JPH08324063A - Printing condition designation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To certainly obtain printing output desired by a user when printing conditions are set to a printer capable of performing double-side printing and capable of setting Nup function and various binding modes. CONSTITUTION: When printing conditions are designated through a display screen, an analyzing means 21 analyzes the designated printing conditions. At least, the designated value related to function printing (N) pages (N : an integer of 2 or more) on one paper, the designated value of a binding mode in double-side printing and a paper direction designated value among the analyzed printing conditions are stored in designated value holding means 22, 23, 24. A display control means displaying the system of printing output on a display screen as a schematic diagram in such a state that the relation between the printing state of both surfaces of paper and the binding modes is discriminable on the basis of the designated values from the designated value holding means is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention prints on both sides of a printing sheet by a print output device (in this specification, printing includes copying, and the print output device includes a copying machine as well as a printer). Prior to the above, the present invention relates to a printing condition designating device for designating the printing condition.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a printing output device capable of double-sided printing, for example, a printing controller used in a printer, executes printing by variously selecting printing rotation angles of 0 °, 90 °, 180 °, and 270 °. It has a function that can. As a result, the printer can not only print on both sides of the paper, but also in the double-sided printing mode, can perform printing according to the combination of the print layout of how a print image is formed on the paper and the binding position. It is like this. Then, for example, in the printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-47972, even if the paper of the specified orientation is not set, the printing according to the binding direction can be performed by appropriately controlling the print rotation angle. You can do it.

The binding mode designation in the double-sided printing mode is performed by a tumble (Tumbl) in the PostScript page description language of Adobe, for example.
e) Specified by the truth of page device parameter,
You can specify whether to bind the long side or the short side of the paper (see "Page Description Language PostScript Reference"
Manual 2nd Edition "December 21, 1991, issued by ASCII Corporation).

In the DPA proposed by ISO, the attribute value called "plex" is changed to "duple".
Depending on whether it is "x" or "tumble", you can specify whether to bind the long side or short side of the paper (ISO / IE
C 10175-1 Final Editor's Draft 9.3.2.16.2 Plex P1
72-174).

Further, in the printer disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-49772, the formed images can be bound in the vertical direction or in the horizontal direction. For example, this specifies whether a sheet on which a horizontally written character string is printed on both sides is bound in the vertical direction or in the lateral direction with respect to the character string.

On the other hand, in order to reduce a large amount of printing paper which is increasing, a function of printing a plurality of pages on one paper (Numb
It is called the er-up function. Hereinafter, this is called a Nup function) is widely used (for example, JP-A-2-194977, JP-A-5-177899,
ISO / IEC 10175-1 Final Editor's Draft 9.3.2.16.29.
See 3.2.16.1 Number-up P168-172).

[0007]

By the way, various binding modes for double-sided printing and the Nup function are combined by using the above-described technique, and a function is also provided for performing printing by selecting various printing rotation angles. In this way, it is possible to configure a print output device that enables printing that matches the designated printing conditions, such as landscape orientation or portrait orientation, according to the orientation of the designated paper. In that case, the printing conditions are designated through an application or a printing condition designating device configured by a printer driver in the window system.

FIG. 20 shows an example of a binding mode in double-sided printing. The double-sided left binding mode shown in FIG. 20A is a mode in which left and right binding is performed on a print image such as a print character string regardless of the vertical or horizontal orientation of the paper. Also, FIG.
The double-sided top binding mode shown in (1) is a mode in which the binding is performed at the upper position with respect to the print image regardless of the vertical and horizontal directions of the paper.

The double-sided long side binding mode shown in FIGS. 20C and 20D and the double-sided short side binding mode shown in FIGS. 20E and 20F are binding positions corresponding to the paper placement position. In the example of the double-sided long side binding mode of D, the left binding is performed on the vertically placed paper, and the upper binding is performed on the laterally placed paper. Further, in the example of the double-sided short side binding mode of FIGS. For binding and horizontal paper, left binding is used.

