JP2005141660A - Printing apparatus and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing apparatus and printing method allowing printing of a series of character groups having good appearance and causing no misapprehension when a layout as a superscript or subscript is designated with respect to a character in the series of character groups printed on the same printing line. <P>SOLUTION: A storage means stores character size information, superscript and subscript information, and printing position information as character data. For the character data stored on the storage means, when the upper or lower layout for superscripts or subscripts is designated to the character specified by the storage means, the character size and placement position of the specified character is set in accordance with the character mode of a character preceding the specified character. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing technique for printing a series of inputted characters on a printing medium of a predetermined size, and particularly when superscript or subscript is designated for a certain character in a character group printed on the same print line. The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method for appropriately setting the size and arrangement position of a designated character.

  A printing apparatus that displays characters (hereinafter referred to as “characters”) such as characters, numbers, symbols, and the like input by an input means such as a keyboard on a display panel and prints them on a label sheet or tape of a predetermined size. Are known.

  In such a printing device usually called a label printer, the designated character in a series of characters to be printed on the same print line is designated in character units, and the top / bottom alignment of top alignment, center alignment or bottom alignment is performed. Some have the function of specifying and printing.

  In a conventional printing apparatus having such a function, when printing a specified character in a series of character groups to be printed on the same print line, the maximum size character in the series of character groups is used as a reference. Arrangement positions of other constituent characters such as vertically assigned characters have been set (Patent Document 1).

FIG. 10 shows an example of printing according to such a conventional vertical layout method.
FIG. 10A shows an example in which a series of characters composed of alphabets “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E” are printed in the same print line in the top alignment mode. . Here, when the character size can be set to five levels of LL size, L size, M size, S size and SS size for each character, the character “A” is set to L size and the character “B” is set. "And" E "are set to the LL size, and the letters" C "and" D "are set to the M size. In the case of this printing example, the maximum characters are “B” and “E” of LL size. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10A, the characters “A”, “C”, “ “D” is printed so as to be aligned with the upper ends of the maximum characters “B” and “E”.
Japanese Patent No. 3060443

  However, the designated characters in a series of characters to be printed on the same print line are printed in a top-down layout, for example, in many cases used for printing chemical formulas and mathematical formulas. If the top and bottom layout is performed based on the maximum size character in the character group, the whole series of characters does not look good, and a sense of incongruity may occur, which may be misunderstood in a different meaning.

  FIG. 10B shows an example in which “the area is 10 m 2” is printed on the same print line based on the related art. Here, the maximum LL size is designated for the four characters “area” and “is”, the character “10” is L size designation and center alignment, and the letter “m” is under the S size designation. Alignment and the character “2” are set to the upper alignment specified by the S size. In this case, since the vertical allocation is performed based on the character of the maximum size, the character “m” with the bottom alignment designation jumps out below the lower end of the preceding character “10” with the center alignment designation. The alignment designation character “2” is arranged and printed at a position protruding above the upper end of the character “10”.

  For this reason, as shown in FIG. 10C, the character “10” is set to the bottom alignment of the M size designation, the character “m” is aligned to the minimum SS size, and the character “2” is the SS size. Although the lower end of the character “m” is aligned with the lower end of the preceding character “10”, the upper end of the character “2” is further above the preceding character “10”. The character “2” will be liberated, causing the whole series of characters to look bad and uncomfortable, and may be misunderstood as meaning different from the intended “10 meter square”. Absent.

  Further, in the prior art, the character size must be individually specified for the characters of the bottom aligned character and the top aligned character, and the input operation is complicated and a long time is required for character input.

  For this reason, the first object of the present invention is that when vertical allocation is specified for a character in a series of characters printed on the same print line, the vertical allocation character is determined from the level at the lower end or upper end of the preceding character. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method capable of printing a series of character groups that are good-looking and not misidentified by printing so as not to jump out.

  A second object of the present invention is to quickly set an appropriate character size without requiring an operation for individually specifying the character size for characters for which vertical allocation is specified. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method that enable input.

  For this reason, the present application provides input means for inputting character data such as characters, numbers or symbols and various function settings, display means for displaying a series of characters input by the input means, A character generator ROM for storing font data corresponding to a character code; a storage unit for temporarily storing character data including the character code of each character input by the input unit in the display order on the display unit; and the storage unit In a printing apparatus comprising: a printing unit that prints a series of characters on a printing medium of a predetermined size based on the character data stored in the character data; and a character data editing unit that edits the character data stored in the storage unit. The character data includes character size information, top / bottom allocation information, and print position information, The character data editing means, when a superscript or subscript vertical assignment is specified for a specific character in the storage means, corresponding to the character form of the character preceding the designated character, A printing apparatus characterized by setting an arrangement position is provided. Here, the character mode includes a character print size, a print position, a font, and a decorative character.

