Apparatus and method for diagnosing printing machine operation with facsimile transmitted dialog screens

In a print diagnostic system including a printing machine with a memory for storing electronic data, the printing machine communicating with a printing machine diagnostic facility by way of a telecommunication link, the print machine including a facsimile transmission system and the print machine diagnostic facility including a facsimile receiving system, the facsimile receiving system including a facsimile print engine for reproducing a print from electronic data, a method of performing a diagnostic operation relative to the printing machine by reference to one or more dialog screens, each dialog screen being represented by electronic data and stored in the printing machine memory, comprising:

• a) specifying one of the one or more dialog screens stored in the printing machine memory for transmission, by way of the telecommunication link, from the printing machine to the printing machine diagnostic facility;
• b) creating a telecommunication link, across the telecommunication connection, between the facsimile transmission system and the facsimile receiving system to permit communication between the printing machine and the printing machine diagnostic facility;
• c) monitoring the telecommunication link to detect an occurrence of an event at either the printing machine or the printing machine diagnostic facility;
• d) in response to said detecting of said c) and while maintaining the telecommunication link,
• (1) transmitting the electronic data corresponding with the one of the one or more dialog screens from the facsimile transmission system to the facsimile receiving system, and
• (2) producing a print with the transmitted electronic data, at the facsimile print engine, for performing a diagnostic operation.