Print server and printing apparatus, network printing system, and printing method

A printing apparatus, which is connected to a print server that sends print data or a cancel command in response to a read request of print data, said apparatus comprising:

• a print data acquisition unit, configured to send a read request of print data to the print server, and receive print data sent in response to the read request;
• a determination unit, configured to determine if the print data acquired by said print data acquisition unit includes a cancel command for processing of the print data;
• and
• a processing unit, configured to, when said determination unit determines that the cancel command is not included, execute print processing for the acquired print data, and to, when said determination unit determines that the cancel command is included, cancel print processing for the print data as a cancel command target, and notifying the print server that the print processing is canceled.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program for controlling a computer connected to a network to function as:

• data generation means for, when a print request input via the network is received, generating print data according to the print request, and storing the print data in storage means;
• cancel command generation means for, when a cancel instruction for the print request is received after the print request is received, canceling generation of the print data according to the print request, and storing a cancel command that instructs to cancel the print request in the storage means;
• and
• data sending means for sending, in response to a read request of print data received via the network, the print data stored in the storage means and the cancel command if the cancel command is stored to an apparatus as a request source of the read request.

A printing method executed by a network printing system which connects a print server and a printing apparatus via a network, the method comprising:

• controlling, when the print server receives a print request input via the network, the print server to generate print data according to the print request and to store the print data in storage means;
• controlling, when the print server receives a cancel instruction for the print request after the print request is received, the print server to cancel generation of the print data according to the print request, and to store a cancel command that instructs to cancel the print request in the storage means;
• controlling the printing apparatus to send a read request of print data to the print server;
• controlling the print server to send, in response to the read request of the print data received via the network, the print data stored in the storage means and the cancel command if the cancel command is stored to an apparatus as a request source of the read request;
• controlling the printing apparatus to receive the print data sent in response to the read request;
• controlling the printing apparatus to determine if the print data acquired in the print data acquisition step includes a cancel command for processing of the print data;
• and
• controlling, when it is determined that the cancel command is not included, the printing apparatus to execute print processing for the acquired print data, and controlling, when it is determined that the cancel command is included, the printing apparatus to cancel print processing for the print data as a cancel command target, and to notify the print server that the print processing is canceled.