  At this time, even if the target character for allocating the designated character is decorated with white, solid, shadow, frame, underline, etc., it is possible to assign the superscript or subscript of the designated character. In this case, the character size of the designated character is set based on the size of the decorated character, and the specified character is assigned to the print area of the decorated character as superscript or subscript. Just place a letter. In addition, when the target character is decorated, the designated character may be arranged so that the designated character is assigned as a superscript and a subscript to the print area including the ornament.

  FIG. 1 shows a printing result when the printing pattern examples shown in FIGS. 10B and 10C are processed in the printing apparatus.

  In this printing apparatus, when a specific character in a series of characters inputted and stored in the storage means is designated as superscript or subscript, the character size corresponding to the character immediately before the designated character is designated. By providing character data editing means for setting the character size and arrangement position of the character, it is possible to print a series of characters without a sense of incongruity as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the subscript “m” is arranged at a position that matches the lower end of the preceding character “10” without being affected by the largest character in the series of characters.

  In the present invention, the character size suitable for the preceding character is automatically selected for the vertically allocated characters without setting the character size individually, thereby enabling quick character input. . In the example of FIG. 1, the subscript “m” is automatically set to a character having a character size (S size) that is two steps smaller than the L size that is the character size of the preceding character “10”.

  In the present invention, the character data editing means may further include a superscript or subscript among characters preceding the designated character when the character immediately preceding the designated character in the storage means is a superscript or subscript character. The character size of the character and its arrangement position are set corresponding to the character mode of the character closest to the designated character not attached.

  Accordingly, the superscript “2” in FIG. 1 is not the “m” that is the immediately preceding character but the subscript, but the intended “10 metric squares” based on the preceding character “10”. "Can be appropriately expressed as a printing result.

  Further, the character data editing means, when all characters preceding the designated character in the storage means are superscript or subscript characters or when there is no preceding character, the character size of the designated character is set to the minimum character The size is set, and the position of the character is set to the arrangement position according to the specified character alignment.

  By the way, the print medium is labels of various shapes determined in advance, and the character data editing means is configured to allow the character data editing means to store the character so that the series of characters to be printed fit within a predetermined print area in the selected label. The character size in the data is edited. As a result, when a plurality of series of characters are to be printed within a label of a predetermined size, it is possible to automatically set the character size of the series of characters so as to fit within the label.

  The present application further relates to a printing method for printing a series of characters composed of characters, numbers, symbols or the like (hereinafter referred to as “characters”) input by an input means on a print medium of a predetermined size. ) Storing character data including the character code of each character input by the input means in the storage order in the storage means; and (2) superscript or subscript top / bottom assignment for a specific character in the storage means. A step of reading the character size information in the character data of the character immediately before the designated character, (3) a step of setting the character size of the designated character corresponding to the character size of the immediately preceding character; And 4) a step of setting an arrangement position of the designated character in correspondence with a character size of the immediately preceding character. There is provided a method of printing the vertical assignment character.

  Here, in the step (2), if the immediately preceding character of the designated character in the storage means is a superscript or subscript, (7) the designated character instead of the above steps (2) to (4) Reading the character size in the character data of the character closest to the specified character that is not superscript or subscript among the characters preceding the character, and (8) the specified character corresponding to the character size of the closest character And (9) a step of setting the arrangement position of the designated character corresponding to the character size of the closest character.

  If the designated character is the first character, or if all characters preceding the designated character in the storage means are superscript or subscript in the step (7), (10) A step of setting the character size of the designated character to the minimum character size, and a step of (11) setting the character to an arrangement position corresponding to the designated character allocation.

  In the present invention, when vertical allocation is specified for a character in a series of characters to be printed on the same print line, the vertical layout character is printed so as not to jump out from the lower or upper level of the preceding character. So that it doesn't get misunderstood. In addition, quick character input has been realized by automatically setting an appropriate character size without requiring an operation for individually specifying the character size for characters for which vertical allocation is specified.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a display device and a printing method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  An example in which the present invention for appropriately printing a series of characters including upper and lower assigned characters is applied to a label printing apparatus (label printer) will be described.

