JP2004192394A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform a simple display and a normal display respective objects in plotting data or omit the display by arbitrarily changing a preview display state by objects on the basis of the attribute of plotting data which is selected by a user. <P>SOLUTION: After selecting the attribute of plotting data to be displayed as a preview on a display device 209 by a display method selection part 205 and instructing a preview display method of the selected attribute by an attribute specification part 204, plotting data of an attribute coincident with the attribute selected from the inputted plotting data are extracted by a plotting data selection extraction part 206 and the extracted plotting data are displayed as a preview on the display device 209 in accordance with the specified preview display method. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to drawing control of an information processing device that performs a drawing process based on input drawing data and performs a preview display on a display device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Recently, a printer driver installed in a data processing apparatus uses a technique called “preview” in which data to be printed from an application is visually displayed on a screen prior to printing. The advantage is that even if the application does not have a preview display function, the screen display can be performed by the preview display function on the printer driver side.
[0003]
On the other hand, a printer driver is a graphic that is a part of the function of an OS on a host computer (PC) provided with an operating system (OS) represented by, for example, Windows (registered trademark) 98 (trade name) of Microsoft Corporation. Receive print data through a device interface (GDI: Graphc Device Interface).
[0004]
At this time, the received data is classified into drawing commands such as characters, images, and graphics. Also, the printer driver performs optimal color processing (for example, color matching, color correction) or the like on the received drawing command, or performs optimal binarization processing and finally transmits raster data to the printer. It is.
[0005]
Note that the above-described color processing contents and binarization processing are configured so that the user can specify processing settings of the printer driver through a user interface screen displayed on a monitor.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional example, the type of a drawing command such as a character, an image, or graphics is finally determined at the time of being passed from the GDI to the printer driver, and the user can display the data content of the application on the monitor screen. Observation does not make it the final drawing command.
[0007]
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a pattern created by application software of this type of information processing apparatus.
[0008]
For example, when printing a rectangle on which a pattern as shown in FIG. 11 is applied, the user receives either of the following drawing commands (1) and (2) at the time of passing from the GDI to the printer driver. There was a problem that I do not know whether it is.
[0009]
(1) Image
(2) Graphics, that is, rectangle fill
On the other hand, as described above, the printer driver performs optimal color processing, binarization processing, and the like on the drawing object and transmits the raster data to the printer. Then, in the case as shown in FIG. 11, if the user does not look at the print result by hand, it is difficult to know whether the optimum process has been performed as an image or the optimum process as graphics. was there.
[0010]
Therefore, even if the user sets the color processing and the binarization processing for each object in advance in the processing settings of the printer driver, a printed material as expected cannot be obtained, and waste of printing paper, ink, etc. occurs. Would.
[0011]
Furthermore, even if the preview function on the printer driver side is used for printing, since the binarization process is not performed on the preview screen, either of the above (1) and (2) is required for the user. There remains a problem that it is not known whether a drawing command is passed as an object to the printer driver and is being processed.
[0012]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide an information processing apparatus that performs a drawing process based on input drawing data and performs a preview display on a display device. After selecting an attribute of the drawing data to be preview-displayed and instructing a preview display method of the selected attribute, extracting drawing data of an attribute matching the selected attribute from the input drawing data, By previewing the rendered drawing data on the display device according to the instructed preview display method, the preview display state can be freely changed for each object based on the attribute of the drawing data selected by the user. Simple display of each object, normal display or omission of display, and the drawing state of each object Is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of constructing an excellent preview display processing environment convenience capable of easily check the preview display method is over The specified freely.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The data processing device of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.
[0014]
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that performs a drawing process based on input drawing data and performs a preview display on a display device, and a selection unit for selecting an attribute of the drawing data to be preview-displayed on the display device ( For example, a display method selection unit 205 shown in FIG. 2, an instruction unit (for example, an attribute specification unit 204 shown in FIG. 2) for instructing a preview display method of the attribute selected by the selection unit, Extraction means (for example, a drawing data selection / extraction unit 206 shown in FIG. 2) for extracting drawing data having an attribute that matches the attribute selected by the selection means, and the drawing data extracted by the extraction means are designated by the instruction means. Preview control means (e.g., the data processing unit 207 shown in FIG. And having a display control unit 208).
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing apparatus (host computer) according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0017]
In FIG. 1, a host computer 100 is connected to a printer 105 such as an ink jet printer and a monitor 106 of a CRT or LCD.
