Ben Starr, Web Architect, Web Solutions [HREF1], Queensland University of Technology [HREF2], 130 Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059. b.starr@qut.edu.au
Flexiprint is a web-based print-on-demand system that allows Queensland University of Technology students to compile print jobs of course materials online. Print jobs can be collected from printing centres on three campuses or posted to the student. Through its online teaching system and copyright course materials database the University gradually moved towards providing students with digitised course materials online. This created the requirement for a convenient means for students to print digitised course materials that would also preferably utilise the University bulk printing facilities. The key benefits of Flexiprint to students are convenience and cost saving. The key benefits to the University are improved service to students and better utilisation and management of the University bulk printing facilities. Flexiprint is implemented in Java J2EE and uses an Oracle Database. Web Service technology is used to interface with document sources and documents are stored in a local cache in PDF format.
Flexiprint is a web-based print-on-demand system that allows Queensland University of Technology students to compile print jobs of course materials online without first having to download each document. Students select from a list of course materials for each teaching unit and various time, cost, payment, and collection point options are available. Print jobs can be collected from printing centres on three campuses or posted to the student.
Through its online teaching system and copyright course materials database the University gradually moved towards providing students with digitised course materials online as an alternative to printed packs of course materials provided through the University bookshop. However, this meant that students had to download each document they wished to print and print them individually in the University computer labs or on a home printer. This was both time-consuming and costly for the student. The provision of digitised course materials online also meant that the utilisation of the University bulk printing facilities was drastically reduced. A convenient means for students to print course materials was required that would also preferably utilise the University bulk printing facilities.
The key benefits of Flexiprint to students are convenience and cost saving. Students no longer need to go through the time consuming process of downloading individual documents and printing them in the University computer labs or at home. It is also cheaper for students to print their course materials in bulk through Flexiprint (via the University bulk printing facilities) rather than printing them in the University computer labs or at home. The system has also been implemented in an "add-on" way so it is entirely optional for students to use the system and it does not take away any existing functionality from the online teaching system and course materials database.
The key benefits of Flexiprint to the University are improved service to students and better utilisation and management of the University bulk printing facilities. Before Flexiprint the bulk printing facilities were heavily utilised just prior to the start of semester producing materials required by teaching staff, but only very lightly utilised during the semester. Flexiprint means that the load on bulk printing facilities is flattened throughout the academic year, making better use of printing systems that represent a considerable financial investment.
In order to provide a component based and scalable architecture Flexiprint is implemented in Java J2EE [HREF3]. The system runs in the open source JBoss Application Server [HREF4] on Mac OS X Server [HREF5]. The system uses an Oracle Database [HREF6] running on a separate Windows Server [HREF7].
The system has a sophisticated automated version-aware cache management system to maintain a cache of PDF [HREF8] documents from the various document sources (i.e. the University online teaching system and course materials database). Web Service [HREF9] technology is used to interface with the document sources and the documents are downloaded into the Flexiprint cache via HTTP/HTTPS. Documents are stored in the cache in PDF format and documents not already in PDF format (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc) are automatically converted to PDF using activePDF Server and DocConverter [HREF10] software running on the Windows Server. Storing documents in PDF format supports the print pricing model by allowing the number of pages in a document to be stored in the system and used to calculate the cost of a print job. It also allows documents to be printed natively by the bulk printing facilities.
The Java iText [HREF11] PDF library is used to compile selected documents into a single PDF print job document including a cover page containing delivery and pricing information. Flexiprint also integrates with an online payment system for credit/debit card payments. Print jobs pre-paid (online) are automatically queued to the relevant printer by the system (via the LPR [HREF12] protocol) and are ready for the student to collect at the specified time. Print jobs paid on collection are manually queued to the relevant printer via a web-based admin interface at the time that the student collects the job. A bar code on the print job cover page is scanned to collect payment over the counter and to notify the system that a print job has been collected.