An example of the Nup mode designation type is as follows.
This is as shown in FIG. The one shown in FIG. 21 is
There are 2 up mode and 4 up mode. For example, 2up
In the mode, as shown in FIG. 21A, there are a forward direction mode and a reverse direction mode when the paper direction is vertical and horizontal, respectively. 2 pages are allocated as shown. Also, if the paper feed direction is landscape,
Two pages are allocated as shown in the figure.

In the 4up mode, as shown in FIG. 21B, there are four modes of forward-vertical direction, forward-horizontal direction, reverse-vertical direction and reverse-horizontal direction, and four pages are assigned to one sheet as shown in the figure. To be

As described above, there are various double-sided binding modes, the closing position changes depending on how the paper is placed, and N
The up mode also has multiple aspects as shown. For this reason, it is difficult to immediately recognize what kind of printout layout is obtained when the double-sided binding mode and the Nup mode are combined. If this is combined with the designation of the paper orientation for portrait or landscape orientation, it becomes more difficult for the user to imagine the print layout.

[0013] Then, conventionally, the result of the print output is not known until the print job is actually executed and the print job is discharged, and the print job (the print request including the print data and the print designation condition information). There was no way to know what the format of the printout would be when setting the print conditions before issuing. Therefore, there is a drawback in that it is very difficult for a beginner who is unskilled in the operation of the print output device to perform printing as intended.

Further, as described above, when the binding mode is also designated by the special parameter such as "duplex" or "tumble", when combined with the Nup function in the double-sided printing mode, It is difficult to recognize the actual print layout, which is a disadvantage.

In view of the above points, the present invention enables the user to know the complicated print output result before the actual printing, and can simplify the setting operation of the print designation condition. The purpose is to

[0016]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 is a printing condition designating device for designating a printing condition through a display screen when the reference numerals of the embodiments described later correspond to each other. And Nup for printing N pages (N is an integer of 2 or more) on at least one sheet of the printing conditions analyzed by the analysis unit (21) that analyzes the designated printing conditions. Designated value holding means (22, 23, 24) for storing designated values related to the function and designated values for the binding mode for double-sided printing, and a layout for print output based on the designated values of the designated value holding means. Display control means (25) for displaying on the display screen as a schematic diagram in a state where the relationship between the front and back printing states and the binding mode can be identified.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printing condition designating apparatus according to the first aspect, the display control means relates to a schematic diagram of the layout of the print output displayed on the display screen, It is characterized by comprising means for receiving the designation of the previous page or the designation of the subsequent page, and means for changing the schematic diagram according to the designation of the previous page or the designation of the subsequent page.

[0018]

According to the printing condition designating apparatus of the above-mentioned structure, when the user inputs the printing condition designating including the mode designating value including the N value of the Nup function and the duplex binding mode designating value, the analysis is performed. By means of the above, the Nup mode specified value,
Each value of the double-sided mode designated value is analyzed and stored in the designated value holding means. Then, the display control means generates display data of a schematic diagram of a print layout when actually printing with the designated values based on the designated values of the designated value holding means, and displays the schematic diagram on the display screen. To be done.

In the case of the printing condition designating apparatus of claim 2,
When the user designates the previous page or the subsequent page of the page of the currently displayed schematic diagram, the display control unit receives the designation and displays the print layout of the specified previous page or the subsequent page. The schematic diagram is changed and displayed so that the schematic diagram is displayed on the screen.

Therefore, the user can easily recognize from the schematic diagram of the print layout of the display screen what kind of double-sided print output mode is to be performed according to the print conditions specified by the user.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are block diagrams of a first embodiment in which the printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention is realized by an application. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the application 2 of this example outputs to the printer 4 a print result according to the print condition set and input by the user through the print condition specification input unit 1 such as a mouse or a keyboard. is there. The application 2 creates and edits a document, and displays each setting value of the printing condition set and input by the user on the display device 3 before the printer 4 executes the printing of the document. The print layout under the set and input print conditions is displayed on the display device 3.