[0018]
In the host computer 100, reference numeral 101 denotes application software such as a word processor, a spreadsheet, or an Internet browser, which is stored in a hard disk described later.
[0019]
Reference numeral 102 denotes an operating system (OS), which is stored in a hard disk described later, is read into a RAM described later when the power is turned on, becomes executable, and starts its operation. The operating system (OS) 102 passes various rendering processing commands (image rendering command, character rendering command, and graphics rendering command) indicating an output image issued from the application software 101 to a monitor driver, which will be described later, and performs printing. Are given to the printer driver, which will be described later.
[0020]
Reference numeral 103 denotes a printer driver which receives print data from the application software 101 as a drawing command group via an operating system (OS) 102 and performs optimal color processing (for example, color matching and color correction processing). This is software that performs optimal binarization processing and sends it to the printer 105.
[0021]
Reference numeral 104 denotes a monitor driver, which is software that receives display data as a drawing command group via the operating system (OS) 102 and displays an image on the monitor 106.
[0022]
The above-described color processing (for example, color matching, color correction processing) and binarization processing are performed by the color matching module 111 on a drawing command group from the operating system (OS) 102, for example.
[0023]
Further, the host computer 100 includes hardware such as a hard disk (HD) 107, a CPU 108, a RAM 109, and a ROM 110 in order to store and function the above-described software.
[0024]
A commonly used IBM AT-compatible personal computer is used as the host computer 100 shown in FIG. 1, and Windows 98 (trade name) of Microsoft Corporation is used as the operating system (OS) 102. May be.
[0025]
Further, a configuration in which arbitrary application software having a printing function is installed in such a personal computer and the printer 105 and the monitor 106 are connected may be adopted.
[0026]
In the above-described host computer 100, based on the image displayed on the monitor 106, the user classifies the data into character data classified by the application software 101, graphics data such as circles, straight lines, and polygons, and photographic images. Output image data is created using the image data to be output. When printing of an image based on output image data is designated, the application software 101 issues a print output request to the operating system (OS) 102, and the character data portion is a character drawing command, and the graphics data portion is graphics drawing. The command and the image data portion are composed of an image drawing command, and issue a drawing command group to the operating system (OS) 102.
[0027]
When receiving a print output request from the application software 101, the operating system (OS) 102 passes a drawing command group to a printer driver 103 corresponding to the connected printer 105. The printer driver 103 processes a print output request and a drawing command group passed from the operating system (OS) 102, and temporarily stores data as spool data on the hard disk 107.
Thereafter, the spool data is taken out (despooled), and the drawing data is sent to the monitor driver 104 through the operating system (OS) 102, whereby the image created by the application is displayed on the monitor 106 as a preview.
[0028]
The printer driver 103 creates print data that can be printed by the printer 105, and sends the print data to the printer 105.
[0029]
For example, if the printer 105 is a raster type printer, the printer driver 103 sequentially rasterizes the drawing command group into, for example, a band memory having a depth of 24 bits for each of RGB.
[0030]
Next, after rasterizing all drawing commands, the contents of the page memory are converted into a data format printable by the printer 105, for example, CMYK data, and sent to the printer 105. The band memory may be assigned to the RAM 109, for example.
[0031]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a preview display function in the printer driver 103 shown in FIG.
[0032]
In FIG. 2, when a print output request is received, drawing data is passed to the data receiving unit 201 of the printer driver 103. The received drawing data is temporarily stored and stored in the storage device 203 by the storage control unit 202. This storage device 203 uses a hard disk (HD 107 in FIG. 1) as a representative one. 209 is a display device.
[0033]
In addition, the storage control unit 202 stores and stores in the storage device 203 an attribute indicating whether the drawing data is character data, graphics data, or image data.
[0034]
Reference numeral 210 denotes a color processing unit which performs predetermined color processing according to an instruction from the data processing unit 207. Reference numeral 211 denotes a binarization processing unit that performs a predetermined binarization process in accordance with an instruction from the data processing unit 207. Reference numeral 212 denotes a printer.
[0035]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of page data created by the application software 101 shown in FIG.
[0036]
In the case of printing a page as shown in FIG. 3, the drawing data of the portion 301 is image data, the drawing data of the portion 302 is character data, and the drawing data of the portions 303 and 304 is data as graphics data. Since the data is passed to the receiving unit 201, the attribute indicating any one of the character, graphics, and image data of each drawing data is stored in the storage device 203.
