An image forming device to which an external device is detachably attached, including an interface that is able to attach to the external device, a storage that stores multi-tier architecture software, and a computer that executes the multi-tier architecture software. The multi-tier architecture software includes a lower layer that includes an operating system that manages the external device, an upper layer that includes an application program that accesses the external device via the lower layer, and an intervening abstraction layer that hides implementation of the lower layer from the upper layer. The upper layer includes an access control program that is able to save path information to access the external device to the storage, and relays access from the application program to the external device by accessing the lower layer without going through the abstraction layer and accessing the external device using the path information.

An information processing apparatus operating as a virtual network computing (VNC) server includes a memory and at least one processor in communication with the memory, wherein the at least one processor of the information processing apparatus is configured to perform, in a case where a request for a VNC connection is received from a second VNC client in a state in which the information processing apparatus is connected with a first VNC client using VNC, first connection control to maintain the connection with the first VNC client and not to establish a VNC connection with the second VNC client, or second connection control to cut off the connection with the first VNC client and to establish the VNC connection with the second VNC client.

The first controller of the image forming apparatus transmits first apparatus state information of the own image forming apparatus to the other image forming apparatus, and when second apparatus state information of the other image forming apparatus is received, stores the second apparatus state information in the storage device. The second controller of the information processing apparatus transmits an information collecting request to the image forming apparatus. When the information collecting request is received, the first controller transmits the first and second apparatus state information to the information processing apparatus. When the first and second apparatus state information are received, the second controller displays positions, functions, and power on states or off states of the own image forming apparatus and the other image forming apparatus indicated by the first and second apparatus state information on the display device.

An image forming device includes a memory; and at least one processor in communication with the memory. The at least one processor of the image forming device is configured to perform: receiving job information for executing a function of the image forming device from a terminal, the job information including user information; based on the user information included in the received job information, logging a user into the image forming device; executing a job based on the received job information; and based on execution of the job, logging out the user from the image forming device.

A configuration is provided in which in a case where a user operation is performed on an image forming apparatus or a data processing apparatus while the image forming apparatus and the data processing apparatus are operating in cooperation with each other, the automatic clearing timers of both the apparatuses are reset.

A supporting program according to aspects of the present disclosures can be executed by a CPU of a PC and corresponds to a printer connected to the PC. When the PC receives a print instruction to cause the printer to perform printing through a general-use printing program implemented in the OS of the PC, in advance, the supporting program causes the PC to output a preceding operation command to cause the printer to perform a preceding operation before starting printing. The printer performs a preceding operation corresponding to the preceding operation command

Provided is a technique for allowing a user to easily check the status of an image scanning apparatus. An image scanning apparatus is configured to transmit original document image data by storing, sequentially in a buffer, line data obtained by line-by-line scanning of an original document and transmitting the stored line data to a host computer sequentially line by line, and includes a control unit configured to perform control to transmit original document image data including notification image data to the host computer in a case where it is detected that the apparatus status of the image scanning apparatus is not normal during processing executed in response to a scan command received from the host computer, the notification image data being a notification of an error occurrence.

A supporting program according to aspects of the present disclosures can be executed by a CPU of a PC and corresponds to a printer connected to the PC. When the PC receives a print instruction to cause the printer to perform printing through a general-use printing program implemented in the OS of the PC, in advance, the supporting program causes the PC to output a preceding operation command to cause the printer to perform a preceding operation before starting printing. The printer performs a preceding operation corresponding to the preceding operation command.

A terminal device includes a communicator capable of communicating with a plurality of image forming apparatuses capable of switching an operation mode between an energy-saving mode and a normal mode, and a controller, wherein the controller, from the plurality of image forming apparatuses via the communicator, receives information of each image forming apparatus including the operation mode, based on the information of each image forming apparatus, displays states of the operation modes of the image forming apparatuses, and sends a request signal, which switches the operation mode, via the communicator to the image forming apparatus selected from among the displayed image forming apparatuses.

Provided is a technique for allowing a user to easily check the status of an image scanning apparatus. An image scanning apparatus is configured to transmit original document image data by storing, sequentially in a buffer, line data obtained by line-by-line scanning of an original document and transmitting the stored line data to a host computer sequentially line by line, and includes a control unit configured to perform control to transmit original document image data including notification image data to the host computer in a case where it is detected that the apparatus status of the image scanning apparatus is not normal during processing executed in response to a scan command received from the host computer, the notification image data being a notification of an error occurrence.