Printing control apparatus, system and method

A printing control method, comprising the steps of:

• by a print processor, when a preview mode is not set, reading print data from a spool file, and causing a printer graphic driver to generate data to be supplied to a printer, and when the preview mode is set, reading print data from a spool file, causing the printer graphic driver to generate bitmap data, causing a previewer activated by the first session to display the generated bitmap data as a preview image, temporarily stopping a printing process without sending print data to a downstream module until an operator inputs a command to begin printing while a previewer activated by the first session is displaying the preview image, and sending the print data to the downstream module when the command to begin printing is input by the operator in response to the preview image displayed by the previewer activated by the first session;
• by a status monitor, communicating with a printer to display a status of the printer based on information obtained from the printer, and when the print processor has transmitted a status indicating that the print processor is displaying the preview image, issuing a status request to the print processor, and displaying a status indicating that said print processor is displaying the preview image,
• wherein the previewer is activated by a first computer for a first operator when the first operator has input an instruction of printing with a preview function from an application, and the status monitor is activated by a second computer for a second operator when the second operator has input an instruction of printing from an application, and
• wherein, when the print processor receives a request from the status monitor activated by the second session before the operator inputs the command to begin printing in response to the preview image displayed by the previewer activated by the first session during displaying the preview image, the print processor informs the status monitor activated by the second session that the preview image is being displayed.

A program stored in a computer-readable storage medium, for making a computer perform a printing control method, said program comprising:

• a previewer module that is activated by a first session for a first operator when the first operator has input an instruction of printing with a preview function from an application;
• a print processor module that, when a preview mode is not set, reads print data from a spool file, and causes a printer graphic driver to generate data to be supplied to a printer, and that, when the preview mode is set, reads print data from a spool file causes the printer graphic driver to generate bitmap data causes the previewer module activated by the first session to display the generated bitmap data as a preview image, temporarily stops a printing process without sending print data to a downstream module until an operator inputs a command to begin printing while the previewer module activated by the first session is displaying the preview image, and sends the print data to the downstream module when the command to begin printing is input by the operator in response to the preview image displayed by the previewer module activated by the first session;
• and
• a status monitor module that is activated by a second session for a second operator when the second operator has input an instruction of printing from an application, communicates with a printer to display a status of the printer issues a status request to the print processor module, and displays a status indicating that the print processor module is displaying the preview image when the print processor module has transmitted a status indicating that the print processor module is displaying the preview image responsive to the status request,
• wherein, when the print processor module receives a request from the status monitor module activated by the second session before the first operator inputs the command to begin printing in response to the preview image displayed by the previewer module activated by the first session during displaying the preview image, the print processor module informs the status monitor module activated by the second session that the preview image is being displayed.

A print control system, comprising:

• a previewer, configured to be activated when printing using a preview function is triggered by an application;
• a print processor, configured to, when a preview mode is not set, read print data from a spool file, and cause a printer graphic driver to generate data to be supplied to a printer, and, when the preview mode is set, read print data from a spool file, cause the printer graphic driver to generate bitmap data, cause said previewer to display the generated bitmap data as a preview image, and temporarily stop a printing process without sending print data to a downstream module until an operator inputs a command to begin printing while said previewer is displaying the preview image, and send the print data to the downstream module when the command to begin printing is input by the operator in response to the preview image displayed by said previewer;
• and
• a status monitor, configured to, when printing is triggered by the application, be activated, issue a status request to said print processor, and display a status indicating that said print processor is displaying the preview image when said print processor has transmitted a print job ID and a status indicating that the print processor is displaying the preview image responsive to the status request,
• wherein, when said print processor receives a request from said status monitor before the operator inputs the command to begin printing in response to the preview image displayed by said previewer during displaying the preview image, said print processor informs said status monitor that the preview image is being displayed.

A print control method, comprising the steps of:

• by a print processor, when a preview mode is not set, reading print data from a spool file, and causing a printer graphic driver to generate data to be supplied to a printer, and, when the preview mode is set, reading print data from a spool file, causing the printer graphic driver to generate bitmap data, causing a previewer to display the generated bitmap data as a preview image, and temporarily stopping a printing process without sending print data to a downstream module until an operator inputs a command to begin printing while the previewer is displaying the preview image, and sending the print data to the downstream module when the command to begin printing is input by the operator in response to the preview image displayed by the previewer;
• and
• by a status monitor, when printing is triggered by the application, being activated, issuing a status request to the print processor, and displaying a status indicating that the print processor is displaying the preview image when the print processor has transmitted a print job ID and a status indicating that the print processor is displaying the preview image responsive to the status request,
• wherein, when the print processor receives a request from the status monitor before the operator inputs the command to begin printing in response to the preview image displayed by the previewer during displaying the preview image, the print processor informs the status monitor that the preview image is being displayed.

A program stored in a computer-readable storage medium, for making a computer perform a printing control method, said program comprising:

• a previewer module, configured to be activated when printing using a preview function is triggered by an application;
• a print processor module, configured to, when a preview mode is not set, read print data from a spool file, and cause a printer graphic driver to generate data to be supplied to a printer, and, when the preview mode is set, read print data from a spool file, cause the printer graphic driver to generate bitmap data, cause the previewer module to display the generated bitmap data as a preview image, and temporarily stop a printing process without sending print data to a downstream module until an operator inputs a command to begin printing while the previewer module is displaying the preview image, and send the print data to the downstream module when the command to begin printing is input by the operator in response to the preview image displayed by the previewer module;
• and
• a status monitor module, configured to, when printing is triggered by the application, be activated, issue a status request to the print processor module, and display a status indicating that the print processor module is displaying the preview image when the print processor module has transmitted a print job ID and a status indicating that the print processor module is displaying the preview image responsive to the status request,
• wherein, when the print processor module receives a request from the status monitor module before the first operator inputs the command to begin printing in response to the preview image displayed by the previewer module during displaying the preview image, the print processor module informs the status monitor module that the preview image is being displayed.