The application 2 of this example is provided with the left binding mode, the top binding mode, the long side binding mode, and the short side binding mode shown in FIG. 20 as the binding modes for double-sided printing, and the Nup mode as well. 2 up forward mode, 2 up reverse mode, and 4 up shown in FIG.
It has a forward lateral mode, a 4 up forward vertical mode, a 4 up reverse lateral mode, and a 4 up reverse vertical mode. The user is
The mode to be designated from these is set through the printing condition designation input unit 1.

In the case of this example, the application 2
When the user sets the printing conditions, the user operates the mouse to operate the sheet setting screen 31 as shown in FIG. 3, which will be described later, the other setting screen 32 as shown in FIG. 4, and the printing as shown in FIG. It has a function of displaying the screen 33 on the display screen of the display device 3.

The user specifies the paper size item 41, the paper direction item 42, and the enlargement / reduction ratio item 43 on the paper setting screen. Paper orientation item 4
1 is a designation of vertical placement or horizontal placement. After specifying
For example, when the "OK" button 34 on the screen is clicked with the mouse, the other setting screen 32 shown in FIG. 4 is displayed.

On the other setting screen 32, the user
2up mode item 44 designation, 4up mode item 4
5, the double-sided printing binding mode item 46, and other items are designated. In this case, the designation of the item 44 in the 2up mode is designation of the forward direction or the backward direction. Further, the designation of the item 45 of the 4up mode is selection designation of any one of the forward horizontal direction, the forward vertical direction, the reverse horizontal direction, and the reverse vertical direction. Further, the designation of the binding mode item for double-sided printing is a designation for selecting any one of top binding, left binding, long side binding, and short side binding. After the specification is completed, click “O” on the screen.
If the "K" button 34 is clicked on with a mouse, it moves to the print screen 33 in FIG. For example, "Cancel" button 3
If 5 is clicked with the mouse, the screen 31 before the screen 32 is returned to.

On the print screen 33, the user designates a combination of double-sided / single-sided and Nup as the extended function item 47, and sets the number of copies, the number of pages to be printed, and other settings. Then, on the print screen 33,
A print layout display area 50 is set, and in this area 50, a print layout when printing out under the printing conditions at that time is displayed as a schematic diagram.

In the case of this example, what kind of form is displayed as a schematic diagram of the print layout is, in this example, the designated value of the paper direction set on the screen 31, and the 2up mode and the 4up mode set on the screen 32. 1up printing / 2up forward printing / 2up backward printing / 4up forward lateral printing / 4 which is designated by a combination of the designated value of 4 and the designated value of the extended function set on the screen 33.
Up forward portrait printing / 4up reverse landscape printing / 4up reverse portrait printing, and the specified value of the binding mode for double-sided printing on the screen 32 and the screen 3
It is determined by single-sided printing / double-sided left binding printing / double-sided top binding printing / double-sided long side binding printing / double-sided short side binding printing designated by a combination with the designated value of the extended function of No. 3.

When the print button 36 is clicked on the print screen 33 with the mouse, a print job including print conditions and print data set by the user is issued to the printer 4, and printing is executed.

The functional blocks of the main part relating to the layout display of the application 2 in this example are as shown in FIG. That is, the application 2 includes a print designation analysis unit 21, a Nup designated value holding unit 22, a paper direction designated value holding unit 23, a binding mode designated value holding unit 24 for double-sided printing, and a layout display unit as a display control unit. And 25.

The print designation analysis means 21 analyzes the print conditions designated and input as described above from the print condition designation input section 1, and selects the 2up mode and the 4up mode set by the user as described above. The designated value is stored in the holding means 22, and the set paper orientation designated value is stored in the holding means 23.
Holding unit 24 holds the set binding mode designation value for double-sided printing
, Respectively.

The layout display means 25 is a holding means 2.
The print layout to be displayed in the layout display area 50 of the screen 33 is determined based on the designated values held in 2, 23, and 24. That is, the print layout is determined based on the above-mentioned conditions (1) to (3). The display device 3 displays the print layout in the print layout display area 50 of the print screen 33.

