JP2000003258A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system capable of imparting the failure information of a printer to a client host even after a printing processing is moved to a print processor when the printer for operating printing for the output documents of all applications on the system is turned into a state incapable of printing due to any reason at the time of printing. SOLUTION: A breast monitor manager core 132 monitors the state and the completion of the printing processing of a printer 140. The situation information on a printing job obtained by monitoring is imparted through a PM communication thread 128 and a CS communication threads 114 and 126 to a client host 110. The client host 110 displays the error and the completion of printing of the printer 140 by a dialog box or the like based on information set in the received communication.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly, to a printing system suitable for a client / server model printing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, Microsoft's Windows has been remarkably popular as an operating system for computers for office work and core business.

Hereinafter, a conventional printing method using Windows as an operating system will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional printing method. When the user from the client host specifies printing to the printer driver 2003 to the application 2001, the application 2001 executes a print command to a GDI (graphical device interface function) 2002. When a print instruction from the application 2001 is executed, the GDI 2002
Required information from the server, and creates a spool file (EMF file and job description file) 2004. W
The Windows spool system 2005 starts the despooling process when the port monitor 2009 confirms that the designated port is in the printable state. By this despooling process, print control is transferred to the print processor 2007 via the port thread 2006. Then, the print data is transferred to the port monitor 2009 through the local print provider 2008, and the print data is output to the printer 2011 through the parallel port driver 2010.

Further, in the case of a computer network in which a large number of user terminals (client hosts) such as a client / server system are connected to a communication network, a printer is provided locally in terms of system efficiency and cost. Not much. The printer is rather connected to a server host or the like connected to a plurality of client hosts, usually via a communication network, so that a plurality of users can share the printer. By providing a printer connection host such as a server host to which the printer is connected, separately from a client host that is a print instruction host, one or two printer hosts can be used even in a computer network having many users using a plurality of client hosts. The above printer can be shared by a plurality of users.

[0005]

However, in the printing control of the operating system described above, in a printing system on a computer network in which a client host and a printer connection host are connected via the communication network as described above. Had the following problems.

[0006] For example, when printing is performed from the application 2001, the spool system 2005 of Windows checks the status of the specified port, and as a result, the printer 2001 to be printed is in a state where printing cannot be performed for some reason. If it is found that the application is present, the state is displayed by the application 2011. However, if the printer 2011 becomes in a print-disabled state after the print control is passed to the print processor 2007 due to the despooling process, that is, after the print is executed and before the print job is completely completed, the state is as follows. No notification was sent to the client host instructing the print processing via the communication network. That is, the printer 2011
On the screen on the host to which is connected, that is, on the printer-connected host, after printing, there is a notification that the printer 2011 has failed, but the application 2001 that instructed the print processing via the communication network is executed. The notification was not sent to the client host. For this reason, printing has been stopped until the failure is cleared.

When a failure occurs in the printer 2011, the print control is transferred to the print processor 2007, so that the print job must be deleted by the printer connection host. Therefore, a user who instructed printing from the client host via the communication network could not delete the print job from the client host.

Further, the completion of printing is notified to the printer connection host, but the completion of printing is not notified to the client host. For this reason, the user who instructed the printing had to always open a window for monitoring the queue of the printer on the display screen of the client host in order to know the completion of the printing.

[0009] Further, once a completed print job cannot be re-submitted from the client host side, and the user wants to execute the print job again, the user must re-execute the print job via the application 2001 on the client host. It was necessary to perform an input operation for executing printing in the same procedure as the previous time. For this reason, the instruction to re-execute the print job once completed has been complicated for the user.

[0010] The present invention provides a printing system for solving the above problems. A first object of the present invention is to provide a print processor for printing an output document of all applications on a system, if a printer to be printed at the time of printing is in an unprintable state for some reason. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system capable of notifying a client host of fault information of the printer even after shifting to 2007.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a printing system capable of notifying a client host of detailed information on the completion of printing and the status of a print job for output documents of all applications on the system. It is to provide.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a printer connection host having a fault from a client host via a communication network when a printer fault occurs for output documents of all applications on the system. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system capable of executing the deletion of the above print job.

A fourth object of the present invention is to easily re-input a completed print job from the client host when printing is completed for output documents of all applications on the system. It is to provide a printing system that can be performed.

[0014]

According to the present invention, a client host requesting execution of a print job and a print job requested to be executed by the client host are monitored by the present invention. In a printing system in which a print execution host to be executed by a printing apparatus is connected via a communication network, the print execution host monitors the execution status of the print job by the printing device and obtains information on the status of the print job. Monitoring means for transmitting, via the communication network, the notification of print status information in which is set, to the client host, the client host comprising: first communication means for communicating via the communication network; A first control unit for requesting execution of a print job via a communication unit and receiving the status information notification It includes.

Thus, the print execution host monitors the execution status of the print job, and sends a print status information notification in which information relating to the status of the print job is set, from the print execution host via the communication network. By communicating to the client host requesting the execution of
It is possible to notify print status information to a client host, which is connected to a print execution host via a communication network and requests execution of a print job.

Further, the client host can receive the print status information notification via the server host even if the client host is connected to the print execution host via a network via at least one server host.

Further, the client host transmits a notification requesting the transfer of a print status information notification to the server host by the first communication means, and the server host further includes a first communication means of the client host. Communication means for communicating with the first communication means, third communication means for receiving the print status notification from the monitoring means of the print execution host, and first communication means received by the second communication means. A first storage unit for storing information set in the transfer request notification from the printer, and information stored in the first storage unit when the print status information notification is received by the third communication unit. And a first determination unit that determines whether the print status information notification is for the client host that has transmitted the transfer request notification based on the above.

Thus, the server host sends the print status information notification to the client host that has transmitted the transfer request notification based on the determination result as to whether the print status information notification is for the client host that has transmitted the transfer request notification. Only the printing status information notification can be transmitted.

When the print status information notification is no longer required, the client host transmits a transfer registration deletion request notification of the notification to the server host, so that the print status information notification is not transmitted. Can be minimized.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the server host further identifies the client host from the first communication means of the client host currently connected to the host. Get information,
A second storage unit for storing the information; and, when the print status information notification is received by the third communication unit, the print status information based on the information stored in the second storage unit. There is provided second determination means for determining whether the notification is to the client host currently connected to the host.

Thus, the server host, based on the result of the determination as to whether or not the print status information notification is directed to the client host currently connected to its own host, the server host currently connected to its own host. The print status information notification can be transmitted only to the client host.

Further, the client host includes presentation means for presenting the status of the print job based on the print status information notification received via the first communication means. This makes it possible to present the status of the print job to the user of the client host.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the client host further includes an input unit for inputting an execution command of the print job in response to a status of the print job presented by the presentation unit. Determines whether or not the print execution host to execute the print job execution command input via the input unit is connected to the host, and if connected to the host, the print job Is executed, and if it is not connected to its own host, the print job execution command and its execution are sent to the connected server host via the first communication means via the communication network. A second control unit configured to transmit an execution command execution request notification including information on a print execution host to execute the command, wherein the server host includes: To, by the second communication means,
When the execution command execution request notification is received, it is determined whether or not the print execution host set in the notification is the host itself. If the host is the host, the print job execution command is executed. If it is not its own host, the second
And a third control means for transferring the execution command execution request notification to the host computer via the communication means, and to the currently connected client host via the communication network.

Thus, the user of the client host can input a print job execution command in accordance with the status of the print job presented by the presentation means. Then, the input execution command of the print job is transmitted to the print execution host to be executed via the communication network, and the print execution host executes the execution command. This makes it possible to transmit a print job execution command from the client host via the communication network and cause the print execution host to execute the execution command.

[0025]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. An embodiment of the present invention is Windows
The output device operation support (hereinafter, referred to as CAPCAL) control method that operates under the operating system by ws is assumed. Hereinafter, the CAPCAL control method will be described. The CAPCAL control method is described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 9-313178 filed by the present applicant earlier.

