JP2006146716A - Information processor, informed processing method, program and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print all print jobs included in a group job at the time of operating proxy printing concerning the group job. <P>SOLUTION: This information processing method in an information processor for transmitting a group job comprises a process (a step S1004) for acquiring the attributes of a plurality of printing devices, a process (a step S1005) for retrieving the printing device which can print a plurality of print jobs included in the group job from the plurality of printing devices based on the attributes and a process (a step S1009) for making a transmitting means transmit the plurality of print jobs so that the plurality of print jobs can be printed by any retrieved printing device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a processing technique for processing a print job generated in an information processing apparatus that is communicably connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses.

  Conventionally, in a network printer, when a print job transmitted from a host is printed out, it is performed in accordance with the order in which the print job is received. For this reason, when a plurality of print jobs are transmitted from a plurality of hosts, the network printer receives the print jobs from different hosts one after the other. In some cases, prints from different hosts coexist. As a result, the user must sort the prints of print jobs transmitted from different hosts, and the conventional network printer is not convenient for the user.

  In order to avoid such a problem, various print job control methods for printing a plurality of print jobs at once have been proposed recently, and examples thereof include the following methods.

(1) A method of combining a plurality of print jobs into one print job using a printer description language at the host before sending to the network printer. (2) When the host sends a plurality of print jobs to the network printer. A method of combining print jobs with a network printer and discharging them by sending a command for combining print jobs to the network printer. (3) The print server performs sequence control for print jobs from a plurality of pre-registered hosts. A method in which print jobs that are ejected by a network printer are ejected in groups by sending them to a network printer for each group of print jobs. (4) Multiple print jobs are grouped into group jobs. Multiple print jobs from the host to the network A method that transmits in one session of a print protocol when sending to a printer. According to the above print job control method, print jobs from different hosts do not follow each other. The print jobs can be printed together.

  Further, in the method of generating a group job as described in (4) above, even when an error occurs in a network printer during printing by the group job, printing is performed on another network printer. For example, it is realized by the following method.

(1) In order to avoid the problem that some print jobs are not printed due to the capability of the proxy network printer (printing device attributes such as paper size) when proxy printing processing occurs due to a network printer error (2) A method of moving a group job to a pre-designated group job substitution destination (in this case, check the printing conditions of the network printer at the substitution destination) A specific example of such a method is, for example, Patent Document 1), or a method for displaying a print destination change dialog when the substitute destination is not designated and allowing the user to designate the substitute destination.
JP 2001-075768 A

  However, the above-described proxy printing for the conventional group job has the following problems.

  (1) When a group job is moved to a network printer registered at the substitution destination, the printing conditions of the substitution destination network printer are not checked, so all print jobs included in the group job are printed at the substitution destination network printer. You may not be able to.

  (2) Furthermore, if there is no network printer that can print all the print jobs included in the group job among the network printers designated as the substitution destination, printing is not performed even if the group job is moved to any substitution destination network printer. A print job occurs.

  (3) Furthermore, if the grouping is canceled during proxy printing, print jobs from different hosts will be mixed after the proxy printing occurs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and realizes output of a user-desired finish even when a group job is substituted for a group job composed of a plurality of print jobs. An object is to provide information processing technology.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is,
An information processing apparatus that is communicably connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses and is capable of transmitting a group job including a plurality of print jobs to the printing apparatus,
Obtaining means for obtaining print processing capabilities of the plurality of printing devices;
Search means for searching for a printing apparatus capable of printing a plurality of print jobs included in the group job from the plurality of printing apparatuses based on the print processing capability;
Instruction means for instructing to transmit the plurality of print jobs to any of the printing apparatuses searched by the search means.

  When performing proxy printing for a group job composed of a plurality of print jobs, it is possible to realize output with a finish desired by the user even if proxying of the group job is performed.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<Configuration example of print processing system>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a print processing system including an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 101, 102, 103, and 104 denote information processing apparatuses (network computers) that are connected to the network 106 and can communicate with each other, and are typically personal computers (PCs). Reference numeral 105 denotes a network printer as a printing apparatus.

  Among these, reference numerals 102, 103, and 104 denote client computers (hereinafter referred to as clients), which are each connected to the network 106 by a network cable such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and can execute various programs such as application programs. A printer driver having a function of converting print data into a printer language is also installed. Here, it is assumed that each of the clients 102 to 104 supports a plurality of printer drivers.

