JP2004240585A - Printing method, printing device, print program and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing method, a printing device, a print program and a storage medium which provide an environment which is operable for a user even at the time of executing a plurality of prints. <P>SOLUTION: An inquiry for the capability of print attributes to a printer driver is made, and the capability of the print attributes acquired from the inquiry is displayed, and predetermined elements designated by a user are stored as display setting data for print setting from the capability of the displayed print attributes of the driver, and the display of the print setting is operated based on the stored display setting data, and the print setting is executed. Thus, the conventional problem wherein the same sheet list is always displayed in the print setting of any service, or since even any unnecessary sheet size is displayed, operability is deteriorated is solved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing method, a printing apparatus, a printing program, and a storage medium for printing digital images, and more particularly, to a host-based digital printing system that provides digital printing services to customers in a store operation. The present invention relates to a printing method, a printing device, a printing program, and a storage medium.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, with the spread of digital cameras, digital output environments using personal computers and printers have been prepared. Lab shops and print shops have taken advantage of the immediacy and versatility unique to digital processing, from simple simultaneous print services to large-scale enlargement, value-added printing using templates, ID photo printing, and business card printing services. Value-added print services are spreading.
[0003]
Digital print services using digital images are expected to increase in the future. For this reason, the minilab store, which used to provide a silver halide photography service, is rapidly changing its business form so that the equipment can be replaced with a digital processing compatible one and a digital print service can be provided.
[0004]
Against this background, a digital image data brought in by a customer is temporarily accepted as order data, order management is performed, and a store operator performs a print job according to the order details of the customer, and performs a workflow based on the order data. There is a digital print system. In such a digital print system, a system using a general-purpose personal computer is often used in terms of introduction cost and expandability. In a system based on a personal computer, a service is realized by installing application software for performing a digital print service on an operating system having a printer driver. Conventionally, when setting up printing using application software, the printer driver displays a special property dialog displayed by the printer driver to make print settings, or queries the printer driver for the capability of any print attribute, and the application sets print settings. A dedicated GUI was created, the capability that was queried was displayed, and displayed in a print setting dialog to make settings.
[0005]
For example, in Microsoft Word 2000 (Microsoft: registered trademark), the paper size list displayed by the paper size setting function ([File]-> [Page Setting]-> [Paper Size] tab) can be selected by the printer driver. Inquiry and display of a suitable paper size. This mechanism is specifically realized by Microsoft Windows (registered trademark) OS Win32 API (Windows (registered trademark)). The user selects an arbitrary sheet from the displayed sheet list. At present, as described above, a method of inquiring information from an application to a printer driver and displaying print attribute information is a general GUI of an application executed on Microsoft Windows (registered trademark) OS.
[0006]
As an example related to the print service, for example, a service item (for example, a printable size) stored in advance as a file separate from the application is displayed on the screen, and the user selects a service item based on the display. A method of ordering a print is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). By managing a file in which a service item is described as a separate file from an application, the service content provided at that time can be easily updated without upgrading the application.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-134400
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in the print setting by the print application for realizing the conventional host-based digital print system, the capability acquired from the printer driver, for example, the paper list information is displayed as it is. Although the operability has been improved from the viewpoint of the GUI embedded in the application instead of the properties of the printer driver, the print application has a plurality of print services, and only a different paper size is provided for each service actually operated. In such a case, the same paper list is always displayed in the print settings of any service.
[0009]
For example, two services of simultaneous printing and large extension are assumed as services. In the simultaneous print service, it is assumed that the L-size and 2L-size and the large-size stretching service are A4 and six-cut size services. In a situation where such a service is provided, if all paper sizes supported by the printer driver are always displayed and set, not only unnecessary paper sizes are displayed, but also the selection operability is deteriorated, A small mistake in the position of the mouse click could cause a mistake in the selection. For this reason, in consideration of a store operation for performing an actual print service, displaying the capabilities of a general-purpose printer driver as it is may not be a operable printing system.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and provides a printing method, a printing apparatus, a printing program, and a storage medium that can provide a user with an environment with good operability even when performing a plurality of printings. The purpose is to provide.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing method for performing printing using the capability of a driver incorporated in a printing apparatus. An inquiry, a display setting step of displaying the capability of the print attribute acquired by the inquiry, and storing a specified element specified as display setting data for print setting from the displayed attribute of the print attribute of the driver; A print setting step of displaying print settings based on the display setting data stored in the display setting step and performing print settings.
[0012]
The printing method according to claim 2 is the printing method according to claim 1, wherein the display setting step stores a plurality of display setting data, and the print setting step corresponds to the stored plurality of display setting data. A plurality of print settings are made.
[0013]
The printing method according to claim 3, wherein in the display setting step, the paper size of the driver is stored as display setting data as the print attribute in the display setting step, and the print setting step includes: The print setting is performed based on the stored paper size display setting data.