Before describing the embodiments,
A CAPCAL control system which is a premise in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This CAP
In the CAL control method, output documents of all applications on the system can be processed.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing system according to the CAPCAL control method. In FIG. 1, a client host 50 and a server 51 are connected via communication networks 52 and 53,
Is connected to the printer 9. Here, the communication network 52 is, for example, a LAN (local area network), and the communication network 53 is, for example, a LAN, W
AN (Wide Area Network) and the Internet. The client host 50 includes an application 1, a GDI 2, a Windows print control unit 3, and a client control unit 4, and a server (server host).
The 51 includes a Windows print control unit 5, a server control unit 6, a GDI 7, and a printer output control unit 8. When performing print processing by Windows, processing by the Windows print control units 3 and 5 is performed. When performing print processing by CAPCAL control, processing by the client control unit 4, the server control unit 6, and the printer output control unit 8 are performed. Done. When the CAPCAL control is selected, the GDI 2 is called by designating a CAPCAL driver (not shown) provided for the CAPCAL control by the application 1. Here, in the present invention, CAP
Since it is assumed that the CAL control method is used, W
The description of the print processing by the Windows print control units 3 and 5 is omitted. In addition, GDI2 and 7 are Windows
Graphi ws application program
c A group of API functions for screen display and printing called Display Interface.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the client control unit 4 of FIG. In FIG. 2, the client control unit 4 includes a CAPCAL driver 14, a CAPC
AL driver property control thread 15, output control file 17, job description file 18, EMF files 19 and 24, CAPCAL client definition file 2
0, CAPCAL print processor (CPP) 21,
CAPCAL job description file 23, CAPCAL transfer destination definition file 25, CAPCAL client main process 26, and CAPCAL job transfer thread 2
7 are provided. The Windows print control unit 5 includes a spooler process 11, a local print provider 12, and a print processor 13. Here, the client control unit 4 executes the Windows
, The print data drawn by the application 1 running on the operating system is loaded into the CAPCAL processing environment, and the processing up to the transfer to the server 51 is controlled.

When processing print data drawn by the application 1 in the CAPCAL environment, the application 1 executes the CAPCAL driver 14 as a virtual driver.
Is specified, and GDI2 is called. GDI2 is CAPC
The drawing function is acquired from the AL driver 14, the drawing primitive requested by the application 1 is converted into the drawing function of the CAPCAL driver 14, and spooled in the system spool queue 16. The system spool queue 16 stores a job description file 18 storing the name of a user who has requested printing and an application name, and an EMF file 19 storing formatted drawing information.
Is created. EMF stands for Enhanced Met
An abbreviation for a-File, which is a logical storage format of drawing data in Windows. The formats of the job description file 18 and the EMF file 19 are Windows
It is completely identical to the standard format. For this reason, the job description file 18 and the EMF file 19
ws can be generated by a default function.

Further, the CAPCAL driver 14 has a CA
The PCAL-specific output control information is written to the system spool queue 16 as the output control file 17. In addition,
The output control information can be set by the CAPCAL driver 14 opening a dialog screen and allowing the user to specify print conditions such as distribution and distribution. Here, the output control information input by the user is stored for each document, and the next time the documents are printed, the output control information of the previously input documents can be used as a default. It is.

When the spooling of all the drawing data of the application 1 is completed, the CAPCAL print processor 2
1 is called. The call of the CAPCAL print processor 21 is performed by the application 1 using the CAPCA.
This is performed by designating the L driver 14. In addition,
When another driver is specified in the application 1, the print processor 13 provided in Windows is called.

The CAPCAL print processor 21 includes:
Job description file 1 from system spool queue 16
8 and the contents of the output control file 17 are fetched and integrated, and the CAPCAL spool queue 22
Write as the AL job description file 23. In addition, CA
In the PCAL client definition file 20, default values of output control information are defined. Fetches output control information from the CAPCAL client definition file 20.

The CAPCAL print processor 2
1 is the EMF file 1 in the system spool queue 16
9 as the EM of the CAPCAL spool queue 22
Write to F file 24. When the CAPCAL job description file 23 and the EMF file 24 are written to the CAPCAL spool queue 22, the CAPCAL print processor 21 notifies this to the CAPCAL job transfer thread 27.

The CAPCAL job transfer thread 27
The CAPCAL job description file 23 and the EMF file 24 are transferred to the server 51 by a predefined transfer unit. The transfer means and the server name of the transfer destination server 51 are stored in the CAPCAL transfer destination definition file 25, and the CAPCAL job transfer thread 27
According to the contents of the CAPCAL transfer destination definition file 25,
The transfer means and the destination server 51 are determined. As a transfer means, a communication network 28 using a file attached to a mail or a communication network 29 using a file transfer protocol (ftp) can be used. Further, other transfer means may be used.

As described above, the CAP as a virtual driver
The CAL driver 14 is provided in the client control unit 4.
Then, the job description file 18 and the EMF file 1
9 is spooled to the system spool queue 16 by GDI2, and the output control file 17 is
The CAL driver 14 independently executes the system spool queue 1
Spool to 6. As a result, the format of the job description file 18 and the EMF file 19 can be changed to Windows.
It is possible to match with the standard format.
It is possible to realize a printer error and print completion notification processing and the like for all applications running on Windows including general-purpose package software without changing any application programming interface (API) of Windows.

The CAPCAL driver 14 provides
By generating a unique printer management file corresponding to the drawing data based on the generated output control information, it becomes possible to process and operate the printer management file in a unique format independent of the operating system. That is, for example, as an operating system,
When ows is used, the communication network between the client and the server is limited to a LAN or the like.
Various communication networks such as N, WAN, and the Internet can be used.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the server control unit 6 of FIG. In FIG. 3, the server control unit 6 includes a CAPCAL receiving thread 30 for mail, ftp
CAPCAL receiving thread 31, CAPCAL server main process 32, CAPCAL job description file 34, EMF file 35, distribution distributed processing thread 3
7 and output threads 41 and 42 for each printer.

When the CAPCAL receiving threads 30 and 31 are activated by the CAPCAL server main process 32, the CAPCAL receiving threads 30 and 31 transfer the CAPCAL job description file 23 and the EMF file 24 via the communication networks 28 and 29 to the CAPCAL job.
It is received from the CAL job transfer thread 27. And
CAPCAL job description file 23 and EM received
The contents of the F file 24 are written to the CAPCAL job description file 34 and the EMF file 35 of the CAPCAL spool document queue 33, respectively. Here, the CAPCAL receiving threads 30 and 31 manage the file names (job IDs) so that they do not overlap. CA
When the writing to the PCAL spool document queue 33 is completed, the CAPCAL server main process 32
Starts the distribution distributed processing thread 37 and executes the CAPCAL
The completion of writing of the spool document queue 33 is notified to the distribution distributed processing thread 37.

The distribution / distribution processing thread 37 issues a print request to the designated output printer via the output threads 41 and 42 for each printer. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the CAPCAL job description file 34. The details are described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 9-313178. Hereinafter, the contents of the CAPCAL job description file 34 will be briefly described. The CAPCAL job description file header 60 includes information such as version information as the header information 60 of the CAPCAL job description file 34. W
The Windows job information 61 is information obtained as Windows job information, and includes the name of the user who has requested printing, the total number of pages of the print job, the name (client host name) of the client host 50 where the print job has occurred, and the print job title. Includes information such as name. DEVM
The ODE information 62 is DEVMODE information of the print job. The output control information 63 includes information on an output document, such as a print start page and a print end page. CAPCA
The L user information 64 is information of a user defined for CAPCAL, and includes a name, a company name, a department name, a telephone number, F
AX number, password, etc. are included. The print data page management information 65 is index information indicating the head position of each page on the print data file. In this embodiment, CAPCAL
Windows job information 6 in job description file 34
1. Output control information and CAPCAL user information 64
To obtain a message, which will be described later.
Hereinafter, a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment of the present invention, the CAPCAL client main process 26 in the client control unit 4, the CAPCAL server main process 32 in the server control unit 6, and the CAPCAL job description file 34 among the devices of the CAPCAL control system described above. Is used. By using these, in the present embodiment, it becomes possible to handle all applications running on Windows including general-purpose package software, and furthermore, it is possible to perform processing such as deletion and reprinting of those print jobs. It becomes possible. CS communication thread, PM
The communication thread and the presto monitor manager core are newly provided in this embodiment. By using these, in the present embodiment, the server host (print execution host) that executes the print job monitors the print job status, and sends information on the print job status obtained by the monitoring from the print execution host to the print host. It is possible to communicate with the client host that has requested the execution of the print job.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the printing system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention when a printer is connected to a print execution host via a server host. In FIG. 5, a plurality of client hosts 110 and server hosts 120 are connected to the communication network 1
The server host 120 is connected to a plurality of printer connection hosts (print execution hosts) 130 via the communication network 103. The printer connection host 130 is connected to the printer 140 using, for example, a Centronics interface. The communication networks 102 and 103 are, for example, LAN (Local
l Area Network), WAN (Wide)
Area Network), the Internet.
The client host 110 is provided with a CAPCAL client main process 112 (hereinafter, referred to as CLM 112) and a CS (Client Server) communication thread 114 (hereinafter, referred to as CS-CL 114). The server host 120 has a CAPCAL server main process 122 (hereinafter referred to as SVM 122),
The CS communication thread 126 (hereinafter, referred to as CS-SV 126) and the presto monitor manager core 124 (hereinafter, PM-SV 126)
C124) and PM (Printer Mana)
ger) A communication thread 128 is provided. The printer connection host 130 is provided with a presto monitor manager core 132 (hereinafter referred to as PMC 132).

