A method of interfacing a client with a job-based print device is
disclosed. The method disclosed is a method for processing multiple
document jobs of varying complexity and purpose, as they arrive from the
network, where a job is a transaction or a set of transactions, involving
print data and other input and output from the print device, and a
document is a single bounded stream of data, which may be a print job or
one assertion in the context of a transaction. The method includes
receiving client data before it reaches a print communication protocol
module. Any or all of the following capabilities may be demonstrated. Raw
page description language data is distinguished from other client data
and it is determined if the raw page description language includes a
request which requires the attention of a specific interpreter and a
temporary realignment of job management. The request is processed. An
interface which processes client data is disclosed. The interface
includes a query parser that detects a query in the client data and
routes the query to be answered. A raw page description language data
parser receives non-query client data from the query parser and detects
raw data. A font download manager establishes an open channel to a print
device bypassing a job management queue if the detected raw data includes
a font download. A configuration support manager interfaces with a
configuration server to accomplish targeted network configuration changes
without affecting other components of the print device controller. The
interface also includes a document manager, which parses the incoming
data stream, preprocesses data on arrival, gleans job description data,
and embeds multiple documents in a single job where appropriate.