OUTPUT CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND OUTPUT SYSTEM

A printer is interrogated with regard to a plurality of processing functions thereof and, in response to the interrogation, response information is sent from the printer. An image object delivered from an application program is analyzed and, on the basis of the analytical results and the response information from the printer, it is determined whether the number of color elements and number of palettes of the image object are capable of being supported by the printer. If they are capable of being supported, control information for output to the printer is created based upon the image object. If the number of color elements and number of palettes are incapable of being supported by the printer, then control information for output to the printer is created from the original image object upon taking into consideration the functions possessed by the printer.