JP6379858B2 - Printer driver, setting reception method and setting reception device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer driver, a setting reception method, and a setting reception apparatus, and more particularly to a user interface technology that simplifies print settings in a printer driver in a setting reception apparatus in which a plurality of printer drivers are installed.

In recent years, a usage form in which an image forming apparatus is shared via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) has become common. In such an environment, a plurality of image forming apparatuses are usually connected to a network, and it is not uncommon for image forming apparatuses having different functions to be connected to each other.
In order to issue a print instruction from the user terminal to the image forming apparatus connected to the network, it is necessary to install a printer driver for each image forming apparatus in the user terminal. Further, when performing a print instruction, it is necessary to switch the printer driver in accordance with the image forming apparatus that is the instruction destination, which complicates the user operation.

  In order to deal with such a problem, for example, an application has been proposed in which setting items are acquired for all printer drivers installed in a user terminal, and are classified into common items and unique items and set as a user (for example, , See Patent Document 1). In this way, it is possible to issue a print instruction from the application without switching the printer driver.

JP 2009-223824 A JP 2009-104541 A

However, in the prior art, since all setting items are always displayed, whether they are common items or unique items, it is difficult to see the items that the user wants to set, and the print settings themselves are troublesome work. There is a problem that it ends up.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a printer driver and a setting reception method that can issue a print instruction to a user-desired printing apparatus by a simple operation without switching the printer driver. And it aims at providing a setting reception apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, a printer driver according to the present invention is a computer in which one printer driver that gives a print instruction to one printing apparatus and another printer driver that gives a print instruction to another printing apparatus are installed. The determination step of determining whether or not setting items that can be set for printing in the other printer driver can be acquired from the other printer driver and the determination step. In this case, at least one of an acquisition step of acquiring the setting item from the other printer driver, a storage step of storing the setting item acquired in the acquisition step, and a setting item stored in the storage step View and table In response to the print setting accepted in the accepting step, instead of accepting the print setting for the set item, and issuing a print instruction to the other printing apparatus using the other printer driver. A printing instruction step for issuing a printing instruction to the printing apparatus is executed by a computer.

In this way, instead of displaying the setting items of the other printer driver and accepting the print setting, and issuing a print instruction to the printing apparatus using the other printer driver, according to the print setting, Since the printing instruction is issued to the printing apparatus, it is possible to issue the printing instruction to another printing apparatus without switching the printer driver.
Further, in the reception step, it is not necessary to display all the setting items of other printer drivers, and the display screen is easy to see if only the setting items that the user desires to print are displayed. Therefore, the user operation can be simplified in the sense that it is easier to find the setting item desired by the user than when all the setting items are displayed.

In this case, when a plurality of the other printer drivers are installed and the acquisition step acquires setting items from each of the plurality of other installed printer drivers, the storage step stores the setting items. Stored for each other printer driver, the receiving step displays the setting item for each other printer driver that has acquired the setting item, and the printing instruction step has received the print setting by the receiving step. It is desirable to issue a print instruction to the other printing apparatus that can issue a print instruction using the other printer driver acquired in the acquisition step, and among the setting items stored in the storage step Which setting item is set in the reception step It is more preferable if including selection accepting step of accepting one of the selected to the user. In this way, when there are a plurality of other printer drivers, only the setting items desired by the user can be displayed for each of them, so that the display screen is easy to see and the operability can be improved.

  The accepting step corresponds to a tab interface, and setting items acquired from one other printer driver may be displayed on one tab to accept print settings. If the setting items acquired from one printer driver are displayed across multiple tabs, the user will have more time to search for the setting items, but if they are displayed together on one tab, the user's time will be saved. it can. If the number of acquired setting items is small, setting items for a plurality of printer drivers may be displayed together on one tab.

  In addition, Windows Vista (registered trademark) or a later version of Microsoft Windows (registered trademark) is installed in the computer, and whether or not the IprintTicketProvider interface is implemented in the other printer driver in the determination step. In the acquisition step, the setting item may be acquired by acquiring a PrintCapabilities document from the other printer driver.

