Remote option management of peripherals

A dynamic configuration component is a service application for use on photocopier, or other printing device. It maintains a database of options for client applications. Preferably the database comprises an XML file for each client application storing for each option, its name, and current and default values. A client application may request both the current and default values for the application. All client applications may request option values from a file of common options and even form files for other one of the client applications. The component also provides user interface for changing in the current option values in the form of either a panel for the touch sensitive screen of the photocopier or a web page made accessible to user workstations on the same network as the photocopier by a web server on the photocopier. The user interface has respective screen controls for the options belonging to a particular application. The common format of the XML files makes it easy for the component to retrieve options and to construct the user interface. The invention is applicable to other kinds of printing device such as printers, scanners, multifunction devices etc..