JP2006164026A - Device, system, and method for setting output management system, program, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatize a lot of work related to fault investigation for solving the causes of a fault by performing installation processing normally in a simple log mode, and by automatically collecting a detailed log and information for isolating the fault again when an error occurs during processing. <P>SOLUTION: When an error occurs during installation, uninstallation is made once after the installation is completed, installation is performed again in the detailed log mode, and the detailed log is collected automatically. And when a place where the error occurs can be determined in the reinstallation, the setting is canceled, and uninstallation and installation processing is made again, thus isolating the causes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a print server device (hereinafter also simply referred to as “print server”) that provides a value-added printing service such as distributed printing via a computer network, a terminal device such as a personal computer, and a printer as a device control language. Printing system setting device, printing system setting system, printing system setting method used for setting procedures necessary to operate a value-added printing system configured so as to be capable of two-way communication by using The present invention relates to a computer-readable storage medium storing the program and the program.

  Conventionally, regarding the introduction of the setting of the printing system, the system administrator needs to create one or a plurality of logical printers and printer ports on the machine on which the print server operates. In the case where a single user uses a system that provides a value-added printing function, the user must create a printer and a port monitor necessary for the system.

However, when creating a printer or port monitor, it is necessary to accurately input information such as the model name and address of the printer device, the name of an appropriate printer driver, and attribute settings. When end users themselves perform these operations, problems are likely to occur due to lack of understanding of the information or setting errors. In order to solve these problems, a method is known in which a user is automatically set using an environment setting information file set in advance by a system engineer (hereinafter referred to as SE) and an automatic installer program that automatically registers the information. Patent Document 1 discloses a mechanism for automatically correcting an error that can be automatically corrected when an error occurs during installation.
JP 2002-91835 A

  However, according to Patent Document 1, which has been conventionally known, when a system error is detected, an inquiry is made to the diagnosis server to determine whether the failure can be corrected automatically, and automatic correction is performed if possible. Therefore, it cannot be said that it is possible to cope with the situation where the system is not connected to the network, such as when the system is started, and the trouble that cannot be dealt with must be corrected manually. In this system, only a warning message is displayed for the failure, and there is a problem that sufficient information cannot be obtained regarding the cause identification.

  In order to solve such problems, there is a method of always outputting detailed log information, but in the case of normal termination, problems such as enlargement of the log file and performance degradation due to log output have occurred. In addition, there is a method of giving up the work on the part that could not be installed once and requesting the collection of logs in detail to identify the cause and solving the problem, and taking the details, but in the work after the failure occurrence time has passed, In some cases, the system environment at the time of the failure has changed from that at the time of the failure. In such a case, it is necessary to return the environment and reproduce it, which requires a great amount of man-hours.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. Normally, the installation process is performed in the simple log mode. If there is an error during the process, the detailed log and the fault isolation are performed again. By collecting information automatically, it aims to automate many trouble investigations related to solving the cause of trouble.

  In an information processing apparatus for performing value-added printing by connecting a plurality of printers to a terminal device such as a print server or a personal computer, in the process of automatically installing a printer and a port monitor based on information in a setting file, Means for setting the log output mode, means for switching the installation log means according to the set log mode, and simple log installation means and detailed log installation means as switchable means. Means for determining an error that has occurred, and if the means determines that there is no error, terminates the installation process, and if it is determined that there is an error, means for uninstalling the registered settings; When logging mode to detailed logging mode A means for changing, a means for re-installing after changing the log mode, a means for analyzing an error in order to isolate the cause of the failure after the re-installation, and a setting file setting change based on the result of the analysis And a mechanism for uninstalling the reinstalled information, and a mechanism for performing the installation process again after the uninstallation.

