Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.p.

Hewlett-Packard Company

Other

Hewlett-Packard Development, L.p.

Charles J Gazdik

Shell Sterling Simpson

Erik D Ness

Scott A White

Shane R Konsella

David M Hall

Elliot Lee Klosterman

Kristofer Erik Metz

Michael S De Laurentis

Kwesi E Abraham

Sherri L Brown

David A Martz

Donald J Welch

Lainye Reich

Raghothama S Cauligi

Kelli Kinkela

Steve Claus

A driver for a printing device includes a communication protocol configured to retrieve capabilities of the printing device, invocation commands for invoking the capabilities of the printing device, and display strings for guiding display of the capabilities of the printing device for the printing device when the driver is initialized for use; a user interface configured to display the capabilities of the printing device for a user based on the display strings for the capabilities of the printing device as retrieved by the communication protocol; and a command emission protocol configured to render a print job of the user for the printing device based on the invocation commands for the capabilities of the printing device as retrieved by the communication protocol.

Printing device driver

Intercepting function calls. In one embodiment of the application, an import address table for an application is accessed and an address, in the import address table, associated with a function to which calls from the application are to be intercepted is replaced with an address to be used to access a proxy function. In another embodiment, the application is loaded in debugging mode. Once the import address table for the application has been populated with addresses for functions called by the application, the execution of the application is paused. An address, in the import address table, associated with a function to which calls from the application are to be intercepted is replaced with an address to be used to access a proxy function. Execution of the application is then resumed.

Intercepting function cells

Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention operate to intercept a call directed to a common dialog function and to redirect that call to another more desirable proxy function. An action module providing an internal function that makes a call to the external function is loaded into memory. The action module's import address table is accessed. The external function is identified within the import address table, and an address associated with the external function is replaced with an address to be used to access the proxy function. In one embodiment, the proxy function is designed to utilize settings acquired programmatically and is able to replace a common dialog function, thus, eliminating the need for user interaction to perform a particular task.

Intercepting calls to common dialog functions

An operating system font is created from a printer metrics file. The printer metrics file includes at least one set of font metrics. Each set of font metrics represents one font. The printer metrics file is opened and the font metrics are read. A system font is created from each set of font metrics. The system font is created by applying the font metrics to a font template. The font template with the applied font metrics is saved as a system font. The system font is then installed and registered with the operating system. A name of the operating system font is recorded with a printer driver associated with the printer metrics file.

Creating operating system fonts from printer font metrics

A method for use in printing a print job from an application program on a printer. The printer has associated job settings which include a private portion containing a printer-specific job setting. The method includes providing a program interface configured to enable the application program to access the printer-specific job setting. The method also typically includes, from the application program, sending a command to the program interface to perform an operation related to the printer-specific job setting, and performing the operation related to the printer-specific job setting.

Printing method

A cable retainer for sided structures is an apparatus to secure and hold low-voltage and data-type cables to clapboards on the side of a residential or commercial structure. A clip type arrangement is used that slides between the boards where they overlap one another. The clip can be pushed in with a special tool or hammered in as well. The side of the clip is provided with plastic barbs which aid in retaining the invention. The bottom contains a &ldquo;U&rdquo;-shaped clip that holds smaller cables and another version of the invention has a slit which is used with a conventional cable-tie for retaining larger or multiple cables. Placed approximately every four feet, any type of cable is neatly held without sagging. If the cable is removed, the clip is supplied with a pre-scored mark that allows the bottom portion of the invention to be snapped off and removed while leaving the concealed upper portion in place.

Cable retainer for sided structure

A method for generating a custom distribution media package includes the following steps: Providing an original software suite distribution media package which includes an Internet download option; accessing a remote server via the Internet on which is loaded updated and new software related to the original suite; selecting the software components to be included in the custom media package; comparing the component files that reside on the original distribution media package with those that reside on the remote server, including the component installation data files and setup data files; identifying the most recent files and new files which do not east in the original package; identifying a local mass storage medium is identified on which the new distribution package will be created; copying the most recent files from their source locations to the new medium; and updating the installation data files and setup data files, to reference files from the new media package location. This new technology is made possible by a new fragmented installation process, for which each software component has associated therewith a unique component-specific data file which is independent of and external to the installer-processing engine, the suite installation process flow, and the other software components. The flow of the installation/uninstallation process is controlled by a separate process-control file which is read and executed by the install/uninstall processing engine.

Manufacture of software distribution media packages from components resident on a remote server source

A method for installing and uninstalling software which fragments the process so that the installation or uninstallation of each component of a software suite is controlled by multiple independent files, rather than by a single script. Each software component has associated therewith a unique component-specific data file which is independent of and external to the installer-processing engine, the suite installation process flow, and the other software components. Each such data file contains the characteristics of the software component, as well as the commands to be executed for installation and unexecuted during uninstallation. The flow of the installation/uninstallation process is controlled by a separate process-control file which is read and executed by the install/uninstall processing engine, which for a preferred embodiment of the invention, is a state machine. Fragmentation of the installation process in this manner isolates the intelligence required to install and uninstall a specific software component, thereby separating installation flow information from component installation information. As a component data file may reside at any accessible location, component data files that were not in existence at the time the original software distribution package was created can be supplied with new or updated software components via the Internet so that those components can be integrated into an existing software suite at installation run time.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Charles J Gazdik