Patent ID: 7933033
Filing Date: 2011-04-26
Classification: G06F,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus that functions as a server of a distributed file system, the image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of applications; a file system that is accessed as the distributed file system, and that includes a plurality of directories each of which is a file storing destination and each of which corresponds to a specific image forming process which is to be performed on a file stored in a directory selected from among the plurality of directories, wherein some of the plurality of directories correspond to an output destination; and an image forming process part, wherein, when the file is stored in the directory selected from among the plurality of directories, the image forming process part performs the specific image forming process corresponding to the selected directory for the file by using an application, selected from among the plurality of applications, corresponding to the specific image forming process, and wherein when the selected directory corresponds to an output destination, the image forming process part outputs file data to the output destination corresponding to the selected directory.