  During automatic installation, log collection is usually performed in the simple mode, and if there is an error during processing, the log output mode is changed to the detailed log, the installation process is executed again, and the detailed log is automatically acquired. This prevents problems such as log file enlargement during normal printing and performance degradation due to log output, and if a failure occurs in a specific setting (specific port or printer), that setting It is possible to quickly identify the cause of the failure by automating the task of performing the installation process with the setting excluding, isolating the failure, and collecting the information.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, an embodiment suitable for applying the present invention will be described.

  In FIG. 1, reference numerals 102, 103, and 104 denote information processing apparatuses as client computers (clients), which are connected to a network 106 by a network cable such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and can execute various programs such as application programs. And a printer driver having a function of converting print data into a printer language corresponding to or interpretable with the printer. As will be described in detail later, the printer driver in the present invention supports a plurality of printer drivers.

  Reference numeral 101 denotes an information processing apparatus as a server (hereinafter referred to as a print server) according to the present embodiment. The information processing apparatus 101 is connected to the network 106 via a network cable and stores files used in the network, Or monitor. The print server 101 has a function of managing a plurality of printers connected to the network 106.

  As the configuration, the clients 102 to 104 and the print server 101 are general information processing apparatuses, and the client and the print server each store a print control program for performing different controls.

  The print server 101 is a general information processing apparatus and can simultaneously have the functions of the clients 102 to 104.

  The print server 101 in the present embodiment further stores and prints a print job including print data for which a print request has been issued from the client computers 102, 103, 104, or print data from the client computers 102, 103, 104. Only the job information that does not contain print data, manages the print order for sending print data to the printers of the client computers 102, 103, and 104, and notifies the client that has reached the print order permission to send print jobs containing print data Or the status of the network printer 105 and various information of the print job, and notifies the client computers 102, 103, 104 of the information.

  Reference numeral 105 denotes a network printer as a print control apparatus, which is connected to the network 106 via a network interface (not shown) and analyzes a print job including print data transmitted from a client computer or the print server 101 to generate a dot image. Are converted into a printout and printed on a page-by-page basis. A network 106 connects the client computers 102, 103, and 104, the server 101, the network printer 105, and the like so that they can communicate with each other.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention. The client computers 102, 103, and 104 that are information processing apparatuses have the same configuration, and the server 101 has the same or equivalent hardware configuration. To do. Therefore, it demonstrates as a block diagram explaining the structure of a client and a server.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 200 denotes a CPU that is a control unit of the information processing apparatus, which executes an application program, a printer driver program, an OS, a network printer control program of the present invention, and the like stored in a hard disk (HD) 205. Control to temporarily store information, files, etc. necessary for program execution.

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

  Reference numeral 203 denotes a floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD) drive as a storage medium reading means. As shown in FIG. 5 to be described later, a program stored in the FD 204 as a storage medium is loaded into the computer system through the FD drive 203. can do. Note that the storage medium is not limited to the FD, and may be any CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, PC card, DVD, IC memory card, MO, memory stick, and the like.

  Reference numeral 204 denotes a floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD) as a storage medium, which is a storage medium storing a computer-readable program.

  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. Further, a spooler which is a spool means is secured here. The spool means is a client spooler in the client, and a server spooler in the print server. In the print server, job information received from the client is stored, and a table for controlling the order is also generated and stored in the external storage means.

  Reference numeral 206 denotes a keyboard which is an instruction input unit. The user instructs the client computer and the operator or administrator inputs an instruction of a device control command to the print server.

  A display 207 is a display unit that displays commands input from the keyboard 206, the status of the printer, and the like.

  A system bus 208 controls the flow of data in a computer that is a client or a print server.

  Reference numeral 209 denotes an interface serving as an input / output unit, and the information processing apparatus exchanges data with an external apparatus via the interface 209.

  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 loaded directly from the FD 204 into the RAM 202 and executed. However, every time the network printer control program is operated from the FD 204, the network printer control program is already executed. May be loaded into the RAM 202 from the HD 205 in which is installed.

