Abstract: A method is provided for determining the approximate time required to perform Raster Image Processing (RIP) of page description language file, such as PostScrip.TM. files, which is useful information before the actual RIP is scheduled to be executed. The provided method takes elements of image data and determines the estimated time for processing that image data (via RIP) into a format that can be used by an imagesetter. A timing data profile is created based upon information determined by actual RIPing certain page description language test data files. This timing data profile can be used to estimate the actual time required to perform RIPing of an actual page description language file. The actual page description language file (that is to be printed) is then compared to the timing data profile in different steps: for scanned images, comparisons are made with all non-scaled, non-rotated, scaled, and rotated elements of the actual page description language file.