JP2001293937A - Printer, printing system, device and method for controlling interface and recording medium recorded program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent printing in an inadequate condition by a method wherein a printer is not allowed to receive print data before setting of a printing environ ment is completed. SOLUTION: Starting and ending of change of the printing environment is instructed by using a starting switch 38A and an ending switch 38B in a printer 30 and then an I/F control section 34 prohibits transmission of data from a host (PC) 10 when the change is started and allows the transmission of the data when the change is ended. If the ending switch 38B is not operated for a predetermined time period after the starting switch 38A is operated, or when a condition that any operation of a printing environment setting switch section 38C is not executed is continued for a predetermined time period, the change of setting of the printing environment is automatically ended and the I/F control section 34 allows the transmission of the data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printer and a printing system, and more particularly to a printer and a printing system capable of changing a printing environment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printer and a printing system, printing is performed in a predetermined printing environment, and according to each printing request, the printing environment is changed to an operation panel of a printer or a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as PC). )
There are some that can be changed on the user interface screen of the host.

In such a printing environment, there are supply of printing paper, setting of a printing area, character / line feed setting, printer control language, and the like. For example, regarding printing paper supply, when printing is performed on a postcard or the like. Is paper feed from a CSF (cut sheet feeder) when performing normal printing of business documents such as manual feed, A4 size, etc., and printing paper according to a printing request, such as continuous paper when performing printing of slips and the like. Further, the supply method is selected by operating the operation panel or the like of the printer.

[0004] Further, as for the printing area, the paper feeding position differs for each printing paper as described above, and the perforation is required when setting the page length, right margin, left margin, or printing on continuous paper (a slip or the like). It is necessary to set various printing environments such as skip settings.

Further, regarding the character / line feed setting, a typeface,
Character quality such as high quality / draft, character pitch, line feed amount,
There are various settings such as print fonts. Furthermore, the printer control language also needs to be set, for example, when switching automatically or when fixing to a specific language.

However, such a printing environment may need to be changed during a series of printing operations using, for example, a host such as a PC and a printer. In such a case, the user may change the printing environment. Is performed, an appropriate print result may not be obtained after the change.

That is, when print data is transmitted from a host such as a PC to the printer while the user is changing the print environment, and the printer receives the print data, the print environment is transmitted to the received print data. May not be properly reflected.

Conventionally, for example, in the first conventional example described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-252961, since the printer receives print data even while the print environment is being changed, the received print data In order to properly reflect the settings of the printing environment, special processing was required.

In such a case, no problem occurs unless the printer receives the print data.
In a second conventional example described in Japanese Patent No. 13283,
The transition to the state in which the printer does not receive the print data has been limited only when an error occurs or when an interruption command is received from the host.

[0010]

However, in the above-mentioned first conventional example, a special process for appropriately reflecting the setting of the printing environment on the received print data is required, resulting in complicated control. Is required, and the printing throughput may be reduced.

On the other hand, in the above-mentioned second conventional example, even if the printing environment is changed, the printer cannot shift to a state in which the printing data is not received. Can not prevent situations that are not reflected in.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer and a printing system which can prevent a printer from receiving print data before setting a printing environment and can avoid printing in an inappropriate state.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the start and end of the printing environment change are instructed by using, for example, a switch on the operation panel of the printer. The I / F is set so as to prohibit transmission, and the I / F is set so as to permit data transmission after the change is completed. If the change end switch has not been operated for a certain period of time after the change start switch has been operated,
Alternatively, when no switch operation of the print environment setting is performed for a certain period of time, the print environment setting is automatically terminated.

That is, the printer according to the first aspect is connected to a host computer, performs printing based on a set predetermined printing environment, can change the printing environment, and transmits data transmitted from the host computer. And a printing environment setting / changing unit for setting and changing the printing environment, and a printer environment setting / changing unit for changing the printing environment by the printing environment setting / changing unit. Start instructing means for instructing start, end instructing means for instructing the end of print environment setting change by the print environment setting / changing means, and the host when the start instructing means instructs start of setting change Prohibit the transmission of the data to the computer, and when the end instruction means instructs the end of the setting change, And having an interface means for permitting the transmission of the data to strike computer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the start instruction is given by the start instruction means and thereafter the end instruction is not given by the end instruction means for a predetermined time, or A means may be provided for automatically terminating the setting of the printing environment when the state in which the setting of the printing environment is not changed by the printing environment setting / changing means is continued for a predetermined time.

