JP2004110452A - Combination printing method and system for business form - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print of a plurality of formats at once without changing a format of table data to be printed for improving operability and workability in printing of the table data on respective business forms. <P>SOLUTION: A business form printing application program 12 prepares printing formats 16-18 holding print positions and print conditions of previously prepared data items. When combination of the printing formats 16-18 and their printing order are designated, the combination and the printing order are stored in a file 19. When a sequential printing command is issued from a combination printing execution processing part 14 to the business form printing application program 12, the application program 12 selects all or a part of a plurality of printers 30-50 to sequentially print one set of unchanged table data 13 in one operation in compliance with a single command according to the conditions of the respective printing formats 16-18 and by the combination and the printing order stored in the file 19. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and system for combination printing on forms, and more particularly to a combination printing method and system for combining forms and slips in a plurality of different formats and performing batch printing on those forms and slips continuously.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, for example, one table data in which a name, an address, a telephone number, a product name, an amount, a payment date, remarks, etc. are described is written in a different form format, for example, a payment slip, an invoice, a quote, each having a different size. When printing on a form such as a document or a courier destination slip, each time printing of one form format is completed, the user switches the form format so that the print characters fit in each column of the ruled line of the format. After adjustment, printing had to be performed.
[0003]
In the conventional method as described above, since the characters must be accommodated in the corresponding frame (field) for each form format, the editing (trimming such as cutting and cutting) of the image in which the table data is taken in is performed. Needed and was very cumbersome. In addition, when printing on continuous forms in different form formats, the work of changing the form format occurs every time, which is troublesome, and the work efficiency is reduced, such as forgetting to print.
[0004]
On the other hand, in the related art, a method has been proposed in which numbers and characters in table data are automatically positioned in fields of a form or a slip having an arbitrary size. For example, software for printing the characters of table data in a form distributed in a form distributed in a city hall or the like in a frame is commercially available, and this method is called hitting. That is, this software (character pita) is read into the computer, the corresponding form image is read from the scanner, the form format is displayed on half of the screen, and the table data is displayed on the other half.
[0005]
For example, by utilizing Excel or Access table data, by dragging and dropping data to a field to be input and linking the data, the position of the field in the table data can be remembered. . As a result, the characters of the table data can be printed at the “close” position in each field of any form.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in the prior art, various applications, various reports, customer-specified slips, quotations, invoices, invoices, home delivery slips, notification tables, resumes, and transfer request forms for submission to government offices and companies, etc. It is possible to automatically print the text, characters, numbers, etc. of the same tabular data for each form on multiple forms, such as FAX transmission documents, award certificates, address labels, video labels, New Year cards, greeting cards, etc. However, these combinations cannot be printed in a designated order in a batch. If the contents to be printed are the same except for the form format, it is desirable to be able to print these all at once.
[0007]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems as described above and print a plurality of formats at once without changing the format (arrangement order) of table data to be printed, and print the data in each form of the table data. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system for combined printing on a form, which can improve the print operability and work efficiency of a document.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The method of combination printing on a form according to the present invention is a method for creating a print format that holds print conditions such as a position where a previously created data item is to be printed, a printer to output, a paper setting, and a print setting, and then performs non-programming by a user When the combination of the formats and the printing order are designated by the user, the combination and the printing order are stored, and the printing position of each format, the designated printer, the printing According to the setting, the table data is sequentially and collectively printed in the stored combination and the printing order.
[0009]
In addition, the format created from the form in which the first sheet only needs to describe the first sheet once, for example, a total, a destination, and a part of the list item, and the subsequent list item from the form including only the list item Combined formats, print the items for which the first sheet has to be described only once and the number of list items that can be described from the top of the list items, and print the remaining list items by the number of items that can be printed up to the last list item It is characterized by:
[0010]
Further, the combination printing system of the present invention inputs a form image and table data, associates fields with table data, and prints in a plurality of different format formats, printer settings, paper settings, character type settings, and other printing conditions. Application means for creating a format type having a format, a storage medium for storing a specified combination of a plurality of different format types and their printing order, and a command for continuously and continuously printing table data of the same form having different contents each time Having a combination print execution processing means for issuing the above to the application means, a scanner for inputting a form image to the computer, and one or more printers directly connected to the computer or connected via a network. It is characterized by.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Here, the data items created in advance will be described as table data created by table data software.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a combination printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
(System configuration)
FIG. 1 also shows the procedure of the combination printing method of the present invention by (1) to (7).
In the figure, 20 is a scanner, 10 is a personal computer, 30, 40, and 50 are printers A, B, C, and 60 is a network. In addition, a frame shown by a broken line of the personal computer 10 shows a configuration of software installed in the computer and files contained therein.
