A method and apparatus for controlling a post-print processing system for producing printed products. The system comprises a plurality of replaceable individual devices which are arranged one after another in a row and/or parallel and are connected to a joint control unit for adapting the system to successively following different production orders. The method includes supplying the joint control unit with information relating to the type and position of the individual devices in the post-print processing system and activating the individual devices based on the information. The information relating to the position of the individual devices is determined in the post-print processing system based on the position of the individual devices in a first data processing network comprising a ring circuit. The individual devices send out a data telegram corresponding to the position of the respective individual devices via a second data processing network to the joint control unit.

The present invention relates to a method of printing a print job by an image reproduction system. The print job specifies a printing step on an image receiving medium and a finishing step in or on the image receiving medium. The method comprises the steps of receiving the print job by the image reproduction system and receiving a trigger by a controller of the image reproduction system that the finishing step is not to be performed. In such a case for a digital image comprised in print job data of the print job, at least one digital finishing visualization image of a predetermined visual appearance of a result of the finishing step in or on the image receiving medium is obtained as well as a position of the digital image for merging the obtained at least one digital finishing visualization image with the digital image. The digital image is updated by merging the obtained at least one digital finishing visualization image with the digital image at the obtained position. The updated digital image is printed by the image reproduction system.

Systems and methods for secure transfer of printed documents from a print device to a user are disclosed. The systems may include a print device and a drone. The print device may also include an output tray configured to receive documents processed by the print device. The system may receive a print request from the user and determine whether the print request will result in a printed document that should be kept confidential. If printed document that should be kept confidential, the system may generate and transmit a first authentication information to the user. The system may then cause the print device to execute the print request and output the printed document to the output tray. A drone may then transfer the printed document from the print device to the user, and authenticate the user before allowing the user to access the printed document.

In accordance with one embodiment, a printing system comprises a memory, a processor and an interface. The processor rewrites the first information contained in the print data stored in the memory and designating a sheet stacking section at an end of a conveyance path of an image forming apparatus. The interface sends the rewritten print data to the image forming apparatus.

The invention relates to producing personalized printed end products which have in each case a printed product collection and at least one personalized printed product by creating (S1) end product specifications which define in each case at least one personalized printed end product, creating (S2) sales orders on the basis of end product specifications, wherein a sales order defines at least one sequence of printed product collections, initiating (S3) the process of creating and creating (S4) digital print orders on the basis of end product specifications and sales orders, wherein a digital print order defines at least one personalized printed product, producing (S5) printed product collections in accordance with the sales orders, producing (S6) personalized printed products in accordance with the digital print orders, and producing (S7) personalized printed end products from the produced printed product collections and personalized printed products.

An image forming apparatus includes a processor, a storage unit, a paper sheet feeder, an image forming unit, and a postprocessing unit. The postprocessing unit performs postprocessing on the recording sheet following image formation by the image forming unit. When a print/postprocessing job in which a plurality of copies is printed and postprocessing is performed on each copy is executed by the print-job execution unit, the postprocessing-position marking unit labels image data for at least the head page of the first copy with predetermined marks respectively in a position where postprocessing is to be performed and in a position where postprocessing is performable. The print-job execution unit, when executing the print/postprocessing job, performs control such that the first copy is printed without postprocessing, an image in which at least the head page has been labeled with the marks is printed, and the print/postprocessing job is temporarily halted.

An example method for operating a printing system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes receiving, at a printing unit, a print job, receiving, at the printing unit, a trigger generated by a finishing unit, and initiating the print job based on the generated trigger.

An object is to use a post processing apparatus effectively and to shorten execution waiting time of a print job of a user due to moving of a self-traveling post processing apparatus. In an image forming system including a self-traveling post processing apparatus which separably connects with each of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, in a case of having received a print job which is executed by any of the plurality of image forming apparatuses and performs the post processing by the post processing apparatus, the post processing apparatus is made to self-travel by a traveling section such that the post processing apparatus moves toward an image forming apparatus which has received a print job which performs post processing.

A post processing apparatus is used effectively, an execution waiting time of a print job due to moving of a self-travelling post processing apparatus is shortened, and a total printing time is shortened, whereby productivity is increased. In an image forming system which includes a self-travelling post processing apparatus being separably connected to an image forming apparatus, when receiving a plurality of print jobs including both a print job which performs the post processing by the post processing apparatus and a print job which does not perform post processing, an execution order of the plurality of print jobs is changed in accordance with a connecting state of the post processing apparatus to the image forming apparatus.

A print control method includes, when a sorting method for sorting printed matters in a printing device is set, displaying an image indicating an output aspect of the printed matters output from the printing device, based on the set sorting method and a previous output aspect of the printing device.