JP2005174084A - Print processor, and print processing method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the management and a print environment of a print target file allowing lump-sum printing by easy operation without being conscious of the print target file even in a state that a plurality of print target files are distributively stored in folders inside a file system. <P>SOLUTION: A print requirement attribute management part 14 registers identification information about the file and the folder managed as a file and a folder out of print targets managed by a file system dB 121 into a print requirement attribute management table 122 and manages them. A print data production part 13 directs extraction of print target identification information from files and folders under a designated folder to the print requirement attribute management part 14 when detecting folder print operation by an operation/display part 18, and performs a printing process on the basis of an extraction result. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention provides a folder without taking into consideration a state in which a file to be printed and a file that does not require printing are mixed and stored in the same folder, and a state in which the files are managed in a distributed manner in a plurality of folders. The present invention relates to a print processing apparatus, a print processing method, and a print processing program that enable collective processing with a designated.

  As a technique for managing conventional plate making data so as not to cause an operation error or an output error, a “digital plate making data management system” described in Patent Document 1 is disclosed.

  The invention of this Patent Document 1 aims to avoid work errors and output errors by managing each data file so that it is stored in an appropriate folder, and taking into account the relationship between the data files. A virtual file system that is a database that describes file operation means for requesting file operation of a selected file, attributes and states of folders and files in the management target range, and relationships between folders or files, and virtual files that manage the files A system management unit that, when an operation request for a file or folder is detected by the file operation unit, refers to the virtual file system to determine whether or not the operation of the file with respect to the folder is permitted; Only perform requested file operations Serial is to configured to update the description of the virtual file system.

The invention of Patent Document 2 aims to reduce the waste of printing paper by managing documents for each page. A document attribute table is provided with a flag for managing a correction page in a document, and the document printing is performed. Re-prints only the corrected page based on the flag. Further, the correction page is further managed by adding the version number, and only the correction page having a predetermined version number or more is printed.
JP 2001-197244 A. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 04-359364.

  By the way, in the configuration of the invention of the above-described Patent Document 1, when only a necessary file is printed again after correcting some files, the user needs to perform a reprint operation while paying attention to the corrected file in the folder. In particular, in the case of managing a document composed of a plurality of files with a large number of pages such as specifications, there is a problem in operability that a print operation must be performed while checking the corrected file name each time.

  In the reprinting process, a function for batch printing of files in a designated folder is provided by a folder printing function.

  However, depending on the circumstances of document management, reference files other than print document files may be managed together. In such cases, when folder printing is performed, even unnecessary files are printed. Problems such as striping occur.

  On the other hand, the invention of the above-mentioned patent document 2 considers the document file correction operation and the reprinting process effectively, but is a print target when managing a plurality of files in the same folder. No mention is made of the file extraction process.

  As a result, the present invention enables printing that allows folder printing without changing the folder structure and file storage location in a state where files that can be printed and files that do not require printing are stored in the same folder. It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing device, a print processing method, and a print processing program.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a print processing apparatus for performing print processing by designating a plurality of files, a print designating unit for designating a plurality of files to be printed, and a print designating unit. Print processing except for print request attribute extraction means for extracting print request attributes assigned in relation to a plurality of specified files, and files for which print request attributes extracted by the print request attribute extraction means indicate that printing is prohibited And a print processing means for performing the above.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the print designating unit designates a plurality of files to be printed by designating a folder including the plurality of files, and the print request attribute is a file It is characterized by being given corresponding to

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the print designation means designates a plurality of files to be printed by designation of reference information of the plurality of files, and the print request attribute is a reference It is given according to information.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the print request attribute is assigned in relation to a page of the file, and the print processing means excludes a page in which the print request attribute is set to print prohibition. And performing a printing process.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the print processing method for performing print processing by designating a plurality of files, the plurality of files designated for print processing are designated by the print designation means, and the plurality of files designated by the print designation means are specified. The print request attribute assigned in association with the print request attribute is extracted by the print request attribute extraction unit, and the print request attribute extracted by the print request attribute extraction unit is removed from the file indicating that printing is prohibited by the print processing unit, and the print processing is performed. It is characterized by that.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print processing program for performing print processing by designating a plurality of files, wherein a step for accepting designation of a plurality of files for performing print processing and a plurality of received files are related. A step of causing the computer to execute a step of extracting each of the assigned print request attributes and a step of performing a print process except for a file in which the extracted print request attributes indicate that printing is prohibited.

