Method and apparatus for processing and printing documents

The present invention relates to a method and system for efficient image handling. The invention includes an image server (10) with which image files are registered. The image processing requests are sent to the image server to produce image data representing the processed image file. In one embodiment of the invention, a document processing application obtains (60) an image file for printing. The application registers (62) the image with the image server. The image server returns an identifier (68) identifying the image file which is used for subsequent image processing requests. The application initiates a print job, sending (90) the image identifier and selected print parameters to a printer driver (300). In response, the printer driver negotiates image processing requests (70) with the image server to modify the image file in accordance with the selected print parameters. Finally, the processed image data is retrieved (72) from the image server and sent (92) to the printer. The image server and printer driver may be separate and independently executing processes. In an alternate embodiment, the application, image server and printer driver are loaded on two or more networked computers.