[0014]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the printing method according to any one of the first to third aspects, in the display setting step, a paper type of the driver is stored as display setting data as the print attribute, In the print setting step, print setting is performed based on the stored display setting data of the paper type.
[0015]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the printing method according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, in the display setting step, the print quality of the driver is stored as display setting data as the print attribute, In the print setting step, print settings are made based on the stored print quality display setting data.
[0016]
The printing device according to claim 6, wherein in the printing device that performs printing by using the capability of the built-in driver, the printer inquires the driver of the capability of the print attribute, and displays the capability of the print attribute acquired by the inquiry, A display setting unit that saves a predetermined element specified by a user as display setting data for print setting from the capability of the displayed print attribute of the driver, and prints based on the display setting data saved by the display setting unit. Print setting means for displaying settings and making print settings.
[0017]
8. A print program according to claim 7, wherein said print program is used for a printing apparatus that performs printing by utilizing the capability of a built-in driver. A display setting step of displaying a predetermined element specified by a user as display setting data for print setting based on the displayed print attribute capability of the driver; and Displaying the print setting based on the display setting data, and causing the printing apparatus to execute a print setting step of performing the print setting.
[0018]
9. The storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the storage medium stores a print program used for a printing apparatus that performs printing by utilizing the capability of a built-in driver. A display setting capability of displaying the capability of the print attribute acquired by the inquiry, and storing a predetermined element specified by the user as display setting data for print configuration from the displayed capability of the print attribute of the driver. And displaying the print setting based on the display setting data stored in the display setting step, and causing the printing apparatus to execute a print setting step of performing the print setting.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing system to which the printing method of the present invention is applied.
[0021]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a printer driver registered in the host, and indicates, for example, that a plurality of drivers from driver 1 to driver D are registered. Reference numeral 102 denotes a logical printer displayed on the GUI, and indicates that a plurality of printers from printer 1 to printer P are registered. One logical printer 102 is associated with one printer driver 101. For example, it is possible to associate the logical printers 1b and 3b with the printer driver 1a. That is, one printer driver can be associated with a plurality of logical printers. The function of associating the logical printer with the printer driver is provided by an operating system that manages the printer driver and the logical printer. Reference numeral 103 denotes a display setting unit for setting the print capability display of the logical printer for each of the services 1c to Sc. One service is associated with one logical printer, and this association is performed by the print application. Reference numeral 104 denotes display setting data for each service stored by the display setting unit 103. A print setting unit 105 reads the display setting data 104 stored for each service and performs print settings for each service.
[0022]
The optional service Sc in the display setting unit 103, the setting data of the optional service Sc in the display setting data 104, and the optional service Sc in the print setting unit 105 are all the same service Sc.
[0023]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a printing system that implements the printing method of the present invention.
[0024]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 201 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) for calculation and control. Reference numeral 202 denotes a ROM in which service applications such as order management, image input, image data editing, layout editing, and simultaneous printing, and a program for print drawing are stored. Reference numeral 203 denotes a service application for order management, image input, image data editing, layout editing, and simultaneous printing, or an execution area where a program is loaded when a print drawing program is executed, and a work area of the program. Is a RAM secured. Reference numeral 204 denotes a keyboard having keys for an operator to perform operations and data input. Reference numeral 205 denotes a pointing device such as a mouse for instructing an operation by clicking an instruction icon displayed on the display 206 or moving a cursor. Reference numeral 207 denotes a storage device (hard disk (HD)) that stores order management data, image data, layout editing data, programs, print spool data and display setting data 104, and a printer driver in FIG. The display 206 may be a touch panel.
[0025]
Reference numeral 208 denotes a removable medium such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk or a magneto-optical disk (MO) in which data exchange with an external image processing apparatus and image data and programs are stored. Reference numeral 209 denotes a printing device (printer), and reference numeral 210 denotes a digital image input device such as a film scanner or a digital camera for inputting a digital image. Reference numeral 211 denotes a bus that interconnects devices in the printing system.
[0026]
Note that the display setting unit 103 and the print setting unit 105 in FIG. 1 include a CPU 201, a RAM 203, an HD 207, and a display 206.
[0027]
The function of associating the printer driver and the logical printer is provided by the OS. For example, in the case of Windows (registered trademark) 2000, [Start]->[Settings]-> [Printer] folder window and its window menu [File]-> [Server Properties]-> [Driver], the function of which is performed. Can be confirmed. The printer displayed in the printer folder is a logical printer, and the OS manages the association of [driver] which printer driver is used by this logical printer.
[0028]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a display setting process executed by the display setting unit 103 in FIG.
