JP5387360B2 - Information processing method, program thereof, and information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing method, a program thereof, and an information processing apparatus.

Conventionally, as an information processing method, a setting change program performs an instruction to reflect the setting items instructed to be changed and the setting contents included in the acquired setting file in the print setting information of the printer driver. There has been proposed a method of changing the setting content for any item in print setting information including default settings with different attributes based on a change instruction (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this information processing method, it is possible to change default settings for specific setting items in the print setting information without opening a print setting screen provided by the printer driver.

JP 2008-305298 A

However, in the information processing method described in Patent Document 1 described above, the print setting of the printer driver is changed using the setting file. For example, when a plurality of documents are to be printed several times, printing is performed. Each time I had to change the print settings to match the document. Depending on the document, printing may be performed with the same print settings each time. However, every time a document is changed, the print setting for the document must be changed from the previous print setting, and changing the print setting is complicated. there were.

SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an information processing method, a program therefor, and an information processing apparatus that can further reduce the effort for setting printing conditions.

  The present invention adopts the following means in order to achieve the main object described above.

The information processing method of the present invention includes:
An information processing method in a print setting instruction unit, which is an add-in that is incorporated in a user interface of an application program that uses predetermined usable data and receives print settings,
(A) obtaining identification information associated with available data activated in the application program, and identifying the active usable data based on the obtained identification information;
(B) determining whether print setting information associated with the identified identification information of the usable data is registered in the data storage area of the add-in;
(C) reading the contents of the print setting information when the print setting information is registered by the determination, and displaying and outputting the print setting instruction unit reflecting the contents of the read print setting information;
Is included.

In this information processing method, identification information associated with available data that is active in an application program is acquired, and active data that is active is specified based on the acquired identification information. Next, it is determined whether or not the print setting information associated with the identified identification information of the usable data is registered in the add-in data storage area. Subsequently, when the print setting information is registered as a result of the determination, the contents of the print setting information are read out, and a print setting instruction unit reflecting the contents of the read print setting information is displayed and output. The print setting display unit is an add-in that is incorporated in a user interface of an application program that uses predetermined usable data and receives print settings.
As described above, when the available data becomes active on the application program, the print setting corresponding to the available data is displayed on the print setting display unit. Therefore,
The print settings can be reflected on the print setting display section for each available data, and the labor for setting the print conditions can be further reduced.

According to the information processing method of the present invention, (d) when the print setting of the active usable data is changed by the operation of the print setting instruction unit, the changed content is changed to the registered print setting. A step of reflecting the information may be included. This way
Since the changed content is displayed on the print setting display unit, it is possible to further reduce the trouble of setting the printing conditions.

In the information processing method of the present invention, (e) before the step (a), an add-in-specific event process is added to a predetermined event in which the available data becomes active at the timing when the add-in is read from the application program. In the step (a), the active usable data is specified based on the identification information as an event process unique to the add-in when the predetermined event occurs. Also good. In this way, it is possible to reduce the trouble of setting the printing conditions more reliably using a predetermined event.

In the information processing method of the present invention, in the step (a), the active program is activated from at least one of an application program interface (API) of an operating system (OS), a window caption of the available data, and a window handle of the available data. It is good also as what acquires the identification information matched with the usable data which becomes. In this way, identification information of active data that is active can be acquired relatively easily.

In the information processing method of the present invention, the print setting information associated with the identification information of the usable data may be registered in a data storage area of the add-in provided in a nonvolatile storage medium. . In this way, since the print setting information can be used continuously, it is possible to further reduce the trouble of setting the print conditions.

In the information processing method of the present invention, in the step (c), when the print setting information is not registered by the determination, the print setting information of the available data is associated with the identification information of the available data. It may be registered in the data storage area of the add-in. In this way, since new print setting information is registered without requiring user input, it is possible to further reduce the trouble of setting print conditions. At this time, the print setting information to be registered may be a predetermined initial setting.

The program of the present invention is for causing each step of the information processing method described above to be realized by one or more computers. This program may be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium (for example, hard disk, ROM, FD, CD, DVD, etc.), or from a computer via a transmission medium (communication network such as the Internet or LAN). It may be distributed to another computer, or may be exchanged in any other form. If this program is executed by a single computer or if each step is shared and executed by a plurality of computers, each step of the information processing method described above is executed. can get.

