What does Windows error code 1804 (ERROR_INVALID_DATATYPE) mean?

 
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ERROR_INVALID_PRINTER_COMMAND ERROR_INVALID_ENVIRONMENT

ERROR_INVALID_DATATYPE

The requested print data type is not valid for this printer path.

ERROR_INVALID_DATATYPE is Win32 error 1804 (0x70C). Print jobs and printer queues identify a data type such as RAW or another format exposed by a print processor. The selected processor must recognize the exact name and be able to handle that data. A driver may be installed and the queue may open successfully while job submission or configuration fails because the data type does not match the processor.

Common causes

  • the caller supplies a misspelled or obsolete data type string
  • a queue was migrated without the print processor that registered the type
  • software assumes every printer supports RAW, EMF, XPS, or a vendor format
  • the queue references one print processor while the job names a type from another
  • architecture or driver-package changes removed a previously available processor/type pair

Print-path evidence

Capture server, queue, driver, print processor, requested data type with exact case and encoding, data types enumerated for that processor, job submission API, document properties, client and server architecture, and recent driver or migration changes. Do not store print payloads unless a controlled reproduction requires them.

How to isolate the mismatch

Enumerate supported data types for the selected print processor on the target server and compare the request with that list. Read the queue’s configured pPrintProcessor and pDatatype. Confirm that remote clients are not using locally cached capabilities from an older server configuration.

Submit a minimal known-good document using the queue’s default type, then test the requested type. If only one application fails, inspect its DOC_INFO or spooler wrapper. If all clients fail after a driver update, verify processor registration and package completeness.

Resolution

Use a data type actually supported by the print processor, reinstall the correct signed driver/processor package, or recreate the queue with a compatible configuration. Do not relabel incompatible bytes as RAW; the printer may emit garbage or stall.

Applications should enumerate capabilities rather than hard-code type names, preserve server-returned strings, and provide a clear distinction between format validation and printer connectivity. Deployment tests should cover client/server architecture combinations.

Difference from an invalid environment

ERROR_INVALID_DATATYPE validates the job or queue data format. ERROR_INVALID_ENVIRONMENT validates the target print-driver environment, such as processor architecture. A valid data type can still fail under the wrong driver environment.

Example

A label application submits jobs as a vendor-specific datatype after the print server is rebuilt with a generic processor. The queue opens, but jobs return 1804. Installing the vendor processor and selecting its enumerated datatype restores output.

References

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