  On the other hand, reference numeral 101 denotes a server computer (hereinafter referred to as a server), which is connected to the network 106 via a network cable, accumulates files used in the network 106, and monitors the use state of the network 106. In this embodiment, the server 101 functions as a print server that manages the network printer 105 connected to the network 106. Specifically, the print server 101 receives print jobs that do not include print data from the clients 102 to 104 and manages the print order, and print jobs that include print data to the clients 102 to 104 that have reached the print order. It has a function for notifying transmission permission, a function for acquiring the status of the network printer 105 and various types of information about the print job, and notifying the clients 102 to 104.

  The network printer 105 is connected to the network 106 via a network interface, analyzes a print job transmitted from the clients 102 to 104, converts it into a dot image page by page, and prints it. Although only one network printer 105 is shown in the figure, it is assumed that a plurality of other network printers are connected. The functions of each network printer may be different.

  Reference numeral 106 denotes a network, which is connected to the clients 102 to 104, the print server 101, the network printer 105, and the like.

<Example of hardware configuration of network computer>
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the network computers 101 to 104. In FIG. 2, a CPU 200 controls the entire apparatus, executes an application program, a printer driver program, an OS stored in a hard disk (HD) 205, the network printer control program of the present embodiment, and the like, and a RAM 202 Control to temporarily store information, files, etc. necessary for program execution.

  Reference numeral 201 denotes a ROM as storage means, which stores various data such as a program such as a basic I / O program, font data used for print data processing, and template data. Reference numeral 202 denotes a RAM as temporary storage means, which functions as a main memory, work area, and the like of the CPU 200.

  Reference numeral 203 denotes a floppy disk drive as storage medium reading means. As shown in FIG. 5 to be described later, various programs stored in the FD 204 as a storage medium are loaded into the network computers 101 to 104 through the FD drive 203. Can do. Reference numeral 204 denotes a floppy disk (FD) as a storage medium, which is a storage medium in which a program is stored so as to be readable by the network computers 101 to 104. Note that the storage medium is not limited to the FD, and may be any CD-ROM, CDR, CDRW, PC card, DVD, IC memory card, MO, memory stick, and the like.

  Reference numeral 205 denotes one of external storage means, which is a hard disk (HD) that functions as a large-capacity memory, and stores an application program, a printer driver program, an OS, a network printer control program, related programs, and the like. Furthermore, a spooler as spool means is secured here. The spool means is a client spooler in the clients 102 to 104, and a server spooler in the print server 101. In the print server 101, a table for storing print jobs received from the clients 102 to 104 and controlling the order is also stored in the external storage unit.

  Reference numeral 206 denotes a keyboard which is an instruction input unit. The user instructs the clients 102 to 104 and the operator or administrator to input device control command instructions to the print server 101. A display 207 is a display unit that displays commands input from the keyboard 206, the status of the network printer 105, and the like.

  A system bus 208 controls the flow of data in a network computer that is a client or print server. Reference numeral 209 denotes an interface as input / output means, and the network computers 101 to 104 exchange data with external devices via the interface 209.

  The configuration of the network computer is one example, and is not limited to the configuration example of FIG. For example, the storage location of data and programs can be changed by ROM, RAM, HD, etc. according to the characteristics.

<Configuration of RAM 202 or FD 204 Memory Map>
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the memory map of the RAM 202 shown in FIG. 2, and is a memory map in a state where the network printer control program loaded from the FD 204 is loaded into the RAM 202 and can be executed.

  In this embodiment, the network printer control program and related data are directly loaded from the FD 204 to the RAM 202 and executed. However, every time the network printer control program is operated, the network printer control program is already executed. May be loaded into the RAM 202 from the HD 205 installed from the FD 204. The medium for storing the network printer control program may be a CD-ROM, CDR, PC card, DVD, or IC memory card in addition to the FD. Furthermore, it is possible to store the network printer control program in the ROM 201, configure it as a part of the memory map, and execute it directly by the CPU 200. In addition, software that realizes the same function as each of the above devices can be used as an alternative to a hardware device.

