Image forming apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium storing image forming program for shortening time period from reception of print instruction to image formation

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing an image forming program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:

• executing, in a case where a printing instruction is received in a state in which each of a plurality of image forming units respectively includes a plurality of image forming sections and respectively includes an image forming section having a combination of identical colors, the printing instruction by using an image forming unit that is in a state in which image formation is able to be executed among the plurality of image forming units;
• in a case where all of the plurality of image forming units are in a state in which image formation is unable to be executed, suspending execution of a received printing instruction and controlling each of a plurality of control sections to execute a process of converting the received printing instruction into printable image data, wherein the plurality of control sections respectively control the plurality of image forming units;
• and
• in a case where any of the plurality of image forming units is in a state in which image formation is able to be executed, executing the suspended printing instruction by using the printable image data converted in a control section provided to correspond to the image forming unit that is first able to execute image formation.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of image forming means, wherein each of the plurality of image forming means includes a plurality of image forming sections and an intermediate transfer body to which a toner image formed on the plurality of image forming sections is primarily transferred;
• a plurality of control means that respectively control the plurality of image forming means;
• and
• means for executing, in a case where a printing instruction is received in a state in which each of a plurality of image forming means respectively includes an image forming section having a combination of identical colors, the printing instruction by using an image forming means that is in a state in which image formation is able to be executed among the plurality of image forming means;
• means for, in a case where all of the plurality of image forming means are in a state in which image formation is unable to be executed, suspending execution of a received printing instruction and controlling each of a plurality of control means to execute a process of converting the received printing instruction into printable image data;
• and
• means for, in a case where any of the plurality of image forming means is in a state in which image formation is able to be executed, executing the suspended printing instruction by using the printable image data converted in a control section provided to correspond to the image forming mean that is first able to execute image formation.