Patent ID: 8873071

Claim:
An image forming method using a universal printer driver, comprising: determining printing options supported by a plurality of image forming devices connected to a host device in which the universal printer driver is installed; providing, by a processor, a user interface displaying the determined printing options; selecting at least one printing option from the provided user interface; selecting at least one image forming device of the plurality of image forming devices determined to support the selected at least one printing option; and outputting printing data through the selected at least one image forming device supporting the selected printing option, wherein the supported printing options are determined and provided prior to selection of the at least one image forming device, the outputting of the printing data comprises outputting the printing data through a higher priority image forming device having a higher priority based on a preset priority order if two or more image forming devices on the user interface supporting the selected printing option, the preset priority order is based upon remaining printer toner of each of the two or more image forming devices, wherein the selecting of the at least one printing option from the provided user interface further comprises: checking whether any of the connected plurality of image forming devices does not support the selected at least one printing option after the at least one printing option is selected, and disabling a non-selected printing option for selection in an updated user interface displaying updated printing options if the disabled non-selected printing option is only supported by a second image forming device of the plurality of image forming devices that does not support the selected at least one printing option on the user interface after the at least one printing option is selected.