  The medium storing the network printer control program is applicable to any medium that can store information, such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, PC card, DVD, IC memory card, etc. 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 may be simply referred to as a print control program. The print control program includes a program for instructing the client to change the print destination of the print job, or for instructing to change the print order, and in the print server to perform the print job order control. A program for notifying the end of printing of a print job, a request for changing the printing destination, and the like is included. The print control program of the present invention for performing such control may separately divide a module installed in the client and a module installed in the print server, or one print control program is executed. It may function as a client or a print server depending on the environment. Alternatively, it is possible to install a module having a client function and a module functioning as a print server on one computer, and to 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 control device is turned on. This is the area that contains the program.

  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 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, 400 is the data content of the FD 204, 401 is volume information indicating data information, 402 is directory information, 403 is a network printer control program which is a print control program described in the present embodiment, 404 Is the related data. The network printer control program 403 is a program based on the flowchart described in the embodiment. In this embodiment, the client and the server 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.

  Next, a print job control system that uses a plurality of printers according to the present embodiment and performs the above-described printing processing such as distribution, broadcast, and substitution will be described.

  In this embodiment, a printer that virtually bundles a plurality of printers as one printer is called a group printer, and a printer that can be bundled is called a member printer. The corresponding printer drivers are called a group printer driver and a member printer driver, respectively.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing how a print job issued from a general application such as Microsoft Word (registered trademark) in the client server model of this system is processed in the print job control system. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 600 denotes a client machine, which indicates a machine on which a client module of the print job control system operates.

  Normally, when a printing instruction is given, the application program generates a series of drawing commands and passes them to Windows (registered trademark) Spooler via a printer driver. Windows (registered trademark) Spooler takes a procedure of passing print job data to the port monitor selected by the user and transmitting it to the printer device.

  FIG. 6 shows a general configuration of a network print system (print system) 1300 using a print server.

  In the network print system 1300, as shown in FIG. 6, first, various peripheral devices (not shown) can be connected to the local area networks (LANs) 1350 and 1360. A printer 1302 having an open architecture is connected to the LAN 1350 via a network interface (NIC) 1301 as a shared printer.

  The NIC 1301 is connected to a LAN 1350 such as “Ethernet (registered trademark)” by “coaxial connector (10Base-2)”, “RJ-45 connector (10 / 100Base-T)”, or the like.

  The print server 1308 is composed of, for example, a personal computer (PC), and is connected to a plurality of locally connected printers 1309 (1), 1309 (2),..., A printer 1302 installed in a remote place, and the like. To execute the printing process.

  Each of the PC 1303 and the PC 1304 is connected to the LAN 1350 and can communicate with the print server 1308 under the control of the network operating system.

  Therefore, for example, when an arbitrary PC 1303 wants the printer 1302 to execute print processing, the PC 1303 communicates with the printer 1305 via the (NIC) 1301 and print data, control information, and the like with the printer 1302. Even without the exchange, the work can be left to the print server 1308 as follows.

  For example, first, the PC 1303 transmits print job data created by starting up its own applicationware to the print server 1308 instead of the printer 1302.

  The print server 1308 temporarily holds print job data from the PC 1303 in a local data storage memory (not shown) such as a hard disk.

  Since the print server 1308 can accept a plurality of print jobs by using the storage memory, a predetermined policy is used when a plurality of print jobs are held in the storage memory in the processing wait state. The print job to be processed next is determined according to the above.

  The print server 1308 reads data of the print job determined to be processed next from the storage memory, and sends the print job to the printer 1302 via the (NIC) 1301 or an arbitrary printer 1309 ( to x).

  At this time, the print server 1308 converts the print job data to be transmitted into a page description language (PDL) and a control command supported by the printer 1302 or 1309 (x) by a printer driver as necessary. Send.

  Each of the PCs 1303, 1304 and the print server 1308 as described above generates a data file, transmits the data file to the LAN 1350, receives the data file from the LAN 1350, and receives the data file according to a general PC configuration. Display and / or processing can be performed.

