JP2007241877A - Print controller, print control method, print control program, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print controller, a print control method, a print control program, and a storage medium for offering a highly convenient service to a user with respect to control/management of a printer. <P>SOLUTION: This print controller equipped with a printer driver has an information acquisition means acquiring text data, which carry option configuration information of the printer connected via a network and machine-dependent information of the printer, from the printer and a storage means storing the text data acquired by the information acquisition means as a file. The printer driver solves the problem by varying display content on a print setting screen based on the text data acquired by the information acquisition means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control apparatus, a print control method, a print control program, and a recording medium, and more particularly to a print control apparatus, a print control method, a print control program, and a recording medium provided with a printer driver.

Data edited by the application is converted into data (or commands) that can be interpreted by the printer by the printer driver. However, the printer control method differs depending on the model. Therefore, the user must install a printer driver corresponding to the printer used by the user. Such a situation is not a problem in an environment where the number of printers to be used is limited, such as at home. Installation on a PC (Personal Computer) or the like has occurred, which has been a heavy burden on system administrators and the like. Therefore, as a technique for improving such inconvenience, a technique capable of supporting a plurality of models with one printer driver has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-259085 A

  However, in the technique in Patent Document 1, since a part depending on the model of the printer driver is realized by a program module, at least a part of the printer driver must be developed for each printer.

  On the other hand, conventionally, an application for managing device information of a printer acquires the device information from each printer driver. This is because the device information is stored in each printer driver. However, such an implementation lacks versatility and expandability, and not only complicates the implementation of an application, but also makes it difficult to provide a user with a highly convenient service.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is a print control apparatus, a print control method, a print control program, and a recording medium that can provide a user-friendly service regarding printer control or management. The purpose is to provide.

  Accordingly, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a printing control apparatus provided with a printer driver, in which optional configuration information of a printer connected via a network and information depending on the printer model are recorded. Information acquisition means for acquiring text data from the printer; and storage means for storing the text data acquired by the information acquisition means as a file, wherein the printer driver is acquired by the information acquisition means. The display content of the print setting screen is changed based on text data.

  With such a print control apparatus, it is possible to provide a service that is highly convenient for the user regarding control or management of the printer.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a print control method in the print control apparatus, a print control program for causing the print control apparatus to execute the print control method, or a recording medium on which the print control program is recorded. It is good.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a print control apparatus, a print control method, a print control program, and a recording medium that can provide a service that is highly convenient for the user regarding control or management of the printer.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1, the printing system 1 is configured by connecting a host computer 10 and a printer 20 via a network 30 (regardless of wired or wireless) such as a LAN (Local Area Network). . In FIG. 1, only one printer 20 is displayed, but a plurality of printers may be connected to the network 30.

  The printer 20 is a general printer. The printer 20 holds device actual information 21 in its memory. The device actual information 21 is information constituting a different part for each device or model. For example, the device actual information 21 includes function information depending on the model of the printer 20, information indicating the current option configuration of the printer 20 (the type of tray installed, etc.), and the like.

  The host computer 10 is a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer) that gives a print instruction to the printer. In FIG. 1, software such as an application 11, an OS (Operating System) 12, a printer driver 13, a device information management unit 14, and a device information DB 15 is installed in the host computer 10.

  In addition to general applications such as word processing software and spreadsheet software, the application 11 corresponds to an application (hereinafter referred to as “printer management application”) that provides information related to the printer to the user.

  The OS 12 is a general OS, and the type thereof is not particularly limited.

  The printer driver 13 converts the drawing data output from the application 11 into print data (such as PDL (Page Description Language) data) unique to the printer. However, the printer driver 13 according to the present embodiment executes processing based on the device actual information 21 for a portion (dynamic portion) whose processing is different for each printer or each printer model. Therefore, the logic implemented in the printer driver 13 is limited to a common part (static part) regardless of which printer or model. A representative example of the portion where the processing is different for each printer or each printer model is that the display items on the print setting screen are different. Note that the print data generated by the printer driver 13 is transmitted to the printer 20. The printer 20 interprets the print data and executes printing.

