Data processing method, image forming apparatus and computer-readable storage medium for storing data in a plurality of boxes assigned as storage areas

Abstract

An object of this invention is to improve user friendliness of the box function. In a system having a storage means capable of storing data in a plurality of data storage boxes including first and second boxes, when the first job data transmitted without performing any predetermined operation by the user in the data generation apparatus is stored in the storage means, acceptance of a process request for the first job data from the first user via the first display associated with the first box on a user interface is permitted. When the second job data transmitted after performing the predetermined operation by the user is stored in the storage means, acceptance of a process request for the second job data from the first user via the first display associated with the first box on the user interface is permitted. In addition, acceptance of a process request for the second job data from the second user via the second display associated with the second box on the user interface is permitted.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A data processing method for an image forming apparatus including a storage unit having a plurality of boxes assigned as storage areas for storing data, said method comprising:
 a first reception step of receiving data to be stored in the storage unit, designation information indicating at least one of the plurality of boxes, and print setting information defining a print setting which is used for printing the data; 
 a first storage control step of storing, when the received designation information indicates one box, the received data and the received print setting information in a storage area corresponding to the one box indicated by the designation information; 
 a second storage control step of storing, when the received designation information indicates two boxes including a first box and a second box, the received data and the received print setting information in a first storage area corresponding to the first box indicated by the designation information, and of storing shortcut data for referencing the received data stored in the first storage area and the received print setting information in a second storage area corresponding to the second box indicated by the designation information, wherein the received data is not stored in the second storage area and wherein the shortcut data is not stored in the first storage area; 
 a second reception step of receiving a printing instruction of the data stored in the storage area corresponding to the one box or to the first box of the two boxes indicated by the designation information; and 
 a printing step of, when receiving the printing instruction, printing the data which is stored in the first storage area corresponding to the first box, based on the print setting information stored in the first storage area corresponding to the first box in a case where the storage area corresponding to the first box has been selected, and printing the data which is referred from the shortcut data stored in the storage area corresponding to the second box and is stored in the first box, based on the print setting information stored in the storage area corresponding to the second box in a case where the second box has been selected, 
 wherein the same print setting information received with the data is individually stored in each of the storage area corresponding to the first box and the storage area corresponding to the second box, and 
 the print setting information stored in the storage area corresponding to the first box and the print setting information stored in the storage area corresponding to the second box are capable of being individually edited. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a selection step of selecting the first box storing the received data from the plurality of boxes indicated by the received designation information, wherein, in said second storage control step, the received data is stored in the first storage area corresponding to the first box selected in said selection step, and the shortcut data is stored in the second storage area corresponding to the second box unselected in said selection step from the plurality of boxes indicated by the designation information. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a setting step of setting whether the shortcut data for referencing the received data is stored or electronic copy data of the received data is stored, 
 wherein, in said second storage control step, in the case that storing the shortcut data is set in said setting step, the shortcut data for referencing the received data stored in the first storage area is stored in the second storage area, or, in the case that storing the electronic copy data is set in said setting step, the electronic copy data of the received data is stored in the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, in said first reception step, the data is received from a document scanning apparatus generating image data based on image scanned from an original. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in said first reception step, all of the data, the designation information, and the print setting information are received from a data generation apparatus connected via a network. 
 
     
     
       6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for making a computer execute the data processing method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, in said first reception step, the data is received from a reader unit for reading an image, and the designation information and the print setting information are received from a user via an operation unit. 
     
     
       8. An image forming apparatus processing data stored in a storage unit having a plurality of boxes assigned as storage areas for storing data, said image forming apparatus comprising:
 a first reception unit configured to receive data to be stored in the storage unit, designation information indicating at least one of the plurality of boxes, and print setting information defining a print setting which is used for printing the data; 
 a first storage control unit configured to store, when the received designation information indicates one box, the received data and the received print setting information in a storage area corresponding to the one box indicated by the designation information; 
 a second storage control unit configured to store, when the received designation information indicates two boxes including a first box and a second box, the received data and the received print setting information in a first storage area corresponding to the first box indicated by the designation information, and to store shortcut data for referencing the received data stored in the first storage area and the received print setting information in a second storage area corresponding to the second box indicated by the designation information, wherein the received data is not stored in the second storage area and wherein the shortcut data is not stored in the first storage area; 
 a second reception unit configured to receive a printing instruction of the data stored in the storage area corresponding to the one box or to the first box of the two boxes indicated by the designation information; and 
 a printing unit configured to, when receiving the printing instruction, print the data which is stored in the first storage area corresponding to the first box, based on the print setting information stored in the storage area corresponding to the first box in a case where the first box has been selected, and to print the data which is referred from the shortcut data stored in the second box and is stored in the storage area corresponding to the first box, based on the print setting information stored in the storage area corresponding to the second box; in a case where the second box has been selected, 
 wherein the same print setting information received with the data is individually stored in each of the storage area corresponding to the first box; and the storage area corresponding to the second box; and 
 the print setting information stored in the storage area corresponding to the first box; and the print setting information stored in the storage area corresponding to the second box; are capable of being individually edited. 
 
     
     
       9. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising a setting unit configured to set whether the shortcut data for referencing the received data is stored or electronic copy data of the received data is stored, a carriage return wherein said storage control unit stores, in the case that said setting unit sets storing the shortcut data, the shortcut data for referencing the received data stored in the first storage area in the second storage area, and, in the case that said setting unit sets storing the electronic copy data, the electronic copy data of the received data in the second storage area. 
     
     
       10. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said first reception unit receives the data from a document scanning apparatus generating image data based on image scanned from an original. 
     
     
       11. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said first reception unit receives the designation information and the print setting information from the user via an operation unit. 
     
     
       12. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein said first reception unit receives the data, the designation information, and the print setting information from a data generation apparatus connected via a network. 
 
     
     
       13. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a printing unit configured to perform a printing process based on the data and the print setting information.