Method and system for pre-print processing of web-based documents to reduce printing costs

The present invention is directed to a method, apparatus, system, or computer program product that allows a user to choose one or more print options within a browser environment in order to conserve the consumption of physical resources, such as paper and printer ink, by modifying the content of a document. Web-based documents are generally printed for specific, limited purposes, and hardcopy versions of Web-based documents can be relatively expensive. By utilizing the extensible nature of browser applications and the standard formatting of structured documents on the World Wide Web, a methodology is provided for reducing the consumption of printing supplies in order to reduce printing costs of relatively expensive printouts of Web-based documents. By parsing the document and changing the structure, tags, elements, element attribute values, text, graphics, etc., of the document, the present invention creates a modified document that consumes less physical resources during the physical printing process.