An ink pressure modulation method is presented in a direct-to-shape printing system for applying images on the exterior of an axially symmetrical media object that has a contoured, varying exterior surface, such as occurs on curved wine bottles and sports equipment like bats. The method varies ink pressures based on the movement positions of each print head as they move over the surface of the media object. A movement-based formula is presented to allow for continuous updating of pressures in ink tank manifolds to allow independent changes in pressure to each inkjet print head during printing.

An image processing apparatus includes a selecting unit that selects multiple applications from multiple applications that perform first processing of reading an image in a form corresponding to setting values that are set beforehand and that have to be set to execute each application, and perform second processing with regard to the read image, an executing unit that executes the selected multiple applications, and a controller that controls the executing unit to execute the first processing and the second processing by one application alone, and to not execute the first processing but to execute the second processing by another application with regard to the image read by the one application.

A computer-implemented method according to an example of the present disclosure includes obtaining, for each of a plurality of PPMs of an organization, a profile that indicates operating parameters of the PPM. IECs for a plurality of print-related tasks are stored in a database, the IECs including material costs and labor costs for the print-related tasks. For each print job received, an optimal PPM set is determined that includes one or a combination of the eligible PPMs to use for the print job based on the PPM profiles, the print-related tasks needed for the print job, and the itemized estimated costs of the print-related tasks. IACs are determined for received print jobs based on shop floor data from the organization. A notification that proposes a change to a particular IEC is transmitted based on a difference between the IEC and its corresponding IAC differing by more than a predefined threshold.

Systems, methods, and devices are configured to share a printable electronic document created as part of a job, such as a print, copy, or scan job, between users. They include receiving a command to print an electronic document associated with a job initiated on a multi-function device, the job initiated in response to an input from a first user. They further include receiving an input to share the electronic document associated with the job with a second user and identifying the second user. They also include sending a notification message to the identified second user, the notification message indicating an availability of the electronic document associated with the job to the identified second user.

The present disclosure is characterized by: transmitting a command executing a task to plural devices to be managed; and checking a status of a device in case where a task to be executed in the device is a predetermined task being likely to cause a system error in the device, wherein a command executing the predetermined task is transmitted to a first device determined to be in a state where the predetermined task is executable, among the plural devices, without transmission of a command causing the device to be in the state where the predetermined task is executable, and wherein the command executing the predetermined task is transmitted to a second device determined to be in a state where the predetermined task is not executable, among the plural devices, after transmission of the command causing the device to be in the state where the predetermined task is executable.

A management system includes a printing apparatus replaceably holding a first and a second replaceable item, and a management server. The printing apparatus includes a transmission unit that transmits identification data indicating identification information on the printing apparatus and data including a value related to a usage amount of the second replaceable item. The management server includes an acquisition unit that acquires a value related to a previous usage amount of the second replaceable item from a memory based on the identification data from the printing apparatus. The management server includes a determination unit that makes a determination about a delivery instruction of the first replaceable item based on the value related to the usage amount of the second replaceable item, which is transmitted from the printing apparatus, and the value related to the previous usage amount of the second replaceable item, which is acquired from the memory.

An information processing device including a processor is configured to: convert data for which a data print instruction has been issued, into image data of a format used for image forming carried out by an image former, and store the image data in a memory; cause the image forming, which is based on the image data stored in the memory, to be carried out with respect to a recording medium that is continuously conveyed by a conveyor; and control a conveying speed of the recording medium being conveyed by the conveyor, on the basis of the image data stored in the memory.

A character output device with which reading of print characters is not hindered by Braille characters even when Braille characters are output over print characters is provided. A character output device (1) includes a storage unit (2) that stores font data made up of a print character layer and a Braille character layer, a print character printing unit (3) that prints print characters onto a medium for output based on the print character layer, and a Braille character output unit (4) that outputs Braille characters onto the medium on which the print characters have been printed, based on the Braille character layer. Characters included in the font data are configured so that every dot portion (P) that forms a Braille character overlies a line portion (L) that forms a print character. When outputting the Braille characters onto the medium on which the print characters have been printed, the Braille character output unit (4) makes registration such that every dot portion (P) that forms a Braille character overlies a line portion (L) that forms a print character.

A printing device determines whether a character string indicating argument corresponding to a first command has been registered as a registered virtual printer name, when an optional command of received print data includes the first command indicating a predetermined type of optional command and the character string indicating argument corresponding to the first command, generates a print job that prints the file data by using print settings associated with the registered virtual printer if the character string indicating argument corresponding to the first command has been registered as the virtual printer name, and generates a print job that analyzes the character string indicating argument corresponding to the first command and prints the file data by using the print settings specified based on the analyzed result if the character string indicating argument corresponding to the first command has not been registered as the virtual printer name.

An image forming apparatus includes a feeding unit, an image forming unit, a reading unit, a conveyance unit, a first discharge unit and a second discharge unit, a determination unit, and a control unit. When an (n)th sheet in a first copy is an abnormal sheet, remaining sheets include sheets fed by the feeding unit after the abnormal sheet is fed by the feeding unit until the image on the abnormal sheet is read by the reading unit, and the remaining sheets include a first group of remaining sheets and a second group of remaining sheets. The control unit is configured to execute an abnormal discharge mode in which the sheets of the first group of the remaining sheets are discharged to the second discharge unit and each of the sheets of the second group of the remaining sheets is discharged selectively to the first or the second discharge unit.