In the case of this example, the layout display means 25
Includes a display data table DT storing display bitmap data of display patterns of various layouts according to the combinations of the above conditions (1) to (4) and a layout table LT. The layout table LT is an address in the display data table DT in which indexes of various layout display patterns of the display data table DT and bitmap data for display of the layout display pattern corresponding to the index are stored (hereinafter, referred to as a display table address. ) And the correspondence is saved.

These tables DT and LT may be prepared as independent memories, or some of the address areas of one memory may be allocated for each table.

6 and 7 show the display data table D.
9 is a table for explaining an example of various layout display patterns prepared in T. Of these, FIG. 6 shows examples of various layout display patterns corresponding to the combinations of the above conditions (1) in the case of portrait paper, and FIG. 7 shows the combinations of the above conditions (1) in the case of landscape paper. It is an example of various layout display patterns.

The layout display pattern shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is a two-page spread layout IMG1 which is the display pattern first displayed in the layout display area 50 as the layout display. In the table DT, as shown in FIG. 9, a front page layout IMG0 which is a display pattern of a page before the spread layout IMG1 and a rear page layout IMG2 which is a display pattern of a page after the spread layout IMG1 are displayed. The display bitmap data is also prepared.

The display pattern shown in FIG. 9 is 2u horizontally placed.
In the example of the p forward double-sided top binding layout display pattern, the front page layout IMG0, the spread layout IMG1, and the rear page layout IMG2 stored in the display data table DT are as illustrated.

That is, in this example, the two-page spread layout IMG1 is provided with the print layout display 62 on the back side of the sheet on the front page side on the upper side (left side in the case of left binding) of the binding portion 61. A print layout display 63 on the front surface of the sheet on the rear page side is provided on the lower side (right side in the case of left binding). And the previous page layout IMG0
Is on the lower side of the binding portion 61 (on the right side in the case of left binding),
The print layout display 62 is provided with a print layout display 64 on the front surface of the paper provided on the back surface. Further, the rear page layout IMG2 is provided with a print layout display 65 on the back side of the paper on the front side of which the print layout display 63 is provided, on the upper side (left side in the case of left binding) of the binding portion 61.

That is, when the front page side of the two-page spread layout IMG1 is turned, the front page layout IMG0 is set, and when the back page side is turned, the rear page layout IMG2 is set.
It has become a relationship.

In the case of this example, the layout display means 25 first displays the two-page spread layout IMG1 in the print layout display area 50, and the previous page layout IMG is displayed in accordance with the user's operation on the print screen 33.
The layout display of the layout display area 50 is changed to 0 or the rear page layout IMG2.

Therefore, in the case of this example, the layout display area 50 is divided into a front page designation area 51 on the upper side and a rear page designation area 52 on the lower side, and the user can specify the front page designation area. When the mouse is clicked at 51, the layout display means 25 displays the previous page layout I.
When it is determined that the display request is for MG0, and when the user clicks the mouse in the rear page designation area 52, the layout display means 25 determines that the display request is for the rear page layout IMG2, and displays the respective layouts. To Details of the operation will be described later.

FIG. 8 shows an outline of an example of the layout table LT. The value LAYOUT [i] (i is a positive integer) on the left side of the layout table LT is an index of various layout display patterns, and , The value on the right is
The storage address in the display data table DT of the bitmap data of the layout display pattern of the index is shown.

In the case of this example, as described above,
As the display pattern data, the display data table DT
In the two-page spread layout IMG1, the previous page layout I
Since MG0 and the subsequent page layout IGM2 are prepared, the details of the layout table LT are as shown in FIG.

That is, in the example of FIG. 9, the index of the layout table LT is LAYOUT [1 as described above.
5] (i = 15) is a detailed example of the table address portion of the horizontal 2up forward double-sided binding layout display of (i = 15). As the table addresses, the previous page layout address ADD0, the spread layout address ADD1, and the subsequent page layout address ADD are used.
It has 3 address data of 2. Then, the front page layout address IMD0, the double page layout IMG0 read from the display data table DT with these three address data of the front page layout address ADD0, the double page layout address ADD1, and the rear page layout address ADD2.
1 and the rear page layout IMG2 are as illustrated.