[0012]
Reference numeral 11 denotes a form image input from the scanner 20, 12 denotes an input form image and input table data on a screen, associates the form fields with table data, and sets different format types and setting conditions. A form printing application program for creating a format type possessed, 13 is tabular data management software, 14 is a combination print execution processing unit which is software newly provided according to the present invention, and 19 is a format file newly provided according to the present invention. The files 16, 17, and 18 holding the combination and the printing order are all of the format types A, B, and C in which different format types created by the application program 12 and the printers to be output are set.
[0013]
(Printing method)
Hereinafter, the procedure of the combination printing method for a form according to the present invention will be described with reference to (1) to (7).
First, data in a table format created by a data management application (table data management software 13, form printing application 12, etc.) and a text file are prepared.
{Circle around (1)} An image of a form having a field on which table data is printed is taken into the personal computer 10 from the scanner 20.
[0014]
(2) The form printing application program 12 reads the input form image and the table data to be printed from the table data management software 13 and displays it on the screen.
(3) In the application 12 for printing the data item at the designated position, an input area is provided at the input position on the form image read in (1), and the field is associated with the table data.
{Circle around (4)} The application 12 sets character attributes (character decoration, font, character size, character position, etc.) for the form image area, position setting of table data items corresponding to input items, output method to the printer, printing unit , The print start position, and the like, and save them in the file media 16, 17, and 18 as a format.
In order to print one table data on a plurality of forms, the above operations (2) and (3) are repeated by the number of times desired to be printed to create a format type.
[0015]
(5) The format to be printed at a time is selected, and the combination and the order of printing are held as the combination file 19.
{Circle around (6)} The combination print execution processing unit 14 reads the contents of the format file from the combination file 19 created in step <5> in the order in which they are stored, for the application 12 that prints the data item at the specified position. It analyzes the print unit and start line, sets table data items corresponding to the input items of the form format, and issues a printer to print and a command to print at a designated print position of the printer.
{Circle around (7)} Upon receipt of the command, the form printing application program 12 controls the printers 30, 40, and 50, and according to the command, the specified printing method, printing unit, and start line are matched with the specified printing method. Printing is performed at a printer and a designated print position of the printer.
[0016]
(Function of hit printing (software))
The form printing application program 12 (hit printing (software)) reads the table data and the image file, associates the input area created on the image with the position of the table data, and converts the table data into the specified print format (line by line). , A plurality of lines, and a sheet) in each printer, and the information is stored in a medium as a format.
The combination printing unit 14 also has a function of printing a form on a designated printer based on the table data to be printed and the designated format.
[0017]
(Format file)
Each of the formats 16 to 18 used for combination printing holds information created by the form printing application program 12 (hit printing (software)), that is, the following information.
(A) One file stores one format.
(B) One form image is stored.
(C) Store an input area (field) where a character string (table data) is to be input.
(D) Store the character string expression method (font, character size, etc.).
(E) Store the printing method of the table data (see the printing format in the format described later).
(F) Store printer information (paper settings, paper orientation, various settings) to be printed.
(G) Store position shift information for adjusting a printing position error.
[0018]
(Table data management software)
The table data management software (application) 13 manages the following information.
(A) Manage a database.
(B) Manage table data.
[0019]
(Printer)
The printers 30 to 50 can output to both the local connection (printers 30 and 40) and the network connection (printer 50).
[0020]
(Combination setting section)
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a combination setting unit on a screen according to the present invention.
On the screen shown in FIG. 2, a format file to be combined is selected, the printing order of each format is set, and a combined file is created. That is,
By clicking [Insert], a file dialog is opened, and the path of the selected form format file and [unit printing method] are inserted at the current position in the combination list.
Clicking [Delete] deletes the list item currently selected in the combination list from the list.
By clicking [Up] and [Down], the currently selected format is moved to the upper position and the lower position.
By clicking [OK], the set combination information is saved in a file.
[0021]
(Combination printing execution section)
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the combination print execution unit on the screen according to the present invention.
On the screen shown in FIG. 3, a combination file is selected, and combination printing is executed using table data to be printed. That is, click [Edit List] to display the combination file name you want to select, then check the date setting, set the selected record range and the number of copies to the data range to be sent, and then click [Print]. Click to execute combination printing.
[0022]
(Print format)
4 to 6 are explanatory diagrams of the print format of the format according to the present invention.
4 shows the case of line-by-line printing, FIG. 5 shows the case of multi-line printing, and FIG. 6 shows the case of sheet-based printing. That is, the form printing application program 12 (character pita software) has three types of form printing forms, and various forms can be printed by combining these forms. The screen on the right shows a form image and table data displayed in half of the screen when the character pita software is activated, and the figure on the left clearly shows the form image.
