What's New in Windows Vista?

Vista's New Printing Options

Vista even includes new options for producing printed output thanks to a redesigned print architecture. The Vista printing architecture is built around a technology called the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). WPF enhances printed content in several ways, including:

• Improved color management

• Removal of GDI-based print limitations

• Better support of advanced print effects such as gradients and transparencies

• Enhanced support of color laser printers

• Easier printing of pictures

• Support of the XML Paper Specification (XPS)

Probably the most significant of these is the support for the XML (extensible markup language) Paper Specification. What's the big whoop? The XPS print path (XPS document writer) lets you create .xps files using any Windows program. You can then view these files on any computer that has an XPS viewer installed, even if that computer doesn't have the program that originally installed the application.

If the preceding description has you thinking Portable Document File (I don't just use italics off the cuff here), or PDF, you've pretty much got the idea, although XPS will not (at least for now) support every function available in a .pdf. Adobe wants to make money off its technology and all.

At any rate, here's how to print using the new XPS Document Writer:

1. First, open the file you want to print to the .xps format, and choose Print. (This is usually found under the application's File menu, although some applications like Microsoft Word 2007 no ...