a page printer is described which divides each page of text , graphics , etc . into lateral page strips , each having an allocated page strip rasterization time based upon the printer &# 39 ; s page print time . a method is described for assuring that a print mechanism in the printer has a strip of rasterized data waiting to be printed when a previous strip has been printed . the method comprises the steps of : determining a total rasterization execution time for all display commands in each strip ; determining for a selected strip , if its ret exceeds the sum of psrt and at least a prior strips idle strip rasterization time , where isrt equals psrt less ret for the prior strip ; prerasterizing the selected strip if its ret exceeds the aforestated sum and arranging it in a first queue ; arranging the selected strip in a second queue if its ret does not exceed the aforestated sum ; and transferring strips from the queues to a print mechanism and rasterizing strips from the second queue in the process of such transfer .