[0037]
When a page as shown in FIG. 11 is printed, the page may be transferred to the data receiving unit 201 of the printer driver 103 as image data or as graphics data.
[0038]
This is because the application software 101 and the operating system (OS) 102 depend on what rendering command describes a page as shown in FIG. One application may treat it as graphics data and another application may treat it as image data.
[0039]
In such a case, the user cannot know what data has been passed to the data receiving unit 201.
[0040]
On the other hand, the user can instruct and input a preview display method for each attribute of characters, graphics, and images by the attribute-based display method selection unit 205. In this method of inputting an instruction, a dialog screen of an instruction for selection is displayed on the monitor 106 shown in FIG. This corresponds to the function of the attribute specifying unit 204 in FIG. The attribute designation unit 204 instructs the drawing data selection / extraction unit 206 to designate an attribute.
[0041]
FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of a preview display method selection screen for each attribute displayed as a dialog box on the monitor 106 shown in FIG.
[0042]
In FIG. 4, reference numerals 601 to 603 denote radio buttons, which are exclusive selection buttons. The radio buttons 601 to 603 indicate that a simple preview display is instructed for character attributes and a fine preview display is instructed for graphics attributes and image attributes. As a result, the user can exclusively select and instruct how to perform preview display for each attribute of characters, graphics, and images by using the radio buttons 601 to 603 on the dialog screen. At present, from the selection instruction state of the radio buttons 601 to 603, the preview display method is a state in which characters are simple and graphics and images are selected to be fine.
[0043]
For this reason, at the time of preview display, character data is simply preview-displayed, and graphics and image data are normally preview-displayed.
[0044]
Note that the above-described attribute selection is performed before the user instructs printing from the application software 101, and after displaying a preview, it is also possible to select and input another type of drawing data to be further displayed as a preview as an attribute. It is.
[0045]
After previewing all the drawing data, attribute selection may be performed, or preview display and attribute selection may be repeatedly performed.
[0046]
Here, returning to FIG. 2, the data (spool data) stored in the storage device 203 is extracted by the drawing data selection / extraction unit 206.
[0047]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the spool data stored in the storage device 203 shown in FIG.
[0048]
As shown in FIG. 5, the spool data is composed of drawing data attribute tags (for example, types of characters, graphics, and images) 501 and drawing information (for example, color information, size information, and position information) 502. I have. Here, data having an attribute designated as “not displayed” in the attribute-specific display method selection unit 205 is not extracted because it is not preview-displayed.
[0049]
In the information processing apparatus configured as shown in FIG. 1 as described above, for example, a band memory (secured on the RAM 109) for rendering each object created by the application software 101 in a multi-valued manner and a 1-bit A flag dedicated band memory (for example, secured on the RAM 109), the CPU 108 determines the type of the object, updates the content of the flag dedicated band memory, refers to the flag content of the flag dedicated band memory, As a result of the reference, by changing the binarization processing of the multi-valued object expanded in the band memory, the binarization processing for each object of the document in which images and non-images are mixed is easily performed and output. In this case, the quality can be improved.
[0050]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a data processing procedure in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, and corresponds to a preview display processing procedure of drawing data by the display control unit 208 or the like illustrated in FIG. In addition, S701 to S705 indicate each step.
[0051]
First, in step S701, the drawing data selection / extraction unit 206 reads the spool file stored in the storage device 203, and determines whether or not it is the end of the file (whether there is no more data to be read). If so, the process ends without performing the subsequent processes.
[0052]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S701 that data exists, the flow advances to step S702 to read spool data. As shown in FIG. 5, the content of the read data has a tag 501 for classifying any of character data, graphics data, and image data. In step S703, the tag 501 is checked to determine the attribute. In order to perform a preview display process according to the display method designated by another display method selection unit 205, it is determined whether or not the simple preview is designated, and the attribute-specific display method selection unit 205 shown in FIG. If it is determined that the simple display is instructed in step S704, the process proceeds to step S704. If it is determined in the attribute-specific display method selection unit 205 that the fine display (normal non-simple display) is instructed, step S705 is performed. Proceed to. Then, the process returns to step S701 to read the continuation of the spool data.
[0053]
In steps S704 and S705, the data processing unit 207 and the display control unit 208 perform processing for previewing the drawing data.