  The setting reception method according to the present invention is such that a computer in which one printer driver that issues a print instruction to one printing apparatus and another printer driver that issues a print instruction to another printing apparatus is installed has a print setting. A setting accepting method for accepting, in the determination step for determining whether or not setting items that can be set for printing in the other printer driver can be acquired from the other printer driver, and in the determination step At least one of an acquisition step for acquiring the setting item from the other printer driver, a storage step for storing the setting item acquired in the acquisition step, and a setting item stored in the storage step. Print settings for the displayed setting items. In response to the print settings received in the receiving step, instead of issuing a print instruction to the other printing apparatus using the other printer driver, the print instruction is received to the other printing apparatus. And a printing instruction step to be performed.

  The setting reception apparatus according to the present invention is installed with one printer driver that issues a print instruction for one printing apparatus and another printer driver that issues a print instruction for another printing apparatus, and issues the print instruction. A setting reception device that receives print settings for determining whether the first printer driver can acquire setting items that can be set for printing in the other printer driver, and can be acquired by the determination unit An acquisition unit that causes the one printer driver to acquire the setting item from the other printer driver, a storage unit that stores the setting item acquired by the acquisition unit, and a storage unit At least one of the stored setting items is stored in the first printer driver. And accepting the print setting for the displayed setting item, and accepting the print setting to the other printing apparatus using the other printer driver. Print instruction means for causing the one printer driver to issue a print instruction to the other printing apparatus in accordance with the print setting.

  In any case, the effects of the present invention can be obtained in the same manner as described above.

1 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of a user terminal 100. FIG. It is a figure which illustrates a PrintCapabilities document. 2 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of a printer driver 200. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating main operations of the printer driver 200. 3 is a diagram illustrating an initial screen of the printer driver 200. FIG. It is a flowchart explaining a My tab addition process. It is a figure which illustrates a driver selection screen. It is a figure which illustrates a My tab creation screen. It is a flowchart explaining a My tab display process. It is a figure which illustrates a My tab display screen. It is a flowchart explaining a My tab edit process. It is a figure which illustrates a My tab edit driver selection screen. It is a figure which illustrates a My tab edit screen. It is a figure which illustrates a print driver selection screen.

Embodiments of a printer driver, a setting reception method, and a setting reception apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[1] Configuration of Printing System First, the main configuration of a printing system including a user terminal on which a printer driver according to the present invention is installed will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 1 is a system in which a plurality of user terminals 100 and a plurality of image forming apparatuses 101 are connected to each other via a LAN (Local Area Network) 102 so as to be able to communicate with each other. A printer driver is installed in the user terminal 100 and functions as a setting reception device that receives print settings from a user using the printer driver, and a print job is transmitted to one of the image forming apparatuses 101 to execute printing. Is done.

  The plurality of image forming apparatuses 101 include image forming apparatuses of different models. The LAN 102 may be a wired LAN or a wireless LAN. Further, instead of the LAN 102, a WAN (Wide Area Network) may be used, or a network configuration in which the LAN and the WAN are connected may be employed. In the following, a case where the user terminal 100 is a PC (Personal Computer) will be described as an example, but it is needless to say that the user terminal 100 is not limited to a PC.

[2] Configuration of User Terminal 100 Next, the configuration of the user terminal 100 will be described.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of the user terminal 100. As shown in FIG. 2, a user terminal 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 203, an output interface 204, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface 205, An NC (Network Card) 206 and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 207 are provided. The ROM 202 and the HDD 207 are nonvolatile storage devices.

  The HDD 207 includes an application program (hereinafter simply referred to as “application”) 220 for creating print data, such as an OS (Operating System) 221 that is basic software and a document creation program, and the printer driver 200 according to the present embodiment. In addition, programs such as another printer driver 222, a port monitor 223 that performs print output to the image forming apparatus 101, and a network driver 224 that controls the NC 206 are recorded.

When the power is turned on to the user terminal 100, the CPU 201 reads and starts the boot program from the ROM 202, and then reads and executes the OS 221 from the HDD 207 using the RAM 203 as a working storage area. On the other hand, programs such as the application 220 are read from the HDD 207 and executed as necessary.
The output interface 204 controls display of information to the user by the display 205. In the present embodiment, the display 205 is an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), but other display devices may be used. A USB interface 205 is an interface for controlling communication with a USB device, and a keyboard 211 and a mouse 212 are connected to the USB interface 205.

Needless to say, a pointing device other than a mouse may be used. Further, input devices such as the keyboard 211 and the mouse 212 may be connected to the user terminal 100 using an interface other than USB. A touch panel in which a display device and a pointing device are integrated may be used as the input / output device.
The NC 206 is an interface device for communicating with other devices, particularly the image forming apparatus 101 via the LAN 102.

