Print control apparatus, printing system, print control method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing print control program

A printing system comprising:

• a print control apparatus;
• a printer that obtains a consumable remaining amount and returns the consumable remaining amount in accordance with control of the print control apparatus;
• and
• a terminal that performs display in accordance with information transmitted from the print control apparatus and transmits to the print control apparatus an instruction input by a user, wherein the print control apparatus includes a processor that is configured to:
• receive an instruction, transmitted from the terminal, to perform batch printing of a plurality of print files,
• calculate, based on the plurality of print files, a predicted consumption of consumables required for the batch printing of the plurality of print files,
• obtain the consumable remaining amount from the printer,
• determine, based on the predicted consumption and the consumable remaining amount, whether or not it is possible to perform the batch printing without replacing the consumables,
• transmit to the terminal a notification based on a determination result of the determination,
• when the processor determines that the consumable remaining amount will become insufficient during the batch printing and that replacement of the consumables is required, transmit an advance notification that the replacement of the consumables will occur during the batch printing,
• transmit, to the printer. a print instruction for print files printable before the replacement among the plurality of print files, and cause the printer to start the batch printing,
• transmit a notification to the terminal to perform the replacement, after printing of the print files printable before the replacement is completed, and
• transmit, to the printer, a print instruction for remaining print files after the replacement of the consumables.

A print control method comprising:

• receiving an instruction to perform batch printing of a plurality of print files;
• calculating, by a processor, based on the plurality of print files, a predicted consumption of consumables required for the batch printing of the plurality of print files;
• obtaining, by the processor, a consumable remaining amount from a printer;
• determining, by the processor, based on the predicted consumption and the consumable remaining amount, whether or not it is possible to perform the batch printing without replacing the consumables;
• providing, by the processor, a notification to a user based on a determination result of the determination;
• when the processor determines that the consumable remaining amount will become insufficient during the batch printing and that replacement of the consumables is required, providing, by the processor, an advance notification that the replacement of the consumables will occur during the batch printing;
• transmitting, to the printer, a print instruction for print files printable before the replacement among the plurality of print files, and cause the printer to start the batch printing;
• providing, by the processor, a notification to the user to perform the replacement, after printing of the print files printable before the replacement is completed;
• and
• transmitting, to the printer, a print instruction for remaining print files after the replacement of the consumables.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a print control program, the print control program causing a computer to perform functions comprising:

• receiving an instruction to perform batch printing of a plurality of print files;
• calculating, by a processor, based on the plurality of print files, a predicted consumption of consumables required for the batch printing of the plurality of print files;
• obtaining, by the processor, a consumable remaining amount from a printer;
• determining, by the processor, based on the predicted consumption and the consumable remaining amount, whether or not it is possible to perform the batch printing without replacing the consumables;
• providing, by the processor, notification to a user based on a determination result of the determination;
• when the processor determines that the consumable remaining amount will become insufficient during the batch printing and that replacement of the consumables is required, providing, by the processor, an advance notification that the replacement of the consumables will occur during the batch printing;
• transmitting, to the printer, a print instruction for print files printable before the replacement among the plurality of print files, and cause the printer to start the batch printing:
• providing, by the processor, a notification to the user to perform the replacement, after printing of the print files printable before the replacement is completed;
• and
• transmitting, to the printer, a print instruction for remaining print files after the replacement of the consumables.