JP2005049995A - Printing system, printing control method, form output server, server control method, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print system, capable of extracting only a page(s) which includes fields matching a predetermined search condition from among the page data being stored on a page-by-page basis in a form preservation file of a form output server, and of printing the extracted pages with an added indication to make it possible to identify that the printed matter is extracted from an original. <P>SOLUTION: The print system includes a Web print server 120, a form output server 140, a client terminal 130, and a print device 150 which are interconnected via communication lines. An extraction condition, which specifies a condition of data to be extracted from the form preservation file storing the form file, is input from the client terminal 130. The form output server 140 reconfigures an extracted form preservation file using only the pages matching the extraction condition, from a form file 147 included in the form preservation file (143). In each page data included in the extracted form preservation file, the indication showing the page(s) is extracted from the original is included. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing system including a printing apparatus, a client terminal, a web print server, and a form output server, a print control method for controlling the print system, a form output server constituting the print system, a server control method therefor, and BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program for realizing a print control method or a server control method and a storage medium storing the program, and in particular, for example, a printing system connected to each other via a communication line such as the Internet. The present invention relates to a printing server and a form output server.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There is known a printer that accumulates form data in a nonvolatile storage means or the like and performs form overlay processing using the form data. Further, in the client server system, the form data for printing is distributed to each client, the form data for printing and the print data are superimposed on each client PC, so-called form overlay processing is performed from the printer. Printing methods are widely adopted. This form overlay processing is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-39767.
[0003]
These form overlay processes have the advantage that printing form information can be easily changed and managed, and if printing form information is not changed during printing, printing can be performed by exchanging only print data.
[0004]
Furthermore, recently, in response to a print request from a client, the web print server distributes the form storage file generated from the form data and print data to the form output server, and once the form storage file is saved by the form output server, There has been proposed a printing system capable of storing and managing a form image by distributing it from an output server to a printing apparatus.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2003-39767 A
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above technique, when only the corresponding page of the form storage file that the user needs is printed from the form storage file stored in the form output server, it is determined that the printed matter is extracted from the original. I couldn't. In other words, even if only a few pages are extracted from a form storage file with several hundred pages, the page number is newly assigned as a serial number, so that it cannot be distinguished from the new form storage file. Thus, if it cannot be distinguished from a new form storage file, there is a problem that it is difficult to distinguish between a page extracted from the original or an improperly printed page. In other words, when the extracted pages are printed with serial numbers, the originality may be questioned, which is particularly problematic when the originality is emphasized.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and includes a field that matches a predetermined search condition from page data stored in units of pages from a form storage file stored in a form output server. A printing system that can print only a page and display it so that it can be determined that it is a printed material extracted from the original (for example, the page can be extracted with the original page number as it is) The present invention provides a form output server that is a component of the printing system, a printing control method for controlling the printing system, a program for executing the printing control method, and a recording medium storing the program.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a printing system according to the present invention is a printing system in which a web print server, a form output server, a client terminal, and a printing apparatus are connected to each other via a communication line, and the client terminal includes: , Input means for inputting an extraction condition that is a condition of data to be extracted from the form storage data in which the form data is stored, and the form output server, from the form data included in the form storage data, It has a page reconstruction means for reconstructing the extracted form storage data using pages that match the extraction conditions, and each page data included in the extracted form storage data includes a page extracted from the original. Is displayed.
[0009]
A form output server according to the present invention is a form output server that is connected to a web print server, a client terminal, and a printing apparatus via a communication line, and constitutes a printing system, and the form data input from the client terminal. Extraction condition acquisition means for acquiring an extraction condition that is a condition of data to be extracted from the form storage data stored, and a page that matches the extraction condition from the form data included in the form storage data , Having page restructuring means for reconstructing the extracted form storage file, each page data included in the extracted form storage data includes a display indicating that the page is extracted from the original Like that.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
First, a printing system which is a premise of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0012]
In FIG. 1, an application server 110, a web print server 120, a client terminal 130, a form output server 140, and a printing apparatus 150 are connected to each other via a communication line 100.
