Printing system with file specification parsing capability

• US 5,483,653 A
• Filed: 04/02/1993
• Issued: 01/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Furman, Lisa D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/042,195
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 395/650, 395/700
• US Class Current: 710/65
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1296 Printer job scheduling or printer resource handling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1297 Printer code translation, conversion, emulation, compression; Configuration of printer parameters

Abstract

A printing system, for producing prints from a print file designated by a print file specification expressed in a first format, is provided. The printing system includes a workstation and a print server for storing the print file. An operating system, employing a second format, cooperates with the workstation and the print server to permit communication between the workstation and the print server. A parsing arrangement converts the first format of the print file specification to an output string based on the second format when a call to output the stored print file is transmitted from the workstation to the print server.

Claims

1. A data processing system for outputting selected data from a data file with a data output device, the data file being identified by a first file specification expressed in a first format, the first format including a volume name, at least one directory and a file name, comprising:

an input device for generating the data file;

a server communicating with both said input device and the data output device;

a memory communicating with said server, the data file being transmitted from said input device to said server, and said server managing a storage of the data file in said memory;

a network operating system cooperating with said input device, the data output device and said server to permit communication between said input device and the data output device for outputting the selected data of the data file at the data output device in response to a request transmitted from said input device to said server, the request identifying the data file by its first file specification, and said network operating system processing data files each identified by a second file specification expressed in a second format;

wherein,

said input device functions with said network operating system, by way of said server, on the basis of a user set of rights, and

said server performs selected functions, in conjunction with said network operating system, on the basis of a default set of rights;

a parsing system, communicating with said server, for parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and the file name to produce an output string expressed in terms of the second format;

said server determining that the data file is expressed in the first format;

when it is determined, by said server, that the file specification of the data file is expressed in the first format, said parsing system being registered, with said server, for automatically parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and the file name to produce the output string in a manner that is transparent to said input device so that said server, by reference to the output string, recognizes the data file stored in said memory and initiates transmission of the data file to the data output device for outputting of the selected data of the data file;

said server, in determining the format in which the data file is expressed, simulating the user set of rights to function, in conjunction with said network operating system, on the basis of the user set of rights; and

said server, after parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and file name to the output string, automatically relinquishing the user set of rights and resuming functioning, in conjunction with said network operating system, on the basis of the default set of rights.

2. The printing system of claim 1, wherein said parsing system resides in said server.

3. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein:

said data processing system comprises a printing system;

said data file comprises a print file with print data;

said data output device comprises a printing machine; and

said service application comprises a print server application.

4. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said print server is operatively coupled with said printing machine.

5. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein said input device comprises a workstation.

6. A data processing system for outputting selected data from a data file with a data output device, the data file being identified by a first file specification expressed in a first format, the first format including a volume name, at least one directory and a file name, comprising:

an input device for generating the data file;

a server communicating with both said input device and the data output device;

a memory communicating with said server, the data file being transmitted from said input device to said server, and said server managing a storage of the data file in said memory;

a network operating system cooperating with said input device, the data output device and said server to permit communication between said input device and the data output device for outputting the selected data of the data file at the data output device in response to a request transmitted from said input device to said server, the request identifying the data file by its first file specification, and said network operating system processing data files each identified by a second file specification expressed in a second format;

a parsing system, communicating with said server, for parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and the file name to produce an output string expressed in terms of the second format;

wherein,

the output string includes both a plurality of pieces and a plurality of length indicators, and

each piece of the plurality of pieces is coupled with one of the plurality of length indicators;

said server determining that the data file is expressed in the first format; and

when it is determined, by said server, that the file specification of the data file is expressed in the first format, said parsing system being registered, with said server, for automatically parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and the file name to produce the output string in a manner that is transparent to said input device so that said server, by reference to the output string, recognizes the data file stored in said memory and initiates transmission of the data file to the data output device for outputting of the selected data of the data file.

7. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein said parsing system resides in said server.

8. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein:

said data processing system comprises a printing system;

said data file comprises a print file with print data;

said data output device comprises a printing machine; and

said server comprises a print server.

9. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein said print server is operatively coupled with said printing machine.

10. The data processing system of claim 6 wherein said input device comprises a workstation.

11. The printing system of claim 6, wherein;

said input device functions with said network operating system, by way of said server, on the basis of a user set of rights;

said server performs selected functions, in conjunction with said network operating system, or the basis of a default set of rights;

said server, in determining the format in which the data file is expressed, simulates the user set of rights to function, in conjunction with said network operating system, on the basis of the user set of rights; and

said server, after parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and file name to the output string, automatically relinquishes the user set of rights and resumes functioning, in conjunction with said network operating system, on the basis of the default set of rights.

12. In a data processing system with a data input device, a data output device and a data file identified by a first file specification expressed in a first format, the first format including a volume name, at least one directory and a file name, a method of outputting selected data from the data file comprising:

generating the data file;

transmitting the data file from the data input device to a server, the data input device functioning with the network operating system, by way of the server, on the basis of a user set of rights, the server managing a storage of the data file in a memory and performing selected functions, in conjunction with the network operating system, on the basis of a default set of rights;

transmitting a request from the input device to the server by way of a network operating system, the request identifying the data file by its first file specification and the network operating system processing data files each identified by a second file specification expressed in a second format;

determining that the data file is expressed in the first format, said determining including the server simulating the user set of rights to function, in conjunction with the network operating system on the basis of the user set of rights;

when it is determined the file specification of the data file is expressed in the first format, registering a parsing system with said server for automatically parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and the file name, with the parsing system, to produce an output string in a manner that is transparent to the input device so that the server, by reference to the output string, recognizes the data file stored in the memory and initiates transmission of the data file to the data output device for outputting selected data of the data file; and

after parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and file name to the output string, the server automatically relinquishing the user set of rights and resuming functioning, in conjunction with said network operating system, on the basis of the default set of rights.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

configuring the data processing system as a printing system;

configuring the data file as a print file with print data;

configuring the data output device as a printing machine; and

configuring the server as a print service application.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising operatively coupling the print server with the printing machine.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said transmitting a request comprises transmitting the request from a workstation.

16. In a data processing system with a data input device, a data output device and a data file identified by a first file specification expressed in a first format, the first format including a volume name, at least one directory and a file name, a method of outputting selected data from the data file comprising:

generating the data file;

transmitting the data file from the input device to a server, the server managing a storage of the data file in a memory;

transmitting a request from the input device to the server by way of a network operating system, the request identifying the data file by its first file specification and the network operating system processing data files each identified by a second file specification expressed in a second format;

determining that the data file is expressed in the first format;

when it is determined that the file specification of the data file is expressed in the first format, registering a parsing apparatus in said server for automatically parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and the file name, with the parsing apparatus, to produce an output string in a manner that is transparent to the input device so that the server, by reference to the output string, recognizes the data file stored in the memory and initiates transmission of the data file to the data output device for outputting selected data of the data file;

said automatically parsing including parsing the volume name, the at least one directory and the file name so that the output string includes both a plurality of pieces and a plurality of length indicators; and

wherein each of the plurality of pieces is coupled with one of the plurality of length indicators.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

configuring the data processing system as a printing system;

configuring the data file as a print file with print data;

configuring the data output device as a printing machine; and

configuring the server as a print server.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising operatively coupling the print server with the printing machine.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said transmitting a request comprises transmitting the request from a workstation.