Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for error correction in a parallel RIP environment. The system is operable to receive a print job comprising logical pages, to separate the logical pages into segments, to distribute the segments to parallel RIPs for interpretation and rasterization, and to transmit the segments to a serial RIP for interpretation. The system is further operable to determine that a parallel RIP has encountered a dependency error that prevents the parallel RIP from rasterizing one of the segments, and to instruct the serial RIP to rasterize the one segment responsive to detecting the dependency error.

Abstract: A method and system for printing simple data utilizing a raster image processor in a computer system is disclosed. The raster image processor is configured for use with a complex data stream corresponding to at least one complex page description language. The method and system include embedding at least one control structure in the complex data stream. The control structure(s) are for informing the raster image processor of the simple data. The method and system also include converting the simple data into a printable format based on the at least one control structure and without using the complex page description language to convert a portion of the complex data stream corresponding to the simple data into the printable format. The method and system also include converting a remaining portion of the complex data stream into the printable format using the complex page description language.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for error correction in a parallel RIP environment. The system comprises parallel RIPs and a serial RIP. The system receives a print job comprising logical pages, separates the print job into segments of logical pages, and distributes the segments to the parallel RIPs for interpretation and rasterization. The system further determines that a parallel RIP has encountered an error indicating that a segment includes multiple logical pages, and instructs the serial RIP to rasterize the segment responsive to detecting the error.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for error correction in a parallel RIP environment. The system comprises parallel RIPs and a serial RIP. The system receives a print job comprising logical pages, separates the print job into segments of logical pages, and distributes the segments to the parallel RIPs for interpretation and rasterization. The system further determines that a parallel RIP has encountered an error indicating that a segment includes multiple logical pages, and instructs the serial RIP to rasterize the segment responsive to detecting the error.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for error correction in a parallel RIP environment. The system comprises parallel RIPs and a serial RIP. The system receives a print job comprising logical pages, separates the print job into segments of logical pages, and distributes the segments to the parallel RIPs for interpretation and rasterization. The system further determines that a parallel RIP has encountered an error indicating that a segment includes multiple logical pages, and instructs the serial RIP to rasterize the segment responsive to detecting the error.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for error correction in a parallel RIP environment. The system is operable to receive a print job comprising logical pages, to separate the logical pages into segments, to distribute the segments to parallel RIPs for interpretation and rasterization, and to transmit the segments to a serial RIP for interpretation. The system is further operable to determine that a parallel RIP has encountered a dependency error that prevents the parallel RIP from rasterizing one of the segments, and to instruct the serial RIP to rasterize the one segment responsive to detecting the dependency error.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a print file, removing images from the print file, replacing each image with a reference to the image, storing each image removed from the print file; and printing the print file. Each image is retrieved from storage to be printed upon encountering a reference to the image during printing of the print file.

Abstract: A data structure, document data stream, method and apparatus for identifying resources prior to printing. A print data stream structure is provided that can be specified at the beginning of a document or job, or on any page boundary in a document or job, and that identifies complex resources that are required by the pages that follow. This structure is processed by a print server, which uses the resource references to download any missing resources before printing of the following pages is started. Accordingly, print underruns are avoided by ensuring that complex resources are downloaded to the printer before the first page is initiated.

Abstract: A conversion program selectively decomposes viewable files, such as PDF files, and generates a print-structured, bi-directional stream composed of print data objects, resource objects and command objects. The conversion program uses a mapping table to determine which resources have already been sent to the printer so that redundant resources are not re-sent to the printer. The resources and page data for each page are assembled in order and sent to the printer so that the resources necessary to render a page precede the page data. In this manner the printer always has the resources necessary to print each page. The print data, resource and command objects are sent from a print server which controls the print system to a printer by means of a containerized data stream which is bi-directional. A reply object is used to provide information concerning processing of the data from the print server to the printer.

Abstract: A marking system is provided within the comment field of PostScript page files to identify document management data placed therein. A special processor is provided to recognize the signature of document management data so that page characteristic records can be created. The page characteristic records are stored in a database thereby enabling a management system based upon the page characteristic records. The marking system includes a prefix, for example, "%%" and a keyword, for example, "OutputTagElement:", followed by a "tag" which is a management data attribute. The tags are processed to fill data fields in the created page characteristic records.

Abstract: A management system for enabling the creation and maintenance of a database wherein specially created document records, version records and page records are stored. Each page has a page record including the document name, the initial version number in which it is utilized, the last version number in which it is utilized and the date of submission. It also has a delete field to indicate its current status in the document and a field for the date of deletion. The records can include any other desired data upon which it may be desired to search the database and they can include data enabling assembly of the document with inserts, tabs, etc. when it is printed. The page records include a pointer to the location of a corresponding page file for print-on-demand and/or to a storage location for a plate for offset printing.

Abstract: Use of a single pass print data stream conversion process when sufficient memory is available to store all the page data to be printed and reversion to a double pass conversion when insufficient memory is available. Scanning of the input data stream, storing the page data, and downloading the resource data to the printer continues so long as sufficient memory to store the page data is available. If the available memory is filled before the entire page is scanned, the stored page data is discarded. The scanning continues to download the resource data but the page data is no longer stored. When the page has been completely scanned, the scanning is restarted at the beginning of the page, downloading the page data to the printer and discarding the resource data during the second scan.