[0013]
The communication line 100 is, for example, a LAN such as the Internet or an intranet, a WAN, a telephone line, a dedicated digital line, an ATM, a frame relay line, a communication satellite line, a cable TV line, a data broadcasting wireless line, or a combination thereof. This is a so-called communication network realized by. The communication line 100 only needs to be able to transmit and receive data. The communication means from the client terminal 130 to the application server 110, the communication means from the application server 110 to the web print server 120, and the form output server 140 from the web print server 120. The communication means for communicating with the printing apparatus 150 from the form output server 140 may be different.
[0014]
The application server 110 includes a PC server or a UNIX (registered trademark) server, and includes a communication unit (not shown). The application server 110 is connected to an external storage device such as a hard disk for storing text data 115 that is the original data of the form to be printed.
The text data 115 is, for example, XML data composed of tags and data contents corresponding to the tags. However, the text data 115 is not limited thereto, and may be CSV data (comma separated value data) or the like, and has a database format (each column is defined). A tabular database).
[0015]
The web print server 120 includes a control unit 122 that generates a form file as a preferred example of form data based on the text data 115 and the format information 128 received from the application server 110, and a request from the client terminal 130 that is valid. Is based on the authentication information 126, a hard disk that stores the authentication information 126, a hard disk that stores the form information 127, and a hard disk that stores the format information 128.
[0016]
Although the form file is generated here, it may not be in a file format, and form data may be generated and stored in a form storage file (to be described later) as form data. In other words, the management format does not have to be a file. In the following description, the same applies to “form file” and “form save file”, and these may be replaced with “form data” and “form save data”. Note that the form data includes a form file, and the form storage data is a broad concept including the form storage file.
[0017]
Here, the format information 128 is information related to a file expression method, and corresponds to, for example, information such as the length and width of the paper and the paper size. The form file representation format is determined according to the format information. The authentication information 126 includes, for example, the ID and password of a user who is permitted to perform a print request operation. Then, the authentication unit 121 determines whether or not the user is a genuine user by collating the authentication information 126 with an ID, password, and the like input in a UI shown in FIG. Furthermore, the file information 127 is a file that can be edited and processed according to an instruction from the client terminal, and includes field definitions. On the other hand, print form information 157 included in a printing apparatus, which will be described later, is bitmap data (image data) such as form frames and lines, and cannot be edited.
[0018]
The client terminal 130 includes, for example, a desktop personal computer, a notebook personal computer, a mobile personal computer, and a PDA (personal data assistant), but may be a mobile phone with a built-in program function (such as i-mode (registered trademark)).
[0019]
The form output server 140 saves the form file received from the web print server 120 and generates a form save file 147 that is a preferable example of form save data including a plurality of form files. Further, for example, a storage management unit 141 that generates storage management information such as an index of a form storage file, a print control unit 142 that controls printing to a printing apparatus, and a page reconfiguration process (printing according to an extraction request from a client terminal) A page reconfiguration processing unit 143 that performs file configuration processing.
[0020]
For example, the print control unit 142 determines whether the user's print request is an original print or an extraction print. An operation for extracting a page including field data is performed. Further, the page reconstruction processing unit 143 performs processing for configuring a print file for the page extracted by the print control unit 142. A series of these processes will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.
[0021]
Note that in the processing in the page reconstruction processing unit 143, a search is performed as to whether there is a page that matches the above-described input extraction condition. After performing this search execution and data extraction processing, a print request is issued. Attributes of the extracted data (for example, a list of form names, a list of file names related to the extracted data, the size of the extracted print data, and the extracted data so that the user (user) can check the search results. The number of physical pages and / or the number of logical pages) may be displayed on the display screen of the client terminal 130. By doing so, the user can instruct printing after confirming the contents of the extracted data, so that a page different from the intended page is not erroneously printed.
[0022]
The printing apparatus 150 is a printer (for example, a laser printer) that can be connected to a network. The printing apparatus 150 includes a hard disk that stores the print form information 154, print data including print character data (image data), and control data (information indicating which position on the form form the print character data is aligned with). And a form overlay unit 153 that generates print image data by superimposing the print form information and the print information. The printing apparatus 150 may include an error detection unit 151 that detects an error during execution of a print job, and a recovery unit 152 that performs a recovery process when a predetermined error occurs.