  The network printer control program includes a program that controls the clients 102 to 104 to instruct to change the print destination of the print job or to instruct to change the print order. In addition, the print server 101 includes a program for controlling the order of print jobs and notifying the end of printing of a print job, a request for changing a print destination, and the like. Further, the network printer control program of this embodiment that performs such control is divided into modules installed in the clients 102 to 104 (job control print service, details will be described later) and modules installed in the print server 101. Alternatively, one network printer control program may function as a client or a print server depending on the environment in which it is executed. Alternatively, it is also possible to install a module having a client function and a module functioning as a print server in one network computer, and perform a pseudo parallel operation at the same time or in a time division manner.

  Reference numeral 301 denotes a basic I / O program, which has an IPL (Initial Program Loading) function for starting the operation of the OS by reading the OS from the HD 205 into the RAM 202 when the network computer is turned on. This is the area that contains Reference numeral 302 denotes an operating system (OS), and 303 denotes a network printer control program, which is stored in an area secured on the RAM 202. Reference numeral 304 denotes related data, which is stored in an area secured on the RAM 202. Reference numeral 305 denotes a work area in which an area for the CPU 200 to execute the network printer control program is secured.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a memory map of the FD 204 illustrated in FIG. In FIG. 4, 401 is volume information indicating data information, 402 is directory information, 403 is a network printer control program described in this embodiment, and 404 is related data thereof. The network printer control program 403 is programmed based on the flowchart described in this embodiment, and in this embodiment, the clients 102 to 104 and the print server 101 have the same configuration.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship with the FD 204 inserted into the FD drive 203 shown in FIG. 2, and the same components as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 5, the FD 204 stores a network printer control program and related data described in the present embodiment.

<Example of Software Configuration in Clients 102 to 104>
First, various terms used in the following description of the print processing system including the network printer control program will be described. In the following description, “printer” refers to a combination of a printer driver and an output port, and is defined as a concept different from “network printer” which is the above-described device (physical printer).

  In addition, a network printer generates a page description language by interpreting a drawing command (generally called DDI or GDI) output via an OS such as Windows (registered trademark) in response to a print instruction from an application. A printer driver that outputs to the printer 105 is referred to as a “PDL driver”. It should be noted that the OS used here is not limited to Windows (registered trademark), and it goes without saying that other OS can be applied as long as the OS includes a drawing command.

  Further, in the following description, “group job” refers to a print job generated by a user grouping a plurality of print jobs via a user interface, and is relative to a single print job “single job”. It is a concept to do.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating how a print job including a drawing command issued from an application that prints print data or the like is processed in the clients 102 to 104.

  First, the outline of the processing will be described. Normally, when a print instruction is issued from the user, the application program 601 generates a series of drawing commands via the OS. The generated drawing command is converted into a print job of a predetermined format via the PDL driver 602 and then transferred to the Windows spooler 604 (Windows (registered trademark) Spooler). The Windows (registered trademark) Spooler 604 takes a procedure of passing a print job to a port monitor selected and instructed by a user via a user interface and transmitting it to the network printer 105. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the user designates the job control port monitor 621 in advance and issues a print instruction.

  Next, the operation of each software is described. The application program 601 generates a series of drawing commands via the OS. Here, the drawing command generated via the OS is delivered to the PDL driver 602.

  Upon receiving the drawing command generated via the OS, the PDL driver 602 generates a page description language for printing by the network printer 105 and transmits it to the job control port monitor 621 as a print job. Also, print setting information such as a paper size and a stapling instruction set via the user interface of the PDL driver 602 is transmitted to the job control port monitor 621.

  The job control port monitor 621 does not transmit the print job to the network printer 105 but transmits it to the print job control system print service 622 (hereinafter abbreviated as job control print service). At this time, a print job is transmitted to the corresponding network printer 105 via the job control port monitor 621 and the job control service 622 corresponding to the PDL driver 602 set to perform print processing.

  A print job control system print manager 623 (hereinafter abbreviated as “print manager”) is used by the user to check the state of the print job in the job control print service 622 and to operate the print job. Provides a user interface. The print manager 623 exchanges information / instructions with the job control print service 622 via a software interface (API: Application Program Interface) of the job control print service 622. More specifically, the print manager 623 issues an event specifying the network printer 105 to the job control print service 622, and the job control print service 622 displays the status of the network printer 105 based on the issued event. Monitoring is performed, and a result based on the monitoring is notified to the print manager 623.