  FIG. 2 shows an appearance of the label printing apparatus 1 to which the present invention is applied. 2A is an upper front perspective view of the label printing apparatus 1, and FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view. In FIG. 2, when the power switch 6 is turned on, the label printing apparatus 1 starts operating. When a character including a series of numbers and symbols is input by the input means (key input unit) 3, the input character is displayed on the display panel 2. 1 is printed by an internal printing means (not shown).

  Printing is performed on a predetermined label sheet inserted in the label sheet insertion port 4 provided on the front side of the apparatus, and the printed label sheet is discharged from the label sheet discharge port 5 provided on the back side of the apparatus. Is done. Note that the print medium to be printed in this apparatus may be in the form of a roll or strip, and may be configured to be stored inside the apparatus main body.

  The key input unit 3 constituting the input means includes a plurality of alphabetic keys, numeric keys, kana character keys, function keys (function keys), space input keys, and the like. These keys can have a plurality of types of key input functions with one key by operating a shift key (function key) or the like. Similarly to a personal computer, the character data input by an alphabetic key, a kana character key, or the like has a function of being converted into a kanji character by operating a predetermined function key, similar to a word processor or the like.

  The display panel 2 displays input characters, characters converted to kanji based on the input character data, and the like. It is also possible to display characters and symbols for explaining operation guidance and functions for assisting the operation of the operator. In the case of a label printing apparatus, the display panel 2 is usually a liquid crystal display, but may be a display panel of another type such as a plasma spray. Unlike the display device such as a personal computer, the size of the display panel 2 usually has a display area of only a few lines because of its functional necessity and size restrictions. This is because it is sufficient for the display area of the display panel 2 to correspond to the size of the label to be printed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the display panel is controlled by control means, and the display elements constituting the display panel are driven by a display driving unit (circuit) to directly display an input character string, various attribute information, and the like. The indicator indicating the on / off of the attribute corresponding to the character string indicating the attribute provided at the peripheral edge of the display panel is turned on.

  In addition to the “horizontal writing mode” that displays and prints a series of characters in the horizontal direction of a normal label, the label printing apparatus 1 displays “vertical writing mode” that displays and prints a series of characters in the horizontal direction of the label. Is also possible.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the label printing apparatus 1.

  This label printing apparatus is roughly composed of a “key input unit”, a “display panel”, a “printing apparatus”, and “control means” for controlling these in a unified manner. The “document data editing means” constituting the present invention constitutes “control means” and is usually constituted by a program stored in the “ROM” of the nonvolatile storage device.

  The “printing device” has a “thermal head” and a “head drive unit (circuit)” that applies a voltage to the heating elements constituting the thermal head and energizes the carriage, and the carriage on which the thermal head is mounted is orthogonal to the label transport direction. A “carriage motor” for moving in the direction, a “carriage motor driving unit” for driving the carriage motor, a “conveyance motor” for conveying the label sheet as a printing medium in the apparatus, and for driving the same The “conveying motor driving unit”, the “elevating motor” that moves the thermal head to the position where it is pressed against and separated from the ink ribbon, the thermal head “elevating motor driving unit” that drives this elevating motor, and the label sheet “Sheet detector” for detecting insertion and “recovery” of the ink ribbon fused on the label sheet by the thermal head A down winding detection unit ", and is composed of.

  In addition, the “display panel” is configured by the display panel using the liquid crystal panel or the like already described and a “display drive unit” for driving the display panel.

  The “control means” includes a central processing unit (CPU), “ROM” that stores various processing programs, dictionary data for kana-kanji conversion, and fixed data, working memory, various counters, and an operator (user ), Which is a rewritable memory for storing fixed data related to data input, and the like, “display character generator ROM” and “printing character generator ROM”.

  A program for processing document data according to the present invention is constituted by a microprocessor, a ROM, a program stored in a ROM, and the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the CPU constituting the microprocessor is connected to a ROM, a RAM, a character generator ROM (CG-ROM) and the like via a system bus. Thereby, the control means mainly extracts the font data from the character code such as characters and symbols, processes the font data according to the size information, the vertical allocation information, etc., and displays it on the display panel. It prints on the printing medium.

  Here, the “display character generator ROM” and the “printing character generator ROM” designate font data (character data) for each character by designating a specific character code corresponding one-to-one for each character. ) Is output. Here, these font data may be outline fonts or bitmap fonts. As described above, in this apparatus, two font data of “display character generator ROM” and “printing character generator ROM” are stored, but can be unified into one font data.

  Incidentally, storage means for temporarily storing the character data including the character code of the character input by the key input unit in the display order is provided within a predetermined address range in the RAM. In this apparatus, the character data of each character input thus stored in the RAM is stored based on a predetermined format defined in advance.

  FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of character data stored in such a storage means.

  In the present embodiment, character data for one character in a series of character groups, a “character code” for specifying the character, “size information” for specifying the size of the character, It consists of “upper and lower layout information” for performing decoration processing such as “superscript” or “subscript” and “position information” indicating the arrangement position of the character.

  Here, “position information” indicates the arrangement position of the character on the display panel, and stores data indicated by two counters, for example, “position code counter” and “half-width counter”. The operations of the “position code counter” and the “half-width counter” are automatically performed by a program stored in the memory of the apparatus.

    FIG. 5 shows an example of a processing flow when the “up / down allocation function” according to the present invention is selected.

  When the power switch 6 (shown in FIG. 1 (a)) of the apparatus is turned on, various counters and data in the RAM (FIG. 3) are initialized, and the document data editing means according to the present invention is activated to activate the character data. The character data is stored in the character data storage address area in the storage means (RAM) each time character data of a series of characters to be printed is input by the input means. Then, after a character to be vertically allocated is designated by a cursor or the like, the “up / down allocation function” is selected by a predetermined function key, whereby the processing flow related to the vertical allocation process shown in FIG. 5 is started. (S10).

  First, in the character data storage address area in the storage means (RAM), it is checked whether or not there is character data ahead of the designated character to be assigned vertically (S11).

  If the character does not exist, the character size of the designated character is designated as the minimum character size (for example, SS size) (S12), and “upper alignment” and “center alignment” which are set character alignment conditions are specified. ”Or“ bottom alignment ”, the arrangement position of the designated character is determined (S13).

  If character data exists in front of the designated character to be assigned vertically (S11), the “allocation target character selection processing routine” is entered (S15). This “assignment target character selection processing routine” selects a target character that serves as a reference for the upper and lower assignment designated characters, and will be described in detail with reference to FIG. If there is a target character to be used as a reference by this allocation target character selection process (S16), the character size of the target character (“size information” in FIG. 4) is acquired (S17).

  Then, based on the character size of the target character, the character size of the vertically assigned character is selected (S18). Normally, the size of the designated character is set to a character having a size that is smaller by one to three steps than the character size of the target character. In the printing example of FIG. 1 described above, the size of the designated character is set to a character that is two steps smaller than the size of the target character.

  After the size of the vertically assigned character is determined in this way, it is checked whether the designated character is “superscript” or “subscript” (S19). The designated character is set at an arrangement position based on the lower end of the character area of the target character (S20). If it is superscript designation, the superscript designation character is set to an arrangement position based on the upper end of the character area of the target character (S21).

  In step S16, when there is no target character to be used as a reference in the “assignment target character selection process”, the character size of the designated character is designated as the minimum character size (for example, SS size) (S12). ), The arrangement position of the designated character is determined based on the designation of the “upper alignment”, “center alignment”, or “lower alignment”, which is the set character alignment condition (S13).

  As a result, the up / down allocation processing routine ends (S22).

  Next, the upper limit allocation target character selection processing routine described above will be described.

  As described in step S11 in FIG. 5, it is determined whether or not there is a character in front of the vertically assigned character in the character data storage address area in the storage means (RAM) in front of the designated character to be vertically assigned. This check is performed by checking whether character data exists, and when there is a character ahead, this “assignment target character selection processing routine” (S15) is started.

  First, the previous character data immediately before the assigned character is extracted (S31), and it is checked whether or not the extracted character is a vertically assigned character (S32). If there is no character, the extracted character is set as the target character (S33), and the process enters step S16 in the up / down allocation processing routine shown in FIG. 5 (S37). In step S32, if the extracted character is a character that has been assigned vertically, the character data immediately before the extracted character is extracted (S35), and the character immediately before that character is assigned vertically. It is checked whether or not the character is an assigned character (S32). If the character is not assigned vertically, the extracted character is set as a target character (S33). If the character is assigned vertically, the process is repeated until a character not assigned vertically is extracted (S35 → S32 → S34 → S35). It is determined that there is no character, and the process returns to the “upper and lower layout processing routine” (S36).

  Next, a description will be given of an example of printing when the above-described vertical allocation processing routine according to the present invention is executed.

