Abstract

A character resource management system manages character resources to be down loaded into an output device. The character resource management system includes a first management unit for managing character styles of the character resources which may be down loaded into the output device and a second management unit for managing character pattern sets used for the character styles managed by the first management unit. Each of the character pattern sets managed by the second management unit corresponds to one of characteristics of output devices which may be coupled to the character resource management system. The character resource management system additionally comprises a third management unit for managing information regarding character patterns identified by the character pattern sets and code systems which may be used for the character pattern sets, and for managing character code pattern information corresponding to each code in each code system without duplication of the character code pattern information. A fourth management unit is included for managing sharing relationships between a plurality of code systems, each of the sharing relationships representing codes in the plurality of code systems sharing the same character code pattern information. A character resource formed of information managed by the above first to fourth management units is down loaded into the output device.