Print control apparatus and print control method

Abstract

In a print control apparatus of the invention, it is assumed that preprocessing with regard to a print object image specified as an object of image processing is currently being performed by an advanced processing execution module, at an input timing of an image processing instruction in response to a print instruction. On condition that a processing amount of the preprocessing currently performed by the advanced processing execution module has reached a predetermined level, an image processor waits for completion of the preprocessing performed by the advanced processing execution module and implements a correction process by utilizing a result of the preprocessing performed by the advanced processing execution module. On condition that the processing amount of the preprocessing currently performed by the advanced processing execution module has not yet reached the predetermined level, on the other hand, the image processor stops the preprocessing currently performed by the advanced processing execution module, performs the preprocessing with regard to the print object image as the object of image processing at a higher speed than a processing speed by the advanced processing execution module, and utilizes a result of the preprocessing to implement the correction process. This arrangement of the invention effectively shortens the time period elapsed before start of image processing required for printing the print object image.