JP2000181649A - Print system and printer control method, device and method for print data generation, and program storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate various option settings regarding a printing processing and to improve the operability by performing the printing processing by associating a print control means and an operation means which has a display means on a display with each other. SOLUTION: When an application program means 10 makes a request for a printing processing by using an icon of an operation means 30, an application interface means 21 of a print control means 20 is called. The application interface means 21 displays a wizard screen for inquiring the specification of option information. Print settings are made by answering items displayed on the display screen, a wizard for print setting is started, and option-set option information is sent to a printing means 23 through a communication means 22. A printing process means 23 generates final print data including the option information and sends it to an output destination printer 200 and a print instruction is made by operating the operation means 30 to perform the printing processing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the technical field of recording devices for printers controlled by a computer system such as a personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this kind of ink-jet printer or laser printer is provided in various markets, but usually, since the printing function of this kind of computer is supported by an application program, an application requiring printing is required. As for the program, a function of displaying a screen for inquiring a user to specify option information for print setting and a function of creating print data corresponding to an output destination printer in accordance with the option information are incorporated in the application program means. I was

Therefore, various settings for printing must be selected by selecting "Print" in the file menu, and then the properties of the printer must be clicked to determine various settings.

For example, when a print icon is clicked, even if it is desired to change such various settings and print out, the printout cannot be performed, and the print processing is immediately performed.

Further, since the printing function is provided in the application program as described above, the user interface of the printing process is different for each application, and as a result, it can be said that the handling is easy for the user. Did not.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, by clicking on a print icon, various settings are inquired to the user in the form of a dialog and used. When the user answers, the software is provided with icons that can be printed out with desired settings.

Therefore, the first problem to be solved by the present invention is as follows.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device capable of effectively solving the problem of the conventional technology described above.

A second problem to be solved by the present invention is that a print control unit having an application interface unit independent of an application unit executes various option settings relating to print processing so as to be selectively changeable. To provide what we can do.

A third problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a device which is easy to operate and does not cause erroneous operation.

[0010]

Means for solving the problems Specific means for solving the above-mentioned problems are as follows.

(1) In a printing system including a host computer that generates print data, a display, and a printer that performs printing based on the print data, an application program unit storing the print data, and at least an application interface unit Communication means for communicating the print data to the printer, print control means having a print processing program, and operation means having a display means on the display in cooperation with each other for printing. system.

(2) When various setting processes of the printer are performed on a display unit constituted by the display screen, the various settings can be set by answering items displayed on the display screen. The printing system according to the above (1).

(3) The printing system according to (2), wherein the items displayed on the display screen are in a dialog format.

(4) In a printing system comprising a host computer for generating print data, a display and a printer for performing printing based on the print data, an application program means for storing the print data, and at least an application interface means Communication means for communicating the print data to the printer, print control means having a print processing program, and operation means having a display means on the display in cooperation with each other for printing. Device control method.

(5) When various setting processes of the printer are performed on a display unit configured with the display screen, the various settings can be set by answering items displayed on the display screen. The printing device control method according to the above (4).

(6) The method according to (5), wherein the items displayed on the display screen are in a dialog format.

(7) In a printing system comprising a host computer for generating print data, a display and a printer for performing printing based on the print data, an application program means for storing the print data, and at least an application interface means Communication means for communicating the print data to the printer, and print data generation for generating an instruction to perform printing in cooperation with a print control means having a print processing program and an operation means having a display means on the display. apparatus.

(8) When performing various setting processes of the printer on a display unit constituted by the display screen, a command for setting the various settings by answering items displayed on the display screen is generated. 7) The print data generating apparatus described in the above.

(9) The print data generating apparatus according to (8), wherein the items displayed on the display screen generate print data in a dialog format.

(10) In a printing system including a host computer that generates print data, a display, and a printer that performs printing based on the print data, an application program unit storing the print data, and at least an application interface unit Communication means for communicating the print data to the printer, and print data generation for generating an instruction to perform printing in cooperation with a print control means having a print processing program and an operation means having a display means on the display. Method.

(11) When various setting processes of the printer are performed on a display unit constituted by the display screen, a command for setting the various settings by answering items displayed on the display screen is generated. The print data generation method described in 10).

(12) The print data generation method according to (11), wherein print data in which items displayed on the display screen are in a dialog format is generated.

(13) In a printing system comprising a host computer for generating print data, a display and a printer for performing printing based on the print data, an application program means for storing the print data, and at least an application interface means A computer which can read a command for performing printing by coordinating communication means for communicating the print data with the printer, and print control means having a print processing program and operation means having a display means on the display. Program storage media recorded in various forms.

(14) When performing various setting processes of the printer on a display unit constituted by the display screen, print data for generating a command capable of setting the various settings by answering items displayed on the display screen The program storage medium according to the above (13), wherein the program is recorded in a computer-readable form.

(15) The print data in which the items displayed on the display screen are in a dialog format are recorded in a computer-readable form.
4) The program storage medium described in the above.

Therefore, according to the above-described means, there is no possibility of an erroneous operation, and a print process can be easily instructed to printers, and the print process can be performed effectively.

[0027]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the contents of the present invention will be described in detail based on illustrated examples.

1. As shown in the schematic diagram of the printing system 1000 in FIG.
The present invention includes a host computer 100 such as a personal computer, a display 300, and a printer 200 connected thereto.

The host computer 100 has the configuration shown in FIG.
As shown in the functional block diagram of FIG. 1, an application program unit 10, a print control unit 20, and an operation unit 30 having a display unit 31 are connected to each other and provided.

