JP2001010153A - Print processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To utilize a wide sheet effectively by synthesizing a plurality of sheets of print data so that a plurality of sheets of document can be printed on one sheet thereby reducing marginal part when small size data is printed. SOLUTION: The print processing system comprises a printer driver 1a for converting image information generated from an application 10 into a printer language and outputting it as print data, a print monitor 3a for storing the print data in an auxiliary storage unit 17, processing the print data and printing it using a wide printer 4, a user interface section 11 for generating a print setting panel based on page synthesis information, a monitor control section 13 for providing the page synthesis information to the user interface section 11, and an image data synthesis section 16 for synthesizing the print data from the printer driver 1a and the print data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to, for example, CAD
(Computer Aided Design) In a system, use a wide-area industrial printing device capable of printing on large-sized paper such as A0 or A1 size, and combine multiple small-sized original images (drawings) on large-sized paper. The present invention relates to a print processing system having a function of laying out and performing integrated printing (combined printing).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as typified by a CAD system, a design drawing (layout diagram, parts diagram, etc.) created by a terminal device is connected to an A0 or A1 connected to the system.
2. Description of the Related Art Output is performed with a wide-size printing apparatus (such as an industrial PPC or an electrostatic plotter). In such a wide-width printing apparatus, one page is usually printed by a single print instruction with a large paper size such as a CAD drawing as input data.
That is, the print data and the designated paper size (A0,
A1), and even if the paper size is larger than the print data, printing is performed on the designated paper size. For example, in the case of roll paper of A1 width, print data of A3 size is printed, and A3 The paper was cut to the length (or width) of the size and discharged.

[0003]

However, in the printing using the wide-width printing device as described above, for example, when data of A3 size printing is printed on a sheet of A1 size, the printing is performed around the A3 size. Are output as margins, so that there are many margins, and the margins cannot be used effectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above, and by combining a plurality of print data, a plurality of originals can be printed on a single large paper size. A first object is to reduce margins and to make effective use of wide-width paper.

It is a second object of the present invention to improve user convenience and work efficiency when combining a plurality of print data on one sheet.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print processing system, comprising:
A printer driver that converts image information of a print target created by an application on a client computer into a printer language and outputs the print data as print data; a printer that stores the print data in a data storage unit and performs print processing; A print monitor for printing using
A print setting unit for creating a print setting panel for selectively displaying items necessary for printing based on the page synthesis information, and communicating with the print monitor, and A monitor control unit for providing to the print setting unit, and combining the print data transferred from the printer driver with print data stored in the data storage unit based on information input via the print setting unit Image data synthesizing means.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a print processing system using a wide-width printing device, the print setting means creates a print setting panel in accordance with page synthesis information provided by the monitor control means, and sets the print setting panel. Based on the setting information of the panel, the image data synthesizing unit synthesizes a plurality of pieces of image information on one sheet and performs a printing process, so that the sheet size is reduced to a large size such as A0 or A1.
It becomes possible to print images of 4 or A3 size in a consolidated (combined) manner.

Further, in the print processing system according to the second aspect, the print setting means is for selecting a paper size to be laid out when a plurality of print data are combined and printed on one sheet. Is displayed in a selectable manner, and the size of the layout diagram is changed and displayed according to the selection result.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of print data (A4 or A3 size or the like) are combined (aggregated) on one sheet of paper (A0 or A1 size or the like) and printed, The list box for selecting the size of the final print sheet for performing the above is selectably displayed, and the size of the layout diagram is displayed according to the selection, so that the operation and the confirmation at the time of the synthesizing process can be easily performed.

In the print processing system according to a third aspect of the present invention, the print setting means displays a selectable combination position when combining a plurality of print data on one sheet and printing. It has a composite layout diagram output means.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of print data (A4 or A3 size or the like) are combined (aggregated) and printed on one sheet of paper (A0 or A1 size or the like), By outputting the layout diagram, it is possible to select the position where the current print image is to be combined. For example, when an A1 size sheet is selected, the display is divided into eight A4 size sheets, and the position to be combined is selected. Thus, the print image is registered.

