JP2006178623A - Print controller, print control method, and print control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that a paper size actually used in printing can not be known, unless a user checks settings or the set UI of a printer driver is displayed while considering that the desired paper size is selected. <P>SOLUTION: A message is displayed if printing is to be performed on a paper size different from the paper size preset in the printer driver. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control apparatus, an information processing method, and a print control program for reducing a user operation error and obtaining an intended print result more easily in a user interface.

  In general, in a print control apparatus capable of communicating with a printing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, when performing various print settings via a user interface (UI), the print settings are considered to be default values and detailed settings are made. There are many cases in which a print instruction is issued without performing the operation. However, since the application is actually set to some extent, the print setting value is often not the default.

Therefore, by displaying the setting UI of the printer driver on the display unit and confirming or selecting the printing paper size from the setting UI, it is possible to output on the desired printing paper.
JP2002-127666

  However, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, it is known which paper size is actually printed unless the user confirms the setting or selects the desired paper size and displays the setting UI of the printer driver. I couldn't.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. Even if the user does not recognize that the print setting needs to be confirmed or changed, the print setting UI is not displayed. Can be prevented from being printed with an unexpected paper size, and can be changed to an arbitrary paper size for printing, a print control apparatus, a print control method, and a print control program. Is to provide.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an initial paper size acquisition unit that has a printer driver that generates a print control command that can be interpreted by the printing apparatus and that acquires an initial paper size set in the printer driver A paper size acquisition means for acquiring a paper size set in print command data for generating the print control command, an initial paper size acquired by the initial paper size acquisition means and the paper size acquisition means, and Comparing means for comparing paper sizes and display means for displaying a message when the comparing means determines that the initial paper size and the paper size are different.

  As described above, the present invention provides a message when the paper size set in the printer driver is different from the paper size set in the application, even if the user does not recognize that the print setting must be changed. To prevent printing with an unexpected paper size. Also, by providing a changing means for changing the paper size when the message is displayed, it becomes possible to print on the paper of the paper size intended by the user more reliably and easily.

(Example)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a print processing system showing an embodiment of the present invention. The print processing system includes a host computer 3000 and a printer 1500.

  In the host computer 3000, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU that comprehensively controls each device connected to the system bus 4, and 2 denotes a RAM that functions as a main memory, work area, and the like of the CPU 1. Reference numeral 3 denotes a ROM for storing various programs and data. The ROM 3 is divided into a font ROM 3a for storing various fonts, a program ROM 3b for storing a boot program and BIOS, and a data ROM 3c for storing various data.

  A keyboard controller (KBC) 5 controls key input from a keyboard 9 or a pointing device (mouse) (not shown). Reference numeral 6 denotes a CRT controller (CRTC), which controls display on a CRT display (CRT) 10.

  The external memory 11 (access controlled by the disk controller (DKC) 7) is a hard disk (HD), floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD), or the like, and includes an operating system program (hereinafter referred to as OS) 205 as shown in the figure. In addition to storing various applications (for example, a document processing application program that performs document processing in which graphics, images, characters, tables, and the like are mixed) and a print processing related program 204, user files, editing files, and the like are also stored. The print processing related program 204 is a program for generating print data described using a page description language, and can be used in common for a plurality of printers of the same series. Also, a printer control command generation module (hereinafter referred to as “printer driver”) 2041 and a printer driver UI control module 2042 are included.

  A printer controller (PRTC) 8 is connected to the printer 1500 via the bidirectional interface 21 and performs communication control processing with the printer 1500.

  The application stored in the external memory 11 is loaded into the RAM 2 and executed by the CPU 1. Further, the CPU 1 executes, for example, outline font development (rasterization) processing on the RAM 2 to enable WYSIWYG (What you see what you get) on the CRT 10. Further, the CPU 1 opens various windows registered based on commands instructed by a mouse cursor (not shown) on the CRT 10 and executes various data processing. When the user executes printing, the user can open a print setting setting screen (controlled by the printer driver UI control module 2042), and perform print processing settings for the printer driver 2041 including printer settings and print mode selection. it can.

  In the printer 1500, reference numeral 12 denotes a CPU that controls the entire printer 1500. A RAM 19 functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 12, and is used for an output information expansion area, an environment data storage area, an NVRAM, and the like. It is configured to be able to. A ROM 13 includes a font ROM 13a for storing various fonts, a program ROM 13b for storing control programs and the like, and a data ROM 13c for storing various data.

  The external memory 14 (access is controlled by the memory controller (MC) 20) is an optional hard disk (HD), floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD), IC card, etc., font data, emulation program Stores form data and the like. When the external memory 14 such as a hard disk is not connected, information used in the host computer 3000 is stored in the data ROM 13c of the ROM 13. The number of external memories 14 is not limited to one, and a plurality of external memories 14 may be provided. For example, an external memory storing an optional font card, a program for interpreting a printer control language having a different language system, etc. in addition to a built-in font You may be comprised so that two or more can be connected.

  The operation unit 1501 is provided with an operation panel that receives an operation from the user, and an operation switch, an LED display, and the like are arranged on the operation panel (not illustrated). Further, an NVRAM (not shown) may be provided to store printer mode setting information from the operation panel 1501.

  The printer CPU 12 outputs an image signal as output information to a printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected to the system bus 15 via the printing unit interface 16 based on a control program stored in the program ROM 13 b of the ROM 13. The CPU 12 can communicate with the host computer 3000 via the input unit 18 and can notify the host computer 3000 of information in the printer 1500 and the like.

