Image data producing apparatus, image forming apparatus and computer readable medium

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image data producing portion that converts data described in a page description language into raster data;
• and
• an image forming portion that forms an image on a printing medium based on the raster data produced by the image data producing portion,
• wherein
• the image forming portion comprises:
• a plurality of image processors that form raster data from a plurality of pages;
• and
• a controlling portion that allocates the plurality of pages from which the raster data is formed to respective image processors of the plurality of the image processors, and causes each of the plurality of the image processors to execute registration of a printing resource with at least a change of the printing resource for any of the respective pages by controlling each of the plurality of the image processors irrespective of the allocation of the plurality of pages, wherein
• the printing resource is a font or a form,
• rasterization and the registration of the printing resource are performed for allocated pages, and
• the registration of the printing resource is performed with respect to non-allocated pages and the rasterization is not performed with respect to the non-allocated pages.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for quickly forming a raster image from data described in a page description language, the process comprising:

• allocating a plurality of pages from which the raster data is formed to respective image processors of a plurality of image processors;
• executing, by each of the plurality of image processors, registering of a printing resource with at least a change of the printing resource or any of the respective pages by controlling each of the plurality of image processors irrespective of the allocation of the plurality of pages,
• copying contents in a registry area of a printing resource in a memory of a predetermined image processor into registry areas of a printing resource in memories of other image processors, and instructing each of the plurality of image processors again to form the raster data on pages subsequent to a page on which the printing resource is changed when the printing resource is changed in the predetermined image processor;
• and
• transmitting the raster data of respective pages formed by the plurality of image processors to an image forming apparatus to keep a management in order of page, wherein
• the printing resource is a font or a form,
• the plurality of image processors form the raster data and register the printing resource for allocated pages, and
• the plurality of image processors register the printing resource with respect to non-allocated pages and do not form the raster data with respect to the non-allocated pages.