The information processing apparatus of the present invention
An information processing apparatus in a print setting instruction unit, which is an add-in that is incorporated in a user interface of an application program that uses predetermined usable data and receives print settings,
Display means for displaying an image;
Specific means for acquiring identification information associated with available data that is active in the application program, and specifying the active data that is active based on the acquired identification information;
Determining means for determining whether or not print setting information associated with the identification information of the identified usable data is registered in the data storage area of the add-in;
Control means for reading the contents of the print setting information when the print setting information is registered by the determination, and displaying and outputting the print setting instruction section reflecting the contents of the read print setting information on the display means;
It is equipped with.

In this information processing apparatus, similarly to the information processing method described above, print settings can be reflected on the print setting display section for each usable data, and the labor for setting print conditions can be further reduced.

In the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, when the print setting of the active usable data is changed by the operation of the print setting instruction unit, the control unit registers the changed content as the registration. The print setting information may be reflected. Also,
The information processing apparatus according to the present invention adds an event unique to an add-in to a predetermined event in which the available data becomes active at a timing when the add-in is read from the application program before the active usable data is specified. Processing adding means for additionally registering processing, and the specifying means specifies the active usable data based on the identification information as an event process unique to the add-in when the predetermined event occurs. It is good also as what to do. In addition, the specifying unit may change the active data from at least one of an application program interface (API) of an operating system (OS), a window caption of the available data, and a window handle of the available data. It is good also as what acquires the identification information matched. The print setting information associated with the identification information of the usable data may be registered in the data storage area of the add-in provided in the nonvolatile storage medium.

1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a printer system 10. FIG. Explanatory drawing of the print setting information 39. FIG. The flowchart showing an example of an add-in control processing routine. Explanatory drawing of the display screen 27 by the side of the 1st data window. Explanatory drawing of the display screen 27 by the side of the 2nd data window.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of a configuration of a printer system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer system 10 of the present embodiment is a user personal computer (P
C) 20 and a printer 4 that receives a print job from the user PC 20 and executes print processing
0. In the printer system 10, a plurality of printers (not shown) are connected to a LAN (not shown), and any one of a plurality of printers including the printer 40 can be selected to execute print processing.

The user PC 20 is a personal computer configured as an information processing apparatus used by the user. The user PC 20 includes a controller 21 including a CPU 22 that executes various controls, a flash ROM 23 that stores various control programs, and a RAM 24 that temporarily stores data. In addition, the user PC 20 can use various application programs (
The HDD 25 is a nonvolatile large-capacity memory that stores various data files. Here, data used in the application is referred to as “available data”. The HDD 25 includes a first application 31 (for example, a document editing program) that is an execution program, and a second application 3.
2 (for example, a spreadsheet program) is stored. In addition, examples of the application include a web browser, an image editing program, a presentation program, and an e-mail program.

The HDD 25 also stores an add-in control program 33 that controls a toolbar added in to the application. The add-in control program 33 is a program that controls an add-in toolbar that is an add-in that is incorporated in a user interface and receives print settings. The add-in control program 33 includes a process addition module 34, a data identification module 35, a data determination module 36, a display control module 37, a registration update module 38, print setting information 39, and the like. The process addition module 34 has a function of additionally registering an add-in-specific event process for a predetermined event in which usable data becomes active in an application. The data identification module 35 has a function of identifying active available data being executed by the application. The data determination module 36 has a function of determining whether print setting information corresponding to active usable data is stored. The display control module 37 has a function of displaying the display content of the add-in toolbar in accordance with the data used in the application. The registration update module 38 has a function of registering print setting information for new usable data and updating registered print setting information in accordance with a change command from the user. The print setting information 39 is used by the add-in control program 33 and is stored in a data storage area used by the add-in of the HDD 25. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the print setting information 39. The print setting information 39 includes unique information (identification information) associated with individual usable data used in the application and print setting information corresponding to the individual usable data. The print settings include, for example, the presence / absence of assignment and the number of assignments, the presence / absence and binding of double-sided printing, color information of color or monochrome, the number of copies, and printer model information.

The user PC 20 includes a display 26 that displays various types of information on a display screen 27, an input device 28 such as a keyboard and a mouse for the user to input various commands, and the like. The user PC 20 allows the user to input a cursor or the like displayed on the display 26 by using the input device 2.
8 has a function of executing an operation corresponding to the input operation when an input operation is performed via the control unit 8. The controller 21, the HDD 25, the display 26, and the input device 28 are electrically connected by a bus 29 so that various control signals and data can be exchanged. The user PC 20 instructs the printer 40 to perform print processing or displays information about the printer 40 by using the installed program.

