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The Java™ Print Service API
includes a PrintService class and a StreamPrintService class. A
StreamPrintService extends PrintService, and so a
StreamPrintService can be used anywhere a PrintService can be used.
However, PrintService and StreamPrintService are used for different
purposes. APrintService is used to direct output to a printer; a
StreamPrintService is used to export formatted print data to a
stream, usually to a different format. When locating a
StreamPrintService, you specify the required output format in the
form of a MIME type argument and provide an OutputStream to receive
the data. You do not provide a representation class when locating a
StreamPrintService, as you do when locating a PrintService, because
the output is always delivered to an OutputStream.
After locating a service, you
obtain a print job and submit the print job to the service in the
same way whether you are using a PrintService or a
StreamPrintServie. The major differences between StreamPrintService
and PrintService are in the way they are located. The next section
discusses locating both print services and stream print
services.
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