With the above configuration, when the user sets the printing conditions, the layout display means 25 is displayed.
Is the above-mentioned conditions (1), in this case, the paper is set to be placed vertically / horizontally, and either one-sided printing / double-sided left binding / double-sided top binding / double-sided long side binding / double-sided short side binding The i value of the index of the layout table LT is calculated from the designation and one of 1up / 2up forward direction / 2up reverse direction / 4up forward horizontal direction / 4up forward vertical direction / 4up reverse horizontal direction / 4up reverse vertical direction. Then, the address of the display data table DT corresponding to the index is obtained.

Then, the layout display means 25 first reads the spread layout IMG1 at that address in the display data table DT and displays it in the layout display area 50. After that, the user specifies the previous page designated area 5
If you click the mouse on either 1 or the back page designation area 52, the front page layout IMG of that address
0 or the rear page layout IMG2 is read, and the layout display in the layout display area 50 is changed to the front page layout IMG0 or the rear page layout IMG2 thus read.

In the case of this example, the calculation of the i value of the index is input and set by the user as described above.
It is performed as follows based on the designated value of the printing condition of. FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 which is a continuation thereof are flowcharts showing an index calculation processing routine in the case of this example.

That is, first, it is determined whether or not the paper feeding direction designated in step S1 is vertical, and if it is horizontal rather than vertical, the process proceeds to step S2 to prepare a value for calculating the i value. If k is "0", and if it is placed vertically, the process proceeds to step S3 to set the value k to "1".

Next, in step S4, it is determined whether or not the designation is single-sided printing, and if it is single-sided printing, step S8.
Then, the value m is set to "0". If it is not single-sided printing, the process proceeds to step S5, and it is determined whether or not the designation is the double-sided printing left binding mode. If the designation is the left binding mode, the process proceeds to step S9, and the value m prepared for calculating the i value is set to "1". If it is not the left binding mode, the process proceeds to step S6, and it is determined whether or not the designation is the double binding upper binding mode.

If the result of determination in step S6 is that the designation is the top binding mode, the flow proceeds to step S10 and the value m
To "2". If it is not the left binding mode, step S
In step 7, it is determined whether the designation is the double-sided printing long-edge binding mode. If the result of determination in step S7 is that long-edge binding mode is specified, the operation proceeds to step S11 and the value m
To "3". If the designation is not the long edge binding mode, the process proceeds to step S12 and the value m is set to "4".

Next, in step S13, the designation is 1u.
If it is 1up, step S1
In step 9, the value n prepared for calculating the i value is set to "0", and if it is not 1 up, the process proceeds to step S14, and it is determined whether or not the forward direction is 2 up. Then, as a result of the determination in step S14, if it is the 2up forward direction, the process proceeds to step S20, the value n is set to "1", and if it is not the 2up forward direction, the process proceeds to step S15, and the designation is the 2up backward direction. It is determined whether or not.

Then, as a result of the determination in step S15,
If it is the 2up reverse direction, the process proceeds to step S21, and the value n
Is set to "2", and if the reverse direction is not 2up, step S1
In step 6, it is determined whether the designation is in the 4up forward lateral direction. As a result of the determination in step S16, if it is the 4up forward horizontal direction, the process proceeds to step S22, and the value n is set to "3". If it is not the 4up forward horizontal direction, the process proceeds to step S17, and the designation is the 4up forward vertical direction. It is determined whether or not the direction. If the result of determination in step S17 is 4 up forward vertical direction, the process proceeds to step S23, the value n is set to "4", and 4 u
If it is not the p forward vertical direction, the process proceeds to step S18, and it is determined whether or not the designation is the 4up reverse horizontal direction. If the result of the determination in step S18 is 4 up reverse lateral direction, the process proceeds to step S24, and the value n is set to "5". If not 4 up reverse lateral direction, the process proceeds to step S25 and the value n is set to "6". "
To

Next, in step S26, the i value of the index is calculated from the following equation i = k × 35 + m × 7 + n. Next, in step S27, the calculated index i value is passed to the layout display processing routine.