[0023]
(B) In the line-by-line printing, one line above the table data is printed in one form (form), and is mainly used when a data format of one line such as an address book is printed on a courier slip. use.
(B) In the multi-line printing, a plurality of lines on the table data is printed in one form, and is mainly used when printing a plurality of lines on one label or the like.
(C) Sheet-based printing is a format in which all data on the table data is printed in one form, and is mainly used when printing all data on a delivery note or the like.
[0024]
(Specific example: corresponds to claim 1)
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a printing method according to the first embodiment (corresponding to claim 1) of the present invention.
This description is an example in which all templates are repeatedly printed in list order.
Assume that there is tabular data in which customer information is described, and that one (one line) of the data is printed at once on different forms of a receipt, an estimate, and a delivery note.
As conditions, (a) table data is managed in one sheet of spreadsheet software, and an estimate calculation formula and the like are calculated and described in advance. (B) Format files (input area, print position, print format, start line, unit line) are created for the receipt A, the delivery slip B, and the delivery note C.
[0025]
(C) In the format A, a setting to be output as [print only characters] is stored in the tray 1 of the printer connected to the network (the document of the receipt is set in the tray 1). (D) In the format B, a setting to be output as [with print data and background] is stored in a dot printer connected to a computer (paper dedicated to a delivery slip is set).
(E) In the format C, the setting to be output by [Print only characters] is stored in the tray 2 of the printer connected to the network which prints the format A (the original of the delivery note is set in the tray 2). ing). (F) It is assumed that each of the formats has been subjected to print registration and has been normally printed on each printer.
[0026]
Referring to FIG. 7, the operation procedure will be described. It is necessary to create the combination file 19 once, but thereafter, simply selecting the table data 13 to be printed and the combination file 19 and executing the printing, the forms A, B and C are automatically printed on each of the printers 30, 40 and 50 with each print setting. The print results are as shown at 30A, 40B and 50C. One piece of print data is automatically printed for the table data according to the print setting of format A, the print setting of format B, and the print setting of format C.
[0027]
(Specific example, corresponding to claim 2)
FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are explanatory diagrams of a method for printing on a continuous form according to a second embodiment of the present invention (corresponding to claim 2). FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the table data in FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a print result.
In the following, a case is considered in which estimation data of a product is printed on continuous forms A and B, and printing of table data of different types for the first and second sheets can be performed at once. explain.
[0028]
The condition is
(A) Table data: This is managed on a sheet of spreadsheet software, and describes an estimation calculation formula and the like.
(B) Form A: A form having a total estimate and a product list entry on the first sheet.
(C) Form B: A form (second and subsequent sheets) having entry items in a product list that did not fit in Form A.
(D) Create each format file (input area, print position, print format, start line, unit line).
(E) It is assumed that the printing position of each format has already been adjusted and that each printer can normally print.
[0029]
(operation)
It is necessary to create the combination file once, but thereafter, by simply selecting the table data to be printed and the combination file and executing printing, the data is automatically printed on a continuous form A and B. That is,
a) Create a new combination file and format A. MJX, B.A. MJX is registered and set in order.
b) Using spreadsheet software, select a data range to be printed on both forms A and B, select the combination file created in a) from the form printing screen, and execute combination printing.
[0030]
As an example of the table data, in the case of FIG. 9, the total data portion and the list data A of 201 to 300 lines are printed. That is, a format created from a form in which the first sheet of the table data must be described only once and a part of the list item is combined with a format in which the following list items are created from a form containing only the list item, The first sheet is printed only for items that need to be described only once and the number of list items that can be described from the top of the list items (first half of claim 2).
Next, 200 lines of list data are printed from the 301st line. That is, the remaining list items are printed one by one until the last list item can be printed (the latter part of claim 2).
[0031]
Referring to FIG. 10, the format of the table data 13 is read in the order set in the combination file 19A and output to the printer 30, whereby the format A 30A and the format B 30B are continuously printed as a print result. That is,
B) The format A is printed on one sheet per sheet of the total data and part of the list data from the top (1 to 200 lines of total data and 201 to 300 lines of list data).
B) The remaining list data portion is printed in units of a plurality of lines up to 301 to 800 lines in format B (301 to 800 lines are printed in three pages every 200 lines).
[0032]
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the combination printing of the present invention.
In combination printing, table data is printed in the order shown in FIG.
When printing one copy,
1) Format file A. The MJX and the table data are read (step 100A), and the table data is printed in a designated print format in the associated input area (step 101A).
2) Format file B. The MJX and the table data are read (step 100B), and the table data is printed in the designated print format in the associated input area (step 101B).
3) Format file C. The MJX and the table data are read (step 100C), and the table data is printed in the designated print format in the associated input area (step 101C).
