Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture and data structure for automating the processing of scan data files generated by a digital scanner are presented, in which an operator selects at the scanner console one of a set of preprogrammed scan job types and starts it. Then, a scan data file is automatically synthesized from the scan data generated in the scanning process and meta data that identify the selected scan job type. The synthesized scan data file is transmitted to a server that recognizes the meta data and processes the file further in accordance with the scan job type identified in the meta data. Scan job types can be created by users and downloaded to the scanner and the server.

Abstract: A method of operating a printing system comprising at least one printer (PR) and at least two user terminals (WS) connected to the at least one printer through a network (N), each said printer having a control unit (14) which receives print jobs from the user terminals and controls processing of these print jobs, the method comprising: sending upon a disturbance of said processing of a print job, a warning message relating to said disturbance to one or more of the user terminals; providing, upon receipt of the warning message, an alerting signal relating to said disturbance at a predetermined first one of said user terminals (WS); waiting for a user response to be performed upon the printers; and, if no user response is detected within a predetermined delay time, providing an alerting signal relating to the same disturbance at a predetermined other one of the user terminals (WS).