IPDS is IBM’s SAA printing language. It handles a variety of bit-mapped fonts, simple graphics primitives, and bit-mapped images. Because of the simplicity of the imaging model, it can be used to drive high speed laser printers.

The IPDS architecture defines the data stream used by print server programs and device drivers to manage all-points-addressable page printing on a full spectrum of devices from low-end workstation and local area network-attached (LAN-attached) printers to high-speed, high-volume page printers for production jobs, shared printing, and mailroom applications. The same object content architectures carried in a MO:DCA data stream can be carried in an IPDS data stream to be interpreted and presented by microcode executing in printer hardware. The IPDS architecture defines bidirectional command protocols for query, resource management, and error recovery. The IPDS architecture also provides interfaces for document finishing operations provided by pre-processing and post-processing devices attached to IPDS printers.

Reference documentation can be downloaded from the IBM web site.

ipds_reference_rev7_nov2002.pdf