[0033]
When printing with n copies,
1) Format file A. The MJX and the table data are read (step 100A), and only the A format is printed for the specified number of copies n in the print format specified in the input area associated with the table data (steps 101A and 102A).
2) Format file B. The MJX and the table data are read (step 100B), and only the B format is printed for the specified number of copies n in the print format specified in the input area associated with the table data (steps 101B and 102B).
3) Format file C. The MJX and the table data are read (step 100C), and only the C format is printed for the specified number of copies n in the print format specified in the input area associated with the table data (steps 101C and 102C).
[0034]
To support collated printing,
1) Format file A. The MJX and the table data are read (step 100A), and one copy is printed in the print format specified in the input area where the table data is associated (step 101A).
2) Format file B. The MJX and the table data are read (step 100B), and one copy is printed in the print format specified in the input area where the table data is associated (step 101B).
3) Format file C. The MJX and the table data are read (step 100C), and one copy is printed in the print format specified in the input area to which the table data is associated (steps 101C and 102C).
1) to 3) are repeatedly printed for the number of copies (step 103).
[0035]
As is clear from the flowchart of FIG. MJX, B.A. MJX, C.I. Since n copies are printed for each MJX and n copies are output for each of A, B, and C on the output side of the printer, the user needs to manually sort one copy at a time. On the other hand, when n copies are to be printed in copy printing, A.D. MJX, B.I. MJX, C.I. Since the MJX is printed one copy at a time, and this is repeated n times, n sets of printed matter are output to the output side of the printer. Therefore, since the classification has already been completed, the user does not need to perform the classification.
[0036]
As the data items created in advance, data formats such as text, XML, SGML, and HTML can be used in addition to table data.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, by combining formats holding printer information to be printed without changing the arrangement order (format) of one table data, a plurality of formats can be created at once. Is printed on a plurality of printers, so that work efficiency is improved and inconveniences such as forgetting to print are eliminated (claim 1).
[0038]
Also, unlike the conventional case, the format is divided into one page and the second and subsequent pages, and the table data need not be processed and prepared for each page of the format, and the two formats can be changed without processing the table data. In addition, by reusing and combining existing formats, printing on a continuous form can be performed simply and without any trouble (claim 2).
[0039]
Further, it is possible to correctly print table data having different contents on a plurality of forms to be printed each time without any inconvenience and trouble. Furthermore, there is no need to recreate a new template, and various printing can be performed by combining existing formats.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a combination printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a combination setting unit on a screen in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a combination print execution unit on the screen in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of line-by-line printing in a printing format of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of printing of a plurality of lines in a printing format of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of sheet-based printing in the printing format of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a procedure of a combination printing method according to the first embodiment (Claim 1) of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of details of a combination printing method according to a second embodiment (claim 2) of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a detailed output of the combination printing method according to the second embodiment (claim 2).
FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of a procedure of a combination printing method according to the second embodiment (claim 2).
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 ... computer, 11 ... form image,
12: form printing application, 13: table data management software,
14: combination print execution processing unit; 15: association of fields with table data;
16. Format A printer A output,
17. Format B printer B output
18 Format C printer C output,
19: combination file, 20: scanner, 30: printer A,
40 ... Printer B, 50 ... Printer C, 60 ... Network,
19A: Combination file, 30A: Format A print result,
40B: Format print result, 50C: Format C print result.

Claims (5)

Create a print format that holds the position and printing conditions you want to print the data items created in advance,
When the combination of the print format and the printing order are specified, the combination and the printing order are stored in a file,
It is characterized in that one pre-created data item which is not changed is batch-continuously printed in one command in accordance with the conditions of each print format in the combination and printing order stored in the file. Combination printing method. The combination printing method for a form according to claim 1,
The data item created beforehand must be described only once on the first sheet, and a format created from a form that describes a part of the data item in a list. Combine the created formats,
Print the items that must be described only once on the first sheet and the list items that can be described from the beginning of the data items,
A combination printing method for a form, wherein the remaining data items are printed one by one, up to the last data item. Inputting a form image and data items created in advance, associating the fields of the form image with the data items, and printing conditions including a printer for printing in a plurality of different formats, paper settings, and character type settings A form printing application means for creating a format type having a format, a storage medium for storing a combination of a plurality of designated format formats and a printing order thereof, and the data items of the same form having different contents being continuously and collectively transferred each time. A computer comprising: a combination print execution processing unit that issues a command to print to the application unit; and a software unit that manages the data item.
A scanner for inputting a form image to the computer, and
A system for combining and printing on forms, comprising one or more printers connected to the computer directly or via a network. 3. The combination printing method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-created data item is table data. The combination printing system for forms according to claim 3,
A combination printing system, wherein table data is used as the data item created in advance.

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