  In FIG. 7A, it is assumed that the character “S” and then “O” are first input with center alignment and character size “LL” (maximum size). Next, in FIG. 4B, when the character “4” is input, the character “4” is designated with the cursor, and “subscript” of the “up / down allocation” function is selected by the function key, the designated character Since the immediately preceding character of “4” is “O” and the character “O” is not a vertically assigned character, the target character of this subscript designation character “4” is recognized as “O”, and the character “ The size information (see FIG. 4) in the character data “O” is acquired, and the subscript “4” is automatically set to, for example, M size, which is a character size that is two steps smaller than the character size of the target character. As shown in c), the character arrangement is aligned with the lower end of the print area of the LL size character “O” which is the target character.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7D, it is assumed that the character “2” is inputted and superscript is designated by the function key. Since the character immediately before the superscript designated character “2” is “4”, the vertical allocation information (see FIG. 4) in the character data of the character “4” is checked, and the character “4” Since it is a superscript character, it turns out that it is not the object character of this superscript designation character “2”. Therefore, the up / down allocation information in the character data of the previous character “O” is checked, and since the character “O” is not the up / down allocation character, it becomes the target character of the superscript designation character “2”. Becomes clear. As a result, the superscript designated character “2” is automatically set to the M size, which is a character size two steps smaller than the size of the target character “O”, as shown in FIG. The LL size character “O”, which is a character, is aligned with the upper end of the print area.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7F, it is assumed that the character “-” is input and superscript is designated by the function key. Since the character immediately before the superscript designation character “-” is “2”, the vertical allocation information in the character data of the character “2” is checked, and the character “2” is a superscript character. From this, it is found that this is not the target character of the superscript designated character “-”. Accordingly, the up-down allocation information in the character data of the previous character “4” is checked. Similarly, since the character “4” is a subscript, the character data “O” in the previous character data “O” is further subordinate. Top and bottom allocation information is checked. Here, since the character “O” is not a vertically assigned character, it is found that it is a target character of the superscript designated character “-”. As a result, the superscript designated character “-” is automatically set to M size, which is a character size two steps smaller than the size of the target character “O”, as shown in FIG. This is aligned with the upper end of the print area of the LL size character “O” that is a character.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 8A, it is assumed that the first character “S” of a series of character groups is designated by the cursor and deleted in the state of FIG. In this case, the characters other than the deleted character “S” are integrally shifted to the left by one character, and the character sizes and arrangement positions of “4”, “2”, and “−” that are the top and bottom assigned characters are reset. Checked. Since the target character of the subscript “4”, the superscript “2”, and “−” is still the character “O”, as shown in FIG. There is no change in position.

  Subsequently, it is assumed that the first character “O” of a series of character groups is designated and deleted by the cursor in the state of FIG. In this case, the characters other than the deleted character “O” are integrally shifted to the left by one character, and the character sizes and arrangement positions of “4”, “2”, and “−” that are the top and bottom assigned characters are reset. Checked. The subscript “4” is the first character and there is no target character, so the center size is set to the smallest SS size, for example. Furthermore, since the characters before the superscript designation characters “2” and “−” are all vertically assigned characters, as shown in FIG. 8C, these vertically assigned characters “2” and “−” As with the subscript designation character “4”, the minimum character of center assignment is set.

  Subsequently, in the state of FIG. 8C, if the character “H” is input with the center aligned and the character size designated L size before the first character “4” (shown in FIG. 8D). Since the character data (FIG. 4) of “4”, “2”, and “−” that are the vertically assigned characters are assigned the vertically assigned information as they are, “H” that is the L size character is now displayed. Since these upper and lower allocated characters “4”, “2”, and “−” are the target characters, as shown in FIG. 8E, the subscript designation character “4” has a character size of L. It is automatically set to an S size that is two steps smaller than the size, and the character size of the superscript designated characters “2” and “-” is 2 at the bottom of the print area of the L size character “H” that is the target character. The size is automatically set to a smaller S size, and the L size character “ The print area-upper-end of the "is becoming an be printed arranged.

  Further, in the printing apparatus according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 9A, for example, when a character “4” is first input and the character is designated and superscripted, as shown in FIG. As shown, the input character “4” is automatically centered by setting, for example, the SS size which is the minimum character.

  In this printing apparatus, it is also possible to decorate characters such as white, solid, shadow, frame, and underline for each character that is not vertically assigned and for each vertically assigned character. In this case, “decorative character information” is included in the character data of each character shown in FIG.

  As described above in detail, in the printing apparatus according to the present invention, the character data stored in the storage unit that stores the character size information, the vertical layout information, and the print position information as the character data is stored in the storage unit. A printing apparatus characterized by setting a character size and an arrangement position of a designated character corresponding to a character form of a character preceding the designated character when superscript or subscript layout is designated Is to provide.

