Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a digital multi function peripheral (MFP) body, an external controller that is connected to an external apparatus via a network and exchanges data with the MFP body, plural communication units that signal-connect the MFP and the external controller, and an operation panel provided in the MFP body. The MFP body displays operation content for setting a configuration of the external controller on the operation panel on the basis of screen data from the external controller.

Abstract: The color image forming apparatus forms color images on a recording medium using the reading unit for continuously reading color images from a plurality of documents to output color image data corresponding to the color images and a plurality of image forming units which are provided to form images for a plurality of color signals constituting the color image data on the basis of the color image data read by the reading unit. In the color image forming apparatus, the reading unit is controlled to start reading of a next document of the document corresponding to the images under image forming when the predetermined image forming unit finishes image forming among the plurality of image forming units before the color image forming is finished.

Abstract: A CPU files image data inputted through a scanner according to read setting on a data table and starts processing tasks corresponding to each transmission destination for image data filed according to transmission destination setting on the data table.

Abstract: A system CPU receives print data through an external interface from a host computer or the like connected to a local area network (LAN). The CPU opens a job file in a hard disk drive and generates a job header and a page header in the job file and writes the print data in the job header and the page header. When the sheet size represented by a data item included in the print data changes, the CPU closes the job file and opens a new job file and generates a job header and a page header in the new job file and writes the renewed print data in the job header and page header of the new job file.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a circuit for sequentially generating bit-image data in units of predetermined portions of image data, a circuit for forming an image on an image recording medium using the bit-image data generated by the generating circuit, a circuit for judging whether or not generation of the bit-image data by the generating circuit is performed within a predetermined period of time, and a circuit for, when the judging circuit determines that the generation of the bit-image data is not performed within the predetermined period of time, adding data indicating a detective image to the bit-image data, so that the image forming circuit produces an image on the image recording medium on the basis of the obtained bit-image data.