<Relationship between Software Configuration in Network Printer 105 and Clients 102-104>
Next, the relationship between the network printer 105 and the software configuration in the clients 102 to 104 will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7, conceptually, a PDL driver 602, a spooler 604, and a job control port monitor 621 are prepared for each of the network printers 105A to 105C. When the OS is Windows (registered trademark), these may be collectively referred to as a Windows (registered trademark) print system (700).

  The job control print service 622 includes a number of printer queues 701A, 701B, 701C and output ports 702A, 702B, 702C corresponding to the network printers 105A-105C. The output port is associated with an IP address of a corresponding network printer or a name used in a name service (DNS: Domain Name System). A transmission destination of the print job is specified based on the IP address or name, and the transmission (output) of the print job is performed. In this embodiment, a printer queue is set for each network printer, which is a physical device, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a printer queue may be set for each logical printer. Good. That is, one logical printer may be set for a plurality of network printers, one printer queue may be set for the logical printer, and a plurality of logical printers may be set for one network printer. A printer queue may be set for each of the plurality of logical printers.

  When transmitting a print job to a network printer, the application 601 issues a print instruction by designating a printer queue corresponding to the network printer having a print function. When a print job generated by the PDL driver 602 based on this print instruction is transferred from the job control port monitor 621 to the job control print service 622, job information (described later) of the print job is first held in the printer queue 701. The Then, the print job is transmitted to the network printer 105.

<Configuration of print job information table>
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a print job information table managed by the job control print service 622.

  The print job information table 801 used in this embodiment is created by the printer queue 701 when a print job is transmitted from the job control port monitor 621 to the job control print service 622. A job ID 802 is an arbitrary ID assigned to the print job information table 801 managed by the printer queue 701, and is used as an ID for identifying a print job.

  A document name 803 is a name of print data to be printed by the application 601, and notifies the printer queue 701 when the job control port monitor 621 transmits a print job to the job control print service 622. The spool file path 804 is a file path where the job control print service 622 saves the print job transmitted from the job control port monitor 621 to the job control print service 622 in the HD 205.

  The print setting information 805 is information on printer functions necessary for printing with the network printer 105 such as paper size and stapling instructions set via the user interface of the PDL driver 602. A group ID 806 is an arbitrary group ID issued by the printer queue 701 when the application 601 designates print job grouping. A group of print jobs can be identified by this group ID. The group end flag 807 is a flag indicating the last print job in the group job.

<Configuration of printer queue information>
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the printer queue information 901, and a print job accepted by the printer queue 701 is processed based on the printer queue information 901.

  Here, the printer name 902, the driver name 903, the device IP address 904, the substitution destination network printer 906, and the group division condition 907, which are the setting contents of the printer queue information 901, will be described.

  The printer name 902 indicates the name of a Windows (registered trademark) printer object, and is different for each printer object. This allows the printer object to be identified.

  A driver name 903 is the name of the PDL driver set in the printer object. The device IP address 904 is the IP address of the corresponding network printer 105.

  The proxy network printer 906 displays a dialog 1600 as shown in FIG. 16 in order to perform proxy printing by changing the output destination when an error occurs in the network printer in the process of the printer queue 701 and printing cannot be performed. FIG. 16 is a list of proxy network printers (see 1601 in FIG. 16) preset by the user (in FIG. 16, the user sets proxy network printers 906 in the printer queue 701 and group division conditions 907. Shows an example of a printer setting dialog to do this). In the list, network printers having higher priority (see 1602 in FIG. 16) are registered as substitute destinations in order.

  A group division condition 907 is a condition (see 1603 in FIG. 16) set in advance by the user in the dialog 1600 as shown in FIG. 16. When proxy printing occurs in a group job, the group division condition is a group division condition. Information about whether to divide so that the number is minimized or to maintain the printing order before substitution is stored.

<Flow of processing when performing proxy printing>
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the job control print service 622. In particular, FIG. 10 shows the flow of processing when a group job is printed on a different network printer on behalf of a printer error.

  Here, a method for determining a candidate for a proxy destination network printer that is a destination of a group job in this embodiment will be described.

  In this embodiment, the network printer 105 corresponding to the print setting information 805 of the print job information table 801 holds the network printer 105 corresponding to the proxy destination network printer (906) registered in the printer queue 701. To obtain the attributes of the printing apparatus. For example, the paper size (A3, A4, etc.) in the paper feed stage of the network printer 105, the presence or absence of a stapling function, and the like can be mentioned. In addition, the capacity of the printing device, such as whether there are as many sheets of print output as the capacity specified in the print job, or whether the remaining amount is sufficient to print out a print job on behalf of a recording material such as toner. Includes dynamic attributes.