[0054]
Specifically, a drawing command is called for a device context (DC) of the screen based on the drawing information. This mechanism is equivalent to the printer driver 103 calling a drawing function prepared by the GDI attached to the operating system (OS) 102.
[0055]
As a result, the drawing data is transferred from the printer driver 103 to the monitor driver 104 via the operating system (OS) 102, and is preview-displayed on the monitor 106.
[0056]
Therefore, in the simple preview display process in step S704, when the data of the character attribute is displayed in a simple preview, a rectangle corresponding to the vertical and horizontal size of the character is used as the simple display of the character.
[0057]
When the data of the image attribute is displayed in a simplified preview, a filled rectangle corresponding to the vertical and horizontal sizes of the image is used as the simplified display of the image.
[0058]
Further, when displaying a simplified preview of graphics, a polygonal line is simply displayed as a straight line connecting a start point and an end point, and the thickness of the line is ignored.
[0059]
Note that such simple processing is faster than normal display processing.
[0060]
By performing the above processing, a preview is displayed according to the preview display method instructed by the user for each attribute. For example, when the user previously designates the character data as the simple preview in the attribute-based display method selection unit 205 in FIG. 6 and previews the page as shown in FIG. 3, the monitor 106 displays as shown in FIG. The character data is simply represented by a rectangle.
[0061]
FIGS. 7 to 9 are views for explaining an example of a preview display displayed on the monitor 106 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 shows an example in which character data 802 is designated as a simple preview and a page as shown in FIG. FIG. 8 corresponds to a case where the character data is not displayed as a preview display and the image 801 and the graphics 804 are selected as the fine display, and FIG. The character data 802 and the graphics 803 and 804 correspond to a case where the preview display is normally selected.
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S703 that the simple preview display is not to be performed, fine processing is performed in step S705, and the process returns to step S701.
[0062]
When the display method selection unit 205 for each attribute specifies that the character data is not to be preview-displayed and selects the image and the graphics for the fine display, the image data 801 and the graphics data are displayed as shown in FIG. The previews 803 and 804 are displayed.
[0063]
Further, when the image data is designated as the simple display and the character and the graphics are selected as the fine display in the attribute-based display method selection unit 205, the display is as shown in FIG. 9, and the image 801 is simplified and displayed. The character 802 and the graphics 803 and 804 are normally displayed as a preview.
[0064]
In the case of the fine display, optimal color processing (for example, color matching and color correction processing) is performed on the drawing command received by the color processing unit 210, and optimal binarization processing is performed by the binarization processing unit 211. , And printing is finally performed by the printer 212.
[0065]
In the case of the simplified display, the color processing may be simplified.
[0066]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the user instructs in advance the preview display method of drawing data to be preview-displayed for each attribute, and determines the attribute of the drawing data passed from the application before printing. Thus, the user can make a determination by checking on the preview-displayed screen.
[0067]
In contrast to displaying all the drawing records, if the user instructs not to display or display simply, the processing is simplified or skipped, and only partial drawing data is processed. Can be previewed.
[0068]
In the above embodiment, the case where the user selects the preview display method on the dialog screen shown in FIG. 4 has been described. However, a table for associating the selection instruction with the application is provided, and the processing is performed when drawing data from the application is processed. , The selection operation by the user may be controlled to be automated.
[0069]
Hereinafter, the configuration of a data processing program readable by the information processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to a memory map shown in FIG.
[0070]
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by the information processing device according to the present invention.
[0071]
Although not shown, information for managing a group of programs stored in the storage medium, for example, version information, a creator, and the like are also stored, and information dependent on the OS or the like on the program reading side, for example, a program is identified and displayed. Icons and the like may also be stored.
[0072]
Further, data dependent on various programs is also managed in the directory. In addition, a program for installing various programs on a computer or a program for decompressing a program to be installed when the program to be installed is compressed may be stored.
[0073]
The functions shown in FIG. 6 in this embodiment may be performed by a host computer by a program installed from the outside. In this case, the present invention is applied even when a group of information including a program is supplied to the output device from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or an FD, or from an external storage medium via a network. Things.
[0074]
As described above, the storage medium storing the program codes of the software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or the apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or the apparatus stores the storage medium in the storage medium. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention is also achieved by reading and executing the program code thus obtained.
[0075]
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.
[0076]
As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, EEPROM, or the like may be used. it can.
[0077]
When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a part or all of the actual processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0078]
Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided on a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.