  For example, as the PCs 1303 and 1304 and the print server 1308, other computer devices that are suitable for executing network software can be applied. More specifically, UNIX (registered trademark) software is used, a UNIX (registered trademark) workstation is included in the network, and the workstation is used with PCs 1303, 1304, etc. under appropriate circumstances.

  Here, the general LAN used as the LAN 1320, the LAN 1350, and the LAN 1360 is for a relatively local user group such as a user group on one floor or a plurality of consecutive floors in one building. Provide service.

  For example, when each user is in another building or another prefecture, a wide area network (WAN) is formed as a certain user moves away from the other user. A WAN is basically an aggregate formed by connecting several LANs through a high-speed digital line such as an integrated services digital network (ISDN).

  Therefore, in the network print system 1300, as shown in FIG. 10, the LAN 1320, the LAN 1350, and the LAN 1360 are connected via the modem / transponders 1330a and 1330b and the backbone 1340 to form a WAN.

  Connected to the LAN 1360 are a PC 1311, a PC 1312, a file server 1313 to which a network disk 1314 is connected, and a print server 1315 to which a plurality of printers 1316 (1), 1316 (2),. Is done.

  Further, a PC 1321 and a PC 1322 are connected to the LAN 1320 as necessary.

  Devices connected to the LAN 1320, the LAN 1350, and the LAN 1360 can access the functions of devices connected to other LANs via the WAN connection.

  By providing a print server such as the print server 1308 or the print server 1315 in the network print system 1300 as described above, the following main advantages (1) and (2) can be obtained.

  (1) Minimize processing depending on individual printers executed by PCs 1303, 1321, 1322, 1311, and 1312 as client PCs (hereinafter collectively referred to simply as “client PCs”), and the load corresponding thereto. Can be imposed on the print server. Thereby, for example, the processing time of the client PC when the user performs the document printing process on the client PC side, that is, the waiting time of the user can be shortened.

  Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, “Microsoft Windows (registered trademark) (R)” (“Windows (registered trademark)”) is used as the basic software (OS) of the client PC 1311. When the printer 1316 performs print processing via the print server 1315, the client PC 1311 depends on the printer 1316, not the printer-specific data file (data file including the control command specific to the printer) that can be directly processed by the printer 1316. An intermediate file that is not to be generated (intermediate file) is generated, and the intermediate file is transmitted to the print server 1315.

  The print server 1315 generates data unique to the printer 1316 based on the intermediate file from the client PC 1311 and transmits the data (printer-dependent command) to the printer 1316.

  Accordingly, the client PC 1315 can reduce processing for printing using the printer 1316 via the print server 1315.

  (2) A print job with added value can be processed.

  For example, by setting a processing priority order for each print job, when a plurality of print jobs are simultaneously in a processing standby state, the processing order can be determined based on the priority order that the print job has. Therefore, it is possible to preferentially print a print job such as a document that needs to be urgently printed. In addition, for example, when an error has occurred in a printer that has attempted to transmit a print job received from a client PC, an alternate print service or print time in which another printer is selected and processed for printing instead. For shortening, it is possible to provide a distributed print service or the like in which one print job is logically divided and a plurality of printers perform print processing in parallel.

  Here, the distributed printing service will be specifically described.

  For example, in the network print system 1300, “Microsoft Windows (registered trademark) (hereinafter simply referred to as“ Windows (registered trademark) ”) is used as the basic software (OS) of the client PC and print server. Assume that the client PC performs print processing with a printer via the print server.

  First, the system administrator prepares one or a plurality of logical printers on the print server.

  On the other hand, a logical printer corresponding to the logical printer prepared in the print server is created on the client PC.

  The “logical printer” here is a physical printer modeled on “Windows (registered trademark)”. For example, a printer used when converting document data into data to be transmitted to the printer. It is an object that manages various information such as drivers and output destinations of print job data.

