Method for maintaining the development activity of a photographic lithographic developer constant

In a method for processing silver halide lithographic photosensitive materials with a lightographic developer using an automatic developing machine, the improvement comrising maintaining constant the development activity of the lithographic developer by adding supplemental amounts of two kinds of replenishers to the lithiographic developer with a replenisher (RD) being employed to compensate for the decrease in the development activity of the lithographic developer resulting from the development-processing of lithographic photosensitive materials and a replenisher (RO) being employed to compensate for the decrease in the development activity of the lithographic developer resulting from the passage of time, where replenishers (RD) and (RO) differ in free sulfite ion concentrations, bromide ion concentrations and pH, wherein the method comprises adding replenisher (RD) during the development-processing operation in a supplemental amount in proportion to the size of the film processed, the degree of exposure of the film processed and the percentage of the exposed area of the film processed and, prior to the start of each development-processing operation, adding replenisher (RO) in a supplemental amount previously determined

• (a) depending upon (i) the time interval from the suspension of the development-processing operation of the automatic developing machine when last operated to the start of the development-processing operation of the automatic developing machine and (ii) the temperature at which the lithographic developer was kept during the time interval (i), where replenisher (RO) was added during the previous development-processing operation of the automatic developing machine, or (b) depending upon (i') the time interval from the start of the development-processing operation of the automatic developing machine when last operated to the start of the development processing operation of the automatic developing machine and (ii') the temperature at which the lithographic developer was kept during the time interval (i'), where no replenisher (RO) was added during the previous development-processing operation of the automatic developing machine.