CN116265256A - Printing method, program, and printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a printing method capable of efficiently editing printing contents of a plurality of labels. The printing method is a method executed by a printing apparatus (100) that prints on a Label Sheet (LS) provided with a plurality of labels (L), and includes the steps of: editing a first tag of the plurality of tags (L) (S1-S4); and a step (S8-S10) of copying the edited content of the first label to the second label when there is a second label changing operation of starting the editing of the next second label of the first label.

Description

Printing method, program, and printing apparatus

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a printing method executed by a printing apparatus that performs printing on a label sheet on which a plurality of labels are arranged, a program that causes a computer to execute the printing method, and a printing apparatus that executes the printing method.

Background

A printing apparatus that prints on a label sheet on which a plurality of labels are arranged is known (for example, refer to patent document 1). In this printing apparatus, when editing print contents of a plurality of labels, after editing is completed for a specific one of the labels, a "label changing operation" is performed, and editing of other labels is started.

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 4330359

Disclosure of Invention

In the conventional printing apparatus, after the label changing operation is performed, editing of the next label is performed from the beginning regardless of the print content of the next label. That is, even when the same print content as that of the preceding label is intended to be used in the next label, it is necessary to repeatedly execute editing work performed in the preceding label at the time of editing of the next label. In addition, a plurality of operations are required for editing a tag, and in this case, it is necessary to repeatedly execute a plurality of operations of the same content as the operations performed during editing a preceding tag during editing a next tag. As a result, editing of a plurality of labels cannot be efficiently performed.

The present invention aims to efficiently edit the print contents of a plurality of labels in a printing device for printing on a label sheet on which a plurality of labels are arranged.

A printing method according to an aspect of the present invention is a method executed by a printing apparatus that prints on a label sheet on which a plurality of labels are arranged, and includes the following steps.

A step of editing a first tag of the plurality of tags.

And a step of copying the edited content of the first label to the second label when there is a label changing operation of starting the editing of the next second label of the first label. The "edit content" as referred to herein is a concept including character content input to a label and print layout such as the size, arrangement, and type of decoration of characters when the characters are printed on the label.

In the above printing method, when the label changing operation is performed after the editing of the first label, the edited content of the first label is copied to the second label. Thus, in the case where the same print content as the first label is used for the second label, a job in which the print content of the first label is reflected on the second label can be easily executed by one operation of "label changing operation". As a result, the amount of work for editing a plurality of labels can be reduced, and therefore, a plurality of labels can be efficiently edited.

In the step of copying the edited content of the first tag to the second tag, the character content input to the first tag may be copied to the second tag. Thus, the input of the character to be printed on the second label can be omitted, and therefore, a plurality of labels can be edited efficiently.

The print layout of the first label may also be copied to the second label in the step of copying the edited content of the first label to the second label. Thus, the operation of designating the print layout of the second label can be omitted, and thus a plurality of labels can be efficiently edited.

The method may further include the step of displaying a preview screen that displays a print state when printing is performed on the label based on the edited content. In this case, the number of printed sheets of the label being displayed on the preview screen may be set on the preview screen. This makes it possible to easily set the number of prints per label.

A program according to another aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute the printing method described above.

A printing apparatus according to still another aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for printing on a label sheet on which a plurality of labels are arranged. The printing apparatus includes a control unit that copies the edited content of a first tag of a plurality of tags to a second tag when there is a tag replacement operation that starts editing of a next second tag of the first tag after editing the first tag.

In the above-described printing apparatus, when the label changing operation is performed after the editing of the first label, the control section copies the edited content of the first label to the second label. Thus, in the case where the same print content as the first label is used for the second label, a job in which the print content of the first label is reflected on the second label can be easily executed by one operation of "label changing operation". As a result, the amount of work for editing a plurality of labels can be reduced, and therefore editing of a plurality of labels can be efficiently performed.

The invention can efficiently edit the print content of a plurality of labels arranged on a label sheet.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a label sheet.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the printing apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the printing apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a control structure of the printing apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a structure of an input screen.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a printing operation of the label sheet.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a layout selection screen.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a change in the input screen when the second tab changing operation is performed.

