Content printing system, print relay system, control method, and storage medium

A content printing system comprising:

• a print server group including a print service, wherein the print service includes a communication module A configured to execute data communication with a target designated by a user, wherein the communication module A includes a first transmission unit configured to transmit information about print data to the target designated by the user;
• an image forming apparatus including a print control unit and a communication module B′;
• and a print relay system including a relay virtual printer configured to serve as an intermediary in data communication between the print server group and the image forming apparatus, wherein the relay virtual printer includes:
• a communication module A′ configured to execute data communication with the print service through the communication module A and configured to be used as a pair with the communication module A, wherein the communication module A′ includes a first receiving unit configured to acquire the print data based on the information transmitted from the first transmission unit, and a communication module B configured to execute data communication with the image forming apparatus through the communication module B′ and configured to be used as a pair with the communication module B′, wherein the communication module B includes a second transmission unit configured to transmit the information about the print data acquired by the first receiving unit to the image forming apparatus, wherein the communication module B′ of the image forming apparatus includes a second receiving unit configured to acquire the print data from the print relay system based on the information transmitted from the second transmission unit of the communication module B of the relay virtual printer.

A method for controlling a print relay system capable of connecting to an image forming apparatus and a print service system, wherein the print service system is provided by a first vendor that releases a unique specification for executing data communication between the print service system and the image forming apparatus, the method comprising:

• acquiring, in response to the print service system receiving a printing instruction input by a user via a client, data from the print service system according to a first specification, which is the unique specification of the first vendor that also is for data communication between the print service system and a relay virtual printer;
• transmitting the acquired data from the relay virtual printer to the image forming apparatus according to a second specification for executing data communication between the relay virtual printer and the image forming apparatus, wherein the second specification is released by a second vendor that provides the print relay system and is other than the first vendor, wherein the acquiring is a first acquiring;
• and
• generating, in response to receiving information indicating that the first vendor changed the unique specification, a newly generated second acquiring to acquire, in response to the print service system receiving a printing instruction input by a user via a client, data from the print service system according to the changed unique specification and to replace the first acquiring with the newly generated second acquiring to communicate with the print service system.