Here, like the printer according to the third aspect, the printing environment setting / changing means can be constituted by a switch on an operation panel. Further, as in the printer according to the fourth aspect, each of the start instruction unit and the end instruction unit may be configured by a switch on an operation panel.

On the other hand, a printing system according to a fifth aspect is characterized in that the printer according to the first to fourth aspects is connected to a host computer that generates data.

In this case, the printing environment setting / changing means can be provided in the host computer as in the printing system according to the sixth aspect.

In the printing system according to the present invention, it is further determined whether or not the items set or changed by the print environment setting / change unit are items to be reflected on a print result on a print recording medium. A determination unit configured to prohibit transmission of data to the host computer only when it is determined that the items set and changed by the determination unit are reflected in a print result on a print recording medium. I do.

Further, in the printing system according to the present invention,
Data exchange between the host computer and the printer is performed by packet communication.

In this case, as in the printing system according to the ninth aspect, the host computer and the printer exchange the data via a plurality of logical channels including at least two of a printer control channel and a printer data channel. I do.

In the printing system according to the tenth aspect, the printer control channel and the printer data channel are independently controlled, and when the start of the print environment setting change is instructed, only the printer data channel is used as a host. The transmission of data to the computer is prohibited.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the printing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention is configured by connecting a host (PC) 10 that generates print data and a printer 30 via a printer cable or the like. .

The host (PC) 10 has installed therein software (printer driver) 12 for controlling the printer 30 having a function of converting generated print data into a format that can be interpreted by the printer 30. When the printer driver 12 operates, the host (PC) 1
At 0, a user interface screen 14 for setting various printing environments such as a print area and character / line feed settings appears. The user clicks each dialog (not shown) on this screen 14 with a mouse, for example. These printing environments can be set.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 30 has a main control unit 32, an interface (I / F) control unit 34, and a panel control unit 36. The main control unit 32 includes a data transmission unit 32A, a data reception unit 32B, an interpretation unit 32C, an image development unit 32D, a print execution unit 32E, and a state management unit 32.
F is provided. The data transmission unit 32A, for example, when the host (PC) 10 inquires about various statuses (paper remaining amount, ink remaining amount, etc.) of the printer 30,
The status data is transmitted (status reply). The data receiving unit 32B mainly includes a reception buffer memory, and temporarily stores a command received from the host (PC) 10. The command stored in the data receiving unit 32B is interpreted by the interpreting unit 32C and divided into print data and a control command. The image expanding unit 32D expands the print data as image data in an image buffer (not shown) according to the control command. I do. The developed image data is sent to a print head (not shown) by the print execution unit 32E to execute print processing. The state management unit 32F monitors and manages the state and the like of a printer engine including a print head, a carriage mechanism, and a paper feed mechanism (not shown), and performs necessary control. I / F control unit 34
Controls the flow of data between the host (PC) 10 and the printer 30, the transmission speed, and the like. The panel control unit 36 is connected to a printing environment setting panel 38 provided on the housing of the printer 30 and controls display on the panel according to the operation contents of the printing environment setting panel 38. The print environment setting panel 38 includes a print environment setting start switch 38A and an end switch 38B, and further includes, for example,
It is provided with a setting switch section 38C for setting various printing environments such as selecting a paper supply method such as manual feed, CSF, and continuous paper. The start switch 38A is the end switch 3
When 8B is pressed, it is turned off in conjunction with this.

Now, in the printer 30 in the printing system of the present embodiment, the start and end switches 38A and 38B of the print environment setting panel 38 are used to instruct the start and end of the change of the print environment. Part 34
Sets the I / F of the printer 30 so that transmission of data from the host (PC) 10 is prohibited at the start of the change.
After the change, the I / F of the printer 30 is set so as to permit the transmission of data from the host (PC) 10. The host (PC) 1 is operated by operating the start switch 38A.
When the end switch 38B has not been operated for a certain period of time after the I / F of the printer 30 has been set to prohibit transmission of data from 0, or no switch operation of the print environment setting by the setting switch unit 38C has been performed. If printing continues for a certain period of time, the setting of the printing environment is automatically terminated, and
The / F control unit 34 similarly sets the I / F of the printer 30 so as to permit the transmission of data from the host (PC) 10.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the interface control method in the printing system according to the present embodiment.
This will be specifically described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 (a),
3B is a flowchart illustrating operations of the panel control unit 36 and the I / F control unit 34 of the printer 30 in the printing system.