[0023]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the basic hardware configuration of the web print server 120, form output server 140, and printing apparatus 150 of FIG.
[0024]
2, the CPU 21, RAM 22, ROM 23, LAN adapter 24, video adapter 25, input unit (keyboard) 26, input unit (mouse) 27, hard disk 28, and CD-ROM drive 29 are connected to each other via the system bus 20. It is connected. The system bus 20 includes, for example, a PCI bus, an AGP bus, and a memory bus. In FIG. 2, a chip for connecting between the buses
And keyboard interfaces, so-called SCSI and ATAPI input / output interfaces are omitted.
[0025]
The CPU 21 performs various operations such as four arithmetic operations and comparison operations based on an operation system program and an application program, and controls hardware. The RAM 22 stores an operating system program, an application program, and the like read from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or CD-R mounted in the hard disk 28 or the CD-ROM drive 29. These programs are executed by the CPU 21.
[0026]
The ROM 23 stores a so-called BIOS or the like that controls input / output of data to / from the hard disk 28 in cooperation with the operation system. The LAN adapter 24 communicates with an external device connected via a network in cooperation with an operation system communication program controlled by the CPU 21. The video adapter 25 generates an image signal to be output to the display device. The keyboard 26 and mouse 27 are used for inputting instructions to the application server 110.
[0027]
The hard disk 28 stores an operation system and application programs (for example, a control program in the web print server 120, a form overlay program in the printing apparatus 150, and an authentication program).
The CD-ROM drive 29 is used for installing a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-R / W to install an application program on the hard disk 28. Needless to say, a CD-R drive, a CD-R / W drive, or an MO drive may be used instead of the CD-ROM drive.
[0028]
3, 4 and 5 are flowcharts of the printing process in the printing system of FIG.
[0029]
In this flowchart, steps S501 to S503 are executed under the control of the CPU (not shown) of the client terminal 130, and step S506 is executed under the control of the CPU (not shown) of the application server 110. Step S516 is executed under the control of the CPU 21 of the web print server 120, Steps S520 to S533 are executed under the control of the CPU 21 of the form output server 140, and Steps S534 to S538 are controlled by the CPU 21 of the printing apparatus 150. Executed under.
[0030]
In FIG. 3, first, in step S501, a print request is transmitted from the client terminal 130 to the application server 110 through a web browser. FIG. 6 shows a print request screen displayed on the web browser of the client terminal 130 at this time. In the print request screen of FIG. 6, a user ID and password are input, and a processing option indicating whether printing is performed with the printing destination printer, saving only, printing only, or printing + saving is selected. If selected, a form storage file name, a field name and field data value to be searched, or a character string search or a value check is selected, and an OK button is pressed. Here, “extracting” means taking out a page including a certain field from a form storage file (data input data). “Save” means that the user inputs predetermined data into the form form and stores it in the form save file 147. “Print only” means that data is input into a predetermined form form and printed immediately, but not saved in the form storage file. “Print + Save” means that a form file is formed by inputting data into a predetermined form form, and the form file is stored in the form save file 147 after printing.
[0031]
Further, the confirmation of the data input from the UI of FIG. 6 is performed by another confirmation display (not shown), so that the user can easily grasp the whole image of the input data.
[0032]
Next, in step S506, the application server 110 extracts the text data 115 that is the basis of the print data based on the print request in step S501, and transmits the text data 115 to the web print server 120 (step S511). . The text data 115 is in an XML data format in the present embodiment. The text data 115 includes information indicating who has requested the generation of the text data 115 (in this embodiment, the client terminal 130, the user 1D, and the like).
[0033]
In step S <b> 510, a transmission / reception unit (not shown) of the web print server 120 receives the text data 115. The text data 115 is stored in the RAM 22 of the web print server 120, and then display information for displaying a screen for requesting authentication information to the web browser of the client terminal 130 is transmitted by the authentication program of the authentication unit 121. In step S502, a screen requesting a user ID and password is displayed on the screen of the client terminal 130. The user ID and password are transmitted from the client terminal 130 to the web print server 120, and the process proceeds to step S512.