  When executing printing by an application program, a user of a client PC running “Windows (registered trademark)” designates a logical printer and issues a print execution instruction.

  As a result, “Windows (registered trademark)” running on the client PC converts the drawing command received from the application program into a data format called an EMF format.

  “EMF format” is a data that does not include device-dependent commands or information, and inherits the characteristics of graphics systems that are independent of devices (printers, etc.) called “GDI” of “Windows (registered trademark)”. Format.

  Then, “Windows (registered trademark)” on the client PC side transfers the print job data converted into the EMF format to the print server.

  “Windows (registered trademark)” on the print server side temporarily stores the EMF format print job data received from the client PC on a memory such as a hard disk, and then reads the EMF format print job data from the memory. The read data is converted into a page description language (PDL) data format supported by the printer by using the printer driver of the printer that is to execute the printing process.

  Subsequently, “Windows (registered trademark)” on the print server side transmits the converted print job data to the printer via a module called a port monitor.

  If the target printer at this time is, for example, the printer 1302, print job data is transmitted via the NIC 1301 that is a network interface.

The printer receives print job data (PDL format print job data) from the print server, interprets the PDL, and executes print processing.
The details of the printing process here will be transferred to a publication called “Resource Kit” issued for each version of “Windows (registered trademark)”.

  Paying attention to the structure of the network print system 1300 (printing system) using “Windows (registered trademark)” as described above, a function expansion as described below is performed by a third party.

  First, a port monitor module is normally set as a program module for transferring print job data to a physical printer for a print object created in “Windows (registered trademark)” on the print server side. This port monitor module is replaced with a module that is passed to another print service program operating on the print server. This module does not send print job data to the printer, for example, saves it as a file on the hard disk, and after the print service program obtains the print job data by reading the file and executes its own processing This module implements the function of transmitting the processed print job data to the printer.

  With such a configuration, the print service program can add a function that “Windows (registered trademark)” does not have as a function of the print server.

  The distributed printing function in the distributed printing service uses the above function expansion. “Distributed printing function” is a function that logically divides one print job to generate a plurality of divided jobs, distributes these divided jobs to a plurality of printers, and executes a printing process for the plurality of printers. It is. Thereby, the time required for the print job can be shortened.

  Several methods can be applied to logically divide a print job, but typical methods include dividing based on the number of copies and dividing the document to be printed in the page direction. Methods and the like.

  In the method of dividing based on the number of copies to be printed, the total number of copies to be printed by each printer is equal to the number of copies designated in the print job before the division.

  On the other hand, in the method of dividing the document to be printed in the page direction, the total of the page ranges to be printed by the respective printers is equal to the entire page range of the document to be printed by the print job before the division.

  In the distributed printing function, it is necessary to determine and set the division ratio when dividing the original print job and allocating it to a plurality of printers. As a setting method of the division ratio at this time, for example, a method for setting the number of output sheets to be uniform for a plurality of printers to be distributed, or a printing speed according to the printing speed performance of the printer And a method of distributing the inclination so that the number of output sheets of a fast printer increases.

  The two print job dividing methods described above are based on originally different division concepts, and it is possible in principle to combine the two.

  For example, for a print job that prints 10 copies of a document with an output result of 100 copies per copy, when printing the print job with four printers, first the two print jobs with 5 copies each are printed. Then, these two jobs are further divided into the 1st to 50th and 51st to 100th jobs, and the resulting 4 jobs (divided jobs) are assigned to 4 printers. assign.

  Therefore, a plurality of types of print job division ratio settings in the distributed printing function are required depending on the division method.

  Examples of the printer used in the network print system 1300 described above include the following printers.

  A printer for the purpose of saving the trouble of searching for a printer that has executed proxy printing processing, as described in JP-A-10-31568.

  A printer configured to execute proxy printing processing in accordance with a predetermined device priority order as described in JP-A-11-167472 and the like.

