Queuing capability in a foreground task

Abstract

The specification discloses a method for submitting a number of documents to be printed in a limited memory word processing system in which printing is a separate, nonconcurrent foreground task with typing functions. A set of print task programs is loaded into the system. A background print process is initialized for printing one or more documents. A document is submitted for printing by entering document identification information in a print queue. The document identification information includes the document name, the diskette name where the document is stored and the first and last pages of the document to be printed. The background print process sequentially prints each of the documents corresponding to the document information entered in the print queue on a first-in, first-out basis. The operator may cancel a document previously submitted for printing by deleting the document identification information corresponding to the document to be cancelled from the print queue. The operator may also change the print order of a designated document by moving document information corresponding to the designated document to a position in the queue immediately after the document which is currently being printed. The foreground print task and thus the background print process is thus terminated only when no print activity remains to be performed.