Symbol description

100 … printing device; 1 … display section; 3 … input; 3a … character input keys; 3b … execution key; 3c … label bond; 3d … cursor keys; 3e … print key; 3f … tab switch; 3g … function switch; 3h … preview key; 5 … sheet feed port; 5a … paper guide; 7 … print section; 7a … print mechanism; 7b … sheet conveying mechanism; 9 … control unit; 9a … CPU;9b … storage; 9c … input/output interface; a B … body; the UI … input screen; t1 … first tab; t2 … second tab; IA1 … first character input area; IA2 … second character input area; d1 … tag class indicator; d2 … tag number indicator; d3 … superscript subscript indicator; d4 … character configuration indicator; d5 … character modifying indicator; d6 … character size indicator; d7 … font indicator; d8 … input transition indicator; d9 … print direction indicator; d10 … battery margin indicator; LO … layout selection screen; LO 1-LO 8 … print layout; CU1, CU2 … cursors; LS … label sheet; l … tag; la … first print sub-area; la1 … first printed area wire; lb … second print sub-area; lb1 … second print area frame line.

Detailed Description

1. First embodiment

(1) Structure of printing device

The printing apparatus 100 of the first embodiment will be described below. The printing apparatus 100 is an apparatus capable of printing characters on a plurality of labels L arranged on the same side of the label sheet LS shown in fig. 1, the labels being divided from each other. Each label L of the label sheet LS shown in fig. 1 has a first printing sub-area La and a second printing sub-area Lb. The first printing sub-area La is disposed on the upper portion of the label L, and is surrounded by the first printing area frame line La 1. The second printing sub-area Lb is arranged in a row in a lower direction of the first printing sub-area La, and is surrounded by the second printing area frame line Lb 1. The printing apparatus 100 is capable of printing characters independently in the first and second printing sub-areas La and Lb of the label L, respectively. Further, the label L having the above-described structure is referred to as an "index label". Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a label sheet.

Each label L can be separated from the label sheet LS. The label L separated from the label sheet LS can be attached to a portion where the label L is to be used.

Further, the label sheet that can be printed by the printing apparatus 100 is not limited to the "index label" shown in fig. 1. As a label sheet that can be printed by the printing apparatus 100, there is a label sheet having only one print area for each label. Also, there are various sizes (longitudinal width, lateral width) of labels and/or print areas. In addition, there are labels that do not have a print area wire.

The printing apparatus 100 is not limited to general characters such as kana, kanji, and letters, and can print "characters" managed by various character codes such as numbers such as alphanumeric and arabic numerals, various marks (for example, symbols in which numbers are written in circles), and the like in the print sub-area.

The printing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment can set different print layouts for each of the plurality of labels L of the label sheet LS, and can print different character contents. Therefore, in the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, setting of the print layout and input of character content to be printed are performed for each label L. In the printing apparatus 100, after setting the print layout and inputting the character content to one label L, the label changing operation is performed, whereby setting the print layout and inputting the character content to the next label L can be performed.

Here, "character content" refers to character content itself printed on the label L, and does not mean the kind of size, arrangement, and decoration of characters when the characters are printed on the label L. On the other hand, the "print layout" refers to the size, arrangement, kind of decoration, and the like of characters when printing characters on the label L.

The configuration of the printing apparatus 100 will be described below with reference to fig. 2 to 4. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the printing apparatus. Fig. 3 is a top view of the printing apparatus. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a control structure of the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus 100 includes a display unit 1, an input unit 3, a sheet supply port 5, a printing unit 7, and a control unit 9.

The display unit 1 is provided at the upper part of the main body B of the printing apparatus 100. The display section 1 displays an operation screen for performing an operation of the printing apparatus 100. As described below, when characters to be printed in the first and second print sub-areas La and Lb of the label L are input, an input screen UI (fig. 5) imitating the label L is displayed as an operation screen on the display section 1. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the display unit 1 has a rectangular display area, but has a certain size not only in the left-right direction but also in the up-down direction, and thus has a larger display area than in the related art. The display unit 1 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

The input unit 3 is provided in the main body B at a lower portion of the display unit 1, and receives an operation of the printing apparatus 100. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the input unit 3 is constituted by a plurality of keys. Specifically, the input section 3 mainly has character input keys 3a for inputting characters and other operation keys. As operation keys, the input section 3 mainly includes an execution key 3b for determining and executing a command operation, a tab changing key 3c for performing a tab changing operation, a cursor key 3d for performing a cursor movement, a print key 3e for performing printing on the tab LS, a tab switching key 3f for switching a tab, that is, a character input area for allowing character input in the input screen UI, a function switching key 3g, and a preview key 3h for displaying a print preview. Further, as the operation keys, the input section 3 has keys for commanding other functions that can be executed by the printing apparatus 100.