  ・ When a printer error occurs, as described in Special Registration No. 2947112, etc., handle unprocessed file output requests registered in the output queue corresponding to the printer in which the error has occurred. A printer configured to re-register in the output queue and change the output printer.

  -In the processing of divided jobs assigned by the distributed printing function, when an attribute called "N-Up" that combines staple, double-sided, and multiple pages into one sheet is specified, it is unexpected by operating the minimum division unit A printer intended to prevent stapling results, double-sided, and “N-Up”.

  By the way, although the above description assumes a usage pattern in which a plurality of users share a print server, a single end user himself / herself has a system that provides a value-added printing function such as the above-described proxy printing function. The form used on this machine is also conceivable.

  In order to operate the above-mentioned print server, not only the module that constitutes the software is installed in the machine, but also the system administrator can use the print server machine on the print server system as described above. Create a logical printer. When a system having a value-added printing function is used on an end user's machine, the end user himself sets a logical printer. In either case, settings such as printer type and network address are required depending on the environment. This is done in the following way in Windows (registered trademark).

  First, a port monitor for processing print data to be transmitted to the printer is created. This is performed by a setting tool attached to the print server. The setting tool has a user interface, and the user inputs information necessary for creating the port monitor. This necessary information includes at least the following items.

-Printer model name-Unique network-assigned address of the printer network interface-Method of transferring print data to the printer and necessary setting information-Instance name of the port monitor to be created (and print server) (Some functions may require more detailed information about the printer, but they are omitted here.)
Next, the printer driver is installed. This is done by selecting an appropriate printer model name specified when creating the port monitor. At this time, it is first checked whether or not a desired printer driver is already installed. If it is installed, it is not installed again, and only when it is not installed, the installation is actually performed.

  Finally, the logical printer instance is created. When creating an instance of a logical printer, the following information is specified as its attribute.

-Port monitor instance name-Printer driver name-Logical printer instance name to be created (Also, depending on the functions of the print server, more detailed information about the logical printer may be required here) As you can see from the above attributes, the logical printer specifies the port monitor and printer driver that have been created or installed based on information about the printer you are using.

  FIG. 7 is a specific flowchart showing an automatic installation function for automatically installing a printer and a port monitor on a print server to which the present invention is applied.

  Step 7-01 is a step of determining whether or not to perform processing when the automatic installation function is activated from the print server. As a method for starting the automatic installation function, there is a method that is automatically started when the print server is started. In such a case, it is determined whether or not automatic installation is performed in this step. Judgment is made through environmental checks. Specific contents of the environment check include multiple activation of the automatic installation program, incomplete setting information (program command line designation error), etc., but the details are omitted because they are out of the scope of the present invention. If it is determined that automatic installation is to be performed, the process proceeds to step 7-02. Otherwise, the print server setting process ends and the process is exited.

  FIG. 8 shows details of step 7-02.

  Step 8-01 is a step for setting an initial value of the setting. As an initial setting, the log mode is set to the simple log mode, and an error log counter (hereinafter referred to as ERR_COUNTER) is initialized to zero. The simple log mentioned here is to output an error log only for an API in which an error has occurred, and for an API that has ended normally, to prevent API success or log enlargement, This is a log output method in which the log itself is not output.

  Incidentally, the API generally has a structure of a plurality of hierarchies, so that a log output when an error occurs is only an API of the upper 1-2 hierarchy level, and an error log of the lower hierarchy is not output. Sometimes.

  Step 8-02 is a step of performing log mode determination processing. If it is the simple log mode, the process proceeds to step 8-03. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step 8-04.

  Step 8-3 is a step for performing installation processing in the simple log mode, and FIG. 9 shows the details thereof.

  Step 9-01 is a step of determining whether the mode is the simple log mode or not. If it is the simple log mode, the process proceeds to step 9-02, and the installation process is performed with the simple log flag ON (the detailed log flag is OFF) in the program. Similarly, when the process proceeds to step 9-03, the detailed log flag is turned on (the simple log flag is turned off).