  When the capability of the network printer 105 acquired as described above includes items registered in the print setting information 805 of the print job information table 801 of the print job that is the proxy object, the network printer 105 is the proxy object print. It has the ability to print a job and determines that it can be substituted.

  For example, if the paper size of the print setting information 805 in the print job information table 801 in the print job A that is the proxy target is A3, and the A3 and A4 sheets are in the paper feed stage of the network printer 105A, printing It is determined that job A can be substituted for network printer 105A.

  In step S1001, when the job control print service 622 detects that an error has occurred in the network printer 105, the process proceeds to step S1002. If no error occurs, the process waits in step S1001.

  In step S1002, it is determined whether the print job is a group job based on the group ID 806 in the print job information table 801 of the print job registered in the printer queue 701 corresponding to the network printer 105 in which the error has occurred. At this time, the print job information table 801 registered in the printer queue 701 is a print job information table for a print job to be printed on the network printer 105 in which an error has occurred.

  If the job is not a group job in step S1002, the print job is moved to a proxy network printer 906 registered in the print queue information 901 in step S1017. In step S1009, the proxy print destination printer queue is transferred. The print job information table 801 is registered with respect to 701.

  Hereinafter, the flow of proxy printing in the print job determined as a group job in step S1002 will be described.

  In step S1003, a counter N indicating the priority of the proxy destination network printer used to determine the proxy destination network printer is set to 1.

  In step S <b> 1004, print setting information (paper size, stapling instruction, etc.) in the print job information table 801 from the network printer 105 registered with the Nth (priority N) network printer 906 in the printer queue 701 is supported. The job control print service 622 acquires device information to be performed (for example, the paper size in the paper feed stage of the network printer 105). The device information acquired here is stored in the RAM 202 of the network printer. In this embodiment, the device information is acquired at the time of the occurrence of the substitution. However, the device information may be acquired in advance and registered in the printer queue information 901 or the like, or may be acquired as the capability of the PDL driver. Also good.

  In step S1005, from the device information acquired from the network printer 105 in step S1004, all print jobs of the group job are print job conditions (= job attributes. For example, stapling, color printing, high resolution printing, various bookbinding processes, etc.). Based on the above, it is determined whether the substitution is possible.

  In this embodiment, after acquiring all device information in advance or at the time of occurrence of substitution, it is determined whether or not all print jobs of the group job can be substituted for the acquired device information table. Although “search” for a network printer that can be substituted is performed, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, it is possible to search for network printers that can be substituted by inquiring whether or not substitution is possible for each network printer and sequentially determining the network printer.

  If all print jobs can be substituted, the process proceeds to step S1008. If there is a print job that cannot be substituted, the process proceeds to step S1006.

  In step S1008, all the print jobs of the group job are moved to the network printer 105 determined to be able to be substituted in step S1005. In step S1009, the print job information table 801 is registered in the substitute print destination printer queue 701. I do.

  In step S1006, all the network printers registered in the proxy network printer 906 in the print job information table 801 have been checked in step S1005 (N is the network printer registered in the proxy network printer 906). Is equal to the number). If all network printers have been checked, the process proceeds to step S1010. If there are any remaining network printers to be checked, the process proceeds to step S1007. In step S1007, N is counted up, and the process proceeds to step S1004.

  Described below is a proxy process by dividing a group job when all print jobs of the group job cannot be delegated to one network printer.

  In step S1010, with reference to the group division condition 907 of the print queue information 901, it is determined whether the division is performed so that the number of groups is minimized or the printing order before substitution is maintained.

  In step S1011, print job transfer processing is performed by group division that minimizes the number of groups, which will be described later.

  In step S <b> 1012, a print job transfer process is performed by group division while maintaining a printing order before substitution, which will be described later.

  In step S1013, as a result of the processing in step S1011 or step S1012, it is checked whether a print job registered in the group ID 806 of the print job information table 801 remains in the print job remaining in the printer queue of the proxy source network printer. Thus, it is determined whether all the print jobs of the group job have been moved.

  In step S1014, if it is determined in step S1013 that all print jobs have been moved, the print job information table 801 is registered in the substitute print destination printer queue 701.