Further, in the print processing system according to the fourth aspect, the print setting means may determine a print state to be synthesized when a plurality of print data are synthesized and printed on one sheet. And a preview unit for displaying a screen in advance according to the

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of print data (A4 or A3 size or the like) are combined (aggregated) on one sheet of paper (A0 or A1 size or the like) and printed, By using the preview function, it is possible to confirm on the screen the layout in which the combined (combined) images up to this point are printed.

Further, in the print processing system according to the fifth aspect, the print setting means is configured to combine a plurality of print data into a designated sheet size when combining the plurality of print data on a single sheet. And a print check unit that prints out the print state as required.

According to the present invention, when a plurality of print data (A4 or A3 size, etc.) are combined (aggregated) on one sheet of paper (A0 or A1 size, etc.) and printed, By causing the check means to function, printing can be performed on the actually specified paper size, and printing confirmation in the middle can be performed without combining all print data.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a print processing system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited by the embodiment.

First, a configuration example of the print processing system of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a print processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This system is constructed so that image information such as drawings created on a client computer 1 is printed by a wide-width printer 4 via a print server 3 connected to a network 2.

That is, in FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a client computer which is activated by an application and runs a printer driver 1a; 2 denotes a network such as a LAN (local area network); 3 denotes a print monitor 3a; A print server 4 connected to the print server 4 is a wide-width printing device that receives print data created by the print monitor 3a of the print server 3, outputs the print data to wide roll paper, cuts the print data into a predetermined size, and outputs the cut data. For example, an industrial PPC, an electrostatic plotter, or the like is used.

When printing is performed by activating an application, the printer driver 1a includes a user interface for setting values required for printing, for example, settings such as recording paper size, page layout, and print instructions.
This driver is provided using a monitor control unit that communicates with the print monitor 3a, and converts a print code transferred from an application into a print code (printing language for a printing apparatus) that can be interpreted and processed by the print monitor 3a.

The print monitor 3a combines the created print code with print data that can be printed by the wide-width printer 4 based on print settings set by the user interface of the printer driver 1a, and converts the print code.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the client computer 1 and the print server 3 in FIG. 1 and the printing process. Client computer 1
Is an application 10 for starting a printing process, a user interface unit 11 for creating a print setting panel (see FIG. 4) described later, and converting print setting information and print codes transferred from the application 10 into print data unique to the printing apparatus. A printer driver 1a provided with a rendering unit 12 that performs control of a print monitor 3a that controls the print monitor 3a, a spooler 14 that spools print data, and control communication between the printer driver 1a and the print monitor 3a. And a control communication unit 15 for performing the control. The print server 3 includes a print monitor 3a having an image data synthesizing unit 16 described later, and an auxiliary storage device 17 such as an HDD.

Printing is performed from an application 10 running on the client computer 1 through a user interface unit 11 of a printer driver 1a, and printing (recording paper size, printing position, etc.) is performed as in a normal Windows personal computer. Instructions. After that, the rendering unit 12 of the printer driver 1a
Information set in the print setting and application 10
Is converted into print data unique to the printing apparatus and transferred to the spooler 14.

The print monitor 3a transfers the control data and print data transferred from the spooler 14 to the wide-width printing device 4. The wide printing device 4 performs printing based on the data transferred from the print monitor 3a. In the present invention, a monitor control unit 13 is provided in the printer driver 1a for print data processing described above, and an image data synthesizing unit 16 is provided in the print monitor 3a. A4 or A
(3 sizes).

The monitor control unit 13 includes the printer driver 1
a, and provides information to the user interface unit 11. User interface unit 11
Acquires the page combination information from the print monitor 3a through the monitor control unit 13, and creates a print setting panel (see FIG. 4) operated by the application 10 based on the page combination information.