  In step 9-04, setting file information for automatic installation is read from the system, and the setting file is read from a directory designated when the automatic installation program is started or a default folder. Step 9-05 is a step for determining whether or not the setting file has been read in the previous step. If the setting file has not been read, the process ends as an error and the process proceeds to step 8-08. Step 9-06 is a step for checking the environment for automatic installation, and is a step for performing environmental check processing such as service program activation check, support OS check, and DISK free space check required for automatic installation. Step 9-07 is a step for determining whether or not there is a problem in the environmental check in the above step. If there is a problem, the process is terminated as an error, and the process proceeds to step 8-08.

  Step 9-08 is a step of registering the port monitor, and registration is performed according to the port monitor information described in the setting file. In this step, a plurality of port monitors can be registered, and if an error occurs during registration of the port monitor, processing is performed according to a flow of performing the next port monitor registration work.

  Step 9-09 is a step of registering the printer, and the registration work is performed according to the printer information described in the setting file. Note that, similar to the registration process of this step and the port monitor, a plurality of printers can be registered. If the printer registration fails, the process is performed in such a manner that the next printer is registered. When all the processes are completed, the process proceeds to Step 8-08. Here, an error relating to the installation process is determined. Here, for the case where the cause of the failure is obvious, such as the error generated in the steps 9-04 and 9-06, it is easy to identify the cause of the failure. Of course, even if no failure has occurred, it is determined that the process has been completed normally, and the process proceeds to the automatic installation end process. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step 8-09 to collect a detailed log in order to identify the cause of the failure. Step 8-09 is a step of adding 1 to ERR_COUNTER, assuming that a detailed log needs to be collected. After the addition, the process proceeds to Step 8-10. Step 8-10 is a step of once uninstalling the port monitor and printer information registered in step 8-3, and performs setting uninstall processing based on the information of the setting file. Step 8-11 is a step of determining whether or not the value of ERR_COUNTER is “2”. If it is “2”, the process returns to Step 8-02; otherwise, the process proceeds to Step 8-12. . Step 8-12 is a step of determining whether or not the detailed log has been acquired. If it is already in the detailed log mode, it is determined that the detailed log has been acquired, and the process proceeds to the automatic installation end process. If the detailed log has not been acquired, the process proceeds to step 8-13 to change the log mode to the detailed log mode, and then returns to step 8-02.

  Step 8-02 is a step of performing the log mode determination process as described above. If the log mode is the detailed mode, the process proceeds to Step 8-04. Step 8-04 is a step of determining ERR_COUNTER. If ERR_COUNTER is 1, the process proceeds to Step 8-05. Step 8-05 is a step for performing detailed log installation processing. The detailed log referred to here is a log that is output not only for an API in which an error has occurred but also for all APIs that have undergone processing. This is because there are cases where the cause of the error is before the process that detected the error. FIG. 9 shows details of step 8-05, and since this flow has already been described in step 8-03, description thereof is omitted here. Step 8-06 is an error analysis process, the details of which are shown in FIG. Step 10-01 is a step of extracting port monitor information in which an error has occurred from the log information collected in the above step. After completing this step, information is also extracted for the printer information in which an error has occurred in step 10-02, and in step 10-03, the setting file is obtained from the information obtained in steps 10-1 and 10-02. Use a method such as commenting out the setting in the configuration file to disable the corresponding setting above. FIGS. 11-1 and 11-2 are examples thereof. FIG. 11A is an example of a setting file used in the present system. FIG. 11B is an example of a setting file in step 10-03 based on the information extracted in steps 10-01 and 10-02. It is an example when commenting out the setting of. Here, regarding the setting file in FIG. 11A, assuming that an error has occurred in “3200 Port_1” of the port monitor and the printer “DOMS 3200_1”, the processing related to the setting is commented out.

