JP2001312385A - Device and method for controlling printing and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability related to printing processing by printing one printing target by generating print jobs corresponding to plural kinds of output form with one time of print instructing operation. SOLUTION: When a printing instruction is issued from an application 201 to one piece of printing target data, a spooler 302 converts the print data to an intermediate code and stores it as a spool file 303. When a mode for performing printing-out in plural output forms is set in the case of converting the intermediate code stored as a spool file 303 to a print job, a spool file manager 304 provides the intermediate code to a printer driver 203 so as to generate plural print jobs containing print data corresponding to each of these plural output forms. Thus, the relevant printing target data are printed out in plural kinds of output forms by a printer 1500.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing control device and method, and more particularly to a printing control device and method in a system including an information processing device such as a personal computer and an output device such as a printer, and a storage medium. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when printing is to be performed by specifying a plurality of finishes from an application operating on a computer, it has been necessary to specify each finish and execute printing a plurality of times. For example, in the case of printing on an OHP sheet for presentation and printing with Nup layout (N pages are arranged on one sheet) for handouts, first print on the OHP sheet once, and the driver Or change the print settings in the application, and then execute printing again to distribute the Nup
It was necessary to output the required number of copies.

[0003]

As described above, generally, when printing is to be performed with a plurality of finishing designations, a plurality of setting operations and print execution instructions are required even if there is only one print target data. , Complicated operations were required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is to generate and print a plurality of print jobs corresponding to a plurality of types of output forms for one print target by a single print instruction operation. And to improve operability.

[0005]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print control apparatus, comprising: a setting unit configured to simultaneously set a plurality of output forms for one print target data; Generating means for generating a plurality of print jobs including print data corresponding to a plurality of output modes set by the setting means, and execution control means for executing printing by the plurality of print jobs generated by the generating means And

A print control method according to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes a setting step for simultaneously setting a plurality of output forms for one print target data, and a print control method comprising: A generating step of generating a plurality of print jobs including print data corresponding to the plurality of output forms set in the setting step, and an execution controlling step of executing printing by the plurality of print jobs generated in the generating step. Prepare.

[0007]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printer control system according to the present embodiment. Unless otherwise specified, if the functions of the present invention are performed,
It is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a single device, a system including a plurality of devices, and a system in which connections are made and processing is performed via a network such as a LAN or WAN.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3000 denotes a host computer having the following configuration. Reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU that implements various processes in the host computer 3000. For example, the CPU 1 executes the program RO of the ROM 3.
Based on a document processing program or the like stored in the M3b or the external memory 11, a document process in which graphics, images, characters, tables (including spreadsheets and the like) are mixed is executed. Furthermore,
The CPU 1 generally controls each device connected to the system bus 4.

The program ROM of the ROM 3
An operating system program (hereinafter referred to as OS), which is a control program of the CPU 1, is stored in the memory 3b or the external memory 11. Further, the font ROM 3a of the ROM 3 or the external memory 11 stores font data and the like used in the document processing. And
ROM 3c for data in ROM 3 or external memory 11
Stores various data used when performing the above document processing and the like.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a RAM, which functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like for the CPU 1. Reference numeral 5 denotes a keyboard controller (KBC), which controls a key input from a keyboard 9 or a pointing device (not shown). 6 is CRT
A CRT display (C
RT) 10 is controlled. Reference numeral 7 denotes a disk controller (DKC), which is a hard disk (HD) that stores a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, a printer control command generation program (hereinafter, printer driver), a floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD) to control access to the external memory 11. Reference numeral 8 denotes a printer controller (PRTC) which is connected to the printer 1500 via a predetermined bidirectional interface (interface) 21 and executes communication control processing with the printer 1500.

The CPU 1 executes, for example, a process of developing (rasterizing) the outline font in the display information RAM set on the RAM 2, and outputs the W on the CRT 10.
YSIWYG is possible. Further, the CPU 1
Various registered windows are opened based on a command specified by a mouse cursor or the like (not shown) on the RT 10,
Perform various data processing. When performing printing, the user opens a window related to print settings, and can set a printer and a print processing method for a printer driver including selection of a print mode.

In the printer 1500, reference numeral 12 denotes a printer CPU.
b or an external memory 1
4 based on the control program and the like stored in the printer 1.
500 controls are realized. For example, the CPU 12
An image signal as output information is sent to a printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected to the system bus 15 by a printing unit I / F.
Output via 16. Program ROM of ROM13
13b stores a control program for the CPU 12, and the like. The font ROM 13a of the ROM 13 stores font data and the like used when generating the output information. Further, a data ROM 13c of the ROM 13
In the case of a printer having no external memory 14 such as a hard disk, information used on a host computer is stored.