  The device information management unit 14 performs two-way communication with the printer 20 and acquires device actual information 21 in the XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format from the printer 20. The acquired device real information 21 is stored in the device information DB 15 in the XML format. According to the XML format, the parent-child relationship between the parameters constituting the device actual information 21 can be easily expressed.

  The device information DB 15 is a file (XML file) for storing device actual information 21 in the XML format. One file may correspond to each printer 20, or the device actual information 21 of a plurality of printers 20 may be stored in one file.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the host computer according to the embodiment of the present invention. The host computer 10 in FIG. 2 includes a drive device 100, an auxiliary storage device 102, a memory device 103, an arithmetic processing device 104, an interface device 105, a display device 106, and a drive device 100, which are mutually connected by a bus B. And an input device 107.

  A program such as a printer driver that implements processing in the host computer 10 is provided by a recording medium 101 such as a CD-ROM. When the recording medium 101 on which the program is recorded is set in the drive device 100, the program is installed from the recording medium 101 to the auxiliary storage device 102 via the drive device 100. The auxiliary storage device 102 stores the installed program and also stores necessary files and data.

  The memory device 103 reads the program from the auxiliary storage device 102 and stores it when there is an instruction to start the program. The arithmetic processing unit 104 realizes functions related to the host computer 10 in accordance with a program stored in the memory device 103. The interface device 105 is used as an interface for connecting to the network 30 in FIG. The display device 106 displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) or the like by a program. The input device 107 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and is used for inputting various operation instructions.

  The program need not be installed from the recording medium 101 and may be downloaded from another computer via the network 30.

  The processing procedure of the host computer 10 in FIG. 1 will be described below. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the host computer in the first embodiment.

  In step S <b> 101, the user installs the printer driver 13 in the host computer 10. At this time, the device information management unit 14 is also installed. Subsequently, the user sets the connection destination printer 20 (port) of the installed printer driver 13 via a GUI (Graphical User Interface) displayed by the OS 12 (S102).

  Subsequently, the user instructs display of the print setting screen (S103). This step is executed when the user issues a print instruction from the application 11. In a general Windows (registered trademark) application 11, there is a “print” menu item in the “file” menu. When the “print” menu item is selected, the application 11 displays a print dialog. Normally, a “property” button is arranged in the print dialog, but pressing the “property” button corresponds to a display instruction of the print setting screen in the step. The display instruction is notified to the printer driver 13 via the application 11.

  When notified of the print setting screen display instruction, the printer driver 13 requests the device information management unit 14 to acquire the device actual information 21. In response to a request from the printer driver 13, the device information management unit 14 performs two-way communication with the printer 20 and acquires the actual device information 21 in the XML format from the printer 20 (S104). The device information management unit 14 outputs the acquired device actual information 21 to the printer driver 13 and registers it in the device information DB 15 (S105).

  The printer driver 13 that has received the device actual information 21 is changed to a printer driver 13 corresponding to the device actual information 21. That is, based on the device actual information 21, a print setting screen corresponding to the printer 20 related to the device actual information 21 is displayed (S106). For example, when the optional large-volume paper feed tray is installed in the printer, a description indicating that is included in the device actual information 21. Accordingly, the printer driver 13 displays a print setting screen that allows the selection of a large amount of paper feed trays according to the description. In step S104, if the device actual information 21 cannot be acquired from the printer 20, the print setting screen is displayed based on the model information held as a default value by the printer driver 13.

  Thereafter, when the user performs print settings on the print setting screen and instructs printing, the printer driver 13 generates print data. The generated print data is transmitted to the printer 20 and printed.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, different parts for each printer or each printer model are absorbed by the text-based XML data. Accordingly, various printers can be supported by one printer driver 13. Therefore, the user does not need to install a printer driver for each printer.

  Further, since the device actual information 21 is acquired in accordance with the display of the print setting screen, the printer driver 13 automatically selects the printer selected as the printing destination without making the user aware of the acquisition of the device actual information 21. Can respond.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the host computer in the second embodiment. In FIG. 4, the same steps as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same step numbers, and the description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  In FIG. 4, steps S201 to S203 are added. In step S201, the user instructs to update the device information DB 15 while the print setting screen corresponding to the printer 20 is displayed. For example, a button for updating the device information DB 15 is arranged on the print setting screen, and the button is pressed. In response to a user instruction, the device information management unit 14 performs two-way communication with the printer 20 and acquires the device actual information 21 in XML format from the printer 20 (S202). The device information management unit 14 updates the device information DB 15 with the acquired device actual information 21 (S105). The printer driver 13 changes the display of the currently displayed print setting screen based on the newly acquired device actual information 21.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the contents of the device information DB 15 can be updated to the latest state as desired by the user.