Here, CS-SV126 and CS-CL1
14 denotes a client host 110 and a server host 12
It has a function of transmitting and receiving a notification between 0 and communicates with the SVM 122 and CLM 112 in its own host by messages. The PM communication thread 128 uses the PMC
124 and has a function of communicating a notification between the server host 120 and the PMC 132.
0 is a thread that performs message communication with the SVM 122. In the configuration shown in FIG. 5, the server host 120 and the printer 140 are connected via the printer connection host 130. In the case of a printing system 200 having a system configuration as shown in FIG.
28 communicates with the PMC 124 in the host 120 by message.

The PM communication thread 128 in the server host 120 also performs message communication with the PMC 132. When there are a plurality of printer connection hosts 130 connected to the server host 120, the PM communication thread 128 uses the same number of SVMs 122 as the number of the host 130.
It is started by CS in client host 110
-CS-SV1 in CL114 and server host 120
26 performs communication between the CLM 112 and the SVM 122 via the communication network 102, respectively.
It is activated by the CLM 112 and the SVM 122. Client host 11 connected to server host 120
If there are multiple 0s, the CS-SV 126
It is started by the SVM 122 by the same number as 0.

The PMC 132 is connected to the printer connection host 13.
The monitoring of the printer port 0 and the printer 140 is performed. In FIG. 5, PMC 132 is remote from server host 120, that is, server host 120.
It monitors the printer 140 connected to its own host 130, which is a printer connected to a host other than. PMC 124 communicates directly to server host 120
Alternatively, it monitors a printer (not shown) connected via a communication network (not shown).

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing system 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention when a printer is directly connected to a server host. In FIG. 6, a printer 220 is directly connected to a server host 210. Further, the server host 210 communicates with the printer 2 via a communication network 207, for example, a LAN.
30. Printers 220 and 230 are
PMC2 in the server host 210 managing them
14 to be monitored.

Although FIG. 6 does not show the client host and the printer connection host, they may be provided similarly to the configuration shown in FIG. The PMCs 124, 132, 2
Reference numeral 14 denotes a process which is started only once on the host managing the printer and monitors all the printers managed by the host.

The operation of the printing system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration will be described below with reference to the drawings. The first embodiment of the present invention relates to processing when a failure occurs in a printer after printing and when a print job ends normally. 7, 8 and 11
FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure of information transfer relating to the occurrence of a printer failure and the completion of printing related to the processing. Less than,
The processing procedure when a printer failure occurs will be described step by step. 7, 8 and 11, the same components as those shown in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The same applies to a printing system 300 according to a second embodiment described later. 7, 8 and 11, C
Although only one S-SV and one CS-SL are shown, a plurality of client hosts 110 and printer connection hosts 130 may be provided as shown in FIG. Then, in that case, the same processing is performed for each of those hosts. [1] Registration of Transfer Request of Printer Status Transition Message FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing a registration procedure and a deletion procedure of a transfer request of the printer status transition message to the server host 120 in the first embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, processing from a request for transfer of a printer state transition message from the CLM 112 to the registration of the request in the SVM 122 will be described.

First, prior to transfer request registration, CLM1
12 activates the CS-CL 114 at the time of activation, and
The connection with the SVM 122 is made via the V126. After the connection, the CLM 112 sends the event transfer request message 3
10 to the CS-CL 114 (step S1).
1). FIG. 9A shows the event transfer request message 31
It is a figure showing a format of 0. The contents of the event transfer request message 310 will be described below. The transfer request event number indicates whether the event message to be transferred is a printer state transition message or a print completion dialog display message described later. The transfer mode indicates whether it is related to registration of transfer of the event message or deletion of transfer registration. The window handle is the handle of the window to receive the event transfer request notification notified via the CS-SV 126. This is the client host 110
Are used to display a dialog box with information set in a printer state transition message or a print completion dialog display message described later. Printer /
The job name indicates the name of the printer and the print job to be notified of the printer failure notification or the print completion notification.

In the event transfer request message transmitted in step S11, a number indicating that the event message to be transferred is a printer state transition message is specified in the transfer request event number. The transfer mode is
Specify "Registration". Applicable information is set to the window handle and the print / job name.
This indicates that the message 310 to be sent is a printer state transition message transfer registration request.

The CS-CL 114 that has received the event transfer request message 310 uses the content of the received message 310 as an event transfer request notification 311 via the communication network and communicates with the CS-CL 114 connected to itself.
V126 (step S12). FIG. 9B
9 is a diagram showing a format of an event transfer request notification 311. The contents are the same as the event transfer request message described above.

When the CS-SV 126 receives the event transfer request notification 311, it expands the information in the notification and creates an event transfer registration message 312. At that time, CS
-The SV 126 is a thread requesting transfer, that is, a thread ID of the CS-SV 126, as a thread ID.
Is specified. Further, the CS-SV 126 transmits the created event transfer registration message 312 to the SVM 122 (Step S13). FIG. 9C is a diagram showing a format of the event transfer registration message 314. Hereinafter, the contents of the event transfer registration message 312 will be described. The transfer event number indicates whether the event message to be transferred is a printer status transition message
This indicates whether the message is a print completion dialog display message to be described later, and is the same as the transfer request event number in FIG. 9A. The window handle and the transfer mode are as shown in FIG. The thread ID is the thread requesting the transfer of the event message, that is, the CS-SV1 transmitting the event transfer registration message 312.
26 is an ID (identifier) indicating itself.

Upon receiving the event transfer registration message 312, the SVM 122 extracts the contents of the information of the event transfer registration message 312 and performs a process according to the transfer mode which is one of the contents of the received information. In this case, since the transfer mode is “registration”, the transfer event number, thread ID, and window handle are registered in the message transfer table 313 among the information set in the received event transfer registration message 312 ( Step S14). FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of the message transfer table 313. The transfer event number, thread ID and window handle are as shown in FIG. The thread requesting the event message transfer is set by the thread ID registered in the table 313, the type of the event message requested by the thread is set to the transferred event message by the window handle by the transfer request event number. A window in which the information thus obtained is to be displayed on the display screen of the client host 110 is managed.

