A method and system for producing documents at a first site from database
information produced at a second site remote from the first site has
enhanced system flexibility and enhanced data handling throughput, which
are accomplished by adopting standard programming interface or database
tables to allow a computer at the second site to obtain information
necessary to generate all necessary data codes and stream formatting
information which will be utilized at the first site. An object
association table, which associates document production jobs with specific
documents and appropriate descriptions, is provided at the first site so
that it is accessible--e.g. through an online communications network--at
the second site. The object association table is accessed at the second
site in realizing substantially only file names in the object association
table, to produce database information at the second site. The database
information is supplied from the second site to the first site where it is
translated so that it may be utilized by a specific print engine at the
first site, utilizing a job formatting table to build an engine specific
print stream for one or more print engines. Then the engine specific print
stream, tailored to the particular print engine utilized, electronically
controls a specific print engine at the first site to image documents
having variable information from the database information supplied from
the second site.