[0034]
In step S <b> 512, the authentication unit 121 of the web print server 120 checks the user ID and password transmitted from the client terminal 130 against the authentication information 126. In step S513, it is determined whether or not the authentication is OK. If the authentication is OK (YES in step S513), the process proceeds to step S515 (FIG. 4), and the text data 115 stored in the RAM 22 by the control program of the control unit 122 is obtained. Based on the format information 128, the format information is added to the text data 115 to generate a form file (step S515). The format information includes, for example, paper supply / discharge control information, paper size information, resolution designation information, single-side / double-side designation, cassette designation information, toner saving mode information, and the like, and can be changed by the user.
[0035]
If the result of determination in step S513 is that authentication is not OK (NO in step S513), an error message is transmitted to the client terminal 130 by the authentication program of the authentication unit 121 (step S514), and the error message is displayed on the web browser of the client terminal 130. Then, the screen returns to step 502 again and a screen for inputting authentication information is displayed (step S503).
[0036]
Next, in FIG. 4, in step S515, a form file is generated from the form information 127, text data 115, and format information 128, and the form file with the processing option added in step S516 is transmitted to the form output server 140, and in step S520. Proceed to This form file is finally stored in the form storage file 147.
[0037]
In step S520, the processing option received from the web print server 120 is determined by the form output server 140. If it is determined in step S521 that the storage option is set, the storage process of the form storage file 147 is performed in step S522. Do. If it is determined in step S521 that the save option is not set, the process option is determined again in step S523, and it is determined whether the print option is set. If it is determined in step S524 that the print option is set, it is inquired whether the form information necessary for the current printing is included in the print form information 154 of the printing apparatus 150 (step S529). This collation process is prepared in consideration of a case where the printing apparatus when the original is printed and the printing apparatus at the time of reprinting are different, and is always necessary in the printing process of the form output server.
[0038]
In step 534, the print form information 154 of the printing apparatus 150 is searched, and a reply indicating the presence or absence of the print form information 154 is transmitted to the form output server 140. Generally, a printing apparatus is equipped with a file system (not shown) for controlling a hard disk in which form information is stored, and processing such as file writing, reading, deletion, and search is possible.
[0039]
In step S530, a response is made as to whether or not the print form information 154 from the printing apparatus 150 exists. In step S531, it is determined whether or not the print form information 154 of the printing apparatus 150 includes form information necessary for the current printing, and whether or not the form information is the latest, and the print form information of the printing apparatus 150 is determined. If there is form information necessary for printing this time in 154 and the form information is the latest (YES in step S531), text information to which the format information 128 is added is transmitted to the printing apparatus 150. (Step S533), the process proceeds to Step 536.
[0040]
On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S529 is that there is no form information necessary for the current printing in the print form information 154 of the printing apparatus 150, or the form information is not the latest (NO in step S531), The image information read from the text information and the form information 127 to which the format information 128 is added and rendered is transmitted to the printing apparatus 150 (from step S532 to S535). Here, the image form indicates data in a PDL (Page Description Language) format rendered as image data via a printer driver (not shown) provided in the form server.
[0041]
When the printing apparatus 150 receives the text information and the form in step S535, these are stored in the RAM 22 of the printing apparatus 150 and at the same time stored as a form in the printing form information 154 in the hard disk, and the process proceeds to step S536.
[0042]
In step S536, the form required this time is read from the print form information 154, and in step S537, the form overlay data is executed by the form overlay program of the form overlay unit 153 to generate print image information. Next, printing is executed in step S538.
[0043]
If the print option is not set as a result of the determination in step S524, it is determined in step S525 whether the extraction option is set. If it is determined in step S526 that the extraction option is set, a reconfiguration process (print file configuration process) is performed on the page extracted in step S527, and an extracted form storage file is created. In step S528, it is determined whether the extracted form storage file has been reconfigured. As a result of the determination, if it has been created, the process proceeds to step S529. If it has not been created, the process ends as an error. For the created extracted form storage file, printing of only the pages extracted by executing Steps S529 to S538 is executed in the same manner as when the print option is set.