The index i calculated in this way
Using the value, the layout display means 25 reads the bitmap data for layout display from the display data table DT and performs the layout display as described above, as follows. FIG. 12 and FIG. 1 which is a part thereof.
3 and FIG. 14 are flowcharts of an example of the layout display processing routine at this time.

First, in step S31, the i value calculated by the index i value calculation routine shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is acquired. Next, in step S32, the spread layout IMG1 of the corresponding table address is read from the display data table DT and displayed on the print screen 33.

Next, in step S33, the print screen 3
3, it is determined whether or not the mouse is clicked in the previous page designation area 51. If it is determined that the mouse is not clicked, the process proceeds to step S34, and the subsequent page designation area 5
In step 2, it is determined whether or not the mouse has been clicked. And
When it is determined that the mouse has not been clicked also in the subsequent page designation area 52, the process proceeds to step S35, and it is determined whether or not the print button 36 is pressed on the print screen 33. When the print button 36 has not been pressed, the process returns to step S32, and the spread layout IMG
The display of 1 is continued. When it is determined in step S35 that the print button 36 has been pressed, the layout display process is terminated and the print job issuing process is started.

If it is determined in step S33 that the mouse has been clicked in the previous page designation area 51,
In step S36 of FIG. 13, the display data table D
The bitmap data of the previous page layout IMG0 is read from T, and the layout display area 50 of the print screen 33 is read.
Then, the previous page layout IMG0 is displayed.

Next, in step S37, it is determined whether or not the mouse is clicked in the rear page designation area 52.
Then, when it is determined that the mouse is clicked in the subsequent page designation area 52, the process returns to step S32 to return to the display of the two-page spread layout IMG1, and thereafter, the same processing as described above is repeated.

If it is determined in step S37 that the mouse has not been clicked in the subsequent page designation area 52, the process advances to step S38 to determine whether the print button 36 on the print screen 33 has been pressed. And
If the print button 36 has not been pressed, the process returns to step S37, and if the print button 36 has been pressed, this layout display processing ends.

If it is determined in step S34 that the mouse has been clicked in the rear page designating area 52, the flow advances to step S39 in FIG. 14 to read the bitmap data of the rear page layout IMG2 from the display data table DT. The rear page layout IMG2 is displayed in the layout display area 50 of the print screen 33.

Next, in step S40, it is determined whether or not the mouse has been clicked in the previous page designation area 51.
Then, when it is determined that the mouse is clicked in the previous page designation area 51, the process returns to step S32 to return to the display of the two-page spread layout IMG1, and the same process as described above is repeated.

If it is determined in step S40 that the mouse has not been clicked in the previous page designation area 51, the process advances to step S41 to determine whether or not the print button 36 on the print screen 33 has been pressed. And
If the print button 36 has not been pressed, the process returns to step S40, and if the print button 36 has been pressed, this layout display processing ends.

Next, a specific example of layout display on the print screen 33 by the above layout display processing operation will be described.

Now, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the user specifies the paper feed direction to be vertical on the paper setting screen 31, and as shown in FIG. 4, the 2up mode is set on the other setting screen 32. In addition to specifying the forward direction, the binding mode for double-sided printing is designated as top binding, and the print screen 3
It is assumed that the extended function is designated as 2up on both sides in 3.

At this time, the layout display means 25
Determines that the print layout is the “horizontal 2up forward double-sided binding layout” based on the designated values of the holding units 22, 23, and 24. In other words, the display table address of the "horizontal placement 2up forward double-sided top binding layout" in the layout table LT is read from the specified value by the i value of the index, and the read address of the display data table DT is read by the display table address. Be instructed.
As a result, in the layout display area 50 of the print screen 33, as shown in FIG. 15, the spread layout IMG1 of "horizontal placement 2up forward double-sided top binding layout" is displayed.

