Abstract: A print server which transmits print data in accordance with an instruction received via an operation unit of a printing apparatus, comprises: a storage unit configured to store a print job of an intermediate format open to the public; a first generation unit configured, upon receiving a preview image request from the printing apparatus for the print job, to generate a preview image from the print job of the intermediate format stored in the storage unit; a second generation unit configured, upon receiving a print request from the printing apparatus for the print job, to generate print data interpretable by the printing apparatus from the print job of the intermediate format stored in the storage unit; and a transmission unit configured to transmit, to the printing apparatus, one of the preview image generated by the first generation unit and the print data generated by the second generation unit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a processing unit and associated operating system (OS). The information processing apparatus further includes an application program including a driver customization unit to customize a device driver in the absence of registration of the device driver in an operable manner to the operating system. Even when a printer driver for use on a particular OS is not customizable, it is possible to produce a customized driver corresponding to the printer driver in a manner specified by a user, thereby allowing customization to be performed in a highly efficient manner.

Abstract: A print server which transmits print data in accordance with an instruction received via an operation unit of a printing apparatus, comprises: a storage unit configured to store a print job of an intermediate format open to the public; a first generation unit configured, upon receiving a preview image request from the printing apparatus for the print job, to generate a preview image from the print job of the intermediate format stored in the storage unit; a second generation unit configured, upon receiving a print request from the printing apparatus for the print job, to generate print data interpretable by the printing apparatus from the print job of the intermediate format stored in the storage unit; and a transmission unit configured to transmit, to the printing apparatus, one of the preview image generated by the first generation unit and the print data generated by the second generation unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a data processing apparatus capable of controlling a peripheral device by using a driver program. The data processing apparatus comprises: an input device adapted to input a switch designation of the driver program; an acquisition device adapted to acquire data including specification information settable in a driver program of an original device before being switched and data including specification information settable in a driver program of a destination device to be switched to, based on the switch designation inputted by the input device; and a generation device adapted to generate setting information interpretable by an application program based on the specification information acquired by the acquisition device, method and program product for the data processing apparatus.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a processing unit and associated operating system (OS). The information processing apparatus further includes an application program including a driver customization unit to customize a device driver in the absence of registration of the device driver in an operable manner to the operating system. Even when a printer driver for use on a particular OS is not customizable, it is possible to produce a customized driver corresponding to the printer driver in a manner specified by a user, thereby allowing customization to be performed in a highly efficient manner.

Abstract: A mechanism such that even in case of using a plug and play installer, a control program can be newly installed so that other existing control programs can hold matching performance is provided. For example, in an information processing apparatus having the plug and play installer, there is provided a discriminating unit for discriminating whether, when a first control program is installed by a program installing unit, a second control program corresponding to an external processing apparatus which has already been stored in the information processing apparatus enters a mismatching state or not.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique which provides a public print system and public print service providing method each of which is based on the use of electronic watermarks embedded in the digital contents. The technique has a data output control device that includes means for generating output data, means for extracting the contents, means for transferring the output data and the extracted contents to a processing device that performs print-fee-charging calculation with respect to those output data and extracted contents that are set to fall under the category of a print job, and means for attaining fee charging information from the processing device performing fee-charging calculation and displays it.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a data processing apparatus capable of controlling a peripheral device by using a driver program.

Abstract: A mechanism such that even in case of using a plug and play installer, a control program can be newly installed so that other existing control programs can hold matching performance is provided. For example, in an information processing apparatus having the plug and play installer, there is provided a discriminating unit for discriminating whether, when a first control program is installed by a program installing unit, a second control program corresponding to an external processing apparatus which has already been stored in the information processing apparatus enters a mismatching state or not.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for obtaining printed copies in a plurality of different formats such as OHP transparency copies for use by a presenter in a presentation and copies to be distributed among participants in the presentation, simply by a single print job. Input data to be printed is temporarily stored in a memory. First print data to be printed in a first printing format and second print data to be printed in a second printing format are produced from the data stored in the memory. A single set of print data is then produced from the first print data and the second print data.

Abstract: A printer controller analyzes the job language section of the print job supplied from the host computer to see if the calibration stop command set by the host computer is included in this job language section. When it judges that the calibration stop command is included in the job language section, the controller sets a flag, which indicates whether or not to allow the execution of calibration, to a content specifying the prohibition of the calibration. In the subsequent processing of print data, the flag set in this way can prevent the calibration from being executed even when a calibration request is made. As a result, in a print system comprising a host computer and a printer, it is possible to prevent unnecessary calibration from being executed and thereby deal properly with the user requirements in terms of the execution of calibration.