In the panel control unit 36 of the printer 30, the start switch 38A of the print environment setting panel 38 is set to O
N is monitored / determined (S201), and when it is turned ON (Yes in S201), a print environment setting execution flag is set [ON] (S202).
On the other hand, when the start switch 38A of the print environment setting panel 38 is not turned ON (No in S201), the print environment setting execution flag is not set [OFF] (S201).
203).

On the other hand, the I / F control unit 34 of the printer 30 monitors and determines whether or not the data flow state can be received (S204).
In Yes in 204), an I / F is set so that data reception from the host (PC) 10 is possible. Conversely, when the data flow state cannot be received (N in S204)
In o), data reception from the host (PC) 10 is prohibited (S206).

FIG. 3 is a sequence chart showing data exchange between the host (PC) 10 and the printer 30 when the setting of the printing environment is changed in the printing system of the present embodiment.

First, the power of the printer 30 is turned on (S
31) When the host (PC) 10 instructs the start of printing, the host (PC) 10 sends an I / O to the printer 30.
F Data flow state is sensed (T)
1). At this time, if the print environment setting execution flag is turned off by the panel control unit 36 described above [S203 in FIG. 2A], the I / F control unit 34 can perform data reception as described above. Is set to I / F. That is, the signal port level changes from H (high level) in the BUSY state to L (low level) in the non-BUSY state, for example.
Thus, the fact that data can be received is transmitted from the printer 30 to the host (PC) 10 (T2). In response, the host (PC) 10 starts transmission (S1).
1) Print data is transmitted from the host (PC) 10 to the printer 30 (T3), and printing is executed by the printer 30 (S32). That is, the print data transmitted from the host (PC) 10 to the printer 30 is transmitted to the I / F control unit 34.
Is stored in the data receiving unit 32B via the
After being interpreted by the image development unit 32D and developed as image data by the image development unit 32D, the print data is sent to the print head by the print execution unit 32E, and the print processing is executed.

When the user intends to change the setting of the printing environment during the printing, and turns on the start switch 38A of the printing environment setting panel 38 (S33 in FIG. 3), the panel control unit 36 sets the printing environment setting execution flag. Is turned on [S202 in FIG. 2A], and as described above, the I / F control unit 34 sets the I / F to prohibit (disable) data reception. That is, the signal port level is L
From (low level) to H (high level), the printer 30 informs the I / F data flow state sense (T4) from the host (PC) 10 that data cannot be received. (T5). In response, the host (PC) 10 suspends the transmission (S12), and the print data is not transmitted from the host (PC) 10 to the printer 30. After that, while the print environment setting operation is being performed, the printer 30 informs the I / F data flow state sense (T4 ′) from the host (PC) 10 that data cannot be received. (T5 ')
Therefore, print data is not transmitted from the host (PC) 10 to the printer 30.

When the user completes the setting of the printing environment and presses the end switch 38B of the printing environment setting panel 38, the start switch 38A is turned off in conjunction with this (S34 in FIG. 3). In response to this, the print environment setting execution flag is turned off by the panel control unit 36 [S20 in FIG.
3], the I / F control unit 34 sets the I / F again so that data can be received. That is, the signal port level is
From the H (high level) to the L (low level), the printer 30 informs that the data reception is possible for the I / F data flow state sense (T6) from the host (PC) 10. (T7). In response, the host (PC) 10 resumes transmission (S13),
Print data is transmitted from the host (PC) 10 to the printer 30 (T8), and printing is resumed by the printer 30 (S35).

In the printing system according to the present embodiment, for example, when an error such as a paper jam occurs in the printer engine of the printer 30, the state management unit 32F detects the error and instructs the I / F control unit 34. Then, similarly to the above, the operation shifts to a state in which print data is not received from the host (PC) 10. Also, when the printer 30 receives a print data reception suspension command from the host (PC) 10,
The I / F control unit 34 shifts to a state in which print data from the host (PC) 10 is not received.