[0029]
When the user starts the display setting, the display setting unit 103 acquires a capability list of an arbitrary print attribute from the printer driver (step S301). The print attributes include the paper size and paper type. The user sets display items based on the capability list acquired by the display setting unit 103 (step S302). Specific examples of the GUI for setting display items are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 described later. The display information set by the user in step S302 is stored in the storage device 207 as data (step 303), and the display setting process ends.
[0030]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a dialog for performing display settings for each service.
[0031]
The dialog shown in the figure shows that the service is simultaneous printing (401), and the logical printer 102 is set as Printer A (402). The dialog display setting includes a paper size button 403 for setting a specific paper size and a paper type button 404 for setting a specific paper type.
[0032]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a paper size display setting dialog displayed on the display 206 when the paper size button 403 in FIG. 4 is pressed.
[0033]
The paper size display setting dialog shown in FIG. 10 is an example when the service setting is simultaneous printing and the printer setting is PrinterA (501).
[0034]
The paper size display setting dialogue can be arbitrarily selected from the paper size list 502 held by the printer driver acquired in step S301, the paper size list 503 to be displayed in the print setting unit 105, and the printer paper size 502. An add button 504 having a function of adding the specified paper size to the paper size list 503 displayed in the print settings, and a delete button 505 for deleting an arbitrary paper size from the list 503 are provided.
[0035]
When an arbitrary paper size is selected from the paper size list 502 held by the printer driver and the add button 504 is pressed, the selected paper is displayed in the list 503 and is deleted from the list 502. On the other hand, when an arbitrary paper size in the list 503 is selected and the delete button 505 is pressed, the selected paper is displayed in the list 502 and is deleted from the list 503.
[0036]
The paper size display setting dialog is further displayed in the list 503, a “close” button 506 for saving the settings of the lists 502 and 503 and closing the dialog, a “reset” button 507 for resetting the settings to the initial state. An “up” button 508 and a “down” button 509 are buttons for designating the display order of items to be displayed. The initial state is, for example, a state where there is no arbitrary paper size displayed in the list 503 or a state where all paper sizes held by the printer driver are displayed in the list 502.
[0037]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of data elements constituting the display setting data 104 in FIG.
[0038]
The display setting data 104 includes a service name 601, a logical printer name 602, and print attributes 603 and 604.
[0039]
In the figure, the service name 601 is simultaneous printing, the logical printer name 602 is PrinterA, the print attribute 603 is paper size, and the number of items indicating the number of items set for display in paper size is “2”. Specifically, the L size and the 2L size are displayed and set, the print attribute 604 is the paper type, and the number of items indicating the number of items set to be displayed in the paper type is “1”. In general, glossy paper is set for display.
[0040]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the print setting unit 105 in FIG.
[0041]
When the print setting process starts, the display setting data 104 shown in FIG. 6 stored by the display setting unit 103 is acquired (step S701). The print setting is displayed based on the acquired display setting data, the setting is performed by the operator (step S702), and the print setting process ends.
[0042]
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of settings when display settings are made for a plurality of logical printers and a plurality of services.
[0043]
Reference numeral 801 denotes the paper size capability of the Printer A printer driver, where Printer A is L size, 2L size, KG, A4, 6 off, L size without border, 2L size without border, KG without border, A4 without border, and 6 off. Indicates that printing can be performed on borderless size paper.
[0044]
Similarly, reference numeral 802 denotes the paper size capability of the PrinterB printer driver, and indicates that PrinterB can print on L-size, L-size borderless, and CD-size paper. Reference numeral 803 indicates the paper size capability of the PrinterC printer driver, and indicates that PrinterC can print on paper of A4, A3, and A2 sizes.
[0045]
In each logical printer having such a configuration, reference numeral 804 indicates that the logical printer = Printer A is set to print on paper of L-size borderless and 2L-size borderless sizes as a simultaneous print service. Reference numeral 805 indicates that display is set so that the logical printer = PrinterC prints on sheets of A3 and A2 size as a large extension service, and reference numeral 806 denotes an index service where the logical printer = PrinterB has a CD size. Indicates that display is set to be printed on paper. This setting example is an example of a certain store, and there are of course other combinations in other stores. Further, in the present embodiment, the display setting example of the paper size has been described, but the display setting of the capability of an arbitrary print attribute that can be obtained from the printer driver may be performed.
[0046]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the printer driver is inquired of the print attribute capability, the capability of the print attribute acquired by this inquiry is displayed, and the driver's print attribute capability is displayed. A predetermined element specified by the user is stored as display setting data for print setting, and the print setting is displayed based on the stored display setting data, and the print setting is performed. It is possible to solve the problem that the same paper list is always displayed in the print settings of any of the services and that the unnecessary paper size is displayed and the operability is deteriorated. That is, even when performing a plurality of printings, it is possible to provide a user with an environment with good operability. In particular, in a store that provides a digital print service, routine work can be performed with good operability. When a plurality of services are performed, the paper size can be designated for each service, so that operability is improved.
