Printer driver and application decoupling using event centric registration model

摘要

Some embodiments of the invention provide a printer user interface (UI) component configured to handle presentation of information to a user during printing operations. The printer UI component may de-couple the rendering and configuration functionality provided by a printer driver from the presentation of information to end users, thereby reducing the risk that applications may crash or hang due to printer driver malfunction. In some embodiments, a registry of events upon which information should be presented to the user is established, and the printer UI component may be registered for some or all of these events, so that when the specified events occur the printer UI component may be invoked to cause information to be presented to the user.

主权项

1. A method for use in a computing device having an operating system, an application separate from the operating system, a printer driver in communication with the operating system and with the application, and a printer device driven by the printer driver, the method comprising:
in response to an attempt by the printer driver to provide information associated with a print job to a graphical user interface during handling of the print job by the printer driver, determining an identity of a printer user interface component that is to be invoked, wherein:
the determining of the identity of the printer user interface component is based on pre-established associations stored in a repository of links between particular events and components for handling the particular events, andthe identified printer user interface component is separate from the operating system, separate from the application, and separate from the printer driver; and using the identified printer user interface component to cause the information associated with the print job to be displayed in the graphical user interface.