Print management architecture for computing devices having a set of filters functions wherein the functions are prevented from conflicting with one another

摘要

A print architecture, including a print manager interposed between an application and a set of installed filters that complete features associated with submitted print jobs, includes an integrated data tree that stores a composite of the features and printer personalities supported by the print system including the installed filters. Properties/behaviors of components of the print architecture, including installed print filters and job tickets, are specified in accordance with an XML-based print schema. A print manager interface facilitates parsing and incorporating feature completion capabilities supported by the installed filters. A capabilities interface presents the features supported by the filters, organized in the form of feature descriptors. In addition to designating feature properties, the feature descriptors designate an order in which a print request is passed through ones of the installed filters to complete the features identified in a print job ticket derived from the feature properties of the feature descriptor.