Large .prn files

why if i save a print to file .prn file and select 1000 copies is it around 1000 time bigger than selecting 1 print to file copy?

I want to have a .prn file know i want say 1000 copies without having to spool 1000 times or hit print in FRP 1000 times but i also don't want a huge .prn file.

I understand it is a raw file but surely as i am wanting the same page printed 1000 times it should be a simple bit of code in the .prn to say process this raw file 1000 times not build a huge .prn file!

I have search around a lot but can't find out why this is and i don't want to spool loads of spererate print jobs as it is also going to 100 seperate printers!

TIA.

That is dependent on the printer type and sometimes the settings you use.

For instance if you have a small inkjet printer it won't have enough memory to store a whole page, so when you print multiple copies Windows has to send the print multiple times.

On the other hand a laser printer will hold a whole page before it prints so it has a command to specify how many copies of each page to print.

Finally even with a laser printer if you tell it to collate the job the printer won't have enough memory to hold the whole job at once so again Windows will send the whole job multiple times.

thanks for the info - that makes sense ;)