On the print screen 33, for example, when the user clicks the previous page designation area 51 with the mouse, the layout display area 5 of the print screen 33 is displayed.
The layout display of 0 is changed to the previous page layout IMG0 as shown in FIG. And this FIG.
When the user clicks the subsequent page designation area 52 with the mouse on the print screen, the layout display in the layout display area 50 is displayed in the spread layout IMG shown in FIG.
Return to the state of 1.

When the user clicks the rear page designation area 52 with the mouse on the print screen 33 of FIG. 15, the layout display in the layout display area 50 of the print screen 33 is changed to the rear page layout as shown in FIG. I
The display is changed to MG2. Then, on the print screen 33 of FIG. 17, when the user clicks the previous page designation area 51 with the mouse, the layout display of the layout display area 50 returns to the state of the two-page spread layout IMG1 shown in FIG.

As described above, even if it is difficult to understand what the print output layout will be, such as the binding mode for double-sided printing and the forward / reverse direction of Nup, at the stage of specifying the print conditions, prior to the actual print output. Since the print layout is displayed in the schematic diagram on the print condition designation screen, the user can obtain the print output as he or she desires without error.

In particular, in the case of the above example, when the user specifies the previous page and the subsequent page, the layout is changed to the layout display after the sheet is turned to the front page side or the back page side. Even in double-sided printing in which the mode and Nup are combined, it is very easy to understand how the back side of the paper is printed, and it is possible to more reliably prevent the user from mistakenly operating the print conditions. .

In the above application example,
Since the application 2 knows the total number of pages of the document to be printed, when outputting all pages, the output page can be grasped without specifying the number of output pages.
By specifying the desired number of output pages (range) with
You can grasp the specified number of output pages.

Therefore, in the case of the application of the above example, for example, in the layout display area 50 of FIG. 5, in the case where the number of output pages is 4 or less at the time of horizontal up 2up forward binding, the spread shown in FIG. Layout IMG1
Without displaying, the front page layout IMG0 and the back page layout IMG2 only are displayed alternately according to the user's back page designation and previous page designation so as to perform an optimal layout display according to the number of output pages. You may

In the case of the printer driver, since the total number of pages of the document to be printed is unknown, the same layout display can be performed if the number of output pages is specified.

18 and 19 are block diagrams of the second embodiment of the printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention. This example is an example in which the present invention is applied to a printer driver used in a window system. . That is, FIG.
8 shows a general outline of this example, and FIG.
9 is a functional block diagram of a main part of the printer driver.

The printer driver of this example is the above-mentioned first driver.
21. As with the embodiment of FIG. 21, the binding mode for double-sided printing includes the left binding mode, the top binding mode, the long side binding mode, and the short side binding mode shown in FIG. 2up forward mode, 2 shown
The following description will be made on the assumption that the up reverse mode, the 4up forward lateral mode, the 4up forward vertical mode, the 4up reverse lateral mode, and the 4up reverse vertical mode are included.

As shown in FIG. 18, the printer driver 7
Is provided in the window system 8, and a print condition setting screen is displayed on the display device 9, and the printer driver 7 can specify the print condition from the user through the print specification condition input unit 5 through this screen. Accept. And
The print data created by the window application 6 is converted into data that can be output to the printer 10 based on the specified print conditions. Printer driver 7,
The window application 6 does not need to consider the function of the printer 10 and the format of the print data, only by adapting it to the printer 10.

As shown in FIG. 19, the printer driver 7 of this example has a printer data creating means 71, a setting screen display means 72, a paper direction designation value holding means 73, a Nup designation value holding means 74, and a double-sided mode designation value holding. A means 75 and a layout display means 76 are provided.

The setting screen display means 72 displays the print condition setting screen on the display device 9 and receives the user's print condition specification input from the print specification condition input unit 5. The user is
The print condition is interactively specified through the print condition setting screen. Then, the setting screen display means 72 analyzes the user's designation of the printing conditions, and sets the set paper orientation designation value in the holding means 73 in the set 2up mode and 4
The designated value for the up mode is stored in the holding unit 74, and the set binding mode designated value for double-sided printing is stored in the holding unit 75.

