Abstract: A printer is configured by creating a printer menu structure and installing the printer menu structure on the printer. The printer menu structure is installed on an erasable storage device in the printer. The installation of the printer menu structure replaces or extends any menu structure previously installed on the printer. Prior to installing the printer menu structure on the printer, the system simulates operation of the printer menu structure. The printer menu structure has a hierarchy of menu elements, each of which has an associated menu element type and an associated action. An icon may be associated with one or more of the menu elements.

Abstract: A printer handles a print job by determining whether the entire print job can be processed locally by the printer. If possible, the printer processes the print job locally. If the entire print job cannot be processed locally, then the printer sends the print job (or a portion of the print job) to an external rendering device. The printer receives a rendered print job (or a rendered portion of a print job) from the external rendering device. Finally, the printer prints the rendered print job. If different portions of the print job require processing by different external rendering devices, then portions of a particular print job may be distributed to multiple external rendering devices. An external rendering device may be a server coupled to the printer via the Internet.