By the above processing, the server host 120
Registers in the message transfer table 313 the CS-CL 114 of the client host 110 that requests notification of a printer failure. Then, the server host 120 transfers the status information regarding the print job transmitted from the printer connection host 130, which is received by the PM communication thread 128, to the CLM 112. [2] Information Transfer to CLM 112 at the Time of Printer Failure FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure for transferring a printer status transition message to the client host 120 in the first embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
The processing from the occurrence of the failure 40 to the transmission of the failure information to the CLM 112 will be described. First, the printer 14
When a failure occurs in the printer 140 (step S21), the PMC 132 that has detected the failure of the printer 140 transmits a printer state transition notification 314 to the PM communication thread 128 (step S22). FIG. 9D shows a format of the printer status transition notification 314. Hereinafter, the contents of the printer status transition notification 314 will be described. The printer management ID is an identifier used by the PMC 132 to manage the printer 140. Error status,
The printing status, error message, printer status, and printer model are the printer 1 managed by the PMC 132.
Obtained from 40. The print job ID and the port output job ID are used at any stage of the execution of the print job.
One of them is an identifier that is selected and set in the printer status transition notification 314 according to whether a change in the status of the printer is detected. The port output job ID indicates that the printer 140
If the status of the printer 140 changes before output to the printer 140 is completed, the printer status transition notification 314 is set. The printing job ID is the same as the printer 1
When the status of the printer 140 changes after the output to the printer 40 has been completed and the print control has been transferred to the printer 140 by the despooling process, the printer status transition notification 314 is set.

P that has received the printer status transition notification 314
The M communication thread 128 obtains necessary information from the CAPCAL job description file 34 based on the port output job ID or the printing job ID included in the received printer status transition notification 314, and sends the printer status transition message 315. It is created and transmitted to the SVM 122 (step S23). This printer status transition message 315 includes the printer status transition notification information 31 described above.
In addition to the information of No. 4, the following information is added. FIG.
(E) is a diagram showing the format of the printer status transition message 315. Hereinafter, the contents of the printer state transition message 315 will be described. The printer name is
The name of the printer 140 having the printer management ID in the printer status transition notification 314.
It is stored in the PMC 132. The printer type has the same content as the printer model in the printer status transition notification 314. The Win job ID is the printer status transition notification 31
4, which is either a printing job ID or a port outputting job ID. The user name, the print request client name, and the like are obtained from the CAPCAL user information 64 of the CAPCAL job description file 34. Job name, CAPCAL job ID and CA
The PCAL print job ID is obtained from the Windows job information 61 of the CAPCAL job description file 34.

The SVM 122 checks the received printer status transition message 315 and the message transfer table 313 in the message loop (Step S).
24). When a record indicating a transfer event number indicating that the printer status transition message 315 is related is registered in the message transfer table 313, the CS-SV 126 having the thread ID set in the record is used.
Means that the printer status transition message 315 is requested to be transferred.

The SVM 122 is a CS-SV whose thread ID is registered in the message transfer table 313.
A printer status transition message 315 is transmitted to the server 126. If a plurality of similar CS-SVs 126 are registered, all registered CS-SVs 1
A printer status transition message 315 is transmitted to the server 26 (step S25).

The CS-SV 126 that has received the printer status transition message 315 expands the message 315 and transmits it as an event transfer notification 316 to the CS-CL 306 that is communicatively connected to itself (step S2).
6). FIG. 9F shows a format of the event transfer notification 316. Hereinafter, the contents of the event transfer notification 316 will be described. The event transfer number is as described above. The wParam information is a printer status transition notification 3
14 is the content of the error status. lPara
The m information is the content of the printer status transition message 315.

The CS- that has received the event transfer notification 316
The CL 114 expands the received event transfer notification 316. The CS-CL 114 transmits the developed information as a printer status transition message 317 (step S2).
7). The content of this message 317 is the same as the printer status transition message 315.

The CLM 112 that has received the printer state transition message 317 performs processing such as displaying the dialog box. As a result, the client host 1 that has notified the transfer registration request of the printer state transition message
Ten users know the printer 140 has failed.

According to the above-described processing, the user of the client host that has notified the transfer registration request of the printer status transition message, even if the printer is remotely connected, can receive a printer failure that has conventionally been notified only to the printer connection host. Will be notified. [3] Deletion of Printer Status Transition Message Transfer Request The following describes a procedure for deleting a printer status transition message transfer request with reference to FIG. The transfer request deletion procedure is basically the same as the transfer request registration procedure described above.

The CLM 112 deletes the registration because it does not need to transfer the printer state transition message when it ends. The CLM 112 sets the transfer mode in the event transfer request message 310 to "delete", and sets other information to the same information as when registering the transfer request of the printer state transition message described above. Then, an event transfer request message 310 is transmitted to the CS-CL 114 in the same manner as at the time of the registration (step S11).

Thereafter, the event transfer registration message 312 is transmitted to the SVM 122 in the same manner as in the transfer request registration of the printer state transition message described above (steps S12 to S13). The SVM 122 expands the received event transfer registration message 312. SVM122
Is the event registration message 312 because the transfer mode in the event registration message 312 is “delete”.
Transfer event number set to 12, thread I
D, the record in which the window handle is registered,
The message is deleted from the message transfer table 313 (step S14).

By these deletion processes, the printer status transition message is not transferred to the client host 110 whose transfer registration has been deleted. As mentioned above,
The client host registers the printer status transition message with the server host when necessary, and deletes the transfer registration of the message when it becomes unnecessary. The port of the socket on the client host is opened only when necessary, so that the load on the system can be minimized.

Next, the procedure for transferring the print completion information will be described with reference to FIG. 7 used in the description of the fault information transfer registration. [4] Transfer Request Registration of Print Completion Dialog Display Message The registration procedure of the transfer request of the print completion information is basically the same as that at the time of registering the transfer request of the printer state transition message, from the procedure shown in FIG. S14 is performed in the same manner as when registering the transfer request of the printer state transition message. Here, the event transfer request message 310, the event transfer notification 311 and the event transfer registration message 3
12, the transfer event number and the transfer request event number are set to numbers relating to the transfer of the print completion dialog display message. Accordingly, the SVM 122 can determine that the transmitted event transfer registration message 312 is not related to the transfer of the printer state transition message, but to the transfer of the print completion dialog display message.

According to the above-described processing, the SVM 122 requests the client host 110 that issues a notification regarding the completion of printing.
Is registered in the message transfer table 313. [5] CLM11 of print completion dialog display message
Transfer Processing Up to 2 FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a part of the procedure for transferring the print completion dialog display message to the client host in the first embodiment of the present invention. In the following, referring to FIG.
The processing up to the transmission of the print completion dialog display message is described in FIG.

The completion of printing by the printer 140 is notified by the PMC 132
Is detected (step S31). Next, PMC132
Sends the job management notification 320 to the PM communication thread 303 (step S32). FIG. 12A is a diagram illustrating a format of the job management notification 320. Less than,
The contents of the job management notification 320 will be described. The printer ID is the same as described above. Since the printing is completed after the printing control is passed to the printer 140 by the despooling process, the job ID corresponds to the above-described printing job ID. Other error status,
The total number of pages and the number of discharged pages are acquired from the printer 140. FIG. 12B shows the types of job status information. The types of job status in the job management notification 320 will be described below. Instead of wParam described above, information such as start and end of the job is set,
Instead of the above-described lParam, information such as start and end of printing is set. All information is obtained from the printer 140.

When the job status in the job management notification 320 is the print end or the job end, the PM communication thread 128
The information is acquired from the CAPCAL job description file 34 and a print completion dialog display message 321 is created. FIG. 12C shows the format of the print completion dialog display message 321. The content is almost the same as the printer status transition message 315 described above. Start page, end page and total page are C
It is obtained from the APCAL job description file 34. Subsequently, the PM communication thread 128 transmits the created print completion dialog display message 321 to the SVM1
22 (step S33).

The subsequent processing is basically the same as steps S25 to S27 in FIG. 8 described in the transfer of the printer state transition message described above. The differences are as follows.

In steps S25 and S27 of FIG. 8, the SVM 122 sends the printer state transition message 31
5 is transmitted to the CS-SV 126, but instead of the printer state transition message 315, a print completion dialog display message 321 is transmitted. The CLM 112 displays the contents of the print completion dialog display message 321 as a dialog instead of the printer state transition message 315.

In step S26 in FIG. 8, CS-S
V126 sends the event transfer notification 31 to the CS-CL 114.
6 has been transmitted. At the time of printing completion notification, the parameters in the event transfer notification 316, wParam and lPa
The content of ram is print completion dialog display message 3
21.