  The printer driver 200 and the other printer driver 222 are printer drivers related to different image forming apparatuses 101. There may be a plurality of other printer drivers 222, and the number of other printer drivers depends on the number of image forming apparatuses 101. The application 220 is a word processor, spreadsheet software, browser, image processing program, or the like that creates document data, generates print data, and can activate the printer drivers 200 and 222 during printing.

  In this embodiment, as the OS 221, a version of Microsoft Windows (registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation, USA) after Windows Vista (registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation, USA) is used. In Windows Vista (registered trademark) and later versions of Microsoft Windows (registered trademark), an XPS (XML Paper Specification) printing system is provided.

  In the XPS printing system, the PrintCapabilities object can be acquired by the GetPrintCapabilities method of the IprintTicketProvider interface implemented in the printer driver. The PrintCapabilities object is text data that describes each function (Feature) and setting value candidate (option) of the printing apparatus in XML (Extensible Markup Language).

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a PrintCapabilities document. As shown in FIG. 3, PrintCapabilities tags 301 and 312 described at the beginning and end of the document indicate that this document is a PrintCapabilities document. Feature tags 302 and 306 indicate that the description relates to the function of the printing apparatus. A feature whose name is PageOrientation is a description related to a function for setting the “original orientation”, and JobPUNCH relates to “punch hole”. It is a description.

  With regard to “Original Orientation (PageOrientation)”, two types of “Portrait” and “Landscape” are listed as setting value candidates by Option tags 304 and 305. For JobPUNCH, "No punch holes (km: NONE)", "2 holes (km: NUM2)", "3 holes (km: NUM3)" and "4 holes (km: NUM4)" by Option tags 308-311 ”Are listed.

Also, Property tags 303 and 307 specify that any setting value should be selected alternatively (PickOne).
[3] Printer Driver 200 Next, the printer driver 200 will be described.
(3-1) Configuration of Printer Driver 200 When activated by a user operation, the printer driver 200 displays an operation screen on the display 210. This operation screen is a tabbed document interface (TDI), and a screen selected by clicking a tab displayed at the top of the screen is displayed.

  The printer driver 200 according to the present embodiment can give a print instruction to a plurality of image forming apparatuses 101 by adding a new tab (hereinafter referred to as “My tab”) by a user operation. In addition, the image forming apparatus 101 that issues a print instruction stores the contents of print settings for each My tab that is different from each other, and uses the print settings that were stored in the subsequent print instruction.

  For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4, the printer driver 200 includes a My tab creation unit 403, a print setting storage unit 401, and the like, and a PC detection unit acquires a PrintCapabilities document from another printer driver 222. When print data is received from the application (AP) 220 via the OS 221, the print instruction unit 405 instructs the port monitor 223 to print. The port monitor 223 transmits a print instruction to the image forming apparatus 101.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing main operations of the printer driver 200 when creating the My tab. As shown in FIG. 5, when the printer driver 200 is activated, it first displays a print setting screen as an initial screen (S501). FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an initial screen of the printer driver 200. As shown in FIG. 6, in the print setting screen 600, a “My tab” tab 601 having a “Add My Tab” button 612 is displayed to allow the user to add a new My tab.

  In the “My tab” tab 601, in addition to the normal setting items such as the document orientation, document size, output method, number of copies, etc., the above-described “Add My Tab” button 612 and the user can edit an existing My tab. An “Edit My Tab” button 611 is provided. Among these, when the “Add My Tab” button 612 is clicked or the Enter key is pressed while the button is selected (S502: YES), the printer driver 200 adds My My tab to add a new My tab. A tab addition process is executed (S503).

When a tab of an existing My tab is selected by clicking or the like (S511: YES), a My tab display process for displaying the selected My tab is executed (S512). If the “Edit My Tab” button 611 is pressed (S521: YES), the printer driver 200 executes My tab editing processing for editing an existing My tab (S522).
When the “print” button 621 is pressed (S531: YES), after a print instruction is issued (S532), the display screen of the printer driver 200 is closed and the process is completed. If the “Cancel” button 622 is pressed (S541: YES), the display screen is closed without issuing a print instruction, and the process is completed. After executing the My tab addition process, the My tab display process, and the My tab edit process, or if NO in step S541, the process proceeds to step S502 and the above process is repeated.