[0044]
In this embodiment, the web print server 120 and the form output server 140 operate in separate housings, but they may coexist in the same housing.
[0045]
FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of a form storage file. The form storage file includes history information and a plurality of form form information, and there are a plurality of page data corresponding to each form information. The history information stores the contents of processing options at the time of a print request, such as a user ID, printing time, printer name, and extraction conditions. This history information can be used, for example, to perform a follow-up survey later. The form information includes a plurality of fields that are conceptual boxes for inserting graphic information and postscript data, and format information associated with each field. The “format information associated with the field” is attribute information or the like. For example, if the attribute is “money amount”, “¥ 3,450” is displayed when the character data “3450” is input. . The page data is a result of collecting the text data 115 in association with the fields defined in the form information and collected in units of print pages. The data associated with the fields is called field data. The print data is generated by formatting and overlaying the field data included in each page data in accordance with the format information of the field defined by the form information.
[0046]
When reprinting, search for page data that includes field data that matches the search conditions, extract a set of form information and page data, and reconfigure the form save file internally, so that the normal form save file can be printed. You can print with the same process.
[0047]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing the page reconstruction process in step S527 of FIG. 4 in more detail.
[0048]
In step S801, the form storage file configuration shown in FIG. 7 is referred to, and in step S802, the form information in the form storage file configuration is referred to. At this time, it is determined whether or not it matches the form name of the input extraction condition. If it is determined in step S803 that the form name does not match, the process proceeds to step S814 to determine whether the form is the last form in the form storage file configuration. Determine if. If it is determined as the last form, the process advances to step S815 to determine whether or not there is an extraction page. However, if there is no form with the input extraction condition, naturally there is no extraction page ( If NO in S815), the process ends. If it is determined in step S814 that it is not the last form, the process returns to step S802 to refer to the next form information in the form storage file configuration.
[0049]
If it is determined in step S803 that the form names match, page data associated with the form information is referred to in step S804. At this time, it is determined whether or not the field name associated with the field data matches the field name of the extraction condition by referring to the field data in the page data. If it is determined in step S805 that the field names do not match, it is determined in step S812 whether it is the last field data on this page. If it is determined that the field data is the last field data, in step S813, the current form is displayed. It is determined whether it is the last page data associated. If it is determined that it is the last page data, the process proceeds to step S814. If it is not determined to be the last page, the process returns to step S804 to refer to the next page data associated with the current form. If it is determined in step S813 that the page data is the last page data, the process proceeds to end processing (step S815 → end or steps S815 → S810 → S811 → end).
[0050]
If it is not determined in step S812 that the field data is the last field data on this page, the process returns to step S804 to determine whether the next field data in this page matches the field name of the extraction condition.
[0051]
If field data associated with a field that matches the field name of the extraction condition is found in step S805, the process proceeds to step S806, and whether or not the field data of the extraction condition is a search as a character string is determined using the UI of FIG. The determination is made based on whether “search as a character string” or “search as a value” is checked. The character string indicates, for example, “¥ 3,450”, and the “value” indicates “3450”. If it is determined in step S806 that the search is performed as a character string, the process proceeds to step S807, where the found field data is formatted according to the field data format defined in the form information (that is, an expression suitable for the field attribute). In step S808, it is determined whether or not the field data matches the extraction condition field data. If it is determined in step S806 that the search is not a character string, the field data found is not formatted, and in step S808, it is determined whether it matches the field data of the extraction condition.
[0052]
If it is determined in step S808 that the field data does not match the extraction condition field data, the process advances to step S812. If it is determined in step S808 that the field data matches the extraction condition field data (in the case of Yes), a set of form information and page data related to the corresponding page is taken out to the working memory. Thereafter, in step S813, the page described above is updated whether there is any page that matches the extraction condition in the subsequent pages, and the above-described processing is repeated.
[0053]
If it is the last form, it is determined in step S815 whether there is an extraction page registered in step S809. If it is determined that there is an extracted page, the process proceeds to step S810. If there is no extracted page, the process ends without doing anything.