  Next, a third embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the host computer in the third embodiment. In FIG. 5, the same steps as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same step numbers, and the description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  In FIG. 5, steps S301 and S302 are added to FIG. In step S301, the contents of the device information DB 15 are edited by the user. For example, editing may be performed using an editing application or a text editor. Since the device information DB 15 is text-based information, it can be easily edited by a text editor.

  Thereafter, when the display of the print setting screen is instructed by the user, the printer driver 13 displays the print setting screen based on the edited device information DB 15 (S302). Therefore, the contents of the displayed mark setting screen are in accordance with the user's editing.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, the printer driver 13 can be easily customized.

  Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In the fourth embodiment, an example in which the printer management application uses the device information DB 15 will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the host computer according to the fourth embodiment.

  When the printer management application is instructed to display printer information by the user (S401), the printer management application requests the device information management unit 15 to acquire the device actual information 21 of the printer. In response to the request, the device information management unit 15 acquires the device actual information 21 from the device information DB 15 and returns it to the printer management application (S402). The printer management application displays the device actual information 21 acquired through the device information management unit 15 as printer information (S403).

  As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, another application can acquire and display printer information without using the printer driver 13. This is because the printer information is separated from the printer driver 13 and integratedly managed in the independent device information DB 15. Accordingly, the actual printer information 21 can be easily used from various applications, and each application can provide a highly convenient service. However, the printer information may be acquired from the printer driver 13 as is conventional.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the device actual information 21 is in the XML format has been described, but other formats such as a CSV format may be used.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to the specific embodiment which concerns, In the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim, various deformation | transformation * It can be changed.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the printing system in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the host computer in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process sequence of the host computer in 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process sequence of the host computer in 2nd embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process sequence of the host computer in 3rd embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process sequence of the host computer in 4th embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Printing System 10 Host Computer 11 Application 12 OS
13 Printer Driver 14 Device Information Management Unit 15 Device Information DB
20 Printer 21 Device Real Information 100 Drive Device 101 Recording Medium 102 Auxiliary Storage Device 103 Memory Device 104 Arithmetic Processing Device 105 Interface Device 106 Display Device 107 Input Device B Bus

Claims (8)

A print control device provided with a printer driver,
Information acquisition means for acquiring, from the printer, text data recorded with optional configuration information of a printer connected via a network and information depending on a model of the printer;
Storage means for storing the text data acquired by the information acquisition means as a file;
The print control apparatus, wherein the printer driver changes display content of a print setting screen based on the text data acquired by the information acquisition unit. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information acquisition unit acquires the text data from the printer in response to an instruction to display the print setting screen. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an information display unit configured to display information relating to the printer based on the text data stored by the storage unit. A print control method executed by a print control apparatus including a printer driver,
An information acquisition procedure for acquiring, from the printer, text data in which optional configuration information of a printer connected via a network and information dependent on the model of the printer are recorded;
A storage procedure for storing the text data acquired in the information acquisition procedure as a file;
The print control method, wherein the printer driver changes display contents of a print setting screen based on the text data acquired in the information acquisition procedure. 5. The print control method according to claim 4, wherein the information acquisition procedure acquires the text data from the printer in response to a display instruction on the print setting screen. 6. The print control method according to claim 4, further comprising an information display procedure for displaying information on the printer based on the text data stored in the storage procedure. On the computer,
An information acquisition procedure for acquiring, from the printer, text data in which optional configuration information of a printer connected via a network and information dependent on the model of the printer are recorded;
A storage procedure for storing the text data acquired in the information acquisition procedure as a file;
A print control program for executing a display procedure for displaying a print setting screen based on the text data acquired in the information acquisition procedure. A computer-readable recording medium on which the printing control program according to claim 7 is recorded.

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