(3-2) My Tab Addition Processing Next, the My tab addition processing (S503) will be described.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining My tab addition processing. As shown in FIG. 7, the port information acquisition unit 406 first acquires port names for all print ports (S701). Next, the PC (PrintCapabilities) detection unit 402 tries to acquire a PrintCapabilities document from another printer driver 222 using the GetPrintCapabiities method (S702).

If the IPrintTicketProvider interface is implemented in another printer driver 222, a PrintCapabilities document is acquired. The PrintCapabilities document includes the port name of the print port related to the printer driver 222 that returned the Printcapabilities document.
When the return value of the GetPrintCapabiities method is an error, it is determined that the IPrintTicketProvider interface is not implemented in the other printer driver 222.

  Next, the printer driver 200 displays a driver selection screen (S703). FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a driver selection screen. As shown in FIG. 8, the driver selection screen 800 is a screen that displays a list of printer drivers installed in the user terminal 100 and allows the user to select one of them. In the list display, the name of the printer driver and the print port are displayed in association with each other.

For the printer driver 222 that returned the PrintCapabilities document in step S702, the name of the printer driver and the port name of the print port are displayed (801). In addition, the printer driver 200 itself according to the present embodiment displays its own name and port name (802).
Further, for the print port related to the printer driver 222 that has not returned the PrintCapabilities document in step S702 or the print port in which the printer driver is not installed, the name of the printer driver 200 itself according to the present embodiment is displayed together with the port name. (803). In such a case, only the port name may be displayed without displaying the name of the printer driver.

  The “Up” button 811 and the “Down” button 812 are buttons for switching printer drivers that are selection candidates. The printer driver that is a selection candidate may be highlighted as shown in FIG. 8, for example. When the printer driver to be selected is highlighted, the user presses an “OK” button 812 to complete the selection of the printer driver.

A “Cancel” button 814 is used to end the process without selecting a printer driver, and a “Help” button 815 is a button for displaying a help screen explaining how to use the driver selection screen 800.
When any printer driver is selected (S704: YES), the My tab creation unit 404 displays a My tab creation screen (S705) and accepts a My tab creation operation (S706).

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a My tab creation screen. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the My tab creation screen 900 includes a setting item list 901 that lists setting items that can be set by the printer driver, and a selection item list that lists items selected from the setting item list. 911 is displayed.
When the printer driver 222 that has returned the PrintCapabilities document in step S702 is selected on the driver selection screen 800, the setting items described using the Feature tag in the PrintCapabilities document are listed in the setting item list 901.

When the printer driver 200 according to the present embodiment is selected, items that can be set in the printer driver 200 are displayed in a list in the setting item list 901.
When the printer driver 222 that has not returned the PrintCapabilities document in step S702 or a print port in which no printer driver is installed is selected, only basic setting items may be displayed in a list in the setting item list 901. The basic setting items are, for example, the paper direction and size, the number of copies, and the like.

When any one of the setting items displayed in the setting item list is selected by clicking or the like, for example, the setting item is highlighted, and the state is changed from the non-selected state to the selected state. When the “Left” button 902 or the “Right” button 903 is pressed in this selection state, the setting items in the selection state are displayed in the left column 912 and the right column 913 of the selection item list 911.
In FIG. 9, among the setting items displayed in the setting item list, two items of “number of copies” and “punch” are selected and displayed in the left column 912 of the selection item list 911, while in the right column 913. Nothing is displayed.

  The “Up” button 914, “Down” button 915, and “Left / right” button 916 in the selection item list 911 change the display position of the setting item displayed in the selection item list 911 in the My tab. A button to change. The “Up” button 914 and the “Down” button 915 change the vertical relationship of the display position between setting items displayed on the same side. The “Left / Right” button 916 is a button for changing the display position of the setting item between right and left. A “delete” button 917 is a button for deleting a setting item from the selection item list 911.

When the “OK” button 920 is pressed, the My tab addition process is completed. The “Cancel” button 921 is a button for canceling the addition of the My tab, and the “Help” button 815 is a button for displaying a help screen for explaining how to use the My tab creation screen 900.
If the “OK” button 920 is pressed (S707: YES), the editing result is stored (S708), the My tab addition process is completed, and the process returns to the upper routine.