[0054]
In step S810, the user ID, printer name, printing time, and extraction conditions set in the processing option are stored in the history information of the form storage file configuration. In step S811, the form storage file structure is reconfigured using the form information and page data stored in the memory in step S809, and the history information, and an extracted form storage file is created. The created extracted form storage file is determined in step S528 whether the extracted form storage file has been reconfigured. If it has been reconfigured, it is printed in the overlay printing process in steps S529 to S538.
[0055]
Note that in the processing in the page reconstruction processing unit 143, a search is performed as to whether there is a page that matches the above-described input extraction condition. After performing this search execution and data extraction processing, a print request is issued. Attributes of the extracted data (for example, a list of form names, a list of file names related to the extracted data, the size of the extracted print data, and the extracted data so that the user (user) can check the search results. The number of physical pages and / or the number of logical pages) may be displayed on the display screen of the client terminal 130. By doing so, the user can instruct printing after confirming the contents of the extracted data, so that a page different from the intended page is not erroneously printed.
[0056]
The original page number is printed on each page of the printed file. By doing so, a display that guarantees that the file including the data that matches the condition specified by the user and that is composed of the extracted pages is not a copy but an original (originality). In the present embodiment, the original page number is printed as it is to guarantee the originality. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the characters “original” are printed so as not to stand out on each extracted page. The same purpose can be achieved by printing a mark that guarantees other originality.
[0057]
<Other embodiments>
As described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a system or apparatus with a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the embodiment, and the computer of the system or apparatus (or CPU or MPU) stores it. It is also achieved by reading and executing the program code stored on the medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for supplying such a program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM Etc. can be used.
[0058]
Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, 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 Includes a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing.
[0059]
Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function is based on the instruction of the program code. This includes the case where the CPU of the expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0060]
In addition, by distributing the program code of the software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments via a network, the program code is stored in a storage unit such as a hard disk or memory of a system or apparatus or a storage medium such as a CD-RW or CD-R. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by the computer (or CPU or MPU) stored in the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the storage means or the storage medium.
[0061]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, from the form storage file stored in the form output server, the form, which is a form-specific extraction condition, and the field data associated with the fields included in the form are stored. By specifying a value, it is possible to extract only a specific page, and it is possible to easily find out a form required by the user.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating basic hardware configurations of a web print server 120, a client terminal 130, a form output server 140, and a printing apparatus 150 in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a printing process in the printing system of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart (continuation 1) of a printing process in the printing system of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart (continuation 2) of printing processing in the printing system of FIG. 1;
6 is a diagram showing a UI screen displayed on the client terminal 130 in the printing process in the printing system of FIG. 1. FIG.
7 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of a saved form file in the printing system of FIG.
8 is a flowchart showing details of a page reconfiguration process of a saved form file in the printing system of FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
21 CPU
22 RAM
23 ROM
24 LAN adapter
25 Video adapter
26 Input section (keyboard)
27 Input section (mouse)
28 hard disk
29 CD-ROM drive
1OO communication line
110 Application Server
115 text data
120 Web printing server
130 Client terminal
140 Form output server
150 Printing device

Claims (28)

A printing system in which a web print server, a form output server, a client terminal, and a printing apparatus are connected to each other via a communication line,
The client terminal has input means for inputting an extraction condition, which is a condition of data to be extracted from the form storage data storing the form data,
The form output server has page restructuring means for reconstructing the extracted form storage data from the form data included in the form storage data using a page that matches the extraction condition,
Each page data included in the extracted form storage data includes a display indicating that the page is extracted from the original. The page reconstruction unit reconstructs the extracted form storage data using only pages that meet the extraction conditions specifying the print form information, fields, and character data associated with the fields included in the form storage data. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein: The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the extraction condition includes at least one of a form storage data name, a field name, field data, and a field data search method. The page reconstruction processing means further comprises storage means for storing an extracted page having field data that matches field data included in the extraction condition together with the print form information and page data included therein. The printing system according to claim 3. 5. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein the page reconstruction processing unit stores the extraction condition as history information in the form storage data when the extraction page exists in the storage unit. The page reconstruction processing unit generates the extracted form data using the extracted page stored in the storage unit, the print form information and page data of the extracted page, and the history information. The printing system according to claim 5. A print control method for controlling a printing system in which a web print server, a form output server, a client terminal, and a printing apparatus are connected to each other via a communication line,