The CPU 12 is capable of communicating with the host computer 3000 via the input unit 18.
The information and the like in the printer 1500 are transferred to the host
00 is configured to be notified. Reference numeral 19 denotes a RAM that functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like of the CPU 12, and is configured so that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an additional port (not shown). The RAM 19 is used for an output information development area, an environment data storage area, an NVRAM, and the like.

An external memory 14 such as a hard disk (HD) or an IC card is provided with a memory controller (M
C) Access is controlled by 20. External memory 14
Is connected as an option and stores font data, emulation programs, form data, and the like. An operation unit 1501 is provided in the printer 1500, and includes switches for various operations, an LED display, and the like. Further, the external memory 14 described above is used.
Is not limited to one, and at least one or more may be provided so that an optional font card and a plurality of external memories storing programs for interpreting printer control languages of different languages can be connected in addition to the built-in fonts. .
Further, an NVRAM (not shown) is provided.
May be stored.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a typical printing process in a host computer to which a printing device such as a printer is directly connected or connected to a network. The application 201, the graphic engine 202, the printer driver 203, and the system spooler 204 exist as files stored in the external memory 11, and when executed, are loaded into the RAM 2 by the OS or a module using the module and executed. Program module. Also,
Application 201 and printer driver 203
Is the FD of the external memory 11, a CD-ROM (not shown), or the external disk 1 via a network (not shown).
One HD can be added. The application 201 stored in the external memory 11
M2 is loaded and executed. When printing from the application 201 to the printer 1500, output (drawing) is performed using the graphic engine 202 loaded and executable in the RAM2.
The graphic engine 202 stores a printer driver 203 prepared for each printing apparatus from the external memory 11 into a RAM.
2 and converts the output of the application 210 into a printer control command using the printer driver 203. The converted printer control command is output to the printer 1500 via the interface 21 via the system spooler 204 loaded into the RAM 2 by the OS.

FIG. 3 is an extension of the system shown in FIG. 2, and has a configuration in which when a print command is sent from the graphic engine 202 to the printer driver 203, a spool file 303 composed of an intermediate code is once generated. In the system shown in FIG. 2, the application 201 is released from the printing process when the printer driver 203 finishes converting all print commands from the graphic engine 202 into printer control commands. On the other hand, in the system of FIG. 3, the spooler 302 has finished outputting all the print commands from the graphic engine 202 to the spool file 303. Therefore, the latter usually releases the application in a shorter time. Further, in the system shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to perform processing such as changing the print order of pages and rotating and outputting print data on the contents of the spool file 303.

For these purposes, the system of FIG. 2 has been extended to spool the intermediate code data as shown in FIG. In order to process the print data, the printer driver 20 is usually used.
The setting is performed from a window (user interface) provided by the printer driver 3, and the printer driver 203 saves the settings on the RAM 2 or the external memory 11. The extended print data generation method will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, in this extended processing method, the dispatcher 301 receives a print command from the graphic engine 202. When the print command received by the dispatcher 301 from the graphic engine 202 is a print command issued from the application 201 to the graphic engine 202,
The dispatcher 301 loads the spooler 302 stored in the external memory 11 onto the RAM 2 and sends the print command to the spooler 302 instead of the printer driver 203.

The spooler 302 converts the received print command into an intermediate code and outputs it to the spool file 303. In addition, the spooler 302 includes a printer driver 203.
The processing settings relating to the print data set in the step (1) are acquired from the printer driver 203 and stored in the spool file 303. In this example, the spool file 3
03 is generated as a file on the external memory 11, but may be generated on the RAM 2. Further, the spooler 302 loads the spool file manager 304 stored in the external memory 11 into the RAM 2,
The spool file manager 304 is notified of the generation status of the spool file 303.

The spool file manager 304 determines whether or not printing can be performed in accordance with the processing settings for the print data stored in the spool file 303. Here, it is determined whether or not data sufficient for printing has been spooled. For example, when the processing setting is 2 up, two pages of print data are required to output one physical page, so it is determined whether the spool has been spooled for two pages. Spool file manager 304
Determines that printing can be performed using the graphic engine 202, the despooler 305 stored in the external memory 11 is loaded into the RAM 2 and the despooler 30 is loaded.
5 is instructed to print the intermediate code described in the spool file 303.

The despooler 305 stores the spool file 30
3 is processed in accordance with the contents of the processing settings included in the spool file 303, and output again via the graphic engine 202. The print command received by the dispatcher 301 from the graphic engine 202 is transmitted from the despooler 305 to the graphic engine 2.
02, the dispatcher 301 is not the spooler 302 but the printer driver 2
03, and sends a print command. The printer driver 203 generates a printer control command and outputs it to the printer 1500 via the system spooler 204.