The sheet supply port 5 is provided in the main body B at a lower portion of the input section 3. The label sheet LS to be printed is supplied to the sheet supply port 5. A pair of paper guides 5a are provided at the sheet supply port 5. The pair of paper guides 5a can adjust the interval thereof by being separated from or approaching each other. Thereby, the sheet supply port 5 can supply the tag sheets LS of various sizes.

The printing unit 7 prints on the label L of the label sheet LS. The printing section 7 has a printing mechanism 7a and a sheet conveying mechanism 7b. The printing mechanism 7a is a mechanism that prints on the label L by a thermal transfer method, for example. The sheet conveying mechanism 7b conveys the label sheet LS supplied to the sheet supply port 5 to the printing mechanism 7a, and discharges the label sheet LS printed by the printing mechanism 7a to the outside.

The control unit 9 includes a storage device 9b such as a CPU9a, RAM, ROM and an input/output interface 9c, and controls the printing device 100. The CPU9a performs various information processing. The storage device 9b stores programs executed by the CPU9a, character data, parameters necessary for control of the printing device 100, and the like. The input/output interface 9c inputs and outputs signals and data between the CPU9a, the storage device 9b, the display unit 1, the input unit 3, and the printing unit 7. The control unit 9 performs control of the printing apparatus 100 by executing a program stored in the storage device 9b by the CPU9 a. A part of the control of the printing apparatus 100 may be realized by hardware constituting the control unit 9.

The control unit 9 may be implemented by a computer System having the CPU9a, the storage device 9b, and the input/output interface 9c as separate devices, or may be implemented by a SoC (System on Chip) in which these structures are integrated into one Chip.

(2) Input picture

Next, a configuration of an input screen UI displayed on the display unit 1 when inputting characters to be printed on the label L will be described with reference to fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a structure of an input screen. As shown in fig. 5, the input screen UI has an appearance that mimics the tab L. In addition, in the input screen UI, it is possible to easily recognize which print sub-area of the forward label L is used for inputting characters. Specifically, the input screen UI has a first character input area IA1, a second character input area IA2, a first tab T1, and a second tab T2.

The first character input area IA1 receives and displays input of characters to be printed in the first printing sub-area La. The second character input area IA2 receives and displays input of characters to be printed in the second print sub-area Lb.

The first tab T1 is disposed on the side of the first character input area IA1 in a state of being connected to the first character input area IA1. A character such as "a screen input" is added to the first tab T1. The first tab T1 is activated when a character is allowed to be input to the first character input area IA1. The second tab T2 is disposed on the side of the second character input area IA2 in a state of being connected to the second character input area IA2. A character such as "B-picture input" is added to the second tab T2. The second tab T2 is activated when a character is allowed to be input to the second character input area IA2.

In the present embodiment, if the tab is "activated", for example, the character attached to the tab and the frame line of the character input area connected to the tab are displayed in a thicker color and/or displayed thicker. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the first tab T1 is activated. Further, a cursor CU1 is displayed in a character input area where character input is permitted. Alternatively, the character attached to the tab and the frame line of the character input area connected to the tab may be displayed in different colors according to whether the tab is activated or not. For example, the tab-attached character and the frame line of the character input area linked to the tab may be displayed in blue when the tab is activated, and the tab-attached character and the frame line of the character input area linked to the tab may be displayed in gray when the tab is not activated.

As shown in fig. 5, a display showing the state of the printing apparatus 100 is performed on the side of the input screen UI. Specifically, the label type indicator D1, the label number indicator D2, the superscript subscript indicator D3, the character configuration indicator D4, the character modifier indicator D5, the character size indicator D6, the font indicator D7, the input conversion indicator D8, the print direction indicator D9, and the battery remaining amount indicator D10 are displayed on the input screen UI.

The label type indicator D1 shows the type of the label sheet LS to be printed. The tag number indicator D2 shows the number of the tag L currently being input with a character. The superscript-subscript indicator D3 shows whether the input character is a superscript or a subscript. The character configuration indicator D4 shows the configuration state of the characters in the print sub-area. The character modification indicator D5 shows character modification performed on the inputted character. The character size indicator D6 shows the character size in the print sub-area. The font indicator D7 shows the font of the character to be printed in the print sub area. The input conversion indicator D8 shows the character conversion mode currently set. The print direction indicator D9 shows the direction of the character to be printed in the print sub-area. The battery remaining indicator D10 shows the remaining amount of the battery.