The above-mentioned application program means 1
0 does not have a printing function, calls the application interface means 21 in the print control means 20 by the operation of the operation means 30 by the operator,
It has a function of providing the stored print data to the application interface unit 21.

Next, regarding the print control means 20, in addition to the application interface means 21, a communication means 22 connected to the operation means 30 by an inter-process communication method and a print processing program means 23 capable of creating print data are provided. Is provided.

Further, the operation means 30 includes at least an operation section such as a command section to the application program means 10, a print icon, a call section for a print setting function, an option setting section, etc., and a dialog type item. The display means 31 constituted by a display screen is provided.

The print setting function set by the operation means 30 is for supplying a common user interface to a plurality of application program means 10 executed by a computer. The following option setting screen is displayed for the print setting in response to the request.

Optional information ◎ Output printer ◎ Paper size ◎ Printing direction ◎ Tray used

In addition, the host computer 100
It is a matter of course that various operation units required for operating the device are provided. However, since they are not particularly necessary for understanding the present invention, their description is omitted.

As the printer 200, a laser printer, an ink-jet printer, and other various printers can be employed. The printer 200 receives at least print data created by the print processing program unit 23, and executes print processing. An executable function is required.

2. Use Procedure Next, the use procedure of the print processing by the printing system will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 and the display unit 31 of the operation unit 30 of FIGS.

Now, for example, at the time of desired print processing, when a request for print processing is made by operating the icon from the application program means 10 using the icon of the operation means 30 as shown in FIG. (S1), the application program means 10 calls the application interface means 21 in the print control means 20 (S2).

Application interface means 2
1 is activated in response to a call from the application program means 10, receives print data from the application program means 10, and (S
3) A wizard screen for inquiring the designation of option information is displayed (S4).

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 from the application program means 10, the print setting is made by answering the items displayed on the display screen on the display screen composed of the print data and the items of the dialog format. Is clicked (S51), a function for print setting is called (S52), a wizard for setting options is started (S53), and the option information for which options are set (S5) is transmitted to the printing unit 23 via the communication unit 22. (S6).

The print processing means 23 generates final print data including option information based on the received data (S7) and sends it to the output destination printer 2000 (S7).
8) A print instruction is issued by the operation of the operation means 30, and required print processing is performed (S9).

In the state where the print data is created (S
7) It goes without saying that this data may be specially stored in a program storage medium such as a floppy disk (S10).

Accordingly, a printing function independent of the application program means 10 is realized, and the option setting can be easily achieved by the plurality of application program means 10 in common.

[0044]

The specific effects provided by the present invention are as follows.

It is easy to set various options related to the printing process.

The operability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a print control apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a printing process in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial front view of a display unit of the operation means in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front view showing another display of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front view showing still another display of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1000 printing system 100 host computer 200 printer 300 display 10 application program means 20 print control means 21 application interface means 22 communication means 30 operation means 31 display means

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A printing system comprising a host computer for generating print data, a display and a printer for performing printing based on the print data, an application program means storing the print data, at least an application interface means, A communication unit for communicating the print data to the printer, a print control unit having a print processing program, and an operation unit having a display unit on the display, and performing printing in cooperation with each other. . 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein when performing various setting processes of the printer on a display unit configured with the display screen, the various settings can be set by answering items displayed on the display screen. Item 7. The printing system according to Item 1. 3. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein the items displayed on the display screen are in a dialog format. 4. A printing system comprising a host computer for generating print data, a display and a printer for performing printing based on the print data, an application program means storing the print data, at least an application interface means, A printing apparatus for performing printing by associating communication means for communicating the print data to the printer, print control means having a print processing program, and operation means having a display means on the display with each other. Control method. 5. When the various setting processes of the printer are performed on a display unit configured with the display screen, the various settings can be set by answering items displayed on the display screen. Item 6. A printing device control method according to Item 4. 6. The printing apparatus control method according to claim 5, wherein the items displayed on the display screen are in a dialog format. 7. A printing system comprising a host computer for generating print data, a display and a printer for performing printing based on the print data, an application program means storing the print data, at least an application interface means, Communication means for communicating the print data to the printer; and a print data generating apparatus for issuing a command for performing printing in cooperation with a print control means having a print processing program and an operation means having a display means on the display. . 8. A command for setting various settings of the printer by responding to items displayed on the display screen when performing various setting processes of the printer on a display unit configured by the display screen. The print data generation device according to the above. 9. The print data generation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein print data in which items displayed on the display screen are in a dialog format is generated. 10. A printing system comprising a host computer for generating print data, a display and a printer for performing printing based on the print data, an application program means for storing the print data, at least an application interface means, Communication means for communicating the print data to the printer, and a print data generation method for generating a command for performing printing in cooperation with a print control means having a print processing program and an operation means having a display means on the display . 11. A command for setting various settings of the printer by responding to items displayed on the display screen when performing various setting processes on the display unit configured by the display screen. Described print data generation method. 12. The print data generation method according to claim 11, wherein print data in which items displayed on the display screen are in a dialog format is generated. 13. A printing system comprising a host computer for generating print data, a display and a printer for performing printing based on the print data, an application program means storing the print data, at least an application interface means, A communication unit that communicates the print data to the printer, and a computer-readable instruction for performing printing in cooperation with a print control unit that includes a print processing program and an operation unit that has a display unit on the display. Program storage medium recorded in form. 14. When performing various setting processes of the printer on a display unit configured with the display screen, print data for generating a command that can set the various settings by answering items displayed on the display screen. 14. The program storage medium according to claim 13, which is recorded in a computer readable form. 15. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the print data in which the items displayed on the display screen are in a dialog format are recorded.
5. The program storage medium according to 4.