By the above-described processing, the user of the client host 110 that has issued the transfer registration request of the print completion dialog display message knows that the printing has been completed. [6] Deletion of Transfer Request of Print Completion Dialog Display Message Hereinafter, a procedure of deleting a transfer request of print completion information will be described with reference to FIG. The transfer request deletion of the processing print completion information is basically performed in the same manner as the transfer request deletion of the printer state transition message. The difference is that the event transfer request message 310 and the event transfer request notification 311 are transmitted in steps S11 to S13 in FIG.
The transfer request event number and the transfer event number in the event transfer registration message 312 are set to numbers indicating the transfer of the print completion dialog display message 321.

With the above processing, the SVM 122 sends the CS-CL 114 of the client host 110 that deletes the transfer request of the print completion dialog display message 321 to the
The message is deleted from the message transfer table 313.

As in the case of the printer status transition message, in the case of the print completion dialog display message, the client host registers the transfer when it is necessary to notify the server host of the print completion dialog display message. Since the transfer registration of the message is sometimes deleted, the load on the system can be minimized.

As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention,
The PMC 132 monitors the printer 140 and outputs an error /
Always prints the print completion information through the PM communication thread 128
By transmitting the information to the VM 122 and transferring the information to the CLM 112 that has requested the transfer, the client that has executed the printing can be notified of the error / completion of the job.

The CLM 112, SVM 122, PM
Since the C128 exchanges information via the communication network, it is possible to notify the client host of a failure that has occurred in the printer or a printing status of the job in real time.

When the CLM 112 needs an event transfer request for the printer status transition message 317 or the print completion dialog display message 321, the SVM 1
By transmitting the event transfer registration request to the event transfer server 22 when it becomes unnecessary, the load on the system can be minimized.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the server host 1
The CS-SV 126 of the client host 110 transmits the received printer status transition message 317 and the print completion dialog display message 321 to the CLM 112 of the client host 110.
If there is a request from CS-CL114, it was transmitted to CS-CL114 unconditionally.

A modification of the first embodiment of the present invention which will be described is that when the messages 312 and 321 are received, the CS-SV
At 126, the name of the currently connected client host is compared with the name of the print requesting client in each message information, and only the currently connected client host is notified of the error / print completion of the printer by this comparison. , And transmission to other hosts can be suppressed.

FIG. 13A shows a CAPCA in the client host 110 according to a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a sequence diagram of the process performed at the time of L start. FIG.
(B) shows the CS in the modification of the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a comparison process of the host name of the client host included in the printer status transition message 315 or the print completion dialog display message and the connection host name in the startup information 330, performed by -SV126. Although only one CS-CL 114 is illustrated in FIG. 13A, there may be a plurality of CS-CLs 114 in practice.

First, the CS-SV 126 compares the name of the currently connected client host 110 with the name of the print request client received from the message.
The process at the time of starting L will be described with reference to FIG.

At the time of booting, the CS-CL 114 uses the IP address of the client host 110 as the boot information.
It notifies the S-SV 126 (step S41). CS-
The SV 126 obtains the client host name from the IP address of the notified start information, creates the IP address and the client name as the start information 330,
It is stored in a memory (not shown) (step S4
2). When the client host 110 releases the connection, the CS-
The CL 114 performs the above-described step S41. However, in this case, it is the connection release information. CS-SV notified
126 deletes the corresponding activation information 330 from the memory.

By this processing, the CS-SV 126 sets the start information 3 of the currently connected client host 110 to
Only 30 will be retained. Next, regarding the comparison process performed by the CS-SV 126 when the message is received,
This will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the CS-SV 126 receives a printer status transition message 315 or a print completion dialog display message from the SVM 122. Then CS-S
V126 obtains the host name of the print request client host from the received message (step S5).
1).

Subsequently, the CS-SV 126 obtains the host name of the currently connected client host 110 from the startup information 330 created at the time of startup (step S).
52).

The CS-SV 126 compares the print request client host name obtained from the message with the host name in the startup information, and if they match, creates an event transfer notification 316 from the message, and , CS-CL 114 of the corresponding client host 110
Is notified (step S53).

In the modification of the first embodiment of the present invention, the server host 120 is connected to the client host 11 that is currently connected and has requested the execution of the print job.
The error / print completion of the printer is notified only to 0, and unnecessary transmission to other client hosts 110 can be suppressed. Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The second embodiment of the present invention relates to a process for deleting a print job in which a failure (error) has occurred, and a process for re-executing a print job for which print processing has been completed. Hereinafter, the configuration of the printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing system 300 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment of the present invention,
Each printer 353, 354 and 355 is connected to a client host 360, 370 and a server host 38, respectively.
Connected to 0. In the client host 360,
The printer 353 is connected, and the client host 360 is connected.
Inside, CLM361, CS-CL362 and PMC3
63 are provided. The client host 370 also
Similarly to the client host 360, a printer 354 is connected, and a CLM 371 and a CS-CL 372 are internally provided.
And PMC 373 are provided. Server host 38
0, a printer 355 is connected and the server host 38
Within 0, SVM 381, CS-SV 383, PMC 38
2 and a PM communication thread 384 are provided. Client hosts 360, 370 and server host 380
Are connected by communication networks 391 and 392, respectively. The communication networks 391 and 392 are, for example, a LAN, a WAN, the Internet, or the like. CS-CL 362 in each client host 360, 370,
372 is for communicating with the CS-SV 383 in the server host 380 via the communication networks 391 and 392. The CS-SV 383 is activated by the same number as the client hosts 110 to be connected for communication, in other words, by the number of CS-CLs of the client host 110.
In this figure, two client hosts 360, 370
Is provided in the server host 380.
Two S-SV383s have been activated. Each host 36
PMC 36 running in 0, 370 and 380
3, 373 and 382 are hosts 360, 370, 3
80 for monitoring the printers 353, 354 and 355 connected to the
It communicates with the PM communication thread 384 in 80. In the printing system 330, three PMCs 363, 373 and 382 are activated in the server host 380 and two client hosts 360 and 370 connected to the server host 380. Three threads 384 have been activated. One or three or more client hosts may be provided, and two or more printers may be connected to each host. In that case, each client host to which the printer is connected has a CS
-CL and PMC are activated, and CS-SV 383 needs to be activated in server host 380 by the number of client hosts connected to the printer. Further, it is necessary to provide PM communication threads 384 in the server host 380 by the number of PMCs that can communicate with the server host 380. [7] Deletion of Error Print Job First, the process of deleting the error print job will be described.

The processing from the occurrence of a print job error due to a printer failure to the notification of the print job error to the print request client host is described in the first embodiment and the first embodiment of the present invention. This is the same as the modification.

Therefore, the subsequent processing will be described below. CL that received printer status transition message 317
M361 and 371 display a dialog box or the like, and notify the user who instructed the execution of the print job of the print job in which the error occurred. Here, a notification by a dialog box is taken as an example. FIG. 15 (a) shows the CLM
Shows a display example of a dialog box 340 for notifying the user who instructed the execution of the print job of the print job error. FIG. 15A shows the CLM 36.
1, 371 received printer status transition message 31
7, a dialog box 340 displaying a “printer error” message is displayed together with a printer name, error information, a print request client name, a user name, and a job name. FIG.
The user who has instructed the execution of the print job from the dialog box 340 of FIG. 7A knows that a failure has occurred in the printer that executes the print job instructed by him, and that the print job has become an error. We can know information. As shown in FIG. 15A, a dialog box 340 is provided to the user who instructed the execution of the print job together with the error notification.
0, a function for instructing execution of the print job in which the error has occurred is displayed.

The processing when the user who instructs the execution of the print job presses the “stop printing” button 341 in the dialog box 340 of FIG. 15A will be described below with reference to FIGS. ,explain.

FIG. 16 shows a state in which the user who instructs the execution of the print job presses a button in the dialog box.
FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating a procedure until printing suspension or reprinting is actually performed by a host.

When the “print stop” button 341 is pressed,
When the user who instructs the execution of the print job issues a print stop instruction, the CLM 361 performs a determination process illustrated in FIG. 17A (step S60). Hereinafter, the determination process illustrated in FIG. 17A will be described.