In this way, it is not necessary to switch the printer driver each time the printing apparatus is changed, so that it is possible to save the user's trouble required when switching the printer driver for printing.
(3-3) My Tab Display Process Next, the My tab display process (S512) will be described.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the My tab display process. As shown in FIG. 10, in the My tab display process, the My tab display unit 403 reads the print settings stored in the print setting storage unit 401 for the My tab (S1001), and displays the My tab. (S1002). At this time, the print settings read in S1001 are also displayed and presented to the user. The print settings displayed on the My tab can be changed by user operation.

When the user switches the image forming apparatus 101, the image forming apparatus 101 before switching is not in the image forming apparatus 101, but it is expected that the user desires to use the functions of the image forming apparatus 101 after switching. Is done. In addition, users who have used such functions in the past have a high probability of performing similar print settings.
For this reason, as described above, if print settings made by the user in the past are stored in the print setting storage unit 401 and the My settings are automatically displayed when the My tab is displayed next time, It is possible to save time and effort required for the user to make print settings. In addition, since the print setting can be changed by a user operation, the print setting more suitable for the user can be automatically displayed.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a My tab display screen. The My tab display screen 1100 illustrated in FIG. 11 is a screen showing the My Company A My tab, in which “original orientation” 1101 and “punch” 1102 are displayed as print setting items. The print setting of “Orientation” 1101 is “Vertical”, and the print setting of “Punch” 1102 is “Two holes”. In addition, an “My tab edit” button 1111, a “return to standard” button 1112, a “print” button 1121, and the like are displayed on the Company A My tab.

When the “Edit My Tab” button 1111 is pressed (S1003: YES), a My tab edit screen for editing the My tab being displayed is displayed, and My tab edit processing is executed (S1004). In the example of FIG. 11, since the Company A My tab is being displayed, a My tab edit screen for editing the Company A My tab is displayed. The My tab editing process will be described in detail later.
When print settings are received by a user operation (S1011: YES), the received print settings are temporarily stored in the RAM 203 (S1012). Needless to say, the print settings displayed on the My tab edit screen are also changed by a user operation.

  When the “return to standard” button 1112 is pressed (S1021: YES), the standard setting (default value) is read from the print setting storage unit 401 (S1022), and the print setting of the My tab being displayed is changed to the standard setting. (S1023). The standard settings may be stored in the My tab display unit 403 instead of the print setting storage unit 401. The standard setting may be different for each My tab.

When the “apply” button 1123 is pressed (S1031: YES), the print setting being displayed is stored in the print setting storage unit 401 (S1032). If the “Cancel” button 1122 is pressed (S1041: YES), the print setting being displayed is discarded and the process returns to the upper routine.
When the “print” button 1121 is pressed (S1051: YES), the print setting being displayed is stored in the print setting storage unit 401 (S1052), and printing is performed for the print port associated with the My tab being displayed. The instruction unit 405 issues a print instruction to the port monitor 223 (S1053), and the process ends. As a result, a print instruction is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 101 corresponding to the print port.

Note that the print instruction unit 405 transmits a print instruction including the print setting when the print setting is made even for the setting item not displayed on the My tab. In addition, after the processing in steps S1004, S1013, and S1022, and in the case of NO in step S1041, the process proceeds to step S1003 and the above processing is repeated.
(3-4) My Tab Editing Process Next, the My tab editing process will be described. The My tab editing process is executed when the “Edit My Tab” button 611 is pressed on the print setting screen 600 or when the “Edit My Tab” button 1111 is pressed on the My tab display screen 1100.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the My tab editing process. As shown in FIG. 12, in the My tab display process, the My tab display unit 403 determines whether or not a My tab has been selected. When the “Edit My Tab” button 611 is pressed on the print setting screen 600, it is undecided which My tab to edit, whereas the “Edit My Tab” button on the My tab display screen 1100 This is because when 1111 is pressed, it is determined that the user desires to edit the My tab being displayed.

  If the My tab to be edited is not selected (S1201: NO), the My tab editing driver selection screen is displayed (S1202). As shown in FIG. 13, the My tab edit driver selection screen 1300 displays a list 1301 of port names of print ports corresponding to the printer driver 222 in which the My tab is created, and an “Up” button 1311. With the “down” button 1312, one of the printer drivers 222 is highlighted as a selection candidate.

