Patent ID: 8810828

Claim:
An image forming device connected to a plurality of external devices that controls image data through a network, the image forming device comprising: a setup unit configured to set up an identification name and communication identification information for each of the plurality of external devices; a registration unit configured to associate each of the identification names with corresponding communication identification information and to register each of the identification names and the corresponding communication identification information with a device information control unit; a source candidate display unit configured to display a list of the identification names registered with the device information control unit for selection as a candidate of a source from which the image data is acquired; and an acquisition unit configured to acquire the image data from one or more of the plurality of external devices based on the corresponding communication identification information associated with one of the identification names selected from the list, wherein each of the plurality of external devices controls bibliographic information related to the image data stored in each file having a same format, the plurality of external devices include a first external device configured to use a communication method, by which a predetermined interface associated with the file can be called, and a second external device that cannot use the communication method, by which the predetermined interface associated with the file can be called, and the acquisition unit is configured to: acquire the bibliographic information related to the image data from the first external device by calling the predetermined interface when it is determined that the external device is the first external device that can use the communication method, by which the predetermined interface associated with the file can be called, acquire the file from the second external device related to the communication identification information, when it is determined that the external device is the second external device that cannot use the communication method, by which the predetermined interface associated with the file can be called, and acquire the bibliographic information related to the image data from the acquired file.