Abstract: A job ticket programming system, adapted for use in a printing system including a user interface, with a screen display, and an application server is provided. Preferably, the application server registers a first metaphor element corresponding with a first set of device selections and a second metaphor element correpsonding with a second set of device selections. In practice, the metaphor elements are "linked" with each other, on the screen display, and a user is apprised of the selections, in a resulting metaphor combination which are available for job ticket programming.

Abstract: A control system for a sheet handling system having a mailboxing system with a mailbox bin subsystem is provided. The mailbox bin subsystem includes a print receiving bin set with a plurality of print receiving bins, the plurality of print receiving bins being corresponded with a set of bin users. The control system includes a user interface with which one or more print receiving bins of the plurality of print receiving bins are assigned to one of the bin set users, and a controller communicating with the mailbox bin subsystem. In practice the controller: (1) determines, for the one bin set user, a frequency of use value varying as a function of a degree to which the one bin set user uses the one or more print receiving bins to which the one bin set user is assigned, and (2) reassigns one of the one or more print receiving bins to which the one bin set user is assigned when the frequency of use value drops below a preselected threshold and a selected condition is met.

Abstract: A job ticket programming system, adapted for use in a document processing system including a user interface, with a screen display, and an application server is provided. Preferably, the application server registers a first metaphor element corresponding with a first attribute set and a second metaphor element corresponding with a second attribute set. In practice, a metaphorical template, including the first metaphor element and the second metaphor element, and being represented by a combined attribute set with attributes from both the first and second attribute sets, is created for display on the screen display in response to displaying the first metaphor element on the screen display.

Abstract: A method of processing a job, with compound segments, in a printing system is provided. The method includes the steps of (a) generating a dialog, having a set of attributes designating a manner in which compound segments of the job are to be processed by the printing system, and (b) programming the dialog so that values are provided for selected ones of the set of attributes. The method further includes the steps of (c) capturing the attribute values, programmed in step (b), to obtain a job ticket for a first one of the compound segments and (d) repeating steps (a) -(c) for one or more other compound segments to create a composite job ticket. The compound segments are then processed, in accordance with the composite job ticket, so that one or more copies of the job are delivered to one or more output/storage destinations.

Abstract: A technique of constructing a multi-segment print job from multiple local and remote sources on a network using a network interface to identify print job segments and location of segments on the network by entering a start build print job function at the network interface, identifying each segment of the print job including segment location, specifying print job characteristics such as quantity and quality for each segment, entering an end build print job function at the network interface, and identifying a printing device on the network whereby each segment of the print job is accessed and distributed to the printing device to complete the multi-segment print job.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for developing and displaying a representation of a total estimated time to print a job. The apparatus includes a user interface, with a display screen, for selectively programming the job with plural print related attributes, wherein selected ones of the print related attributes affecting a time required to print the job. The apparatus further includes a memory for storing the image data and the print related attributes as well as a processor for generating an estimated time to print value for each of the plural electronic pages based on the selected attributes programmed during said programming which affect the time required to print the job, the estimated time to print generating being performed prior to printing the job. In operation, the processor sums the values generated with the estimated time to print generating for obtaining a total estimated time to print, wherein the representation of the total estimated time to print is displayed on the display screen.

Abstract: There is provided a method of performing a service on a job with a printing system in which the printing system is selectively operable in a first system mode and a second system mode. The method includes the steps of programming the job with instructions for directing the printing system to perform a selected service on the job with the programming step being performed in a selected one of the first system mode and the second mode. Additionally, the job is provided with a job tag for indicating the system mode in which the job was programmed. Finally, the system mode in which the printing system resides is determined and the job tag is compared with the determined system mode prior to performing the print-related service on the job. Preferably, the selected service is performed on the job when the system mode indicated by the job tag is the same as the determined system mode.

Abstract: An apparatus provides for operating an electronic reprographic system containing a method for recovering from crashes in an electronic reprographic system in which multiple jobs are active concurrently. The system provides for the monitoring of jobs active in the system, and of the number of times a specific job is active and the system crashes. By comparing the number of times a crash occurs when a specific job is active with a predetermined threshold number the operator can evaluate whether the system may be corrupted by a specific job or by the concurrency of jobs. The method further provides the operator with instructions to activate the jobs one at a time to determine which job is corrupt and permits the operator to delete a corrupt job.