[0047]
The present invention achieves the object of the present invention also by supplying a computer or CPU with a software program that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and reading and executing the supplied program. Needless to say.
[0048]
In this case, the program is supplied by being downloaded directly from a recording medium storing the program (not shown) or from another computer or database (not shown) connected to the Internet, a commercial network, a local area network, or the like. Is done.
[0049]
Further, the program only needs to be able to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments by a computer, and the form includes object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to an OS, and the like. May be.
[0050]
Still further, the object of the present invention is also achieved by supplying a computer with a recording medium storing a software program for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments, and reading and executing the program stored in the recording medium. It goes without saying that this is achieved.
[0051]
As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, RAM, NV-RAM, floppy (registered trademark) disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, MO, CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD + RW), magnetic tape, non-volatile memory card, and other ROMs can be used as long as they can store the program.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the printing method of the first aspect, the driver is inquired of the print attribute capability, the print attribute capability acquired by the inquiry is displayed, and the displayed driver's capability is displayed. From the capability of the print attribute, a predetermined element specified by the user is stored as display setting data for print setting, and the print setting is displayed based on the stored display setting data, and the print setting is performed. As in the related art, it is possible to solve the problem that the same paper list is always displayed in the print setting of any service, and that the unnecessary paper size is displayed and the operability is deteriorated. That is, even when performing a plurality of printings, it is possible to provide a user with an environment with good operability. In particular, in a store that provides a digital print service, routine work can be performed with good operability. When a plurality of services are performed, the paper size can be designated for each service, so that operability is improved.
[0053]
According to the printing method of the third aspect, the operability of setting the paper size is improved.
[0054]
According to the printing method of the fourth aspect, there is an effect that the operability of setting the paper type is improved.
[0055]
According to the printing method of the fifth aspect, the operability of setting the print quality is improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing system to which a printing method according to the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a printing system that implements the printing method of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a display setting process executed by a display setting unit 103 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a dialog for performing display settings for each service.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a paper size display setting dialog displayed on a display 206 when a paper size button 403 in FIG. 4 is pressed.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a data element constituting display setting data 104 in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed by a print setting unit 105 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of settings when display settings are made for a plurality of logical printers and a plurality of services.
[Explanation of symbols]
101 printer driver 102 logical printer 103 display setting unit 104 display setting data 105 print setting unit 201 CPU
202 ROM
203 RAM
204 Keyboard 205 Pointing device 207 Hard disk (HD)
209 Printer

Claims (8)

In a printing method for performing printing by using a capability of a driver incorporated in a printing apparatus,
Inquires the driver of the print attribute capability, displays the print attribute capability obtained by this inquiry, and displays a predetermined element specified by the user from the displayed driver attribute display setting for print setting. A display setting step to save as data,
A print setting step of displaying print settings based on the display setting data stored in the display setting step and performing print settings. The printing method according to claim 1, wherein the display setting step stores a plurality of display setting data, and the print setting step performs a plurality of print settings corresponding to the stored plurality of display setting data. . In the display setting step, the paper size of the driver is stored as display setting data as the print attribute, and in the print setting step, print setting is performed based on the stored paper size display setting data. Item 3. The printing method according to Item 1 or 2. In the display setting step, the paper type of the driver is stored as display setting data as the print attribute, and in the print setting step, print setting is performed based on the stored paper type display setting data. The printing method according to claim 1. In the display setting step, print quality of the driver is stored as display setting data as the print attribute, and in the print setting step, print setting is performed based on the stored print quality display setting data. The printing method according to claim 1. In a printing apparatus that performs printing using the capability of a built-in driver, the printer inquires the driver of the capability of the print attribute, displays the capability of the print attribute acquired by the inquiry, and displays the capability of the displayed print attribute of the driver. A display setting unit for storing a predetermined element specified by the user as display setting data for print setting, and displaying the print setting based on the display setting data stored by the display setting unit, and performing print setting. A printing apparatus comprising: a print setting unit. In a printing program used for a printing apparatus that performs printing by using the capability of a built-in driver, the printer inquires the driver of the capability of the print attribute, displays the capability of the print attribute acquired by the inquiry, and displays the displayed A display setting step of saving a predetermined element specified by a user as display setting data for print setting from the capability of the print attribute of the driver; and displaying the print setting based on the display setting data saved in the display setting step. And a print setting step of performing the print setting. In a storage medium storing a printing program used in a printing apparatus that performs printing using the capability of a built-in driver,
The printing program inquires the driver of the printing attribute capability, displays the printing attribute capability obtained by the inquiry, and prints a predetermined element specified by the user from the displayed driver printing attribute capability. Causing the printing apparatus to execute a display setting step of saving as display setting data for setting, and a print setting step of displaying print settings based on the display setting data saved in the display setting step and performing print settings. A storage medium characterized by the above-mentioned.

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