The printer 40 includes a ROM that stores various processing programs and a RAM that temporarily stores data, and a controller 41 that controls the entire apparatus as a microprocessor centered on the CPU, and prints images on the recording paper S. A printing mechanism 42.
The controller 41 and the printing mechanism 42 are electrically connected by a bus (not shown). Although not shown, the printing mechanism 42 is an ink jet mechanism that applies a pressure to each color ink and discharges the pressurized ink onto the recording paper S to execute a printing process. The mechanism for applying pressure to the ink may be due to deformation of the piezoelectric element or due to the generation of bubbles due to the heat of the heater. Alternatively, the printing mechanism 42 has a dot impact method,
Either an electrophotographic system or a thermal transfer system may be used.

Next, the operation of the printer system 10 according to the present embodiment configured as described above, particularly, the operation when the user PC 20 issues a print command using the application toolbar will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an add-in control processing routine executed by the CPU 22. In the user PC 20, the CPU 22 stores information on the display screen 27 displayed on the display 26 by an operating system (OS) (not shown) when the computer is started up as a display information in a predetermined area of the RAM 24. This display information includes information such as the coordinates and size of the currently opened window.

Further, the add-in control processing routine is stored in the add-in control program 33 stored in the HDD 25, and the CPU 2 after the add-in application is activated.
2 is executed. Here, after the first application 31 that performs document editing is started, the first usable data that is a document is opened as a first data window 82, and the second usable data that is a document is then second data. A case where the window 84 is opened will be specifically described. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the display screen 27 in which the first data window 82 is active, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the display screen 27 in which the second data window 84 is active. When this routine is executed, first, the CPU 22 executes the process addition module 34 to additionally register an add-in-specific event process for a predetermined event in which usable data becomes active (step S100). For example, the predetermined event may be a window activation event defined by the OS. In this way, each time the window becomes active, the add-in control program 33 can execute its own event processing.

Next, the CPU 22 determines whether or not the predetermined event has occurred (step S11).
0). When the predetermined event occurs, the CPU 22 executes the data specifying module 35, acquires identification information of the currently active usable data, and executes a process of specifying this usable data (step S120). Here, identification information stored in accordance with the application is acquired from at least one of an OS application program interface (API), a window caption of available data, and a window handle of available data. For example, in the Microsoft Office Word application, identification information unique to available data can be acquired from a window handle that can be acquired with GetForegroundWindow of Win32API. In the Microsoft Office Excel application, identification information unique to available data can be acquired from a window caption that can be acquired from Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Window information passed in the WindowActivate event. In the Microsoft Office PowerPoint application, identification information unique to available data can be acquired from a window handle that can be acquired from Microsoft.Office.Interop.PowerPoint.DocumentWindow information passed in the WindowActivate event.

Next, the CPU 22 executes the data determination module 36 and determines whether or not the print setting information associated with the acquired identification information has been registered based on the information stored in the print setting information 39. (Step S130). When the print setting information associated with the identification information has not been registered, the CPU 22 executes the registration update module 38 and registers the print setting including a predetermined initial value in association with the identification information in the print setting information 39 ( Step S140
). The initial value of the print setting may be, for example, allocation, no duplex printing, color printing, one copy, and a default printer model. After step S140, or when the print setting information associated with the identification information has been registered in step S130, the CPU 22 executes the display control module 37 and the contents of the print setting information associated with the identification information. Is read. Then, an add-in toolbar reflecting the contents of the read print setting information is displayed and output (step S150).

As shown in FIG. 4, the display screen 27 displays a cursor 81 and an active first data window 82 and an inactive second data window 84 in the application window 70. In the toolbar area provided at the top of the application window 70, an add-in toolbar 90 that can be switched by a tab (not shown) is arranged. On this add-in toolbar 90, a print execution icon 92, an assigned print icon 93, a duplex print icon 94, a color icon 95, a copy number icon 96, a model icon 97, and the like are arranged. When the print execution icon 92 is clicked, printing is executed as it is with the contents of the icon displayed on the right. The layout printing icon 93 is a button for setting layout printing conditions, and the number of layouts can be input in a combo box in the icon. The double-sided printing icon 94 is a button for setting conditions for double-sided printing, and a method for binding double-sided printing can be input to a combo box in the icon. The color icon 95 is a button for setting color information to be printed in color or monochrome, and is displayed by changing the currently selected content. The number-of-prints icon 96 is a button for setting the number of copies, and the number of copies can be input into a combo box in the icon. The model icon 97 is a button for setting the model of a printer that performs printing, and the model name of the printer can be input in a combo box in the icon. The add-in toolbar 90 displays the print settings associated with the currently active usable data by using the print setting information 39 (see FIG. 2).