Normally, printing is performed on a specified recording paper size by one printing instruction. However, in the printing process according to the present invention,
The print data (image) is stored in the auxiliary storage device 17 of the print monitor 3a in order to combine the print data.
The stored information is used as page synthesis information, and the printer driver 1 a
To the user interface unit 11. The page combining information includes a designated print paper size, a print data size (paper size), a print position with respect to the current print paper size, and the like.

The image data synthesizing unit 16 is a part of the print monitor 16 and stores the control data (print paper size, print position and print time flag) and print data transmitted from the printer driver 1a in the auxiliary storage device 17. The transferred print data is combined with the stored print paper size print data in accordance with the control data. Then, the synthesized print data is transferred to the wide-width printing device 4 and printed out by the wide-width printing device 4 only when there is a print instruction (print start flag of control data) from the printer driver 1a.

A series of control processes of the print monitor 16 will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.
First, the print monitor 16 determines whether or not there has been a request to acquire page combining information (step S11). Here, when there is a request to acquire the page composition information, the current page composition information is acquired (step S12), and the information is returned to the monitor control unit 13 of the printer driver 1a (step S13). Return to

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S11 that there is no request to acquire page combination information, the print position to be combined is confirmed (step S14), and print data is acquired from the printer driver 1a (step S1).
5) The print data stored in the auxiliary storage device 17 and the acquired print data are combined (step S16).

Subsequently, the print instruction flag is checked (step S17), and if the print instruction flag is confirmed,
The combined print data is transferred to the wide printing device 4 (step S18), and the combined information is cleared (step S1).
9).

Next, the print setting panel shown in FIG. 4 will be described. In FIG. 4, a print setting panel 40 includes:
Composite layout diagram 41, output paper size setting button 4
2, preview button 43, print check button 44,
Information in a selection button format such as an OK button 45, a cancel button 46, an output paper size, a document size, and the number of documents is displayed.

The output paper size setting button 42 is a list box for selecting a paper size to be laid out (final printing paper). A3 size to A0 size or an irregular size is prepared. Changes in size.

The composite layout diagram 41 allows the user to select a place (layout) where the current print image is to be composited. For example, when the A1 paper size is selected, it is divided into eight locations (A4 × 8) as shown. If you press the button of the place where you want to combine, the print image is registered there. In addition, the half-brightness which has been registered is displayed, and the position can be moved at any time.

The preview button 43 is a button used when the user wants to preview how an image synthesized up to now is printed before printing. When the preview button 43 is selected, the image specified for the paper size is synthesized and displayed on the screen, and the state (layout) of the print output can be confirmed. When the print check button 44 is turned on, printing is performed on the actually specified paper size. In addition, it is possible to check without combining all of them.

Therefore, as described above, when a plurality of originals are printed on one sheet using the wide-width printer 4, the monitor control unit is provided to the printer driver 1a in order to combine the plurality of print data. By providing the image data synthesizing unit 16 and the auxiliary storage device 17 in the print monitor 3a, the print monitor 3a can be easily incorporated into a print process of an existing print system (for example, a printer system compatible with Windows). ,
New value can be added to the output of the printing apparatus.

The user can specify the position of the output paper size to which the print data is to be output by using the user interface unit 11 of the printer driver 1a, thereby realizing a user-friendly system. Also,
Since the order of printing is irrelevant, the user is not restricted by a fixed layout and the convenience of the user is improved.

Further, the user can specify on the print setting panel 40 which position of the output paper size the print data is to be output. Document information (for example, a map) can be printed on a single document, and a user can acquire information in a wider area in an easily viewable state.
Drawings in the CAD system are created in a large paper size such as A1 or A0 by a CAD application or the like.
A plurality of users jointly draw the drawing, and the printing process is combined with the completed drawing and printed, so that a complicated drawing can be shared and produced, and drawing creation efficiency is improved.

