Print control apparatus and control method therefor

Abstract

In a print control apparatus which causes a print apparatus to print via a hot folder, it is monitored whether a file is submitted to the hot folder. Upon submitting the file, it is identified whether the submitted file is a reference information file indicating an external content file, and, upon identifying the reference information file, it is determined whether an acquisition process of acquiring the external content file indicated by the reference information file is to be executed by the print control apparatus or the print apparatus. Upon determining that the acquisition process is to be executed by the print control apparatus, print data is generated based on the acquired external content file, and, upon determining that the acquisition process is to be executed by the print apparatus, print data including the reference information file indicating the external content file is generated.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a technique of printing by a print apparatus via a hot folder.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]A photographic processing system has conventionally been known as a system which prints a photograph captured by an image capture apparatus such as a digital camera. This photographic processing system inputs image data to be printed first, prints an image using this data, and performs a post-print process, thereby creating a photographic print to be printed. Upon designation of image data to be printed, this photographic processing system performs various print settings, and then stores image data and a setting information file in a folder called a “hot folder”.[0005]In a general hot folder, the user (client or operator) copies a file entity (content data) to be printed into the hot folder by copy and paste or drag and drop (Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-2...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The present invention provides an apparatus and a method which improve the operability of a print process using a hot folder.

Problems solved by technology

However, in the technique described in the above-mentioned patent literature 1, especially when large-sized print data is submitted to a hot folder, it takes much time to copy a file into it, so the user cannot perform other operations until copy is completed, and the operation slows down.

Also, during running of a hot folder application, even when the printer used is changed to a type having data reference capability so that the printer is ready to acquire data, the printer cannot actually acquire the data.

Moreover, when, for example, the printer has data reference capability and acquires data, it cannot efficiently print if its amount of HDD usage or its amount of jobs exceeds its limit.