220-1101 Question 313
Single answerPrinter Control Language (PCL) vs. postscriptA graphic design department reports that a network laser printer produces incorrect output when printing Adobe Illustrator files: gradients are missing, some fonts are substituted, and complex vector artwork is simplified. The same printer works fine for invoices and spreadsheets from accounting. The technician confirms the printer supports both PCL and PostScript, but the current Windows queue is using a PCL driver. Which action is the BEST next step to resolve the design department's issue without replacing the printer?
- A
Replace the PCL driver with the manufacturer’s PostScript driver for the printer queue used by the design department
- B
Increase the printer resolution from 600 dpi to 1200 dpi in the existing PCL driver
- C
Enable duplex printing so the printer processes the job in smaller sections
- D
Move the printer from the network to a direct USB connection on the designer’s workstation
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This scenario tests practical understanding of PCL vs. PostScript in a real support environment. PCL is generally efficient for standard office documents such as text-heavy reports, spreadsheets, and invoices, which is why accounting is not affected. PostScript is commonly preferred for graphic design, publishing, and print workflows because it more accurately handles complex page layouts, vector graphics, and font rendering. When a printer supports both, the best practice is to use the driver that matches the workload. Manufacturer documentation and enterprise print deployment guidance commonly distinguish PCL as a strong choice for general office printing and PostScript as the better option for graphics-intensive applications. Therefore, switching the affected queue to the manufacturer’s PostScript driver is the best corrective action.
- A. Correct.
Correct. PostScript is designed to handle complex graphics, scalable fonts, and page-description tasks commonly used in desktop publishing and graphic design workflows. When a printer supports both languages, switching from a PCL driver to the proper PostScript driver is a standard troubleshooting step for problems involving vector graphics, font rendering, and advanced page layout from applications such as Adobe Illustrator.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Increasing dpi can improve print sharpness, but it does not address the underlying page-description language issue. Missing gradients, font substitution, and simplified vector artwork point to a rendering/interpretation problem rather than a resolution problem. A higher resolution setting in a PCL driver is unlikely to fix these symptoms.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Duplex printing affects whether output is printed on both sides of the paper. It has nothing to do with how the printer interprets complex graphics or embedded fonts. This distractor targets the misconception that changing print job settings can resolve driver-language compatibility issues.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Changing from a network connection to USB may alter connectivity or spooler behavior, but it does not change the fact that the queue is using a PCL driver. The problem is not bandwidth or connection type; it is that the current print language is less suitable for the design department’s workload.