(3) Operation of printing apparatus

The printing operation of the label sheet LS in the printing apparatus 100 will be described below with reference to fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a printing operation of the label sheet. In the following description, an operation of printing a new label sheet LS will be described as an example.

When a new printing operation is started by the printing apparatus 100, in step S1, the type of the label sheet LS to be printed is specified. Here, a label sheet LS having the index label shown in fig. 1 is specified.

After the type of the label sheet LS is specified, in step S2, the print layout of the label L (an example of the first label) is specified. Specifically, the control unit 9 displays a layout selection screen LO shown in fig. 7 on the display unit 1, and receives a selection of a print layout from the input unit 3. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a layout selection screen.

In the printing apparatus 100, eight printing layouts LO1 to LO8 shown in fig. 7 can be selected. The selectable print layouts are roughly classified into print layouts LO1 to L04 for printing the same character in the first and second print sub-areas La and Lb, and print layouts LO5 to LO8 for printing different characters in the first and second print sub-areas La and Lb.

Further, either one of the print layout of the landscape character (print layouts LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5, LO7, LO 8) and the print layout of the portrait character (print layouts LO2, LO 6) can be selected. In the first and second sub-print areas La and Lb, print layouts (print layouts LO3, LO4, LO7, and LO 8) in which the characters are opposite to each other can be selected.

In the layout selection screen LO, for example, after the cursor CU2 is moved to the display section of the desired print layout using the cursor key 3d, the print layout can be specified by pressing the execution key 3 b. Further, even in the process of inputting characters to the first character input area IA1 or the second character input area IA2 in the input screen UI, the print layout can be changed.

After selecting the print layout, in step S3, the control section 9 causes the display section 1 to display the input screen UI shown in fig. 5. At this time, the control unit 9 determines which character is allowed to be input to the first character input area IA1 or the second character input area IA2 of the input screen UI, and activates a tab connected to the character input area determined as the character input allowed.

In the input screen UI shown in fig. 5, although the character is allowed to be input into the first character input area IA1, the character input area where the character is allowed to be input can be switched to the second character input area IA2 by pressing the tab switch key after the input screen UI is displayed. Further, by pressing the tab switch key, the character input area in which character input is permitted can be switched from the second character input area IA2 to the first character input area IA1 again. The switching of the character input area allowing the character input can be performed at any timing during the display of the input screen UI.

In step S4, the control unit 9 receives input of a character from the character input key 3a of the input unit 3 to the character input area where the character input is permitted. The control unit 9 displays characters entered using the character input keys 3a in a character input area where character input is permitted.

After finishing inputting the characters to the first character input area IA1 and/or the second character input area IA2, the control unit 9 determines in step S5 whether or not the label changing operation has been performed. Specifically, when the tab changing key 3c is pressed alone or the tab changing key 3c and the function switching key 3g are pressed simultaneously, the control unit 9 determines that the tab changing operation is performed.

The details are described below, but the label changing operation performed in the case where only the label changing key 3c is pressed is different from the label changing operation performed in the case where the label changing key 3c and the function switching key 3g are simultaneously pressed. That is, the "tab changing operation" in the case where only the tab changing key 3c is pressed is different from the "tab changing operation" in the case where the tab changing key 3c and the function switching key 3g are pressed simultaneously. In the following description, a case where only the tab changing key 3c is pressed is referred to as a "first tab changing operation", and a case where the tab changing key 3c and the function switching key 3g are simultaneously pressed is referred to as a "second tab changing operation".

After the end of inputting the characters to the first character input area IA1 and/or the second character input area IA2, if it is determined that the label changing operation is not performed (no in step S5), the control unit 9 performs various operations based on the operation performed using the input unit 3 in step S6. For example, when the print key 3e is pressed, the control unit 9 starts printing on each label L of the label sheet LS. For example, when the preview key 3h is pressed, the control portion 9 causes the display portion 1 to display a preview in which the character currently being displayed on the input screen UI is printed on the label L. The print layout set for the label L before this stage and the characters input to the label L may be stored in the storage device 9b.

