A method and system for producing documents at a first site from database information produced at a second site remote from the first site has enhanced system flexibility and enhanced data handling throughput, which are accomplished by adopting standard programming interface or database tables to allow a computer at the second site to obtain information necessary to generate all necessary data codes and stream formatting information which will be utilized at the first site. An object association table, which associates document production jobs with specific documents and appropriate descriptions, is provided at the first site so that it is accessible-e.g. through an online communications network-at the second site. The object association table is accessed at the second site in realizing substantially only file names in the object association table, to produce database information at the second site. The database information is supplied from the second site to the first site where it is translated so that it may be utilized by a specific print engine at the first site, utilizing a job formatting table to build an engine specific print stream for one or more print engines. Then the engine specific print stream, tailored to the particular print engine utilized, electronically controls a specific print engine at the first site to image documents having variable information from the database information supplied from the second site.
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