After step S150 or when a predetermined event has not occurred in step S110, the CPU 22 determines whether or not the print setting has been changed on the add-in toolbar 90 (step S160). When the print settings are changed on the add-in toolbar 90, the CPU 22 executes the registration update module 38 and reflects the changed contents in the print setting information 39 (step S170). The print setting can be changed, for example, by inputting a new value into a combo box of any icon arranged on the add-in toolbar 90. Subsequently, the CPU 22 executes the display control module 37 and uses the print setting information 39 reflecting the changed contents to reflect the contents of the print settings associated with the identification information on the add-in toolbar 90 for display output. (Step S180).

After step S180 or when the print setting has not been changed in step S160, the CPU 22 determines whether or not there has been a print instruction based on whether or not the print execution icon 92 has been clicked by the user (step S190). . When there is a print instruction, the CPU 22 issues a print command using the print settings stored in the print setting information 39 (step S200). In this printing process, the CPU 22 converts usable data instructed for printing into print data (raster data), and the printing mechanism 42 moves the carriage to the ink ejection position and records ink from the print head based on the print data. A process of discharging onto the paper S is executed. Then, after step S200 or when there is no print instruction in step S190, it is determined whether or not the display process is completed based on whether or not the application window 70 is closed (step S210). When the display process is finished, this routine is finished as it is, and when the display process is not finished, step S1.
The process after 10 is executed.

Thereafter, when a predetermined event occurs in step S110, it is assumed that the window of available data has been switched, and the CPU 22 acquires the identification information of the available data activated in step S120, and the identification information is converted into the identification information in step S150. The contents of the associated print setting information are reflected on the add-in toolbar 90 and displayed. That is, when the data window is switched, the contents of the print settings associated with the usable data are automatically reflected on the add-in toolbar 90 and displayed. For example,
When the second data window 84 becomes active from the state in which the first data window 82 is active (see FIG. 4), the print setting information 39 of the second data window 84 is displayed.
Is registered on the add-in toolbar 90 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). In many cases, the same document is printed with the same print settings. In such a case, the user PC 20 of this embodiment does not need to re-enter the print settings each time the document is switched.

Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. The processing in step S100 of the add-in control processing routine of this embodiment is step (e) of the present invention.
The process of step S120 corresponds to the process of step (a) of the present invention, the process of step S130 corresponds to the process of step (b) of the present invention, and the process of step S150 corresponds to the process of the present invention. It corresponds to the process of step (c), and the processes of steps S160 and 170 correspond to the process of step (d) of the present invention. Further, the display 26 of the present embodiment corresponds to the display means of the present invention, the controller 21 and the process addition module 34 correspond to the process addition means, the controller 21 and the data identification module 35 correspond to the identification means, and the controller 21 and The data determination module 36 corresponds to a determination unit, and the controller 21, the display control module 37, and the registration update module 38 correspond to a control unit.

According to the user PC 20 of the present embodiment described in detail above, the identification information associated with the usable data that is active in the application is acquired, and the active use that is active based on the acquired identification information Identify the data. Next, it is determined whether or not the print setting information associated with the identified identification information of the usable data is registered in the add-in data storage area. Subsequently, when the print setting information is registered by the determination, the contents of the print setting information are read, and the add-in tool bar 90 reflecting the contents of the read print setting information is displayed on the display 26. As described above, when the usable data becomes active on the application, the print setting corresponding to the usable data is displayed on the add-in toolbar 90. Therefore, the print setting is reflected on the add-in toolbar 90 for each usable data. It is possible to reduce the trouble of setting the printing conditions.

Further, when the print setting of the available data that has been activated by the operation of the add-in toolbar 90 is changed, the changed contents are reflected in the registered print setting information 39, so that it is troublesome to set the printing conditions. Can be further reduced. In addition, an add-in-specific event process is additionally registered to a predetermined event in which the available data becomes active when the add-in is read from the application, and the predetermined event is specified in order to identify the available data based on the identification information. This makes it possible to reduce the trouble of setting the printing conditions more reliably. Furthermore, since the identification information is obtained from at least one of the OS API, the window caption of the available data, and the window handle of the available data, the identification information of the active available data can be obtained relatively easily. be able to. Since the print setting information 39 is registered in the data storage area of the add-in provided in the non-volatile HDD 25, the print setting information 38 can be continuously used, and the labor for setting the printing conditions can be further reduced. it can. In addition, when the print setting information of the usable data is not registered, the print setting information is registered in association with the identification information of the usable data, so that the new print setting information is not required to input by the user. It is possible to further reduce the trouble of registering and setting printing conditions.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modes as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the window activation event is used as the predetermined event. However, any event can be used as long as it is an event that can specify usable data corresponding to an active window. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, usable data corresponding to an active window is specified by adding an add-in-specific event process to a predetermined event. However, it corresponds to an active window. As long as the usable data can be specified, the processing can be performed without being limited to the one that adds event processing.