The printer data creating means 71 receives the print data from the window application 6, converts it into print data which can be discriminated by the printer 10 based on the designated values held in the holding means 73, 74 and 75, and The print data is transmitted to 10.

The layout display means 76 is a holding means 7.
Based on the designated values held in 3, 74, and 75, a display image of a print layout in a mode determined by these designated values is created. Then, the display image is displayed on the screen of the display device 9 via the setting screen display means 72.

The layout display means 76 of this example includes a display data table and a layout table in the same manner as the layout display means 25 of the above-described example.
It has a function of calculating the i value of the index. Therefore, even in the case of this example, as in the case of the above-described example, even when the user specifies complicated print conditions, the user can change the layout of the print output according to the schematic diagram before the actual print output. It is possible to confirm and prevent an error in setting the printing conditions.

In the case of this example, the printing condition designating apparatus of the present invention can be realized by changing the configuration of the printer driver corresponding to each printer without changing the application. There is a merit that you can do it.

In the above two embodiments, the layout display is performed by preparing the display bit map data in the table memory in advance. However, the layout display image data is not provided in the table memory. Can be created by software each time.

In the above example, the binding modes are top binding, left binding, long-edge binding, and short-edge binding, but "duplex" and "tumble" described in the section of the conventional example are described. It can be applied to the case of specifying with a special parameter such as "," and the user can confirm in advance by the layout display even if the specification is made using these incomprehensible terms. The printing conditions can be specified without causing confusion.

[0084]

As described above, according to the present invention, when performing double-sided printing, the paper orientation, binding mode, N
Since the layout of the printout according to the specified value of the print condition in the up mode is displayed on the display screen as a schematic diagram, the user can surely grasp the situation of the printout according to the print condition set by the user. Even if a print condition that is difficult to understand is specified, the layout of the print output can be grasped in advance, and the intended print can always be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a main part of a first embodiment of a printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an overall configuration of a system to which the first embodiment of the printing condition designating device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a print condition setting input screen used in the first embodiment of the print condition specifying device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a print condition setting input screen used in the first embodiment of the print condition specifying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a print condition setting input screen used in the first embodiment of the print condition specifying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of various layout display patterns in the first embodiment of the printing condition designating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of various layout display patterns in the first embodiment of the printing condition designating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a table used in the first embodiment of the printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a table used in the first embodiment of the printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a print layout display processing operation in the first embodiment of the printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart continued from FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an example of a print layout display processing operation in the first embodiment of the printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart forming a part of the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart forming a part of the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining an example of a layout display in the first embodiment of the printing condition designating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining an example of layout display in the first embodiment of the printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining an example of a layout display in the first embodiment of the printing condition designating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the printing condition designating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining an example of various binding modes for double-sided printing.

FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining an example of each mode of the Nup function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 5 Printing condition designation input section 2 Application 3, 9 Display device 4, 10 Printer 6 Window application 7 Printer driver 8 Window system 21 Printing designation analysis means 22, 74 Nup designated value holding means 23, 73 Paper direction designated value holding means 24, 75 double-sided printing binding mode designated value holding means 25, 76 layout display means 72 setting screen display means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A printing condition designating device for designating a printing condition through a display screen, wherein at least one of the analyzing means for analyzing the designated printing condition and the printing condition analyzed by the analyzing means. Based on the specified value of the specified value holding unit that stores the specified value related to the function of printing N pages (N is an integer of 2 or more) and the specified value of the binding mode in double-sided printing, And a display condition designating device for displaying the layout of the printout on the display screen as a schematic diagram in a state in which the relationship between the printing state on the front surface and the back surface of the paper and the binding mode can be identified. 2. The display control means, means for receiving a previous page designation or a subsequent page designation from a user in relation to a schematic diagram of a layout of printouts displayed on the display screen, and the previous page designation. Alternatively, the printing condition designation device according to claim 1, further comprising: a unit that changes the schematic diagram according to the designation of the subsequent page.