First, the CLM 361 determines the printer name in the printer status transition message 317 previously received from
The printer that is the target of the print stop processing is the PMC
It is determined whether or not the printer 363 is a managed printer (step S71). The printer is the host computer's PMC 36
If the printer 3 is a managed printer, a job cancel function is executed to perform a print canceling process (step S7).
3) If the printer is not managed by the PMC 363 of its own host, the C
A process for transmitting a function execution request notification to S-SV383 is performed (step S72). The processing in steps S71 and S72 in FIG. 17A is performed in step S6 in FIG.
0 and S61.

Returning to FIG. 16, a description will be given of the flow of processing in the case where the printer to be subjected to the print stop processing in the determination processing of step S60 is a printer which is not managed by the PMC 363 of the host.

In the determination processing in step S60, if the printer to be deleted of the print job is a printer that is not managed by the PMC 363 of its own host, the CLM 361 issues a function execution request message 807 shown in FIG.
Is created and transmitted to the CS-CL 362 (step S6).
1). FIG. 18A shows a function execution request message 807.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a format of a function execution request notification 808 described later. The following is a function execution request message 807
Will be described. The request host address is the address of the client host to which the CLM 361 that requests the function execution belongs. The function execution host address is
This is the name of the host to which the printer is connected, and is acquired together with the printer name in the printer status transition message 317 or the print completion dialog display message 321. The function number is a number indicating an execution function. Here, the function number indicating that the execution function is “stop printing” is “1”, and the function number indicating that the execution function is “reprint” is “2”. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and it is naturally possible to set another execution function / function number. The function number indicates the process requested by the function execution request message 807, that is, the execution function. The response presence / absence indicates whether or not the user who has instructed the printing requests a response indicating whether the execution function requested has succeeded or failed. If the request has been made, the success or failure of the execution of the execution function is reported to the user who has pressed the “print stop” button 341 of the dialog box 340 using a return dialog box or the like. The function parameter information is a printer status transition message 317
Obtained from the content of The content of the parameter is the function number /
(Execution function).

FIG. 18B is a diagram showing the structure of the function number / parameter information table 900. In this table 900, the execution function indicated by the function number and the contents of the function parameter information set in the case of the execution function are set according to the function number. This table 900
For example, when the function number is “1”, the execution function is “print stop”, and the contents of the function parameter information to be set include the printer name and the CAPCA.
It is possible to know that this is the L print job ID.
This table 900 is stored in the client host 36 in advance.
0, 370 and the server 380 (not shown). That is, the table 900 is stored in advance in all the hosts that may execute the execution function. When the user instructing the execution of the print job on the client host 360 to which the CLM 361 belongs presses a button in the dialog box,
The CLM 361 refers to this table 900 stored in the memory of the client host 360 and, based on the function number assigned to the pressed button, converts the function parameter information from the printer state transition message 317 or the print completion dialog display message 321. Then, a function execution request message 807 is created. The content of the print job to be canceled or reprinted is based on the CAPC described above.
It is stored in the AL job description file 34. That is, the CAPCAL job ID is for distinguishing the print job stored in the CAPCAL job description file 34.

In step S61, CLM 361
Creates a function execution request message 807 in which “1” is set as the number indicating the print stop processing, the printer name and the CAPCAL print job ID are set, and C
Transmit to S-CL362.

Next, upon receiving the function execution request message 807, the CS-CL 362, upon receiving the function execution request message 807,
A function execution request notification 808 is transmitted to V383 (step S62). The contents of the function execution request notification 808 are the same as the function execution request message 807.

The CS-SV 383 sends the function execution request notification 8
08, a function execution request message 809 is transmitted to the SVM 381 (step S63). The content of the function execution request message 809 is the same as the function execution request message 807.

Upon receiving the function execution request message 809, the SVM 381 performs a function execution host determination process (step S64). FIG. 17B illustrates a determination process performed by the SVM 381. Hereinafter, the determination processing performed by the SVM 381 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the SVM 381 determines from the function execution host address in the received function execution request message 809 whether or not the function execution host is a host to which the function execution host belongs (step S81). The function execution host is
If it is the host to which it belongs, it executes a job cancel function and performs a print canceling process (step S82). If the function execution host is not the host to which it belongs, do nothing.

Returning to FIG. 16, the flow of processing in the case where the function execution host is not the host to which the SVM 381 belongs in the determination processing of step S64 will be described. In the determination processing in step S64, if the function execution host is not the host to which the SVM 381 belongs, the SVM
381 transmits the received function execution request message 809 to all CS-SV 383s other than the CS-SV 383 which received the message 808 from the CS-CL 362 first among the plurality of CS-SV 383s running on the server host. (Step S65). In the printing system 300 shown in FIG. The function execution request message 809 is transmitted to the SV 383.

In the above step S65, the CS-SV 383 which has received the function execution request message from the SVM 381
Determines whether the client host 370 to which the CS-CL 372 connected for communication belongs is a function execution host (step S66). FIG. 17C shows CS-SV3.
83 shows a determination process performed by the device 83. Hereinafter, the determination process performed by the CS-SV383 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the CS-SV 383 judges whether or not the client host 370 to which the CS-CL 372 communicatively connected to itself belongs is a function execution host (step S91). CS-CL3 connected to itself
If the client host 370 to which 72 belongs is a function execution host, the CS-C of that client host 370
A function execution request notification 810 is transmitted to L372 (step S92). If not, do nothing. Note that the content of the function execution request notification 810 is the same as the function execution request notification 808.

Returning to FIG. 16, a description will be given of the flow of processing in the case where the client host to which the CS-CL 372 communicatively connected to the CS-SV 383 belongs is the function execution host in the determination processing of step S66.

The CS-CL 372 of the client host 370 communicatively connected to the CS-SV 383
A function execution request notification 810 is received from V383 (step S67). Subsequently, the CS-CL 372 sends a function execution request message 81 to the CLM 371 to which the CS-CL 372 belongs.
1 is transmitted (step S68). The message 811
Received, the CLM 371 performs the same determination processing as the determination processing described with reference to FIG. 17B (step S69). Hereinafter, the determination process performed by the CLM 371 is again described in FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. The CLM 371 expands the received function execution request message 811 and determines whether the function execution host is its own host (step S8).
1). If the own host is the function execution host, a print stop process is executed (step S82), otherwise, nothing is performed.

According to the above-described processing, the user who has instructed the execution of the print job, when receiving the notification of the error of the print job, performs the deletion processing of the print job not from the remote printer connection host but from the remote printer connection host. It can be done from the client host used.

In CS-SV383, in step S66 described above, the function execution request message 80
9 is set to CS-SV38
3 so that the function execution request notification 810 is transmitted to only one client host in which a print job in which an error has occurred is queued in order to determine whether the client host is connected to itself. Become. Furthermore, on the server host 380, the CS-SV
When a large number of 383 are activated, the function execution request notification 81
Since there is only one CS-SV383 transmitting 0,
The traffic load on the communication network 392 and the CPU load on the server host 380 are reduced, and the load on the entire system can be reduced. [8] Re-execution of Print After Processing is Completed Next, a method of printing the completed print job again upon receiving the above-described print completion notification will be described.

When the print request client host receives the print completion notification after the printing is completed, it notifies the user who has instructed the execution of the print job that the printing has been completed. Here, a notification by a dialog box is shown as an example. FIG. 15B illustrates an example of a dialog box 350 displayed by the CLM to notify the user who has instructed the execution of the print job that the printing has been completed.
The dialog box 350 shown in FIG.
Displays the printer name, print request client name, user name, job name, start page, end page, and total number of pages obtained from the content of the print completion dialog display message 321 received by the user. The user who has instructed the execution of the print job is displayed in the dialog box 35 of FIG.
0 indicates that the printing designated by the user is completed.
As shown in FIG.
Displays a “Reprint” button 351 in order to instruct the user who has instructed the execution of the print job to perform reprinting at the same time as the print completion notification. Hereinafter, the process flow when the user who instructs the execution of the print job presses the “reprint” button 351 in the dialog box 350 shown in FIG. This will be described with reference to FIGS.