In the above-described embodiment, the identification information is acquired from at least one of the API of the OS, the window caption of the usable data, and the window handle of the usable data. However, any specific information that can identify the usable data may be used. Anything can be used.

In the embodiment described above, the print setting information 39 is stored in the non-volatile HDD 25. However, the present invention is not particularly limited thereto, and may be stored in the RAM 24, for example. In this case, the print setting information 39 is held only while the user PC 20 is activated. H
Although the print setting information 39 is stored in the DD 25, the contents of the print setting information 39 may be periodically deleted, or may be deleted for each identification information after a predetermined period. . By so doing, it is possible to secure more storage areas.

In the above-described embodiment, when the print setting information is not registered, the print setting including a predetermined initial value is registered in the print setting information 39. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the previous print setting content is printed. It may be registered in the setting information 39.

In the above-described embodiment, the add-in toolbar reflecting the contents of the print setting information 39 has been described. However, the present invention is not particularly limited to the toolbar as long as the contents of the print settings are displayed (print setting display unit). In the above-described embodiment, the user PC 20 (information processing apparatus)
However, an information processing method or an add-in control program 33 may be used.

10 printer system, 20 user PC, 21 controller, 22 CP
U, 23 Flash ROM, 24 RAM, 25 HDD, 26 Display, 27
Display screen, 28 input device, 29 bus, 31 first application, 32 second application, 33 add-in control program, 34 processing addition module, 35 data identification module, 36 data determination module, 37 display control module, 38
Registration update module, 39 print setting information, 40 printer, 41 controller,
42 printing mechanism, 70 application window, 81 cursor, 82 first data window, 84 second data window, 90 add-in toolbar, 92 print execution icon, 93 layout print icon, 94 duplex printing icon, 95 color icon,
96 printed copy icons, 97 model icons.

Claims (8)

An information processing method in a print setting instruction unit, which is an add-in that is incorporated in a user interface of an application program that uses predetermined usable data and receives print settings,
(A) obtaining identification information associated with available data activated in the application program, and identifying the active usable data based on the obtained identification information;
(B) determining whether print setting information associated with the identified identification information of the usable data is registered in the data storage area of the add-in;
(C) reading the contents of the print setting information when the print setting information is registered by the determination, and displaying and outputting the print setting instruction unit reflecting the contents of the read print setting information;
An information processing method including: An information processing method according to claim 1,
(D) including a step of reflecting the changed contents in the registered print setting information when the print setting of the active usable data is changed by the operation of the print setting instruction unit. Information processing method. The information processing method according to claim 1 or 2,
(E) Before the step (a), including adding an add-in-specific event process to a predetermined event in which the available data becomes active at a timing when the add-in is read from the application program,
In the step (a), when the predetermined event occurs, the active usable data is specified based on the identification information as an event process unique to the add-in. In the step (a), at least one of an application program interface (API) of the operating system (OS), a window caption of the available data, and a window handle of the available data is changed to the active available data. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the associated identification information is acquired. The print setting information associated with the identification information of the usable data is registered in a data storage area of the add-in provided in a non-volatile storage medium. The information processing method described. In the step (c), when the print setting information is not registered by the determination, the print setting information of the usable data is registered in the data storage area of the add-in in association with the identification information of the usable data. The information processing method of any one of Claims 1-5. The program which makes one or more computers implement | achieve each step of the information processing method of any one of Claims 1-6. An information processing apparatus in a print setting instruction unit, which is an add-in that is incorporated in a user interface of an application program that uses predetermined usable data and receives print settings,
Display means for displaying an image;
Specific means for acquiring identification information associated with available data that is active in the application program, and specifying the active data that is active based on the acquired identification information;
Determining means for determining whether or not print setting information associated with the identification information of the identified usable data is registered in the data storage area of the add-in;
Control means for reading the contents of the print setting information when the print setting information is registered by the determination, and displaying and outputting the print setting instruction section reflecting the contents of the read print setting information on the display means;
An information processing apparatus comprising:

Images