  In step S1015, if it is determined in step S1013 that a print job remains in the printer queue, the group ID of the remaining print job is deleted, and a manual proxy dialog 1700 as shown in FIG. (FIG. 17 shows an example of a manual substitution dialog displayed in step S1015 in FIG. 10. This dialog shows the document name 803 of the print job registered in the printer queue 701. And a printer name 902 of the printer queue 701 registered in the job control service 605, and prompts the user to perform proxy printing to another network printer). When the user designates a substitute destination (selects 1701 in FIG. 17 and presses the substitute print button 1702), the print job is moved in step S1016. In step S1014, the print job is transferred to the substitute print destination printer queue 701. The information table 801 is registered.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the movement of a print job in the printer queue 701 in step S1008 of FIG. 10 as an example of the paper size as print setting information. As shown in FIG. 11, when an error occurs in the network printer 1102, the group status of the group job 1101 is represented by substituting for the network printer 1103 that satisfies the conditions (job attributes) of all the print jobs in the group job 1101. Therefore, it is possible to prevent interruption by another print job even at the movement destination.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of a print job transfer process by group division that minimizes the number of groups in step S1011 of FIG.

  In step S1201, a counter N indicating the priority of the proxy destination network printer used to determine the proxy destination network printer is set to 1.

  In step S1202, it is determined whether the print job has already been moved to the network printer having the priority N (N = 1). If it has been moved, N is incremented in step S1203, and the process proceeds to step S1204 (in this embodiment, all movable print jobs are moved to the network printer selected as the substitute destination. Therefore, in the network printer to which the print job has already been moved, there are no print jobs that can be moved among the remaining print jobs, so the check of whether or not substitution is possible is skipped).

  In step S1204, the device information of the network printer with priority N stored in step S1004 is used to determine the number of print jobs that can be substituted based on job attributes in the network printer with priority N, and the RAM 202 of the network computer. To remember.

  In step S1205, it is determined whether all proxy network printers have been checked (whether N is equal to the number of network printers registered in the proxy network printer 906 of the print queue information 901). If all proxy network printers have been checked, the process proceeds to step S1208. If there are any remaining network printers to be checked, the process proceeds to step S1206.

  In step S1206, the priority N is counted up, and the process proceeds to step S1207.

  In step S1207, it is determined whether the print job has already been moved to the network printer with priority N. If it has been moved, the process returns to step S1206 to increment N, and if it has not moved, the process proceeds to step S1204 (in this embodiment, the network printer selected as the substitute destination has a print job that can be moved). Since the network printer has already moved the print job, there is no print job that can be moved among the remaining print jobs, so skip the check to see if it can be substituted.

  In step S1208, it is determined whether there is a network printer that can substitute one or more print jobs by referring to the number of print jobs recorded in step S1204. If there is a proxyable network printer, the process proceeds to step S1209. If there is no proxyable network printer, the print job transfer process by group division that minimizes the number of groups is terminated, and the process proceeds to step S1013. To migrate.

  In step S1209, by referring to the number of print jobs recorded in step S1204, the network printer having the highest proxy destination priority is selected from among the network printers having the maximum number of proxy print jobs. The group ID 806 in the table 801 is changed to move all proxy print jobs to the printer queue 701 of the selected network printer.

  In step S1210, it is determined whether all print jobs remaining in the printer queue 701 have been moved. If a print job remains in the printer queue 701, the process proceeds to step S1201. If no job remains in the printer queue 701, the print job transfer process by group division that minimizes the number of groups is terminated, and the process proceeds to step S1013.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the movement of a print job in the printer queue 701 in the print job movement process by the group division with the smallest number of groups, using the paper size as an example of print setting information. As illustrated in FIG. 13, when an error occurs in the network printer 1302, the number of print jobs that can be substituted in the network printers 1304, 1305, and 1307 are 2, 3, and 4, respectively. That is, since the number of print jobs that can be substituted by the network printer 1307 is the largest, four print jobs (B4, A4, B3, B3) are moved to the network printer 1307. Next, it is determined whether or not the network printers 1304 and 1305 can substitute the remaining one print job (A3) except for the four print jobs moved to the network printer 1307 in the group job 1301. Then, since the print job (A3) can be substituted in the network printer 1304, the print job 1303 is moved.

