Methods and apparatus for print workflow processing
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatus are provided for processing a print job through a copy of a workflow, modifying the copied workflow and reprocessing the print job only through the modified portion of the copied workflow. In addition, methods and apparatus in accordance with this invention are provided for modifying or inserting additional print files into a print job that has already been processed through a workflow, and processing only the modified or inserted print files through the workflow.
1. A method for processing a print job, the method comprising:
providing a workflow database containing pre-existing workflows for performing a print job;
providing workflow creation tools for allowing a user to create a workflow for a print job, wherein said workflow comprises a plurality of discrete processing stages including at least two operations selected from among a list of operations consisting of a folder input stage, a spot color management stage, a preflight stage, an imposition stage, and a folder output stage;
selecting a workflow from among created workflows and preexisting workflows, forming a selected workflow comprising a plurality of modules, wherein each module in the plurality of modules accomplishes at least one print job processing step;
submitting a print job to a selected workflow;
initiating print job processing based on the selected workflow, wherein at least one module is completed and at least one of the modules fails, creating at least one completed module and at least one failed module;
alerting a user when the at least one of the modules fails;
modifying at least one of the modules after at least one module fails, creating at least one modified module;
modifying the selected workflow, forming a modified workflow, wherein the modified workflow includes the at least one modified module, but does not include the completed modules;
reprocessing the print job based on the modified workflow;
assigning the modified workflow a name;
saving the modified workflow in the workflow database for subsequent use; and
processing at least one additional print job using the saved modified workflow.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying comprises changing a parameter of one of the modules.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying comprises:
adding a module to the workflow wherein the added module comprises the modified module.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the workflow comprises first and second modules; and
adding comprises adding a module between the first and second modules.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the workflow comprises first and second modules; and
adding comprises adding a module after the second module.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the print job comprises a first input file,
wherein the step of modifying includes associating a second input file to the print job.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the input file comprises a PDF file, PostScript file, encapsulated PostScript (“EPS”) file, Desktop Colour Separation version 2.0 (“DCS 2 ”) file, tagged image file format (“TIFF”) file, JPEG file, word processing file, or spreadsheet file.