When the “OK” button 1321 is pressed, the printer driver 222 that is highlighted when the “OK” button 1321 is pressed is selected. When the “Cancel” button 1322 is pressed, the My tab editing process ends. The “help” button 1323 is the same as the other “help” buttons.
When the printer driver 222 is selected on the My tab editing driver selection screen 1300 (S1203: YES), the PC detection unit 402 acquires a PrintCapabilities document from the selected printer driver 222 (S1204), and based on the acquired PrintCapabilities document. The My tab creation unit 404 displays the My tab edit screen (S1205).

  As shown in FIG. 14, the My tab editing screen 1400 according to the present embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the My tab creation screen 900 shown in FIG. 9, and the usage by the user is also the same. The My tab creation unit 404 receives the My tab editing operation on the My tab editing screen 1400 (S1206), and when the “OK” button 1420 is pressed (S1207: YES), saves the editing result (S1208). Return to the upper routine.

[4] Modifications As described above, the present invention has been described based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the following modifications can be implemented. .
(1) In the above embodiment, the case where the print instruction is given after displaying the My tab display screen 1100 has been described. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to this. You may do it. That is, a print instruction may be issued by selecting the printer driver 222.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a print driver selection screen for selecting a printer driver that issues a print instruction. As shown in FIG. 15, a list 1501 of driver names and print ports is displayed on the print driver selection screen 1500, and the printer driver designated by the “Up” button 1511 and the “Down” button 1512 is displayed. It is highlighted as a selection candidate.

  In this state, when a “print” button 1521 is pressed, a print instruction is performed using the print settings read from the print setting storage unit 401. When the “Cancel” button 1522 is pressed, the print driver selection screen is deleted. The “help” button 1523 is the same as the other “help” buttons. In order to display the print driver selection screen 1500, for example, a dedicated button may be provided on the print setting screen 600.

Even in this case, it is not necessary to switch the printer driver each time the printing apparatus is changed, so that it is possible to save the user's trouble required when switching the printer driver for printing.
(2) In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the print setting storage unit 401 stores the last set print setting. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to this. It may be as follows. That is, the print setting storage unit 401 may store a print setting history every time a print instruction is issued, and output the most frequently used print setting when the print setting is read.

In this case, the frequency may be calculated for each setting item, or a combination of print settings may be stored for each print instruction, and the most frequent combination may be output. In this way, it is possible to output print settings in accordance with the actual usage of the user, so that it is possible to save the user from changing the print settings.
If Microsoft Windows (registered trademark) is used, the print settings may be stored in the registry. In this way, the print settings are saved in the HDD 207 which is a nonvolatile storage device by the OS 221. In addition, the printer driver 200 may independently store the print settings in a nonvolatile storage device (such as the HDD 207 or a nonvolatile semiconductor memory).

In the case where a plurality of users share the user terminal 100 and the login name is different for each user, the print settings may be stored for each user (login name). Since the print settings can be different for each user, this makes it possible to perform print settings that more closely match the actual usage of the user.
(3) In the above embodiment, the case where Microsoft Windows (registered trademark) is used as the OS 221 has been described. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this. The OS may be used. However, even when another OS is used, the printer driver 200 needs to be able to acquire setting items of the other printer driver 222.

The setting items may be obtained directly from another printer driver 222 as in the XPS printing system, or stored in the OS 221 or other locations other than the printer driver 22, and the stored setting item information. You may refer to.
(4) In the above embodiment, the configuration for instructing printing from the printer driver 200 to the image forming apparatus 101 that can be instructed exclusively by another printer driver 222 has been described. 200 can accept print settings from the user and issue a print instruction to the image forming apparatus 101 in the same manner as a normal printer driver.

  Specifically, when the tabs 631 to 637 in FIG. 6 are selected, the original print settings of the printer driver 200 can be performed. If a “print” button 621 provided on the tab 601 is pressed, a print instruction can be issued to the original image forming apparatus 101 of the printer driver 200. In addition, a “print” button may be provided on any of the tabs 631 to 637 to issue a print instruction.

  (5) In the above-described embodiment, the printer driver 200 according to the present invention and the user terminal 100 that is a setting reception apparatus that receives the print settings are described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Needless to say, the setting reception method used by the user terminal 100 by executing the printer driver 200 may be used. Even if the setting reception method according to the present invention is used, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

  (6) A print instruction from the user terminal 100 to the image forming apparatus 101 is described in a page description language (PDL). Further, the page description language used for describing the print instruction may differ depending on the image forming apparatus 101 that receives the print instruction. For this reason, it is desirable that the printer driver 200 describes the print instruction in a page description language suitable for the image forming apparatus 101 that issues the print instruction, in other words, for each output port of the print instruction. In this way, since it is possible to issue a print instruction to more types of image forming apparatuses 101, it is possible to save the user from switching the printer driver.