An input step of inputting, at the client terminal, an extraction condition that is a condition of data to be extracted from the form storage data storing the form file;
A page reconstruction step of reconstructing the form storage data already extracted in the form output server using a page that matches the extraction condition from the form data included in the form storage data,
Each page data included in the extracted form storage data includes a display indicating that it is a page extracted from an original. In the page restructuring step, the extracted form storage data is reconfigured using a page that matches the extraction condition specifying the print form information, fields, and character data associated with the fields included in the form storage data. The print control method according to claim 7, wherein: The print control method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the extraction condition includes at least one of a form storage data name, a field name, field data, and a field data search method. The page reconstruction processing step further includes a storage step of storing an extracted page having field data matching the field data included in the extraction condition together with the print form information and the page data included therein. The printing control method according to claim 9. The print control method according to claim 10, wherein, in the page reconstruction processing step, when the stored extracted page exists, the extraction condition is stored as history information in the form storage data. The extracted form data is generated by using the stored extracted page, the print form information and page data of the extracted page, and the history information in the page reconstruction processing step. Item 12. The print control method according to Item 10 or 11. A program for executing the printing control method according to any one of claims 7 to 12. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 13. A form output server that is connected to a web print server, a client terminal, and a printing device via a communication line and constitutes a printing system,
An extraction condition acquisition means for acquiring an extraction condition that is a condition of data input from the client terminal and that should be extracted from the form storage data storing the form data;
From the form data included in the form storage data, using a page that matches the extraction condition, and having a page reconstruction means for reconstructing the extracted form storage data,
A form output server characterized in that each page data included in the extracted form storage data includes a display indicating a page extracted from an original. The page reconstruction means reconstructs the extracted form storage data using a page that matches an extraction condition specifying the print form information, fields, and character data associated with the fields included in the form storage data. The form output server according to claim 15. The form output server according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the extraction condition includes at least one of a form storage data name, a field name, field data, and a field data search method. The page reconstruction processing means further comprises storage means for storing an extracted page having field data that matches field data included in the extraction condition together with the print form information and page data included therein. The form output server according to claim 17. 19. The form output server according to claim 18, wherein the page reconstruction processing means stores the extraction condition as history information in the form storage data when the extraction page exists in the storage means. The page reconstruction processing unit generates the extracted form data using the extracted page stored in the storage unit, the print form information and page data of the extracted page, and the history information. The form output server according to claim 19. A server control method for controlling a form output server that is connected to a web print server, a client terminal, and a printing device via a communication line and constitutes a printing system,
An extraction condition acquisition step for acquiring an extraction condition, which is a condition of data to be extracted from the form storage data stored in the form data input from the client terminal;
A page reconstruction step of reconstructing the extracted form storage data from the form data included in the form storage data, using a page that matches the extraction condition;
A server control method characterized in that each page data included in the extracted form storage data includes a display indicating that the page is extracted from the original. In the page restructuring step, the extracted form storage data is reconfigured using a page that matches the extraction condition specifying the print form information, fields, and character data associated with the fields included in the form storage data. The server control method according to claim 21, wherein: 23. The server control method according to claim 21, wherein the extraction condition includes at least one of a form storage data name, a field name, field data, and a field data search method. In the page reconstruction processing step, an extracted page having field data that matches the field data included in the extraction condition is stored in a memory together with the print form information and the page data included in the extracted page. The server control method according to claim 23. 25. The server control method according to claim 24, wherein, in the page reconfiguration processing step, when the extracted page exists in the memory, the extraction condition is stored as history information in the form storage data. In the page reconstruction processing step, the extracted form file is generated using the extracted page stored in the memory, the print form information and page data of the extracted page, and the history information. The server control method according to claim 25. A program for executing the server control method according to any one of claims 21 to 26. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 27.

Images