  After the process of step 8-06, the process proceeds to step 8-08. Step 8-08 is a step for determining an installation processing error as described above. Since an installation error has already occurred, the process proceeds to step 8-09, and 1 is added to ERR_COUNTER.

  After the addition, the process proceeds to step 8-10, where the port monitor and printer information registered in 8-05 is temporarily uninstalled, and the process proceeds to step 8-11. In Step 8-11, since the value of ERR_COUNTER is “2”, the process returns to Step 8-02. Step 8-04 is a step of determining ERR_COUNTER. Since ERR_COUNTER is 2, the process proceeds to Step 8-07. Step 8-07 may be the processing of the step in FIG. 9 as described above in Step 8-03, or the log mode is already set as the detailed log mode, and a series of steps 9-01 to 9-09 are performed. A process in which steps 9-01, 9-02, and 9-03 are removed from the steps may be used. After this step is completed, the process proceeds to step 8-08. Step 8-08 is a step for determining an installation process error. However, if the problem of the setting file is completely removed by the process of Step 8-06, there is a case where no error occurs in Step 8-07. In this case, in step 8-08, it is determined that the partial installation process is successful, and the process proceeds to the automatic installation end process. If an error occurs in step 8-07, ERR_COUNTER is added in step 8-09, then uninstall processing is performed in step 8-10, and automatic processing is performed through steps 8-11 and 8-12. The automatic installation processing result is set as the return value of the program according to the value of i_COUNTER, and the processing is terminated. FIG. 12 shows an example of the return value.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system to which the present invention can be applied. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing apparatus of the present invention. An example of a memory map of the RAM 202 shown in FIG. An example of the memory map of FD204 shown in FIG. The figure which shows the relationship with FD204 inserted in the FD drive 203 shown in FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network print system using a print server. Automatic installation process basic flow. Log collection and fault isolation process flow. Log switching flow. Error analysis processing flow. (1) is an example of a setting file, and (2) is an example of commenting out a setting file. Example return value for automatic installation processing.

Claims (8)

  In an information processing apparatus for performing value-added printing by connecting a plurality of printers to a terminal device such as a print server or a personal computer, in the process of automatically installing a printer and a port monitor based on information in a setting file, Means for setting the log output mode, means for switching the installation log means according to the set log mode, and simple log installation means and detailed log installation means as switchable means. Means for determining an error that has occurred, and if the means determines that there is no error, terminates the installation process, and if it is determined that there is an error, means for uninstalling the registered settings; When logging mode to detailed logging mode A means for changing, a means for re-installing after changing the log mode, a means for analyzing an error in order to isolate the cause of the failure after the re-installation, and a setting file setting change based on the result of the analysis An output management device setting device, wherein the installation processing is performed again after the uninstallation.   The simple log installation processing means according to claim 1 outputs an error log only for an API in which an error has occurred, and does not output an API success for an API that has ended normally, or a log for the API itself. The output management device setting device according to claim 1.   2. The output management apparatus setting device according to claim 1, wherein the simple log installation processing means according to claim 1 outputs logs not only to an API in which an error has occurred but to all APIs that have been processed. .   2. The output management device setting device according to claim 1, wherein the installation means according to claim 1 performs installation by the simple log installation processing means in an initial state.   2. The output management device setting device according to claim 1, wherein the error analysis unit after detailed log installation according to claim 1 extracts printer and port monitor information in which an error has occurred from log information. .   2. The output management device setting device according to claim 1, wherein the error determination means terminates the installation process without performing the detailed log installation when the cause of the error is obvious.   The setting change unit of the setting file after the detailed log installation according to claim 1 invalidates (comments out) the registration setting of the printer and the port monitor extracted in claim 5. The output management device setting device described.   According to the result of the log analysis means in claim 1, if an error does not occur when the setting file is changed and reinstalled, it is determined that a part of the installation process has succeeded and the uninstallation process is performed. 2. The output management apparatus setting device according to claim 1, wherein the installation process is terminated without performing the installation process.

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