  Thus, in the present invention, when vertical allocation is specified for a character in a series of characters to be printed on the same print line, the vertical allocation character does not jump out from the lower or upper level of the preceding character. By printing in this way, it was possible to realize printing that looks good and is not mistaken. In addition, quick character input is realized by automatically setting an appropriate character size without requiring an operation for individually specifying a character size for characters for which vertical allocation is specified.

  The present invention relates to a printing technique for printing a series of inputted characters on a printing medium of a predetermined size, and has industrial applicability.

An example of printing a series of characters having vertically assigned characters to which the present invention is applied is shown. The external appearance of the label printing apparatus 1 to which this invention is applied is shown. It is a block diagram which shows the basic composition of the label printing apparatus to which this invention is applied. The structural example of the character data stored in a memory | storage device is shown. The example of the control flowchart which performs an up-down allocation process is shown. The example of the control flowchart which performs the selection process of the object character in an up-down allocation process is shown. The example (the 1) of the up-down allocation to which this invention is applied is shown. The example (the 2) of the up-down allocation to which this invention is applied is shown. The example (the 3) of the vertical allocation which applied this invention is shown. An example of printing a series of characters having upper and lower assigned characters according to the prior art is shown.

Explanation of symbols

1: Label printing device 2: Display panel 3: Input means (key input unit)
4: Label sheet insertion port 5: Label sheet discharge port 6: Power switch

Claims (9)

Input means for inputting character data such as characters, numbers or symbols (hereinafter referred to as “characters”) and setting various functions;
Display means for displaying a series of characters input by the input means;
A character generator ROM for storing font data of the character in correspondence with a character code;
Storage means for temporarily storing character data including the character code of each character input by the input means in the display order on the display means;
Printing means for printing a series of characters on a printing medium of a predetermined size based on the character data stored in the storage means;
Character data editing means for editing the character data stored in the storage means;
In a printing apparatus comprising
The character data includes character size information, top / bottom allocation information, and print position information, and the character data editing unit specifies the designation when superscript / subscript top / bottom allocation is specified for a specific character in the storage unit. A printing apparatus, wherein a character size and an arrangement position of the designated character are set corresponding to a character mode of a character preceding the character.   2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the character data editing unit sets a character size and an arrangement of the designated character corresponding to a character size of a character immediately before the designated character.   The character data editing means, when the character immediately before the specified character in the storage means is a superscript or subscript, the character size of the character corresponding to the character size of the character before the immediately preceding character The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an arrangement position is set.   The character data editing means sets the character size of the designated character to the minimum character size when all characters preceding the designated character in the storage means are superscripts or subscripts or when there is no preceding character. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the printer is set and the position of the character is set to an arrangement position according to a designated character alignment. The print medium is labels of various shapes determined in advance,
The character data editing means edits the character size in the character data so that the series of characters to be printed fit within a predetermined print area in the selected label. The printing apparatus according to any one of the above. A printing method for printing a series of characters composed of characters, numbers, symbols, etc. (hereinafter referred to as “characters”) input by an input means on a printing medium of a predetermined size,
(1) storing character data including a character code of each character input by the input means in the storage order in the storage means;
(2) a step of reading character size information in the character data of the character immediately before the designated character when superscript or subscript vertical assignment is designated for the specific character in the storage means;
(3) setting a character size of the designated character corresponding to a character size of the immediately preceding character;
(4) setting an arrangement position of the designated character corresponding to a character size of the immediately preceding character;
A method for printing vertically allocated characters, comprising the steps of: In the step (2), when there is no character preceding the designated character in the storage means, instead of the steps (3) and (4),
(5) setting the character size of the designated character to the minimum character size;
(6) a step of setting the character at an arrangement position corresponding to the designated character assignment;
The printing method according to claim 6, further comprising: When the immediately preceding character of the designated character in the storage means in the step (2) is a superscript or subscript, instead of the steps (2) to (4),
(7) reading a character size in character data of a character closest to the designated character that is not a superscript or subscript among characters preceding the designated character;
(8) setting a character size of the designated character corresponding to a character size of the closest character;
(9) setting an arrangement position of the designated character corresponding to a character size of the closest character;
The printing method according to claim 6, further comprising: In step (7), when all characters preceding the designated character in the storage means are superscripts or subscripts,
(10) setting the character size of the designated character to the minimum character size;
(11) setting the character to an arrangement position according to the designated character assignment;
The printing method according to claim 7, further comprising:

Images