Method and apparatus in a data processing system for generating metadata streams with per page data

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein the first group of attributes is located in a current application attributes database.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 , wherein the second group of attributes is located in a current metadata attributes database.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further comprising: storing the metadata stream in a storage device.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 further comprising: sending the metadata stream to an output device.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 , wherein the output device is a printer.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 , wherein the first group of attributes and the second group of attributes are located in a data structure.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 , wherein the data structure is located in a random access memory.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 , wherein the first group of attributes is located in a first database and the second group of attributes are located in a second database.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 further comprising: responsive to a new command to print a selected section of the metadata stream, locating the selected section of the metadata stream and printing the selected section using current format data within the selected section; and printing the selected section using the current format data within the selected section.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11 , wherein the printing step prints to a file.

Claim 15

The method of claim 11 , wherein the printing step prints to a printer.

Claim 16

The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of sections is a plurality of frames.

Claim 17

The method claim 10 , wherein the plurality of sections is a plurality of pages.

Claim 18

The method of claim 15 , wherein a beginning of a page within the plurality of pages is identified within the metadata stream by a new page call.

Claim 19

A data processing system for generating a metadata stream, the data processing system comprising: first reception means for receiving an attribute call to set an attribute; first querying means for querying a first group of atrributes to determine whether the attribute call is present in the first group of attributes; first updating means for updating the first group of attributes in response to the attribute call being absent in the first group of attributes; second reception means for receiving a primitive call; erasing means for erasing all attribute calls stored in a second group of attributes in response to the primitive call being a call for a new section; retrieving means for retrieving an attribute call associated with the primitive from the first group of attributes; determination means for determining whether the attribute call associated with the primitive is present in a second group of attributes; second updating means for updating the second group of attributes to include the attribute call associated with the primitive call in response to the attribute call associated with the primitive call being absent in the second group of attributes; first placing means for placing the attribute call associated with the primitive call in the metadata stream in response to updating the second group of attributes; and second placing means for placing the primitive call in the metadata stream.

Claim 20

A data processing system for generating a metadata stream, the data processing system comprising: first reception means for receiving an attribute call to set an attribute; first querying means for querying a first group of atrributes to determine whether the attribute call is present in the first group of attributes; first updating means for updating the first group of attributes in response to the attribute call being absent in the first group of attributes; second reception means for receiving a primitive call; erasing means for erasing all attribute calls stored in a second group of attributes in response to the primitive call being a call for a new section; retrieving means for retrieving an attribute call associated with the primitive from the first group of attributes; determination means for determining whether the attribute call associated with the primitive is present in a second group of attributes; second updating means for updating the second group of attributes to include the attribute call associated with the primitive call in response to the attribute call associated with the primitive call being absent in the second group of attributes; first placing means for placing the attribute call associated with the primitive call in the metadata stream in response to updating the second group of attributes; and second placing means for placing the primitive call in the metadata stream.

Claim 21

The data processing system claim 17 , wherein the first group of attributes is located in a current application attributes database.

Claim 22

The data processing system of claim 17 , wherein the second group of attributes is located in a current metadata attributes database.

Claim 23

The data processing system of claim 17 further comprising: storing means for storing the metadata stream in a storage device.

Claim 24

The data processing system of claim 17 further comprising: an output device; sending means for sending the metadata stream to the output device.

Claim 25

The data processing system of claim 21 , wherein the output device is a printer.

Claim 26

The data processing system of claim 17 , wherein the first group of attributes and the second group of attributes are located in a data structure.

Claim 27

The data processing system of claim 23 , wherein the data structure is located in a random access memory.

Claim 28

The data processing system of claim 17 , wherein the first group of attributes is located in a first database and the second group of attributes is located in a second database.

Claim 29

A data processing system for processing a metadata stream, the data processing system comprising: reception means for receiving a metadata stream from a first process, wherein the metadata stream includes a document with a plurality of sections; tracking means for tracking format data describing a format of the document in the metadata stream to identify current format data in metadata stream; and placing means, responsive to a new section in the metadata stream, for placing current format data within the metadata stream for the new section such that all format data describing the new section is located within the new section in the metadata stream.

Claim 30

A data processing system for processing a metadata stream, the data processing system comprising: reception means for receiving a metadata stream from a first process, wherein the metadata stream includes a document with a plurality of sections; tracking means for tracking format data describing a format of the document in the metadata stream to identify current format data in metadata stream; and placing means, responsive to a new section in the metadata stream, for placing current format data within the metadata stream for the new section such that all format data describing the new section is located within the new section in the metadata stream.

Claim 31

The data processing system of claim 26 further comprising: locating means, responsive to a new command to print a selected section of the metadata stream, for locating the selection section of the metadata stream; and printing means for printing the selected section using the current format data within the selected section.

Claim 32

The data processing system of claim 27 , wherein the printing means prints to a file.

Claim 33

The data processing system of claim 27 , wherein the printing means prints to a printer.

Claim 34

The data processing system of claim 26 , wherein the plurality of sections is a plurality of frames.

Claim 35

The data processing system claim 26 , wherein the plurality of sections is a plurality of pages.

Claim 36

The data processing system of claim 31 , wherein a beginning of a page within the plurality of pages is identified within the metadata stream by a new page call.

Claim 37

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for processing a metadata stream, the computer program product comprising: first instructions for receiving a metadata stream from a first process, wherein the metadata stream includes a document with a plurality of sections; second instructions for tracking format data describing a format of the document in the metadata stream to identify current format data in metadata stream; and fourth instructions, responsive to a new section in the metadata stream, for placing current format data within the metadata stream for the new section such that all format data describing the new section is located within the new section in the metadata stream, wherein the instructions are embodied within the computer readable medium.

Claim 38

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for processing a metadata stream, the computer program product comprising: first instructions for receiving a metadata stream from a first process, wherein the metadata stream includes a document with a plurality of sections; second instructions for tracking format data describing a format of the document in the metadata stream to identify current format data in metadata stream; and fourth instructions, responsive to a new section in the metadata stream, for placing current format data within the metadata stream for the new section such that all format data describing the new section is located within the new section in the metadata stream, wherein the instructions are embodied within the computer readable medium.