In the printing system of the present embodiment, even if the printing environment is changed by the user during the printing operation, an appropriate printing result can be obtained after the change. That is, since the print data is not transmitted from the host (PC) 10 to the printer 30 while the user is changing the print environment, a situation in which the print environment setting is not appropriately reflected on the received print data may occur. Can be avoided. In this case, unlike the above-described first conventional example, a special process for appropriately reflecting the setting of the printing environment on the received print data is not required. Therefore, no complicated control is required, and a decrease in printing throughput does not occur. Also, unlike the above-described second conventional example, the printer 30 does not receive print data not only when an error occurs or when an interrupt command is received from the host, but also when the print environment is changed. Since it is possible to shift to the state, it is possible to effectively prevent a situation in which the setting of the printing environment is not appropriately reflected on the received print data.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention is also configured by connecting a host (PC) 100 that generates print data and a printer 300 via a printer cable or the like, as shown in FIG. .

In the printing system according to the above-described first embodiment, data exchange between the host (PC) 10 and the printer 30 is performed not at a packet format but at a normal printer command level. In the printing system according to the embodiment, data exchange between the host (PC) 100 and the printer 300 is performed by packet communication.
A plurality of logical channels, such as a printer data channel and a printer control channel, are established between them.

As shown in FIG. 4, the host (PC) 100
It is assumed that software (printer driver) 102 for the printer 300 is installed in the printer. When a user issues a print request for graphics data created by using an application program on the PC 100 (or data obtained by converting text data into graphics using an outline font or the like), first, the rasterizer 102a of the printer driver 102 The raster data is generated as raster data corresponding to the printing resolution of the printer 300. Next, when the command interpreter 102b converts the raster data into a command in a printer control language using an escape sequence, the packet decomposing unit 102c converts the command into a plurality of packets P having a predetermined number of bits (see FIG. 4). Decompose.
These packets (printer control packet or printer data packet) are transmitted to the printer 30 via the above-described printer control channel or printer data channel.
Sent to 0. Note that the status of the printer 300 (the remaining amount of paper,
When the printer status is returned, the printer status is also decomposed into a packet P (see FIG. 4) (printer control packet) and transmitted to the host (PC) 100 via the printer control channel.

Referring to FIG. 4 again, printer 300, which has received the packet via the printer data channel or the like, temporarily stores the packet in data receiving section 301. The packet assembling / disassembling unit 302 converts each packet P into a printer control language [for example, ESC (e.g., ESC) according to the transfer order number, error control information, and the like included in the header H (see FIG. 4) of each packet P received by the data receiving unit 301. Escape sequence) and sends it to the command interpreting unit 303. The command interpreting unit 303 interprets a raster command part in the printer control language into raster data, and interprets this into raster data.
04 is developed in the image buffer. On the other hand, the control command part in the printer control language is interpreted by the control code, and the print processing is executed by the print execution unit 305 controlling the print engine based on the control code.
In the printer 300, the control unit (printer CPU and R
The packet assembling / disassembling unit 302 disassembles the printer information such as the printer status into packets according to the instruction of 306 (configured by a corresponding control program stored in the OM). The data is sent from the unit 307 to the host (PC) 100.

FIG. 5 is a sequence chart showing the exchange of print data between the host (PC) 100 and the printer 300 when the setting of the printing environment is changed in the printing system of this embodiment. As described below, in the present embodiment, since packet communication is performed between the host (PC) 100 and the printer 300, a printing operation and the like are performed while negotiations are repeated between the two.

First, the power of the printer 300 is turned on (S301), and when the host (PC) 100 instructs to start printing, the host (PC) 100 sends the control data reception state transition request data (command )
Is sent (Y1). In this case, the printer 300 sends the control data reception state transition OK to the host (PC) 100.
(Y2). On the other hand, the print data is also sent from the host (PC) 100 to the printer 300.
In response, print data reception state shift request data (command) is sent (T11). In contrast, the printer 30
From 0, a response is sent to the host (PC) 100 indicating that the print data reception state transition is OK (T12). In response, the host (PC) 100 requests the printer 300 to receive the print data (T13). In response, the printer 300 notifies the host (PC) 100 of the receivable amount (T14). ). This allows the host (P
C) The print data is transmitted from 100 to the printer 300 (T15), and the printer 300 sends the host (PC) 10
0 is notified of reception completion (T16). Thereafter, until the above-mentioned receivable amount is reached, transmission of print data from the host (PC) 100 to the printer 300 (T17) and notification of completion of reception from the printer 300 to the host (PC) 100 (T18) are made. During this time, control data is transmitted from the host (PC) 100 to the printer 300 (status inquiry) (Y3), and (status data) control data is returned from the printer 300 to the host (PC) 100 (Y4). Is done,
It goes without saying that control data is exchanged between the host (PC) 100 and the printer 300. As long as the setting start switch is not turned on, the host (P
C) Transmission of print data from the printer 100 to the printer 300 (T19, indicated by a dashed line), completion of reception from the printer 300 to the host (PC) 100 (T20, indicated by a dashed line), and the host (PC) in these packet formats. ) 1
As described above, printing is executed by the printer 300 based on the data transmitted from S00 (S30).
2).

