Abstract: A digital image reproduction apparatus includes a receiving device configured to receive a print job including at least one digital data file, a first storing device configured to store the print job, a local user interface enabling an operator to make settings of the print job, a managing device configured to manage settings of the print job, a second storing device configured to store the settings of the print job related to the storage of the print job, and a locking device settable via the user interface and configured to lock at least one setting of the print job to achieve unchangeability of the at least one setting. A method for printing a digital data file on a digital image reproduction apparatus includes locking at least one setting of the digital data file by the operator via the local user interface so as to prevent any inadvertent change thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing documents on an image-forming apparatus, which is able to handle a plurality of settings, each setting settable to any of a number of setting values, the method comprising the steps of defining a first subset of the settings, defining a second subset of the settings, disjunctive from the first subset, for each setting of the first subset setting any of a number of setting values, which are selectable for the setting, for each setting of the second subset leaving the corresponding setting values unset, and for each document to be processed, creating a job for processing the digital document, associating the first and second subset and the setting values of the first subset with the job, interactively setting a setting value for each setting of the second subset, submitting the job with the setting values of the first and second subset to the image-forming apparatus, and processing the document by means of the image-forming apparatus according to the setting valu

Abstract: A method of printing documents from a user workstation includes activating a printer driver for submitting a digital document file to a printer, specifying print process settings in the printer driver, and commanding the driver to submit the document file and the settings to the printer. Values of settings are either individually or collectively specified, and a collective specification is a selection of a user-selectable prestored set of settings, called a “template”. Each time a value of at least one of a predetermined set of settings is individually specified and confirmed by a user, a new template is automatically defined and made selectable in the printer driver. A new template can be renamed by the user for easy recognition. Also, a template can easily be deleted, such that the number of templates can be kept practical. The same template management method can be used for other document-related processes, such as faxing and scanning.

Abstract: A service diagnosis tool for performance analysis and failure remediation of electromechanical devices, e.g. printers or copiers. The tool communicates with an actual device of a specific type, and accesses data from a knowledge data set containing knowledge relating to properties of devices of the specific type, a device data set and a history data set. The device data set contains parameters of the actual device, including actual error data indicating errors that occurred in an actual period. The historical data includes historical error data of the actual device relating to errors, performance and/or remediation that occurred before the actual period. The tool has a calculation unit for analyzing and combining data from the data sets for generating a prioritized item list indicative of remedial steps to be executed. The items in the list relate to performance and/or failure of the actual device, and are organized according to priority rules.