A print control system according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described. In this embodiment, a plurality of output forms (particularly finishing processing) are performed by one printing instruction.
Can be designated and executed, but a print mode as a presentation mode is prepared as an example of such processing. When the presentation mode is designated, printing on an OHP sheet and printing on a recording sheet using a Nup layout for distribution are designated, and printing on an OHP sheet and printing on a recording sheet by a single print operation (that is, printing on a recording sheet) , Printing in a plurality of finishing processes). Hereinafter, this processing will be described. The designation of a plurality of finishing processes described in the present embodiment is merely an example. The point is that it is possible to specify to generate print jobs of a plurality of types of output forms for one print target, and various applications are possible. For example, it may be possible to set such that 5 copies of “single-sided printing” and 1 copy of “double-sided printing” can be set. Alternatively, it may be possible to set such that four copies are printed on A4 paper and two copies are printed on B5 paper.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of setting a presentation mode according to the present embodiment. The printer driver 203 of the present embodiment displays a window (user interface) 401 as shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, in the window 401, "finishing"
A state in which the tab 402 is selected is shown, and the user can perform finishing settings such as single-sided printing and double-sided printing via this user interface. In the present embodiment, a presentation mode is prepared for the finishing setting. When this mode is selected, (1) printing on an OHP sheet,
(2) Printing on plain paper using the Nup layout is set at the same time. As for printing on plain paper using the Nup layout, the number of copies can be specified as shown in the figure.

When print execution is instructed after the above designation, a print command issued from the application 201 is transmitted to the graphic engine 202 and the dispatcher 3.
01 to the spooler 302. Spooler 30
2 converts the received print command into an intermediate code and outputs the intermediate code to the spool file 303, and also performs processing settings relating to the print data set in the printer driver 203 (printing on an OHP sheet and plain paper using a Nup layout in this example). Printer driver 2)
03 and stored in the spool file 303.

The spool file manager 304 converts the despooler 305 stored in the external memory 11 into an RA.
M2, and instructs the despooler 305 to print the intermediate code with the processing settings described in the spool file 303. Hereinafter, the operation of the spool file manager 304 of the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the spool file manager 304 according to the present embodiment. The processing procedure shown in FIG.
The print data (print job) is created from the intermediate code described in No. 03. Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

The processing in this embodiment is started when the user operates the keyboard 9 or the like shown in FIG. 1 to designate the printer as the printing destination by the application 201 being executed and instruct the execution of printing. For example, when the printing process is a printing process that specifies a plurality of finishing methods (in the present embodiment, printing in a presentation mode), a characteristic process of the present embodiment is performed.
Note that the print setting operation via the user interface as shown in FIG. 4 does not need to be performed each time printing is performed, and if the setting operation is not performed, the print setting operation continues without changing the default setting value or the previously set print setting. The printing process will be executed.

In the printing process of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the print data is temporarily stored in the spool file 303. After that, the spool file manager 304 performs printing in accordance with the print data stored in the spool file 303 and the contents of the processing settings relating to the print data. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the process of the spool file manager at that time.

First, it is determined whether or not the presentation mode is set in the processing settings for print data stored in the spool file 303 (step S81). As shown in FIG. 4, the presentation mode is set by the user operating the setting screen of the printer driver. In the setting screen of the present embodiment, the setting is performed by selecting a presentation mode from among printing methods including single-sided printing, double-sided printing, bookbinding printing, and presentation mode. When this presentation mode is selected, N
The number of copies of the distribution material to be printed up is specified.

If it is determined in step S81 that the presentation mode has not been specified, the despooler 305 is instructed to print the intermediate code described in the spool file 303 by the specified processing. Perform normal printing processing. On the other hand, if the presentation mode is specified,
An instruction is issued to perform the printing process of the intermediate code described in the spool file 303 in the P print setting (actual size) (step S82). Thereafter, an instruction is given to print the intermediate code described in the spool file 303 with the predetermined settings (layout 4 up) for the distributed material and the set number of distributed materials (step S83).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a print job generated in a normal state. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print job generated when a setting for generating a plurality of print jobs for one print target is performed (in the present embodiment, when the presentation mode is selected).

If the presentation mode is not designated by the processing described with reference to FIG.
A normal print job 504 is created as shown in FIG. That is, the printer driver 203 arranges, for example, print data 502 described in a page description language (PDL) between a job initialization command group 501 and a job end processing command group 503 according to an instruction of the spool file manager 304. Is generated.