Now, assuming that the user wants to change the setting of the printing environment during the printing and turns on the start switch 38A of the printing environment setting panel 38 (S303 in FIG. 5), the panel control unit 36 sets the printing environment. The execution flag is turned on [S202 in FIG. 2A], and the I / F control unit 34
Is set to prohibit (disable) print data reception.
/ F is set. In the printing system according to the present embodiment, the printer 300 notifies the host (PC) 100 of the cancellation of the notified receivable amount (T14) (T21, indicated by a broken line). In response, the host (P
C) 100 suspends transmission (S102), and the host (P
C) The print data is not transmitted from the printer 100 to the printer 300 (T19 and T20 do not exist). Even when the start switch 38A is turned on, the control data is transmitted from the host (PC) 100 to the printer 30.
0 control data transmission (status inquiry) (Y5),
Control data can be exchanged between the host (PC) 100 and the printer 300 such that (status data) control data is returned (Y6) from the printer 300 to the host (PC) 100. If the setting start switch 38A is turned off (S304), the same processing as that after T13 is performed, and printing is naturally restarted (T13 ', T14'). Also, regarding the control data, transmission of control data from host (PC) 100 to printer 300 (status inquiry) (Y7), printer 3
00 (status data) control data return (Y8) to the host (PC) 100,
It goes without saying that control data can be exchanged between the host (PC) 100 and the printer 300.

Although not shown, after the start switch 38A of the print environment setting panel 38 is turned on, the cancellation of the receivable amount is notified (T21, indicated by a broken line).
In the case where the print data has been transmitted from the host (PC) 100 to the printer 300 before, the printer 300 notifies the host (PC) 100 of the reception non-completion. As described above, in the printing system of this embodiment, when the user intends to change the setting of the printing environment and turns on the start switch 38A of the printing environment setting panel 38, the printing data is received in an incomplete manner. The system is set up so that you don't have to.

As described above, the present invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these, and is applicable to other embodiments within the scope described in the claims.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the transmission of the print data is prohibited by the operation of the change start switch of the print environment, and the inhibition of the transmission of the print data is released by the operation of the change end switch. Similarly, when there is no operation of the change end switch for a certain period of time after the operation of the change start switch, or when there is no operation of any switch in the print environment setting for a certain period of time, the print data prohibited by the operation of the change start switch is similarly changed. The transmission may be canceled [see (timeout) in FIG. 3].

In the above embodiment, the case where the print environment setting is changed by the operation panel (print environment setting panel) of the printer has been described as an example.
A change means is provided on the host computer side (change on the user interface screen, etc.), and when the print environment setting is changed on the host computer side, printing is started by changing the print environment as a function of the printer driver. The transmission of the data may be prohibited, and the prohibition of the transmission of the print data may be released when the change is completed.

[0048]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the print data is not transmitted from the host (PC) to the printer while the print environment is being changed, the received print data is not changed. It is possible to avoid a situation where the setting of the printing environment is not properly reflected. In this case, no special processing is required to appropriately reflect the setting of the printing environment on the received print data, so that complicated control is not required and the printing throughput is not reduced.

