Abstract:
A method disclosed. The method includes initiating the printing of a print job data at a printer, displaying a graphics indication within a graphical user interface (GUI) of a printing progress of the print job while the print job is printing, detecting that a spacing operation has been performed on the print job and updating the printing progress of the print job at the graphics indication based on the spacing operation that has been performed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to the field of computer systems, and in particular, to upgrading printing software products. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Printers are common peripheral devices attached to computers. A printer allows a computer user to make a hard copy of documents that are created in a variety of applications and programs on a computer. To function properly, a channel of communication is established (e.g., via a network connection) between the printer and the computer to enable the printer to receive commands and information from the host computer. 
         [0003]    Once a connection is established between a workstation and the printer, printing software is implemented at a print server to manage a print job from order entry and management through the complete printing process. The printing software often includes a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables users to control the printing process. The GUI often includes a graphic print job status feature (or progress bar) that provides a visual status of a print job while printing. Particularly, the progress bar provides a number of pages remaining to be printed in comparison with the total number of pages in the print job. 
         [0004]    However, whenever backspace or forward space operations are performed on a job that is printing, the progress bar is not updated. If the progress bar is not updated, inaccurate print progress results occur. For example, a job that was 95% completed before being backspaced may appear as 150% completed after the job was restarted sometime previously. This lack of accuracy makes conventional progress bars unreliable. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, a mechanism to provide an accurate print job progress bar is desired. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In one embodiment, a method includes initiating the printing of a print job data at a printer, displaying a graphics indication within a GUI of a printing progress of the print job while the print job is printing, detecting that a spacing operation has been performed on the print job and updating the printing progress of the print job at the graphics indication based on the spacing operation that has been performed 
         [0007]    Another embodiment discloses a print server including a processor and a printing software product executed by the processor. The printing software product includes a GUI and initiates the printing of a print job data at a printer, displays a graphics indication within the GUI of a printing progress of the print job while the print job is printing, detects that a spacing operation has been performed on the print job and updates the printing progress of the print job at the graphics indication based on the spacing operation that has been performed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained from the following detailed description in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a data processing system network; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates a screen shot of one embodiment of a printing software product; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment for providing a print job progress bar; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates one embodiment of a computer system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    A mechanism to provide an accurate print job progress bar is described. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the underlying principles of the present invention. 
         [0014]    Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a data processing system network  100 . Network  100  includes a data processing system  102 , which may be either a desktop or a mobile data processing system, coupled via communications link  104  to network  106 . In one embodiment, data processing system  102  is a conventional data processing system including a processor, local memory, nonvolatile storage, and input/output devices such as a keyboard, mouse, trackball, and the like, all in accordance with the known art. In one embodiment, data processing system  102  includes and employs the Windows operating system or a similar operating system and/or network drivers permitting data processing system  102  to communicate with network  106  for the purposes of employing resources within network  106 . 
         [0016]    Network  106  may be a local area network (LAN) or any other network over which print requests may be submitted to a remote printer or print server. Communications link  104  may be in the form of a network adapter, docking station, or the like, and supports communications between data processing system  102  and network  106  employing a network communications protocol such as Ethernet, the AS/400 Network, or the like. 
         [0017]    According to one embodiment, network  106  includes a print server  108  that serves print requests over network  106  received via communications link  110 . Print server  108  subsequently transmits the print requests via communications link  110  to one of printers  109  for printing, which are coupled to network  106  via communications links  111 . In one embodiment, an operator at data processing system  102  may interact with print server  108  using a GUI  120  to submit requests for service requests to printer  109  over network  106 . In a further embodiment, print server  108  includes a print queue for print jobs requested by remote data processing systems. 
         [0018]    Although described as separate entities, other embodiments may include print server  108  being incorporated in one or more of the printers  109 . Therefore, the data processing system network depicted in  FIG. 1  is selected for the purposes of explaining and illustrating the present invention and is not intended to imply architectural limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various additional components may be utilized in conjunction with the present invention. 
         [0019]    According to one embodiment, print server  108  implements a printing software product that manages the printing of documents from data processing system  102  to one or more of printers  109 . In other embodiments, the printing software manages printing of documents from multiple data processing systems  102  to printers  109 . 
         [0020]    According to one embodiment, the printing software product may be implemented using either InfoPrint Manager (IPM) or InfoPrint ProcessDirector (IPPD), although other types of printing software may be used instead. In a further embodiment, the print printing software product includes GUI  120  that enables a system administrator (or operator) to interact with the print printing software product at printer server  108 . 
         [0021]    In a further embodiment, an operator at data processing system  102  implements GUI  120  to automatically submit print jobs to the printing software product. In still a further embodiment, GUI  120  includes a graphic print job progress bar that provides a visual status of a print job while printing.  FIG. 2  is a screen shot  200  illustrating one embodiment of a GUI  120 . 