After finishing inputting the characters to the first character input area IA1 and/or the second character input area IA2, if it is determined that the label changing operation is performed (yes in step S5), the control unit 9 determines in step S7 which of the first label changing operation and the second label changing operation is performed.

As the label changing operation, in the case where only the label changing key 3c is pressed alone, that is, in the case where the first label changing operation is performed (the "first operation" in step S7), the printing operation returns to step S2. That is, editing of the next label L (an example of the second label) is newly started. Specifically, the print layout is reset for the next label L, and characters to be printed in the first print sub-area La and the second print sub-area Lb of the next label L are input again.

On the other hand, as the tab changing operation, when the tab changing key 3c and the function switching key 3g are simultaneously pressed, that is, when the second tab changing operation is performed (the "second operation" in step S7), editing of the next tab L is started, but unlike the first tab changing operation, the editing content of the previous tab L is copied to the next tab L.

Specifically, in step S8, the control section 9 also sets the print layout set for the previous label L as the print layout of the next label L. In step S9, the control unit 9 copies the character contents input to the first and second sub-print areas La and Lb of the preceding label L to the first and second sub-print areas La and Lb of the next label L, respectively. Thereafter, in step S10, the control unit 9 causes the display unit 1 to display an input screen UI in a state in which the editing contents of the previous tab L are copied to the next tab L.

For example, in the input screen UI of the preceding tab L, as shown in fig. 8 (a), a character of the order of "a" is input in the first character input area IA1, a character of the order of "a" is input in the second character input area IA2, and after that, a second tab changing operation (an operation of simultaneously pressing the tab changing key 3c and the function switching key 3 g) is performed, in this case, the same screen as the input screen of the preceding tab L is displayed as shown in fig. 8 (b) as the input screen UI of the next tab L. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a change in the input screen when the second tab changing operation is performed.

As shown in fig. 8, in the tab number indicator D2 of the input screen UI of the next tab L, the tab number obtained by adding 1 to the tab number displayed in the tab number indicator D2 of the input screen UI of the previous tab L is displayed. For example, if the label number indicator D2 of the input screen UI of the previous label L is displayed as "label 1", the label number indicator D2 of the input screen UI of the next label L is displayed as "label 2". Thus, even if the input screen UI of the preceding tab L has the same appearance as the input screen UI of the next tab L, the tab number of the tab L currently displayed on the input screen UI can be easily recognized based on the display of the tab number indicator D2.

After the input screen UI of the next tab L is displayed, the printing operation returns to step S5. That is, when the tab changing operation is performed while the input screen UI of the next tab L is displayed, editing of the next tab L is started. For example, when only the print layout of the preceding label L is desired, the characters to be printed in the first print sub-area La and/or the second print sub-area Lb of the next label L can be input to the first character input area IA1 and/or the second character input area IA2 of the input screen UI in the input screen UI of the next label L.

In this way, in the printing apparatus 100, after editing (setting of print layout and input of characters to be printed) of a specific one of the labels L (first label), when a second label changing operation is performed that instructs the start of editing of the next label L, the edited content of the one label L is copied to the next label L. Specifically, the print layout set for one label L is set as the print layout of the next label L, and the character content input to one label L is copied to the next label L. The second label changing operation can be performed by simultaneously pressing the label changing key 3c and the function switching key 3 g. Therefore, in the printing apparatus 100, when the same print content as a specific label L is intended for a subsequent label L, editing of the print content can be performed for each subsequent label L by only one key operation. As a result, in the printing apparatus 100, the amount of work for editing the plurality of labels L can be significantly reduced, and therefore the plurality of labels L can be efficiently edited.

Further, in the case where it is desired to use the print layout of the specific label L among the subsequent labels L, by copying the print layout set for the specific label L to the subsequent label L, the operation of designating the print layout for the subsequent label L can be omitted. As a result, a plurality of labels L can be edited efficiently.

In addition, when it is desired to use the character content input to the specific tag L in the subsequent tag L, the character input to the subsequent tag L can be omitted by copying the character content input to the specific tag L to the subsequent tag L. As a result, a plurality of labels L can be edited efficiently.