On the other hand, when the presentation mode is designated, as shown in FIG. 6, a print job 604 for OHP output and a print job 614 for output of distributed materials are created. The data configuration of each print job is the same as the print job shown in FIG. By the way, in this embodiment,
When the presentation mode is designated, a job for OHP printing is set as the print job
As No. 4, a job 703 for distribution material is created.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a print job generated when the presentation mode is set in the window of FIG. 4 and printing is executed with the number of copies set to six.
With this setting, for example, when print data 701 for seven pages is input from the application, an OHP print job 702 is generated as the print job 604. This OH
By the P printing job 702, the printing process of the same magnification is performed, and seven OHP sheets are completed. Thereafter, a distribution material job 703 is generated as the print job 614.
In this example, a print job for printing six copies is generated with a layout for recording four OHP sheets in one page for distribution materials.

As described above, according to this embodiment, a single print execution operation from the application 201
OHP printing job 702 and distribution material job 70
3 are created, and each printed material can be obtained. In other words, the presentation material (OH
It is possible to print P) and print out the handout materials, which improves the convenience of printing presentation materials.

In the above embodiment, a combination of predetermined output forms (print output for OHP and print output for distribution in the presentation mode) can be designated, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, FIG.
The output forms may be arbitrarily combined in the window shown in FIG. In this case, for example, setting such as 5 copies for single-sided printing and 3 copies for double-sided printing can be performed.

The present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, and the like), and can be configured by a single device (copier, printer, facsimile). Device).

Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments by using a computer (or CPU or MPU) of a system or apparatus. It is also achieved by reading and executing code.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, C
DR, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM
Etc. can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) Performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are actually executed by the processing.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. The CPU provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing,
The case where the function of the above-described embodiment is actually performed by the processing is also included.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention,
For one print target, print jobs corresponding to a plurality of types of output forms can be generated and printed by one print instruction operation, and operability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a typical printing process in a host computer to which a printing device such as a printer is directly connected or connected to a network.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a print data generation method that is an extension of FIG. 2 for generating an intermediate code.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a presentation mode setting method according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print job generated in a normal state.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print job generated when a setting to generate a plurality of print jobs is made for one print target (in the present embodiment, when the presentation mode is selected).

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a print job generated when the presentation mode is set in the window of FIG. 4 and printing is performed with the number of copies set to 6;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a spool file manager 304 according to the present embodiment.

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A setting unit capable of simultaneously setting a plurality of output forms for one print target data, and a plurality of prints including print data corresponding to the plurality of output forms set by the setting unit from data to be printed. A print control apparatus comprising: a generation unit configured to generate a job; and an execution control unit configured to execute printing by the plurality of print jobs generated by the generation unit. 2. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit can set a combination of a plurality of predetermined output forms. 3. The combination of a plurality of predetermined output forms includes a first output form in which one page is output on one sheet and a second output form in which a plurality of pages are output on one sheet. The print control device according to claim 2, wherein the print control device includes a combination. 4. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit can set an arbitrary combination of output forms. 5. A holding unit for holding the print target data and output form information indicating a plurality of output forms set by the setting unit in data of a predetermined format; Conversion means for converting print target data held in a predetermined format by the holding means into print data so that a print output is obtained in an output form indicated by the output form information, and the setting means using the conversion means 2. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: print job generating means for generating print data corresponding to each of the plurality of output modes set in step (a) and generating a plurality of print jobs. 6. The print control device according to claim 1, wherein the execution control unit transmits the print job generated by the generation unit to a printing device. 7. A setting step in which a plurality of output forms can be simultaneously set for one print target data, and a plurality of prints including print data corresponding to the plurality of output forms set in the setting step from data to be printed. A print control method comprising: a generation step of generating a job; and an execution control step of executing printing by the plurality of print jobs generated in the generation step. 8. The print control method according to claim 7, wherein in the setting step, a combination of a plurality of predetermined output forms can be set. 9. The combination of a plurality of predetermined output modes includes a first output mode in which one page is output on one sheet and a second output mode in which a plurality of pages are output on one sheet. 9. The print control method according to claim 8, comprising a combination. 10. The print control method according to claim 7, wherein in the setting step, an arbitrary combination of output forms can be set. 11. The generating step includes: a holding step of holding the print target data and output form information indicating a plurality of output forms set in the setting step in data of a predetermined format; A conversion step of converting print target data held in a predetermined format by the holding step into print data so that a print output can be obtained in an output form indicated by the output form information, and the setting step using the conversion step 8. The print control method according to claim 7, further comprising: a print job generating step of generating print data corresponding to each of the plurality of output modes set in step (a) and generating a plurality of print jobs. 12. The print control method according to claim 7, wherein the execution control step transmits the print job generated in the generation step to a printing device. 13. A storage medium for storing a control program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 7. Description: