Abstract: The present invention provides a printer control device that includes a storage device, a printer searching section, a print preview creation section and a display control section. The printer searching section searches for printers connected to a network, acquires pieces of print setup information on print setups set in extracted printers, correlates the pieces of acquired print setup information with the respective printers and stores the information in the storage device. The print preview creation section creates pieces of print preview data of designated data for respective printers, and the display control section causes an identical display device to simultaneously be displayed as a print preview. Utilizing the present invention it possible to arrange and display, on the identical display device, a plurality print previews each schematically showing a print result brought by a plurality of printing apparatuses so that a user can easily select a desired print apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printer control device that includes a storage device, a printer searching section, a print preview creation section and a display control section. The printer searching section searches for printers connected to a network, acquires pieces of print setup information on print setups set in extracted printers, correlates the pieces of acquired print setup information with the respective printers and stores the information in the storage device. The print preview creation section creates pieces of print preview data of designated data for respective printers, and the display control section causes an identical display device to simultaneously be displayed as a print preview. Utilizing the present invention it possible to arrange and display, on the identical display device, a plurality print previews each schematically showing a print result brought by a plurality of printing apparatuses so that a user can easily select a desired print apparatus.

Abstract: A printer control apparatus controls plural kinds of printers by use of a universal printer driver which is capable of communicating with the plural kinds of printers via a network and which is capable of supporting the plural kinds of printers. According to the printer control apparatus, a control section causes display means to display a printer list of the plural kinds of printers and a window for accepting an input for selecting available printers from the plural kinds of printers included in the printer list. Thus, a user is allowed to use only printers selected as the available printers. This makes it possible to easily restrict use of an unintended printer while benefiting from a universal printer driver's advantage.

Abstract: A printer includes an obtaining section for obtaining printing data, a storage section for storing the printing data obtained by the obtaining section, a printing section for printing the printing data stored in the storage section, an receiving section for receiving information about the printer, and a control section for extracting predetermined information about the printing data from the printing data and protecting the confidentiality of the printing data on the basis of the extracted information and the information received by the receiving section.