Common Print Setting Management for Multi-Printer Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face significant time inefficiencies when setting common print settings across multiple printers, as they need to manually adjust settings in each print queue, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A supporting program that automatically identifies the selected printer, reads common setting values from a centralized file, and updates the print settings accordingly, reducing the need for manual input and ensuring consistency across multiple printers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual setting of print settings in each print queue is used, then print settings can be customized for each printer, but time consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the setting management of multiple printers into a single common setting file that can be shared across all print queues. Instead of maintaining separate setting files for each printer, the system consolidates common print settings into one centralized location, allowing users to modify settings once and have them automatically applied to multiple printers.
Solution Approach 2:
The common setting file serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a centralized storage for print settings, an automatic configuration source for multiple print queues, and a time-saving mechanism. This universal setting file can be used by any number of print queues without requiring separate customization for each printer.
2Adaptability or versatility
If individual print queue settings are managed separately, then each printer can have unique settings, but operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the setting management functionality into a single common setting file that serves all printers. This merging approach maintains the ability to configure settings for multiple printers while eliminating the need to access and modify each printer's settings individually, thus improving user efficiency.
3Stability of the object's composition
If common setting values are manually applied to each printer, then consistency across printers can be achieved, but the process becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service automation where the print queue automatically reads and applies settings from the common setting file without requiring manual intervention. When a user modifies settings in the common setting file, the system automatically updates all connected print queues, eliminating the need for users to manually configure each printer while maintaining setting consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-transitory storage medium stores a supporting program configured to support a printing program of an operating system of the information processing apparatus. A print queue for each of a plurality of printers is provided in the operating system. The printing program is capable of making a request to the supporting program for processing in a state in which the print queue for any one of the plurality of printers is selected. The supporting program causes the information processing apparatus to execute identifying a printer of the plurality of printers to which processing is requested, reading setting data into which a common setting value indicating a setting value of a print setting commonly used by the plurality of printers is written, and changing a setting value of the print setting of an identified printer based on the common setting value written into the read setting data.