The flow of processing at the time of reprinting is basically the same as the processing at the time of printing cancellation described above. The differences are as follows. Function execution request messages 807, 80
9, 811 and the function execution request notifications 808 and 810 are the numbers indicating the execution functions. Therefore, at the time of the previous print stop, the function number indicating that the execution function is “print stop” is Although “1” has been set, the function number indicating that the execution function is “reprint” is set to “2” because reprinting is desired this time. Further, the function parameter information is a parameter required at the time of reprinting.
PCAL job ID, printer name, start page, end page,
And the number of copies. The execution function and function parameter information corresponding to the function number can be obtained by referring to the function number / parameter table 900 in FIG.

According to the procedure shown in FIG. 16, a function execution request notification is transmitted to the printer connection host in which the print job for reprinting is queued. Upon receiving the function execution request notification, the printer connection host sets the CAP in the spool queue 33.
Based on the CAPCAL job ID in the function execution request notification, information about the print job is extracted from the CAL job description file 34 and reprint processing is performed.

According to the above-described processing, when the user who instructs the execution of the print job receives the notification of the completion of the printing, the user simply presses the “reprint” button 351 to start up the application again and execute the same printing processing. The reprinting process can be performed without repeating.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, when an error occurs in a print job, information about print job cancellation is transferred to a print execution host via a communication network. Even after the job has already been transferred to the printer connection host by the despooling process, the erroneous print job can be deleted from the client host of the user who instructed the execution of the print job.

Further, even for a print job that has already been printed,
In the CAPCAL control method, the print job is
Since the print job is stored in the L-job description file 34, the print job can be reprinted by transferring the reprint instruction of the print job from the client host of the user who instructed the execution of the print job to the print execution host. Becomes

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the instruction (function) of the dialog box is canceled and reprinted. However, by adding setting information to the table 900 shown in FIG. , The function can be extended. For example, the printer can be temporarily stopped and started.

The functions of the CS communication thread, the PM communication thread, and the like of the present invention can be executed by firmware or hardware. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a computer 1000 that realizes functions and the like of each host in the printing system according to the embodiment of this invention. The above-described computer 1000 has a C
It comprises a PU 1001, a memory such as a ROM 1002 and a RAM 1003, a drive 1012, an output device 1006 such as a display 1007 and a printer 1008, a communication interface 1004 connected to a communication network 1005, and an input device such as a mouse 1009 and a keyboard 1011.

The program data on which the program code of the software for realizing the above-described embodiment is written is downloaded to a storage medium driven by the drive 1012 via the communication network 1005 and the communication interface 1004, for example.

As the storage medium driven by the drive 1012, an external storage device 1013 and a portable storage medium such as an IC memory card 1014, a magnetic tape 1015, a proppy disk 1016, and a magneto-optical disk 1017 are used. Can be.

The CPU 1001 reads a ROM 1002 or a RAM 1 from a storage medium driven by the drive 1012.
The program data loaded into the memory such as 003 is executed.

Note that, instead of downloading the program data via the communication network 1005 as described above, the external storage device 1013, IC memory card 1014, magnetic tape 1015, proppy disk 1016, magneto-optical disk 1017, etc. May be stored in a portable storage medium or the like.

In this case, the program data itself realizes a new function of the embodiment of the present invention, and the program data is stored in the ROM 1002 or RA.
A memory such as M1003, an external storage device 1013, an IC memory card 1014, a magnetic tape 1015, a portable storage medium such as a proppy disk 1016 and a magneto-optical disk 1017 also constitute an embodiment of the present invention.

[0121]

As described above, according to the present invention, the print execution host monitors the execution status of a print job, and sends a print status information notification in which information on the status of the print job is set. A client host requesting execution of a print job from the execution host via the communication network,
The communication makes it possible to notify the print status information to the client host that requests the execution of the print job and that is connected to the print execution host via the communication network.

Further, the client host receives the print status information notification transmitted from the print execution host via the server host even though the client host is connected to the print execution host via at least one server host even if the communication host is connected to a communication network. It becomes possible.

Further, the server host determines whether or not the print status information notification is for the client host that has transmitted the transfer request notification in advance, and determines only the client host that has transmitted the transfer request notification. The notification of the printing status information can be transmitted.

Further, when the client host no longer needs the print status information notification, the client host transmits a transfer registration deletion request notification of the notification to the server host. Such a load can be suppressed to the minimum necessary.

Further, according to the present invention, the server host
Determines whether the print status information notification is for the client host currently connected to the host, and sends the print status information notification only to the client host currently connected to the host. It is possible to do.

Further, the client host presents the status of the print job based on the received notification of the print status information. Can be presented.

Further, according to the present invention, the user of the client host can input an execution command of the print job in accordance with the status of the presented print job. Then, the input execution command of the print job is transmitted to a print execution host that should execute the execution command via a communication network, and the print execution host executes the execution command. This makes it possible to transmit a print job execution command from the client host via the communication network and cause the print execution host to execute the execution command.

According to the present invention, even for a print job that has already been printed, the user of the client host can execute the application again and perform only the operation for designating reprinting without repeating the same operation again. Thus, a desired print job can be reprinted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a premise of an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a CAPCAL control method.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a client control unit in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a server control unit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of a CAPCAL job description file.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system when a printer is connected to a print execution host via a server connection host in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system when a printer is directly connected to a server host according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a registration procedure of a transfer request of a printer status transition message to a server host according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing a deletion procedure.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure for transferring a printer status transition message to a client host in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of various messages and various notifications.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a message transfer table.

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a part of a procedure for transferring a print completion dialog display message to a client host according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a format of a job management notification, a type of job status in the job management notification, and a format of a print completion dialog display message.

FIG. 13 shows a sequence of a process performed at the time of starting a client host and a host name included in a message and a connection host name included in the startup information, which are performed by CS-SV in a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a sequence diagram of a comparison process.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a dialog box notification to a print executor when a printer failure occurs and a dialog box notification to the print executor when printing is completed.

FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure from when a print executor gives an instruction to when printing is stopped and reprint is actually performed by a host in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a determination process performed by the CLM, a determination process performed by the SVM and the CLM, and a determination process performed by the CS-SV.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a format of a function execution request message and a function execution request notification, and a configuration example of a function number / parameter information table.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a computer that realizes a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional printing method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 application 2 GDI 3 Windows print control unit (client processing) 4 client control unit 5 Windows print control unit (server processing) 6 server control unit 7 GDI 8 printer output control unit 9 printer 11 spooler process 12 local printer provider 13 print processor 14 CAPCAL Driver 15 CAPCAL Driver Property Control Thread 16 System Spool Queue 17 Output Control File 18 Job Description File 19 EMF File 20 CAPCAL Client Definition File 21 CAPCAL Print Processor 22 CAPCAL Spool Queue 23 CAPCAL Job Description File 24 EMF File 25 CAPCAL Transfer Destination Definition File 26 CAPCAL Client May Process 27 CAPCAL job transfer thread 28 communication interface 29 communication interface 30 CAPCAL reception thread (for mail) 31 CAPCAL reception thread (for ftp) 32 CAPCAL server main process 33 CAPCAL spool document queue 34 CAPCAL job description file 35 EMF file 37 distribution / Distributed processing thread 41 Printer-specific output thread 42 Printer-specific output thread 50 Client host 51 Server host 52 Communication network 53 Communication network 60 CAPCAL job description file header 61 Windows job information 62 DEVMODE information 63 Output control information 64 CAPCAL user information 65 Print data Page management information 100 Printing system 02 communication network 103 communication network 110 client host 112 CAPCAL client main process 114 CS communication thread 120 server host 122 CAPCAL server main 124 press monitor manager core 126 CS communication thread 128 PM communication thread 130 printer connection host 132 press monitor manager core 140 printer 200 Printing system 210 Server host 212 CAPCAL server main 214 Presto monitor manager core 216 CS communication thread 218 PM communication thread 220 Printer 230 Printer 300 Printing system 310 Event transfer request message 311 Event transfer request notification 312 Event transfer registration message 313 Message transfer message Table 314 printer status transition message 315 printer status transition message 316 event transfer notification 317 printer status transition message 320 job management notification 321 print completion dialog display message 322 job status 340 dialog box 341 button 350 dialog box 351 button 353 printer 354 printer 355 printer 360 Client host 361 CAPCAL client main process 362 CS communication thread 363 Presto monitor manager core 370 Client host 371 CAPCAL client main process 372 CS communication thread 373 Presto monitor manager core 380 Server host 381 CAPCAL server main process 382 Presto monitor Manager core 383 CS communication thread 384 PM communication thread 807 Function execution request message 808 Function execution request notification 809 Function execution request message 810 Function execution request notification 811 Function execution request message 900 Function number / parameter information table 1000 Computer 1001 CPU 1002 ROM 1003 RAM 1004 RAM 1004 Communication interface 1005 Communication network 1006 I / O 1007 Display 1008 Printer 1009 Mouse 1011 Keyboard 1012 Drive 1013 Hard disk 1014 IC memory card 1015 Magnetic tape 1016 Floppy disk 1017 Magneto-optical disk