  As a result, the group job 1301 is output to the network printers 1304 and 1307 separately due to an error occurring in the network printer 1302. In this way, the group job 1301 is divided so that the number of divided groups is minimized, but the printing order is different from the order before substitution.

  In the present embodiment, as a group dividing method that minimizes the number of groups, a method of sequentially selecting network printers having the maximum number of print jobs that can be printed is taken. Any division method can be used.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of a print job transfer process by group division that maintains the printing order in step S1012 of FIG.

  In step S1401, a counter M indicating the order of arrangement of print jobs used to determine a proxy destination network printer in the printer queue 701 is set to 1.

  In step S1402, a counter N indicating the priority of the proxy destination network printer used to determine the proxy destination network printer is set to 1.

  In step S1403, using the device information of the network printer with priority N saved in step S1004, the network computer sets the number of print jobs that can be substituted for the Mth and subsequent print jobs in the printer queue 701 to the network printer with priority N. Is stored in the RAM 202.

  In step S1404, it is determined whether all proxy network printers have been checked (whether N is equal to the number of network printers registered in the proxy network printer 906 of the print queue information 901). If all proxy network printers have been checked, the process proceeds to step S1406. If there are remaining network printers to be checked, the process proceeds to step S1405.

  In step S1405, N is counted up, and the process proceeds to step S1403.

  In step S1406, it is determined whether there is a network printer that can substitute one or more print jobs based on job attributes by referring to the number of print jobs recorded in step S1403. If there is a network printer that can be substituted based on the job attribute, the process proceeds to step S1407. If there is no network printer that can be substituted, M is counted up in step S1410, and the process proceeds to step S1409. Transition.

  In step S1407, by referring to the number of print jobs recorded in step S1404, the network printer having the highest proxy priority among the network printers having the maximum number of proxy print jobs is selected, and the print job information table is displayed. By changing the group ID 806 of 801, all proxy print jobs are moved to the print queue 701 of the selected network printer.

  In step S1409, it is determined whether M is larger than the number of print jobs remaining in the printer queue 701. If “M> the number of print jobs remaining in the printer queue 701”, the print job transfer process by group division that maintains the print order is terminated, and the process proceeds to step S1013. If “M ≦ the number of print jobs remaining in the printer queue 701”, the process proceeds to step S1402.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the movement of a print job in the printer queue 701 in the print job movement process by group division that maintains the print order, taking the paper size as an example of print setting information. As shown in FIG. 15, when an error occurs in the network printer 1502, it is determined whether the print job included in the group job 1501 can be substituted in the network printer 1504 having the highest priority. Judge according to. In the network printer 1503, the print job 1503 is moved to the network printer 1504 because the first and second print jobs in the group job 1501 can be substituted. Next, regarding the network printer 1506 having the second highest priority, it is determined according to the print order whether the remaining print jobs other than the print jobs moved to the network printer 1504 among the print jobs included in the group job 1501 can be substituted. To do. Since the network printer 1506 can substitute the third to fifth print jobs in the print order, the print job 1505 is moved to the network printer 1506. As a result, the group job is divided while maintaining the printing order before substitution.

  In this embodiment, as a group division method for maintaining the printing order before substitution, a network printer having the maximum number of print jobs that can be printed from the head of the printer queue is sequentially selected. Any division method can be used as long as the printing order is maintained.

  As described above, conventionally, when a print job is moved to a network printer registered at the substitution destination, the printing conditions of the substitution destination network printer are not checked. Whereas there is a possibility that printing will not be performed, according to the present embodiment, the print processing capability (attribute of the printing device) of the network printer designated as the substitute destination is acquired, and all the grouped print jobs are obtained. By searching for a printable network printer and then moving the group job to a printable network printer, it becomes possible to print the group job while maintaining the grouping even at the substitution destination.

  Also, if there is no network printer that can print all the grouped print jobs in the network printer specified as the proxy destination, the print job that is not printed even if the print job grouped to any proxy network printer is moved In response to the problem that occurs, the group job is divided, the network printer that can print each print job is searched, the group is reconfigured to multiple network printers, and the divided group job is moved. By configuring, it is possible to print the group job as it is on each proxy network printer.