  By applying the print processing apparatus, print processing method, and print processing program of the present invention, even when a plurality of print target files are distributed and stored in folders in the file system, the operator is made aware of the print target file. In addition, it is possible to simplify the batch printing operation without performing complicated operations such as collecting files in a printing folder or the like, and to prevent unnecessary file printing processing.

  Hereinafter, embodiments in which the print processing apparatus of the present invention is applied to a PC (Personal Computer) and the print processing method and the print processing program of the present invention are applied will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a screen image diagram schematically showing an example of a folder print screen 200 for specifying a file not to be printed and performing folder printing in the print processing apparatus according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a folder print screen 200 displays the folder and directory structure in the file system, and the user performs a print operation by specifying the print designation folder 201 in which the print target file 203 is stored by the folder print function. is there.

  Here, the folder printing function refers to files stored in a lower folder belonging to the print designation folder 201 (for example, folders 204, 205, and 206 in FIG. 1), including files stored in the print designation folder 201. This is a function that prints all of them at once.

  At this time, the user designates the non-printable file 202 that does not require printing in advance or the non-printable folder 204 that does not print all the files in the folder, and registers the files and folders that are not to be printed. to manage.

  In addition, an attribute that is set and managed as to whether or not a folder and a file are not to be printed will be hereinafter referred to as a “print request attribute”.

  As a result, on the folder print screen 200, the user performs a folder print operation on the print designation folder 201, and prints by specifying only the print target file 203 excluding the non-print target file 202.

  Next, an example in which the print processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a PC will be shown and connected.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing main control elements of the PC 1.

  In FIG. 2, the PC 1 includes a PC control unit 11 that controls the entire PC 1, a storage unit 12, a print data creation unit 13, a print request attribute management unit 14, a file / folder management unit 15, a communication control unit 16, and an input / output control. It is controlled by the configuration to which the unit 17 is connected, and performs print control and file management for the printer 3 connected via the network 2.

  The print data creating unit 13 monitors the folder print function shown in FIG. 1, print data generation processing for providing a normal print function, and the printer 3 connectable via the network 2.

  The file / folder management unit 15 manages files and folders stored and managed in the PC storage unit 12 of the PC 1 by the file system of the operating system of the PC 1, specifies folder identification information and file storage locations, Perform file operations.

  The print request attribute management unit 14 includes a user interface output control for displaying a user interface for setting and managing a print request attribute for a file or folder on the operation / display unit 18, and a file based on an operation on the user interface. The print request attribute set in the folder is managed by an identifier managed by the file / folder management unit 15.

  The communication control unit 16 performs output control of print data to a printer connected to the network 2 and communication control with other devices connected to the network 2.

  The input / output control unit 17 is connected to the operation / display unit 18 and performs display control of the user interface screen and detection control of various input operations of the user in the operation / display unit 18.

  The storage unit 12 stores a control program for controlling the PC control unit 11 and system parameters, and particularly stores and manages a program for maintaining print request attributes, a print program for providing a folder printing function, and the like. .

  In addition, the storage unit 12 is a file system DB (database) 121 that records and manages file and folder identifiers and storage location information managed by the file system, and is set in the file and folder managed by the file system DB 121. The print request attribute management table 122 for managing the received print request attributes is stored and managed.

  FIG. 3 is a table layout diagram schematically showing an example of the print request attribute management table 122.

  The print request attribute management table 122 includes an object type that sets and manages a folder and a file classification that are not subject to print processing, and a file ID and a folder ID corresponding to the file or folder specified by the object type. It consists of an object ID registered and managed using an identifier managed in the file system DB 121.

  The print request attribute management table 122 indicates that the print request attribute is set by registering the identifier of the file or folder. On the other hand, the print request attribute management table 122 prints the print request attribute by deleting the file or folder or maintaining the print request attribute. The fact that the attribute has been canceled is managed by deleting the record corresponding to the ID of the corresponding file or folder.

  Next, based on the control configuration of the PC 1 shown in FIG. 2 and the print request attribute management table 122 shown in FIG. 3, the maintenance processing for setting / releasing the print request attributes, and the print request attributes of files and folders are Each folder printing process excluding the set file and folder will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing for setting and canceling as a print request attribute for managing files and folders not to be processed at the time of folder printing in the PC 1 of FIG.