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Takayasu Watanabe 2-229 Sakuragaoka, Higashiyamato-shi, Tokyo Inside Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Tokyo Office (72) Inventor Tadayoshi Tenri 2-229 Sakuragaoka, Higashiyamato-shi, Tokyo Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Tokyo Office (72) Inventor Yukihiro Shindo 2-229 Sakuragaoka, Higashiyamato-shi, Tokyo Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Tokyo Office (72) Inventor Tsuneharu Tamura 2-229 Sakuragaoka, Higashiyamato-shi, Tokyo Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Tokyo Office F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 HP00 HR00 5B021 AA01 AA02 BB01 BB10

Claims (20)

[Claims] A client host for requesting execution of a print job and a print execution host for causing a printing apparatus monitored by itself to execute a print job requested to be executed by the client host are connected via a communication network. In the printing system, the print execution host monitors an execution status of the print job by the printing apparatus, and sends a print status information notification in which information relating to the status of the print job is set to the client via the communication network. Monitoring means for transmitting to the host, the client host, a first communication means for communicating via the communication network, requesting execution of a print job via the first communication means,
A printing system comprising: a first control unit that receives the status information notification via the first communication unit. 2. The client host is connected to the print execution host via at least one server host via a network, and a first communication unit of the client host notifies the print status information via the server host. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The client host transmits a transfer request notification requesting transfer of the print status information notification to the server host by the first communication unit. The server host further includes: A second communication unit that communicates with the first communication unit; a third communication unit that receives the print status information notification from the monitoring unit of the print execution host; A first storage unit for storing information set in the transfer request notification from the first communication unit; and a first storage unit when the print status information notification is received by the third communication unit. A first determination unit that determines whether the print status information notification is for the client host that has transmitted the transfer request notification, based on information stored in the unit. Means, and the second communication means transmits the print status information notification only to the client host which has transmitted the transfer request notification based on the determination result of the first determination means. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein: 4. The client host further transmits a transfer request deletion request notification requesting deletion of the transfer request of the print status information notification to the server host by the first communication means. And a deletion unit that deletes the corresponding information stored in the first storage unit based on the transfer request deletion request notification received by the second communication unit. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the print status information notification is not transmitted to the client host that has transmitted the transfer request deletion request notification based on a determination result of the first determination unit. The printing system as described. 5. The server host further includes a second storage unit and a second determination unit, and the second communication unit is configured to control the first of the client hosts currently connected to the host. From the communication means of
Obtaining information for identifying the client host, storing the information in the second storage unit, wherein the second determination unit receives the print status information notification by the third communication unit; And determining, based on the information stored in the second storage means, whether the print status information notification is currently for the client host connected to the host, and the second communication 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means transmits the print status information notification only to the client host currently connected to the host based on a result of the determination by the second determining means. A printing system according to claim 1. 6. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing status information notification is a notification regarding a printing failure. 7. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing status information notification is a notification regarding printing completion. 8. The client host according to claim 1, further comprising: a presentation unit that presents a status of a print job based on a print status information notification received via the first communication unit. A printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7. 9. The client host further comprises: input means for inputting an execution command of the print job in response to a status of the print job presented by the presenting means; and input via the input means. It is determined whether or not the print execution host to execute the execution command of the print job is connected to the host itself. If the host is connected to the host, the print execution host executes the print job execution command. If not connected to the host, the print job execution command and the print execution host to execute the execution command are sent to the server host connected via the communication network via the first communication means. A second control unit configured to transmit an execution command execution request notification including information, wherein the server host further includes a second communication unit. Therefore, when the execution command execution request notification is received, it is determined whether or not the print execution host set in the notification is the host itself. Run,
A third control means for transferring the execution command execution request notification to the client host currently connected to the host via the second communication means via the communication network if the host is not the host; The printing system according to claim 8, comprising: 10. The second communication unit of the server host, upon receiving the execution command execution request notification transmitted by the third control unit, based on the content of the notification.
It is determined whether or not the host to which communication is currently performed is the print execution host set in the execution command execution request notification. If the host is the print execution host, the execution command execution request notification is sent to the host. The printing system according to claim 9, wherein the transmission is performed to a host. 11. The print control system according to claim 1, wherein, when the execution command execution request notification is received by the first communication unit, the print execution host set in the notification is its own host. 11. The printing system according to claim 9, wherein it is determined whether or not the host is the host, and the execution command of the print job is executed. 12. The printing system according to claim 9, wherein the print job execution command is a command for instructing stop of printing. 13. The printing system according to claim 9, wherein the print job execution command is a command for instructing reprinting. 14. A client host for requesting execution of a print job, and a print execution host for causing a printing apparatus monitored by itself to execute the print job requested to be executed by the client host are connected via a communication network. In the printing system, a computer serving as the print execution host monitors an execution status of the print job by the printing device, and sends a print status information notification in which information on the status of the print job is set via the communication network. A function of transmitting to the client host via the communication network, a request to execute a print job via the communication network, and receiving the print status information notification. Computer that stores programs that execute Data readable storage medium. 15. The client host is network-connected to the print execution host via at least one server host, and further notifies the computer serving as the client host of the print status information via the server host. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein a program for executing a function of receiving a program is stored. 16. A function of transmitting a transfer request notification requesting the server host to transfer the print status information notification to the computer serving as the client host; and connecting the client host and the network to the computer serving as the server host. A function of receiving the print status information notification from the print execution host, a function of storing information set in the transfer request notification received from the client host, and a function of the print execution host When the print status information notification is received from the client device, the print status information notification is for the client host to which the transfer request notification has been transmitted, based on the information set in the stored transfer request notification. And a transfer request notification based on a result of the determination. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein a program for executing a function of transmitting the print status information notification only to a client host that has transmitted the print status information is stored. 17. A function of transmitting a notification requesting deletion of a transfer request of the print status notification to the server host, to the computer serving as the client host, and further receiving the notification by the computer serving as the server host. Based on the transfer request deletion request notification, based on the information set in the stored transfer request notification,
17. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein a program for executing a function of deleting corresponding information is stored. 18. A function of acquiring information for identifying the client host from the client host currently connected to the host computer and storing the information, the computer serving as the server host, When the print status information notification is received, based on the information for identifying the stored client host,
A function of determining whether the print status information notification is for the client host currently connected to the host, and for the client host currently connected to the host based on the determination result. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein a program for executing only the function of transmitting the print status information notification is stored. 19. The computer according to claim 14, further comprising: a computer that executes a function of presenting a status of a print job based on the received print status information notification. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1. 20. A function of inputting an execution command of the print job to the computer serving as the client host in accordance with the status of the presented print job, and executing the input execution command of the print job. It is determined whether or not the print execution host to be connected is connected to its own host. If it is connected to its own host, it executes the print job execution command. A function of transmitting an execution command execution request notification including an execution command of the print job and information about a print execution host to execute the execution command to a connected server host via a network; and When the execution command execution request notification is received by the computer, the notification is set in the notification. The printing execution host determines whether or not it is its own host, if it is its own host, executes the execution command of the print job, if it is not its own host, the current host to the own host via the communication network, 20. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein a program for executing a function of transferring the execution command execution request notification to a connected client host is stored.