following syntax rules apply to DAT file options and parameters:

  • The individual options can appear in any order.

  • All options MUST be specified, except "/x", "/q" and "/Q".

  • The individual options MUST be separated by white space, which includes the UTF-16LE character codes 0x0020, 0x000D, and 0x000A, and combinations thereof.

  • White space between the switch of an option (for example, "/r") and its parameter (for example, the PrinterPortName) MUST be accepted.

  • A parameter MUST be surrounded by quotes if it contains white space.

  • Quotes around a parameter that does not contain white space MUST be accepted.

  • The absence of quotes around a parameter that does not contain white space MUST be accepted.

  • The option "/if" conveys no meaning in the protocol.

The following syntax rules apply to the "/x", "/q" and "/Q" options specifically:

  • Either the two options "/x" and "/q" together, or the single option "/Q", MUST be specified.

  • If "/x" and "/q" are specified "/Q" MUST NOT be specified.

  • If "/Q" is specified "/x" and "/q" MUST NOT be specified.

  • The options "/x" and "/q" together indicate the installation of a printer driver. The name and location of the printer driver MUST be specified with the parameters of other options.

  • The option "/Q" specifies the installation of a driver package.

  • "/Q" MUST NOT be specified if the major version parameter of the ClientInfo value (section 2.2.2) in the request is less than 6.