  In FIG. 4, the print request attribute maintenance process is performed in the print request attribute maintenance operation on the screen for displaying files and folders of the PC 1 shown in FIG. The process is started with the delete operation of.

  The PC control unit 11 notifies the print request attribute management unit 14 of the input information including the processing start trigger classification in the operation / display unit 18 detected via the input / output control unit 17 and the identifier of the designated folder or file. To do.

  When the notified processing start trigger category is “delete file / folder” (“delete file / folder” in step S101), the print request attribute management unit 14 indicates that the process start trigger category is “printing”. If it is “Maintenance of request attribute” (“Print request attribute maintenance” in step S101) and the category of the print request attribute is “Release” (“Release” in step S102), the maintenance target of the print request attribute It is determined whether the object to be is a file or a folder (step S106).

  When the maintenance target object is “folder” (“folder” in step S106), the print request attribute management unit 14 prints the print request attribute management table in which the folder ID and object type of the designated folder correspond to “folder”. The record 122 is deleted (step S107).

  On the other hand, when the object that is the maintenance target of the print request attribute is “file” (“file” in step S106), the print request attribute management unit 14 sets the file ID of the process target file acquired in step S101 as the object ID. The record of the print request attribute management table 122 corresponding to the object type “file” is specified and deleted (step S108).

  Returning to step S102 again, if the processing start trigger is “print request attribute maintenance processing” and the print request attribute “setting” operation (“setting” in step S102), the print request attribute management unit 14 Determines whether the classification of the object for which the print request attribute is to be set is “file” or “folder” (step S103).

  When the setting target object is “file” (“file” in step S103), the print request attribute management unit 14 prints a record in which the file ID detected in step S101 is the object ID and the object classification is “file”. Register in the attribute management table 122 (step S104).

  On the other hand, when the setting target object is “folder” (“folder” in step S103), the print request attribute management unit 14 sets a record in which the folder ID detected in step S101 is the object ID and the object classification is “folder”. It is registered in the print request attribute management table 122 (step S105).

  Note that in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 in the file / folder deletion operation or the print request attribute maintenance process detected in step S101, it is an example when the process for a single object is detected. In the case where a plurality of objects are specified and processed at the same time, the processing contents shown in FIG. 4 may be repeated for each object.

  Next, the folder printing processing procedure shown in FIG. 1 among the printing operations in the PC 1 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 5 using the reference numerals of the respective control units shown in the block diagram of FIG.

  In FIG. 5, the input / output control unit 17 detects a folder printing operation on the folder printing screen 200 displayed on the operation / display unit 18 of the PC 1 and notifies the PC control unit 11 of the operation content. Then, the PC control unit 11 notifies the print data creation unit 13 of the input data for the folder print request and instructs the folder print processing. The print data creation unit 13 acquires the identifier of the print designated folder 201 that has instructed folder printing from the input data of the folder print request (step S201).

  The print data creation unit 13 notifies the print request attribute management unit 14 of the identifier of the print designation folder 201 identified in step S201, and instructs to determine whether the print request attribute is set for the print designation folder 201 (step S201). S202).

  As a result of the search of the print request attribute management table 122 by the print request attribute management unit 14, if the print request attribute is set in the print designation folder 201 (YES in step S202), the print data creation unit 13 displays the folder and file. Which print request attribute is preferentially applied is acquired from a system parameter (not shown) stored in the storage unit 12 and determined (step S203).

  When priority is given to the print request attribute set in the file (YES in step S203), the print data creation unit 13 ignores the print request attribute set in the folder and sets the print request attribute set in each file in the folder. In order to determine whether to make a print target based on the file ID, the file ID of each file in the print designation folder 201 is sequentially obtained (step S204).

  The print data creation unit 13 inquires of the print request attribute management unit 14 whether the print request attribute is set in the processing target file (step S205).

  If the print request attribute is not set in the processing target file (NO in step S205), the print data creation unit 13 sets the file ID of the processing target file in the print target list (step S206).

  On the other hand, if the print request attribute is set in the processing target file in the process of step S205 (YES in step S205), when the process of step S206 or the process of step S206 is completed, the print data creation unit 13 displays the folder. In step S207, it is determined whether there is a file that has not been subjected to print request attribute determination processing.

  If there is an unprocessed file in the same folder (YES in step S207), the print data creation unit 13 returns to the process of step S204 and acquires the file ID of the unprocessed file in the folder (step S204).

