Planning device

A computer readable recording device including a computer program for a planning device used in a system comprising a plurality of devices including a storage device for storing target data of a print target, a print device for performing a print of a target image represented by the target data and the planning device for planning a procedure for causing the print device to perform the print of the target image,

• the computer program including instructions for ordering the planning device to perform:
• storing in a memory, for each combination of two devices among the plurality of devices, communication information related to whether or not the two devices composing the combination are capable of directly communicating;
• deciding a specific communication path using the communication information in the memory, the specific communication path being a path capable of supplying print data acquired from the target data in the storage device, the print data having a data format which the print device is capable of interpreting;
• generating procedure data for instructing one or more devices which are present on the specific communication path to perform one or more processes sequentially for realizing the print of the target image;
• sending the procedure data to a first device among the one or more devices, the first device being a device that is to perform a process performed first among the one or more processes;
• confirming whether or not the planning device is capable of directly communicating with each device in a first type of device group among the plurality of devices by sending a specific signal to the each device in the first type of device group and monitoring to receive a response signal;
• acquiring, from each of one or more first type of devices among the first type of device group, information related to whether or not the first type of device and a different device are capable of directly communicating, the one or more first type of devices being devices that have been confirmed as capable of directly communicating with the planning device;
• and
• causing the memory to store the communication information using a result of the confirmation and the information acquired from the one or more first type of devices.

A method used in a system comprising a plurality of devices including a storage device for storing target data of a print target, a print device for performing a print of a target image represented by the target data and the planning device for planning a procedure for causing the print device to perform the print of the target image,

• the method comprising:
• storing in a memory, for each combination of two devices among the plurality of devices, communication information related to whether or not the two devices composing the combination are capable of directly communicating;
• deciding a specific communication path using the communication information in the memory, the specific communication path being a path capable of supplying print data acquired from the target data in the storage device, the print data having a data format which the print device is capable of interpreting;
• generating procedure data for instructing one or more devices which are present on the specific communication path to perform one or more processes sequentially for realizing the print of the target image;
• sending the procedure data to a first device among the one or more devices, the first device being a device that is to perform a process performed first among the one or more processes;
• confirming whether or not the planning device is capable of directly communicating with each device in a first type of device group among the plurality of devices by sending a specific signal to the each device in the first type of device group and monitoring to receive a response signal;
• acquiring, from each of one or more first type of devices among the first type of device group, information related to whether or not the first type of device and a different device are capable of directly communicating, the one or more first type of devices being devices that have been confirmed as capable of directly communicating with the planning device;
• and
• causing the memory to store the communication information using a result of the confirmation and the information acquired from the one or more first type of devices.

A planning device used in a system comprising a plurality of devices including a storage device for storing target data of a print target, a print device for performing a print of a target image represented by the target data, and the planning device for planning a procedure for causing the print device to perform the print of the target image, the planning device comprising:

• a memory configured to store, for each combination of two devices among the plurality of devices, communication information related to whether or not the two devices composing the combination are capable of directly communicating;
• a determining unit configured to determine whether or not a data format of the target data is a data format which the print device is capable of interpreting;
• a deciding unit configured to decide a specific communication path using the communication information in the memory, the specific communication path being a path capable of supplying print data acquired from the target data in the storage device to the print device, the print data having a data format which the print device is capable of interpreting;
• a generating unit configured to generate procedure data for instructing one or more devices which are present on the specific communication path to perform one or more processes sequentially for realizing the print of the target image;
• and
• a sending unit configured to send the procedure data to a first device among the one or more devices, the first device being a device that is to perform a process performed first among the one or more processes, wherein:
• the plurality of devices further includes a converting device for generating the print data by performing a converting process on the target data;
• and
• in a first case where it is determined that the data format of the target data is not the data format which the print device is capable of interpreting:
• the deciding unit decides the specific communication path such that the converting device is present on the specific communication path;
• and
• the generating unit generates the procedure data such that the converting process is performed by the converting device and the print data generated by the converting process is supplied to the print device;
• and
• in a second case where it is determined that the data format of the target data is the data format which the print device is capable of interpreting:
• the deciding unit decides the specific communication path such that the converting device is not present on the specific communication path;
• and
• the generating unit generates the procedure data such that the print data identical with the target data is supplied to the print device.