[0079]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications (including organic combinations of the embodiments) are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and those are excluded from the scope of the present invention. is not.
[0080]
Although various examples and embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will recognize that the spirit and scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific description herein, but rather includes the following embodiments. Needless to say, this is also included. Hereinafter, Embodiments 1 to 9 will be described.
[0081]
[Embodiment 1]
An information processing apparatus that performs a drawing process based on input drawing data and performs a preview display on a display device, and a selection unit (for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2) for selecting an attribute of the drawing data to be preview-displayed on the display device. Display method selecting unit 205), instructing means for instructing a preview display method of the attribute selected by the selecting unit (for example, attribute specifying unit 204 shown in FIG. 2), and selecting from input drawing data by the selecting unit Extracting means (for example, a drawing data selection / extraction unit 206 shown in FIG. 2) for extracting drawing data having an attribute that matches the extracted attribute, and a preview display method in which the drawing data extracted by the extracting means is instructed by the instructing means (For example, the data processing unit 207 shown in FIG. 2 and the display control unit). 208) and the information processing apparatus characterized by having a.
[0082]
[Embodiment 2]
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drawing data is input from an application to a printer driver, is subjected to drawing processing by the printer driver, and is displayed as a preview.
[0083]
[Embodiment 3]
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selection of the display method is performed before a user instructs printing from an application.
[0084]
[Embodiment 4]
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selection of the display method is performed before a user instructs a preview display.
[0085]
[Embodiment 5]
The information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment, wherein the selection of the display method is performed when all the drawing data are preview-displayed.
[0086]
[Embodiment 6]
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selection of the display method is repeatedly performed.
[0087]
[Embodiment 7]
A display method of an information processing apparatus for performing a drawing process based on input drawing data and performing a preview display on a display device, wherein a selection step for selecting an attribute of the drawing data to be preview-displayed on the display device (see FIG. No), an instruction step (not shown) for instructing a method of displaying a preview of the attribute selected in the selection step, and drawing data of an attribute matching the attribute selected in the selection step from the input drawing data. Extracting step (not shown), and a preview controlling step of previewing the drawing data extracted by the extracting step on the display device according to the preview display method instructed by the instructing step (steps S703 to S705 shown in FIG. 6). Display of an information processing apparatus characterized by having: Law.
[0088]
[Embodiment 8]
A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the display method of the information processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment.
[0089]
[Embodiment 9]
A program for realizing the display method of the information processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment.
[0090]
As described above, according to each embodiment, based on the attribute of the drawing data selected by the user, it is possible to omit the simplified display or the normal display or the display of the data on the screen preview-displayed by the printer driver, You can easily check.
[0091]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in an information processing apparatus that performs a drawing process based on input drawing data and performs a preview display on a display device, an attribute of the drawing data to be preview-displayed on the display device is selected. After instructing a method of displaying a preview of the selected attribute, extracting drawing data of an attribute matching the selected attribute from the input drawing data, and extracting the extracted drawing data in accordance with the instructed preview display method. Since the preview is displayed on the display device, the state of preview display for each object can be freely changed based on the attribute of the drawing data selected by the user, and each object in the drawing data can be displayed in a simplified manner, or can be displayed in a normal or displayed state. You can easily omit the drawing state of each object using the preview display method specified by the user There is an effect that excellent preview display processing environment convenience capable of confirming can be constructed freely.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing apparatus (host computer) according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a preview display function in the printer driver shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of page data created by the application software shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of a preview display method selection screen for each attribute displayed as a dialog box on the monitor shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of spool data stored in the storage device illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a data processing procedure in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a preview display displayed on the monitor shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a preview display example displayed on the monitor shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a preview display example displayed on the monitor shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by the information processing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a pattern created by application software of this type of information processing apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
103 Printer Driver
104 monitor driver
105 Printer
106 monitor

Claims (1)

An information processing device that performs a drawing process based on input drawing data and performs a preview display on a display device,
Selecting means for selecting an attribute of drawing data to be preview-displayed on the display device;
Instruction means for instructing a method of preview display of the attribute selected by the selection means;
Extracting means for extracting, from the input drawing data, drawing data having an attribute matching the attribute selected by the selecting means;
Preview control means for preview-displaying the drawing data extracted by the extraction means on the display device according to a preview display method instructed by the instruction means;
An information processing apparatus comprising:

Images