  The printer driver, the setting reception method, and the setting reception apparatus according to the present invention are useful as an apparatus that simplifies a user operation of a printer driver that issues a print instruction to a plurality of types of printing apparatuses.

1... ...... Printing system 100... User terminal 101... .. Image forming apparatuses 200 and 222... Printer driver 401. Detection unit 403 ..... My tab creation unit 404 ..... My tab creation unit 405 ........... Print instruction unit 406 ........... Port information acquisition unit 600 ........... Print setting screen 800... …… Driver selection screen 900... My tab creation screen 1100... My tab display screen 1300 ....... My tab edit driver selection screen 1400 ....... My tab edit screen 1500. ……… Print driver selection screen

Claims (7)

The first printer driver in a computer in which one printer driver that issues a print instruction to one printing apparatus and another printer driver that issues a print instruction to another printing apparatus are installed,
A determination step for determining whether or not setting items that can be set for printing in the other printer driver can be acquired from the other printer driver;
An acquisition step of acquiring the setting item from the other printer driver when it is determined that the setting item can be acquired in the determination step;
A storage step of storing the setting item acquired in the acquisition step;
A reception step of displaying at least one of the setting items stored in the storing step and receiving a print setting for the displayed setting item;
Instead of issuing a print instruction to the other printing apparatus using the other printer driver, a print instruction step for issuing a print instruction to the other printing apparatus according to the print setting received in the receiving step;
A printer driver that allows a computer to execute. In the case where a plurality of other printer drivers are installed and the acquisition step acquires setting items from each of the other installed printer drivers, the storage step stores the setting items in the other printers. Remember for each driver,
The receiving step displays the setting item for each other printer driver that has acquired the setting item,
The print instruction step issues a print instruction to the other printing apparatus capable of issuing a print instruction using the other printer driver acquired in the acquisition step for the setting item received in the reception step. The printer driver according to claim 1. 3. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a selection receiving step of receiving from the user a selection of which setting items to be set in the receiving step among the setting items stored in the storing step. driver. 4. The receiving step corresponds to a tab method interface, and setting items acquired from one other printer driver are displayed on one tab to receive print settings. The printer driver described in any one. The computer has Windows Vista (registered trademark) or later version of Microsoft Windows (registered trademark) installed,
In the determination step, the determination is performed depending on whether the IprintTicketProvider interface is implemented in the other printer driver,
5. The printer driver according to claim 1, wherein in the acquisition step, the setting item is acquired by acquiring a PrintCapabilities document from the other printer driver. A setting reception method in which a computer in which one printer driver that issues a print instruction to one printing apparatus and another printer driver that issues a print instruction to another printing apparatus is installed receives print settings,
A determination step for determining whether or not setting items that can be set for printing in the other printer driver can be acquired from the other printer driver;
An acquisition step of acquiring the setting item from the other printer driver when it is determined that the setting item can be acquired in the determination step;
A storage step of storing the setting item acquired in the acquisition step;
A reception step of displaying at least one of the setting items stored in the storing step and receiving a print setting for the displayed setting item;
Instead of issuing a print instruction to the other printing apparatus using the other printer driver, a print instruction step for issuing a print instruction to the other printing apparatus according to the print setting received in the receiving step; The setting reception method characterized by including. One printer driver that issues a print instruction to one printing apparatus and another printer driver that issues a print instruction to another printing apparatus are installed, and is a setting reception apparatus that receives print settings for performing the print instruction. And
Determining means for determining whether the one printer driver can acquire setting items that can be set for printing in the other printer driver;
An acquisition unit that causes the one printer driver to acquire the setting item from the other printer driver when it is determined that the determination unit can acquire the setting item;
Storage means for storing the setting items acquired by the acquisition means;
Accepting means for causing the one printer driver to display at least one of the setting items stored in the storage means and accepting print settings for the displayed setting items;
Instead of issuing a print instruction to the other printing apparatus using the other printer driver, the first printer driver instructs the other printing apparatus to print according to the print setting received by the receiving unit. And a print instructing unit for performing the setting.

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