  Also, as a method of dividing the group job, the user sets whether to divide the group job so that the number of divided groups is minimized or to keep the printing order of the group job before the substitution according to the purpose of printing. If the setting is made so that the number of divided groups is minimized, the number of divided groups is minimized, and group jobs can be printed as collectively as possible. It becomes possible. In addition, when the printing order of the group job before substitution is set to be maintained, the divided printing order is maintained, and even if the group job is divided, it is possible to perform printing while maintaining the previous and next printing orders. Become.

[Other Embodiments]
Note that the present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, and a printer), and a device (for example, a copying machine and a facsimile device) including a single device. You may apply to.

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for implementing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the.

  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 the 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, or the like is used. be able to.

  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) operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a print processing system including an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a hardware block diagram of the information processing apparatus (network computer) concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure showing the memory map of RAM202 in a network computer. It is a figure showing the memory map of FD204 in a network computer. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a network computer and FD inserted with respect to the FD drive of this network computer. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration and print processing in a client. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a relationship between a network printer 105 and a software configuration in clients 102 to 104. 6 is a diagram illustrating a print job information table managed by a job control service. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating printer queue information managed by a printer queue. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in a job control print service. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating movement of a print job in a printer queue in step S1008 of FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating proxy printing processing in “group division with the minimum number of groups” in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating print job movement in a printer queue in job movement processing by “group division with the smallest number of groups”. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating proxy printing processing in “group division for maintaining printing order” in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating print job movement in a printer queue in “job movement processing by group division that maintains print order”. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printer setting dialog for a user to set a proxy queue network printer and group division conditions. It is the figure which showed an example of the manual substitution dialog.

Claims (14)

An information processing apparatus that is communicably connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses and is capable of transmitting a group job including a plurality of print jobs to the printing apparatus,
Obtaining means for obtaining attributes of the plurality of printing devices;
Search means for searching a plurality of printing devices based on the attribute for printing devices capable of printing a plurality of print jobs included in the group job;
An information processing apparatus comprising: instruction means for instructing transmission of the plurality of print jobs to any of the printing apparatuses searched by the search means. As a result of the search by the search means, comprising: a dividing means for dividing the group job when a printing apparatus capable of printing based on job attributes included in the plurality of print jobs cannot be detected;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instruction unit instructs each of the group jobs divided by the dividing unit to be transmitted to different printing apparatuses. The dividing means includes
2. The group job is divided so that each of the divided group jobs can be printed based on job attributes included in the plurality of print jobs in a destination printing apparatus. The information processing apparatus described in 1. The dividing means includes
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the group job is divided so that the number of the group jobs after division is minimized. The dividing means includes
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the group job is divided so that a printing order of the group job before the division is maintained. The group job is divided so that the number of group jobs after the division is minimized, or the printing order of the group jobs after the division is maintained as the printing order of the group jobs before the division. A specifying unit for specifying whether to divide the group job;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the dividing unit divides the group job based on designation by the designation unit. An information processing method in an information processing apparatus that is communicably connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses and is capable of transmitting a group job including a plurality of print jobs to the printing apparatus,
An acquisition step of acquiring attributes of the plurality of printing devices;
A search step of searching for a printing device capable of printing a plurality of print jobs included in the group job from the plurality of printing devices based on the attribute;
An information processing method comprising: a transmission step of transmitting a plurality of print jobs to a transmission unit that transmits the plurality of print jobs so as to print the plurality of print jobs in any of the printing apparatuses searched in the search step. As a result of the search in the search step, comprising a dividing step of dividing the group job when a printing device capable of printing based on job attributes included in the plurality of print jobs cannot be detected;
8. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the transmission step causes the transmission unit to transmit each of the group jobs divided by the division step so as to be printed by different printing apparatuses. The dividing step includes
8. The group job is divided so that each of the divided group jobs can be printed based on job attributes included in the plurality of print jobs in a transmission destination printing apparatus. Information processing method described in 1. The dividing step includes
9. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the group job is divided so that the number of the group jobs after division is minimized. The dividing step includes
9. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the group job is divided so that the printing order of the group job before division is maintained. The group job is divided so that the number of group jobs after the division is minimized, or the printing order of the group jobs after the division is maintained as the printing order of the group jobs before the division. A specifying step for specifying whether to divide the group job;
12. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the dividing step divides the group job based on designation in the designation step. A storage medium storing a control program for realizing the information processing method according to claim 7 by a computer. A control program for realizing the information processing method according to any one of claims 7 to 12 by a computer.

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