Further, in the printing apparatus 100, as the tab changing operation, there are a first tab changing operation in which only the tab changing key 3c is pressed and a second tab changing operation in which the tab changing key 3c and the function switching key 3g are simultaneously pressed. In the case where the first label changing operation is performed, setting of a new print layout and input of new characters are performed for the next label L, on the other hand, in the case where the second label changing operation is performed, the print layout of the previous label L is directly used for the next label L, and the content input in the previous label L is directly copied to the next label L. Thus, whether or not to copy the content of the preceding label L to the next label L can be freely selected, and thus flexibility in editing the label L by changing the label can be ensured.

(4) General matters of the embodiments

The first embodiment described above has the following structure and functions in common.

A printing method according to one aspect of the present invention is a method executed by a printing apparatus (e.g., printing apparatus 100) that performs printing on a label sheet (e.g., label sheet LS) on which a plurality of labels (e.g., labels L) are arranged, and includes the following steps.

A step of editing a first tag of the plurality of tags.

A step of copying the edited content of the first label to the second label when there is a label changing operation (e.g., a second label changing operation) that starts editing of the next second label of the first label.

In the above printing method, when the label changing operation is performed after the editing of the first label, the edited content of the first label is copied to the second label. Thus, in the case where the same print content as the first label is used for the second label, a job in which the print content of the first label is reflected on the second label can be easily executed by one operation of "label changing operation". As a result, the amount of work for editing a plurality of labels can be reduced, and therefore, a plurality of labels can be efficiently edited.

(5) Other embodiments

While the above description has been given of one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. In particular, the plurality of embodiments and modifications described in the present specification can be arbitrarily combined as needed.

(A) The processing contents of each step and the processing order of each step in the printing operation described with reference to fig. 6 can be appropriately changed within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention.

(B) As the label changing operation, an operation for reflecting only the setting of the print layout of the preceding label L to the next label L and an operation for making only the copy of the character content input in the preceding label L in the next label L may be set as separate operations.

(C) When printing on a plurality of label sheets LS, a sheet print layout display screen for displaying the print state of the whole label sheet LS may be displayed on the display unit 1 for each label sheet LS. Specifically, after the printing of the first label sheet LS is completed, the display unit 1 displays a sheet printing layout display screen of the second label sheet LS, and when the printing state of the second label sheet LS is confirmed in the printing layout, the printing of the second label sheet LS can be started.

(D) The display unit 1 may display a preview screen that displays a print state when printing on the label L based on the set editing content. The preview screen is displayed by pressing the preview key of the input section 3, for example, during the process of inputting characters to be printed on the label L. In the preview screen, the number of prints of the label L currently being displayed may be set. For example, an interface for setting the number of print sheets is provided in the preview screen, and the number of print sheets of the label L displayed in the preview screen can be set by the interface. This makes it possible to easily set the number of prints per label.

In the case where the number of prints is set to "0" or "none" in the preview screen, the data (character content, print layout, etc.) related to the label L displayed in the preview may be stored in the storage device 9b of the printing apparatus 100 instead of the label L.

(E) The selection of the type of the tab change (first tab change operation, second tab change operation) may be performed using an interface displayed on the input screen UI. Further, a key for performing the second label changing operation may be provided in the input unit 3.

(F) In the print layout display screen PR, when a plurality of characters are displayed in each print sub-area, the characters may be displayed by a graphic such as "■" (black square). In this case, the content indicated by "■" can be confirmed by displaying the portion indicated by "■" in an enlarged manner.

Industrial applicability

The present invention can be widely applied to a printing apparatus that prints on a label sheet provided with a plurality of labels.

Claims (6)

1. A printing method executed by a printing apparatus that prints on a label sheet on which a plurality of labels are arranged, comprising the steps of:

editing a first tag of the plurality of tags; and

and copying the edited content of the first label to the second label when there is a label changing operation for starting the editing of the next second label of the first label.

2. The printing method according to claim 1, wherein,

in the copying of the edited content of the first tag to the second tag, character content input to the first tag is copied to the second tag.

3. A printing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

in the step of copying the edited content of the first label to the second label, the print layout of the first label is copied to the second label.

4. A printing method according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein,

further comprising a step of displaying a preview screen showing a print state when printing is performed on the label based on the editing content,

in the preview screen, the number of printed sheets of the label being displayed on the preview screen can be set.

5. A program for causing a computer to execute the printing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A printing apparatus for printing on a label sheet provided with a plurality of labels, characterized in that,

the control unit copies the editing content of a first tag to a second tag when there is a tag changing operation to start editing of a second tag next to the first tag after editing the first tag.

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