Systems and methods relate generally to a cloud-base clipboard printing are disclosed. In an example thereof, a client service is executed on a client device of a group of client devices. Data going to or from a clipboard store of the client device is intercepted. The intercepted data is automatically sent from the client device to a server. A listing service is run on the server. The intercepted data is stored by the listing service on or accessible by the server in a list directly available to at least two in the group of client devices. A control service on a printing device is started for communication with the server to access the list.

Methods and apparatus for encoding data streams are provided. A computing device can receive an encoder-input data stream (EIDS) encoded in a encoder-input format. The computing device can reformat the EIDS into an encoder-output data stream (EODS) encoded in an encoder-output format that differs from the encoder-input format. The EODS can include a page table for pages, resources of the pages that include reusable resources used multiple times, and binary-formatted commands related to the resources, which are stored in stored in first-come, first-served fashion. The page table can refer to pages of the EODS. The EODS can be based on a resource table storing entries for each reusable resource. Each reusable resource is stored only once in the EODS. The computing device can generate an output based on the EODS.

A method of encrypting at least a portion of PostScript vector language, where the PostScript vector language includes a cleartext portion and a ciphertext portion, the method including: (a) encrypting at least a part of the PostScript cleartext portion via an encryption algorithm with a generated encryption key resulting in at least a part of the ciphertext portion and overwriting the PostScript cleartext portion with the resulting at least part of the ciphertext portion; (b) saving the encryption key in a file separate from a file containing the PostScript vector language; (c) linking both the encryption key file and the PostScript file in an image processor interpreting the PostScript vector language to display or print PostScript graphics; (d) decrypting the at least part of the ciphertext portion resulting in decrypted PostScript cleartext; and (e) executing the resulting decrypted Postscript cleartext to produce an image on a document or screen.

In a printing apparatus, a job-management module causes a computer to: determine whether the computer executes a second conversion processing; when the second conversion processing is to be executed, input a first instruction to a first sub-module to execute a first conversion processing to store first converted data into the memory, input a second instruction to a second sub-module to execute a second conversion processing to store second converted data into the memory, and input a third instruction to a third sub-module to execute a third conversion processing to output print data; and when the second conversion processing is not to be executed, input a first ganged-fashion-execution instruction to the first sub-module to execute the first conversion processing to input the first converted data to an electronic circuit, and input a second ganged-fashion-execution instruction to the third sub-module to output the print data.

Methods and apparatus for decoding data streams are provided. A computing device can receive a decoder-input data stream (DIDS) encoded in a decoder-input format, the DIDS including a page table for pages in the DIDS, resources of the pages in the DIDS, and commands related to the resources, where the commands are in a binary format. The page table can refer to the pages of the DIDS. The resources can include reusable resources that are used multiple times in the DIDS, where each reusable resource is stored only once in the DIDS. The resources can be stored in first-come, first-served fashion in the DIDS. The computing device can decode the DIDS by executing the commands to generate an output depicting the pages. The computing device can provide the output depicting the pages.

A print control system that outputs a video signal to a printer, includes: a plurality of print controllers including a first print controller and a second print controller. The first print controller is connected to a printer and includes an administrator that acquires a print job comprising image information, divides the image information of the acquired print job, and distributes the divided image information to the first print controller and the second print controller; and a first RIP processor that generates image data by rasterizing the image information distributed to the first print controller. The second print controller includes a second RIP processor that generates the image data by rasterizing the image information distributed to the second print controller.

A method is provided of digitally imaging a secure portion and a non-secure portion of scratch-off-coating protected documents of at least one game using middleware. The method includes: (a) generating the secure variable indicia in non-vector raster format; (b) generating vector graphics to be imaged on physical document locations; (c) assigning the secure variable indicia in a non-vector raster format to documents in and shuffling the documents throughout a print run; and (d) linking via middleware the secure variable indicia in the non-vector raster format to associated vector graphics variable indicia to be digitally imaged on the documents and to generate vector graphics-formatted data for each document in the print run. The secure variable indicia assignment and shuffling are executed by non-vector raster game generation software output that is reinterpreted by the middleware to produce related vector graphic output for the secure variable indicia.

A method, computer program product and computer system to improve print legibility is provided. A processor receives a file to print. A processor generates a print preview of the file, wherein the print preview is generated at an initial scale. A processor generates a preview text for the print preview. A processor determines a legibility metric based for the print preview on a comparison between the preview text for the print preview and text of the file to print. A processor prints the file at a second scale in response to the legibility metric being below a predetermined value, wherein the second scale is larger than the initial scale.

A method, computer program product and computer system to improve print legibility is provided. A processor receives a file to print. A processor generates a print preview of the file, wherein the print preview is generated at an initial scale. A processor generates a preview text for the print preview. A processor determines a legibility metric based for the print preview on a comparison between the preview text for the print preview and text of the file to print. A processor prints the file at a second scale in response to the legibility metric being below a predetermined value, wherein the second scale is larger than the initial scale.

In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to: receive compressed image data created by compressing image data for pages; store the compressed image data into a memory; read the compressed image data to determine the number of pages contained in the compressed image data without decompressing the compressed image data; register page jobs for the respective pages; create print data based on image data corresponding respectively to the registered page jobs and output the created print data; determine whether there is a next page job based on the registered page jobs each time when the created print data is output; and when the controller determines that there is the next page job, drive a drive device to start rotating a supply roller before completion of printing on a sheet for the current page job.