[0037]

As described above, according to the print processing system according to the present invention (claim 1), in a print processing system using a wide-width printing apparatus, the print setting unit is configured to execute the page provided by the monitor control unit. A print setting panel is created in accordance with the synthesis information, and the image data synthesizing unit synthesizes a plurality of pieces of image information onto one sheet of paper based on the setting information of the print setting panel, and performs a printing process. Since images such as A4 and A3 can be aggregated (combined) and printed in a large size such as A0 or A1, a small original image is printed in a large size as in the related art, and there is a lot of blank space other than the print image. It is possible to effectively use the blank portion by eliminating waste.

According to the print processing system of the present invention (claim 2), a plurality of print data (A4 and A3
When compositing (aggregating) on a sheet of paper (A0 or A1 size, for example), the size of the final print paper to be laid out is displayed in a selectable manner, and according to the selection, a list box is displayed. By displaying the size of the layout diagram, the operation and confirmation can be easily performed during the combining process, so that the convenience of the user at the time of combining (combining) printing is improved and the workability of the combined printing is improved.

According to the print processing system of the present invention (claim 3), a plurality of print data (A4 and A3
When printing (combining) sizes on a single sheet of paper (such as A0 or A1 size) and printing the combined layout, you can select the position where the current print image is to be combined. For example, when the A1 size paper is selected, the display is divided into eight in the A4 size, and the print image is registered by selecting the position to be combined. Therefore, the print data is aggregated at any position of the output paper size. It is possible to specify whether or not to do so in a composite layout diagram, and the user's operation during composite (combined) printing is assured, and the operability is improved.

According to the print processing system of the present invention (claim 4), a plurality of print data (A4 or A3
When printing composite (combined) images on a single sheet of paper (A0 or A1 size, etc.) and printing the combined (combined) images up to now, a preview function is available. Can be confirmed on the screen by using, so that a user's mistake at the time of composite (combined) printing can be avoided.

According to the print processing system of the present invention (claim 5), a plurality of print data (A4 or A3
When printing (combining) sizes on one sheet of paper (A0 or A1 size, etc.) by combining (aggregating) them into a single sheet (A0 or A1 size, etc.), it is possible to print on the actually specified paper size by using the print check means Print data can be checked in the middle without combining print data, so when multiple copies are required, actual printing can be checked in advance, and print output with less errors is realized. I do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a print processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a client computer and a print server illustrated in FIG. 1 and a printing process thereof.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating print data processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of display and selection buttons on a print setting panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Client computer 1a Printer driver 2 Network 3 Print server 3a Print monitor 4 Wide printing device 10 Application 11 User interface unit 13 Monitor control unit 14 Spooler 16 Image data synthesizing unit 17 Auxiliary storage device 40 Print setting panel 41 Synthetic layout diagram 42 Printing paper Size setting button 43 Preview button 44 Print check button

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printer driver that converts image information to be printed created by an application on a client computer into a printer language and outputs the print data as print data, stores the print data in a data storage unit, and performs print processing. A print monitor for performing printing using a wide-width printing device, and a print setting means for creating a print setting panel for selectively displaying items necessary for printing based on the page synthesis information in a print processing system comprising: A monitor control unit that communicates with the print monitor and provides the page combining information to the print setting unit, based on information input via the print setting unit,
An image data combining unit for combining the print data transferred from the printer driver with print data stored in the data storage unit. 2. The print setting means displays a list box for selecting a paper size to be laid out so as to be selectable when combining a plurality of print data on one sheet and printing. The print processing system according to claim 1, further comprising an output paper size setting unit configured to change and display a size of the layout diagram in accordance with the size. 3. A printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said printing setting means includes a synthesized layout diagram output means for displaying a synthesized position in a selectable manner when printing a plurality of print data on one sheet of paper. Item 3. The print processing system according to item 1 or 2. 4. The print setting means according to claim 1, further comprising: preview means for displaying a combined print state on a screen as necessary when combining a plurality of print data on one sheet and printing. The print processing system according to claim 1, wherein: 5. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein said print setting means prints out a print state to be synthesized on a designated paper size as necessary when a plurality of print data are synthesized on one sheet and printed. The print processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a check unit.