         [0022]    GUI  120  includes a list  220  of print jobs to be printed, as well as progress bars  230 . Progress bars  230  each provide a graphic bar that represents a total number of pages in a print job. Additionally, each bar includes a shaded portion that indicates a proportionate percentage of the job that has been completed. A numerical percentage is indicated next to the bar as a further indication. 
         [0023]    As discussed above, spacing (e.g., backspace or forward space operations) performed in conventional printing software products affect the accuracy of bars  230 . In a large print job having in excess of 25,000 pages, it may sometimes be necessary to go back (e.g., backspace) to reprint pages that have already been printed due to print quality issues. For example, while page 15,000 of a print job is printing it may be discovered that problems with the printer ink began occurring at page 1,000. Thus, an operator may use GUI  120  to access the printing software product in order to begin printing again from page 1,000. However in current applications, a progress bar is not updated, leading to inaccuracies. The opposite process (e.g., skipping pages) occurs during forward space operations, also resulting in progress bar inaccuracies. 
         [0024]    According to one embodiment, a printing software product is provided that presents an accurate progress bars that takes into account backspace or forward space operations that have been performed on a print job.  FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment for providing a print job progress bar. At processing block  310 , the printing of a print job at a printer  109  is initiated. 
         [0025]    At processing block  320 , the printing software product calculates the print progress of the job once the job begins printing. In one embodiment, the printing software product calculates the print progress based on the size of the print job (e.g., number of pages) and the print speed of printer  109 . At processing block  330 , the print job progress is displayed in GUI  100  using progress bar  230  and the corresponding completed percentage. At decision block  340 , the printing software product determines whether the print job has been altered by a spacing operation while printing. In one embodiment, the printing software product recognizes whenever an operator performs a backspace or forward space operation on the print and uses this information to update the print progress. 
         [0026]    As a result, control is returned to processing block  320  for a recalculation of the print job progress if the printing software product detects that the print job has been altered. This time the calculation includes the page to which the print job has been reset (e.g., moved forward or backward), in addition to calculations based on the number of pages remaining to be printed. Subsequently, the updated progress is displayed at processing block  330 . 
         [0027]    If at decision block  340 , it is determined that the print job has not been altered, it is determined whether the print job has been completed, decision block  350 . If the job has not completed, the printing software product retrieves a feedback message from printer  109  indicating the page currently being printed at printer  109 , processing block  360 . Subsequently, control is returned to processing block  320  for a recalculation of the print job progress using the feedback message. 
         [0028]    If at decision block  350 , it is determined that the print job has been completed, a “Job Completed” message is displayed at GUI. In one embodiment, the message is displayed in place of progress bar  230 . However in other embodiments, the message is displayed adjacent to progress bar  230 . According to one embodiment, the above process takes into account spacing during the printing of multiple copies of a print job while. 
         [0029]    In such an embodiment, the job progress calculation performed at processing block  320  takes into account the number of copies, in addition to the number of pages. Thus, the printing software product uses knowledge of a number of pages in a job, number of copies, current copy printing, and pages skipped to again ensure that the position of the progress bar is accurate. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  illustrates a computer system  400  on which data processing system  102  and/or server  108  may be implemented. Computer system  400  includes a system bus  420  for communicating information, and a processor  410  coupled to bus  420  for processing information. 
         [0031]    Computer system  400  further comprises a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device  425  (referred to herein as main memory), coupled to bus  420  for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor  410 . Main memory  425  also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions by processor  410 . Computer system  400  also may include a read only memory (ROM) and or other static storage device  426  coupled to bus  420  for storing static information and instructions used by processor  410 . 
         [0032]    A data storage device  425  such as a magnetic disk or optical disc and its corresponding drive may also be coupled to computer system  400  for storing information and instructions. Computer system  400  can also be coupled to a second I/O bus  450  via an I/O interface  430 . A plurality of I/O devices may be coupled to I/O bus  450 , including a display device  424 , an input device (e.g., an alphanumeric input device  423  and or a cursor control device  422 ). The communication device  421  is for accessing other computers (servers or clients). The communication device  421  may comprise a modem, a network interface card, or other well-known interface device, such as those used for coupling to Ethernet, token ring, or other types of networks. 
         [0033]    Embodiments of the invention may include various steps as set forth above. The steps may be embodied in machine-executable instructions. The instructions can be used to cause a general-purpose or special-purpose processor to perform certain steps. Alternatively, these steps may be performed by specific hardware components that contain hardwired logic for performing the steps, or by any combination of programmed computer components and custom hardware components. 
         [0034]    Elements of the present invention may also be provided as a machine-readable medium for storing the machine-executable instructions. The machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, floppy diskettes, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, propagation media or other type of media/machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. For example, the present invention may be downloaded as a computer program which may be transferred from a remote computer (e.g., a server) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) by way of data signals embodied in a carrier wave or other propagation medium via a communication link (e.g., a modem or network connection). 
         [0035]    Whereas many alterations and modifications of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art after having read the foregoing description, it is to be understood that any particular embodiment shown and described by way of illustration is in no way intended to be considered limiting. Therefore, references to details of various embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which in themselves recite only those features regarded as essential to the invention.