  On the other hand, when the print request attribute determination processing for all the files in the same folder is completed (NO in step S207), the print data creation unit 13 is a folder belonging to the print designation folder 201 instructed to perform folder printing. In addition, it is determined whether or not there is an unprocessed folder (step S208).

  If there is an unprocessed folder that belongs to the print designation folder 201 (YES in step S208), the print data creation unit 13 acquires an unprocessed folder ID that belongs to the print designation folder (step S210), and again. Returning to step S202, it is determined whether a print request attribute is set for the processing target folder.

  On the other hand, when the print request attribute determination processing for all folders and files belonging to the print designation folder 201 is completed and the file ID list of the print target file is completed (NO in step S208), the print data creation unit 13 Then, a file printing process is performed on the file registered in the print target list (step S209).

  The above is an example of the folder printing process in consideration of the print request attributes set for the files and folders in the PC 1.

  The above is the description of an embodiment in which the print processing apparatus, print processing method, and print processing program according to the present invention are applied to a PC.

  The above embodiment shows a configuration in which the minimum unit of objects for managing print request attributes is a file, but in addition to this, a table for managing print request attributes in units of pages is stored in the PC storage unit 12. In addition, the print request attribute management unit 14 manages print request attributes for each page, and at the time of file printing, the print data creation unit 13 determines the print request attribute for each page and prints only the print target page. It may be configured.

  In addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 2, a configuration is added in which a file server is added to the network to manage print request attributes for a network shared file or network shared folder managed by a network file system or the like. The print server may be configured to instruct the folder print process shown in FIG. 5 to perform the print process.

  The print processing apparatus, the print processing method, and the print processing program of the present invention are effective for a printing system that simultaneously prints a plurality of files. In particular, in a file system, files to be printed exist in a plurality of folders. In addition, when the file to be printed is managed in a state where it is stored in the same folder as the file prohibited from printing, it can be used effectively.

In the print processing apparatus according to the present invention, an example of a folder print screen 200 for setting and managing a file to be excluded from print processing as a print request attribute and performing batch print processing by folder printing is schematically shown. It is a screen image figure shown. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing main control elements when the print processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a PC. FIG. 3 is a table layout diagram illustrating an example of a print request attribute management table illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating file and folder deletion operations and print request attribute maintenance processing on a print request attribute setting screen in the PC illustrated in FIG. 2. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of folder printing processing in the PC illustrated in FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols

1 PC
11 PC control unit 12 Storage unit 121 File system DB
122 Print request attribute management table 13 Print data creation unit 14 Unprintable file / folder management unit 15 File / folder management unit 16 Communication control unit 17 Input / output control unit 18 Operation / display unit 2 Network 3 Printer 200 Folder print screen 201 Print Designated folder 202 Non-printable file 203 Print target file 204 Non-printable folder

Claims (6)

In a print processing device that performs print processing by specifying multiple files,
Print designation means for designating a plurality of files to be printed;
Print request attribute extraction means for extracting print request attributes assigned in association with a plurality of files designated by the print designation means;
A print processing apparatus, comprising: a print processing unit that performs a print process except for a file in which the print request attribute extracted by the print request attribute extraction unit indicates printing prohibition. The print designation means includes
Specifying a plurality of files for performing the printing process by specifying a folder including the plurality of files,
The print request attribute is:
The print processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print processing apparatus is assigned corresponding to the file. The print designation means includes
Specifying a plurality of files to be printed by specifying reference information of the plurality of files;
The print request attribute is:
The print processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print processing apparatus is assigned corresponding to the reference information. The print request attribute is:
Granted in connection with the page of the file,
The print processing means includes
The print processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein print processing is performed except for a page in which the print request attribute is set to print prohibition. In a print processing method for performing print processing by specifying a plurality of files,
A plurality of files to be subjected to the printing process are designated by a print designation unit,
Print request attributes assigned in association with a plurality of files designated by the print designation means are respectively extracted by the print request attribute extraction means,
A print processing method, wherein the print processing attribute is extracted by removing the file whose print request attribute extracted by the print request attribute extraction means indicates that printing is prohibited. A print processing program for performing print processing by specifying a plurality of files,
Receiving a plurality of file designations for performing the printing process;
Extracting each of the print request attributes given in relation to the received plurality of files;
A print processing program for causing a computer to execute a print process except for a file whose extracted print request attribute indicates print prohibition.

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