That is, it is possible to provide a printer and a printing system which can prevent the printer from receiving print data before the setting of the printing environment is completed and can avoid printing in an improper state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are flowcharts showing the operation of the main part of the printer in the printing system shown in FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2A shows the operation of a panel control unit and FIG. 2B shows the operation of an I / F control unit;

FIG. 3 is a sequence chart showing exchange of (non-packet format) print data between a host (PC) and a printer when a setting of a printing environment is changed in the printing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sequence chart showing exchange of print data (in packet format) between a host (PC) and a printer when a setting of a printing environment is changed in the printing system shown in FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 Host (PC) 30 Printer 12 Printer driver 14 User interface screen 32 Main control unit 34 Interface (I / F) control unit 36 Panel control unit 32A Data transmission unit 32B Data reception unit 32C Interpretation unit 32D Image development unit 32E Print execution unit 32F Status management unit 38 Printing environment setting panel 38A Start switch 38B End switch 38C Setting switch unit 100 Host (PC) 300 Printer

Claims (13)

[Claims] The present invention is connected to a host computer, performs printing based on a set predetermined printing environment, can change the printing environment, receives data transmitted from the host computer, and receives the received data. A printing environment setting / changing unit for setting and changing the printing environment, and a start instructing unit for instructing a start of a printing environment setting change by the printing environment setting / changing unit. An end instructing unit for instructing an end of the setting change of the printing environment by the printing environment setting / changing unit; and transmitting the data to the host computer when a start of the setting change is instructed by the start instructing unit. Is prohibited, and when the end of the setting change is instructed by the end instructing means, the host computer is Printer, characterized in that it comprises an interface means for permitting the transmission of over data. 2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising: when a start of the setting change is instructed by the start instructing unit, and after the setting instruction is not instructed by the end instructing unit for a predetermined time, or in the printing environment. A printer having means for automatically terminating the setting of a printing environment when a state in which no setting of the printing environment is changed by the setting / changing means continues for a predetermined time. 3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said print environment setting / changing means comprises a switch on an operation panel. 4. The printer according to claim 1, wherein
The printer according to claim 1, wherein the start instruction unit and the end instruction unit are each configured by a switch on an operation panel. 5. A printing system comprising the printer according to claim 1 and a host computer for generating data. 6. The printing system according to claim 5, wherein
The printing system, wherein the printing environment setting / changing means is provided on a host computer side. 7. The printing system according to claim 5, further comprising determining whether or not the item set or changed by the print environment setting / change unit is an item to be reflected on a print result on a print recording medium. Data transmission to the host computer is prohibited only when it is determined that the items set / changed by the determination unit are reflected in the print result on the print recording medium. And printing system. 8. The printing system according to claim 5, wherein data exchange between said host computer and said printer is performed by packet communication. 9. The printing system according to claim 8, wherein
A printing system wherein the data is exchanged between the host computer and a printer via a plurality of logical channels including at least two printer control channels and a printer data channel. 10. The printing system according to claim 9, wherein the printer control channel and the printer data channel are controlled independently of each other, and when the start of the print environment setting change is instructed, only the printer data channel is used as a host. A printing system wherein transmission of data to a computer is prohibited. 11. A host computer that generates data, is connected to the host computer, performs printing based on a set predetermined printing environment, and can change the printing environment, and is transmitted from the host computer. An interface control device that controls transmission and reception of the data between the host computer and the printer in a printing system including a printer that receives data and performs printing by processing the received data; Start instructing means for instructing the start of the printing environment, end instructing means for instructing the end of the change of the printing environment, and transmitting the data to the host computer when the start instructing means instructs to start the change. Prohibiting means for prohibiting, and when the end of the change is instructed by the end instructing means Interface control apparatus characterized by having a permission means for permitting the transmission of the data to the host computer. 12. A host computer that generates data, is connected to the host computer, performs printing based on a set predetermined printing environment, and can change the printing environment, and is transmitted from the host computer. An interface control method for controlling transmission and reception of the data between the host computer and the printer in a printing system including a printer that receives data and performs printing by processing the received data, comprising: A start instructing step of instructing the start of the change, a transmission prohibiting step of prohibiting the transmission of the data to the host computer when the start of the change is instructed by the start instructing step, And an end instruction step for instructing. Interface control and wherein the when the end is instructed and a transmission permission step of permitting transmission of the data to the host computer. 13. A host computer for generating data, connected to the host computer, capable of performing printing based on a set predetermined printing environment and changing the printing environment, and transmitted from the host computer. A recording medium that records a program for controlling transmission and reception of the data between the host computer and the printer in a printing system including a printer that receives data and performs printing by processing the received data; A process of instructing a start of a change of the environment; a process of prohibiting the transmission of the data to the host computer when the start of the change of the print environment is instructed; and an instruction of ending the change of the print environment. Processing, and when the end of the change of the printing environment is instructed, the host computer Recording medium characterized by recording a program for executing a process of permitting transmission of the data Te.