  FIG. 2 shows a memory map of the RAM 2 in a state where a predetermined application and a print processing related program are activated and loaded into the RAM 2 on the host computer 3000. As shown in the figure, the RAM 2 is loaded with a BIOS 208, an OS 207, an application 201, a print processing related program 206, and related data 205 related to the print processing related program, and a free memory area 202 is also secured. . Thereby, the application 201 and the print processing related program 204 are in an executable state. Further, as will be described later, an application Devmode area 203 that holds Devmode from the application and a registry area 204 that holds initial settings of the print processing related program and the like are also secured.

  The printer driver UI control module 2042 in the print processing related program 204 displays a print setting screen on the CRT 10 in accordance with a print setting command from the user, and enables the setting from the user. Note that Devmode is a memory block having a structure as shown in FIG. 10 and commonly used by the OS, application, and printer driver in the printing system that implements the present embodiment. And a public area that can be referred to by the printer driver, and a private area that is referenced only by the printer driver. The Devmode is passed from the application to the printer driver via the OS, and holds settings made by the user on the user interface of the printer driver.

  When the application 201 receives an instruction from an input device such as the keyboard 9, the application 201 displays a print instruction screen as shown in FIG. 3 on the CRT 10 as a display unit. Specifically, an instruction from an input device such as a keyboard 9 is executed when the keyboard controller 5 interprets the instruction and the CPU 1 recognizes the instruction. Also, the printer selected for output from the printer name 301 is recognized. When it is recognized that the “Property” button 302 in FIG. 3 has been pressed, the printer driver is notified that the “Property” button has been pressed, and the printer driver 2041 displays the print setting screen 401 as shown in FIG. Is displayed on the CRT 10. Here, arbitrary print settings are performed, and an OK button 401 is pressed to confirm the print settings. Recognizing that the OK button 303 on the print instruction screen shown in FIG. 3 has been pressed, the printer driver 2041 constituting the print processing related program 204 can read the print command data from the application by the printer. Is converted to a printer control command.

  Next, processing in the case where an instruction to display the print instruction screen of FIG. 3 in order to issue a print instruction will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Each step of the flowchart in the present application is executed by processing by a CPU in the host computer.

  When the application 201 receives an instruction to display a print instruction screen from an input device such as the keyboard 9, the application 201 requests the printer driver to acquire Devmode (S101). Upon receiving the Devmode acquisition request from the application in S101, the printer driver reads Devmode from the registry 204 and passes the read information to the application (S102). Specifically, the printer driver that has received the acquisition request from the application 201 reads the initial setting of the printer driver held in the registry 204, and passes the initial setting information read by the printer driver to the application.

  The application 201 acquires the Devmode acquired from the printer driver in S102 (S103), and creates the Devmode (S104). More specifically, the application creates the Devmode by overwriting the print setting information set in the application with the initial setting information of the printer driver received from the printer driver.

  The application transfers the Devmode created in S104 to the printer driver (S105), and the printer driver receives and holds the Devmode from the application (S106). Specifically, the printer driver can store the print setting information set in the application by storing the Devmode received from the application in the application Devmode area 203 shown in FIG. Then, the application displays the application instruction screen 300 shown in FIG. 3 after completing the process of S105 (S107).

  Subsequently, when the “OK” button 303 on the print instruction screen 300 displayed in S107 is pressed, the print processing related program 204 displays the default paper size of the printer driver and the print command data according to the flowchart of FIG. Processing for determining whether or not the held paper sizes are the same is entered. The flow of processing at that time will be described.

  The print processing related program 204 acquires the default print paper size set in the printer driver 2041 (S502). Specifically, the print processing related program refers to the registry area 204 in which the initial settings of the printer driver shown in FIG. 2 are stored, so that the initial print paper size set in the printer driver is set. Can be recognized.

  Subsequently, the print processing related program 204 acquires the print paper size held in the print command data from the application (S503). Specifically, since the print setting information set in the application is held in the application Devmode area 203 in FIG. 2 according to the flow of processing described in the flowchart of FIG. 8 described above, the print processing related program 204 is executed by the application Devmode. By referring to the area 203, it is possible to acquire the print paper size held in the print command data from the application.

  The print processing related program 204 determines whether or not the print setting screen 401 in FIG. 4 has been displayed (S504). When the print setting screen 401 is displayed in S504, since the user has set in detail what paper size to print, there is no need to display a message as shown in FIG. 6, so the process proceeds to S510. The process in FIG. 5 ends.

  If the print setting screen 401 is not displayed in step S504, the print processing related program 204 performs a comparison process for each print paper size acquired in steps S502 and S502 (S505). If the print setting screen 401 is not displayed in S504, the user does not set in detail which paper size to print, and the user may not recognize the actual output paper size. The comparison process is performed.

  Here, the processing from S502 to S505 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Initial print settings made for the printer driver are held in Devmode 1105 of registry 1102. Then, drawing data to be printed and Devmode 1103 which is print setting information are combined into the print command data from the application and passed to the printer driver in a format such as 1100. The printer driver receives the print command data 1100 received from the application. Is stored in the application Devmode area 203 shown in FIG. Note that Devmode 1104 set in the printer driver at this time is overwritten with information 1103. When the print setting screen 401 in FIG. 4 is displayed, the print processing related program sets a flag indicating that fact. If this flag is set, the user can recognize the paper size on the print setting screen 401, so that the comparison process in S505 is not necessary. If the flag is not set, the user may not recognize the paper size, and the process proceeds to the comparison process in S505. In this comparison processing, the comparison processing in S504 is executed by comparing the Devmode 1104 held in the application Devmode area 203 with the Devmode 1105 held in the registry 204 by the print processing related program.

  As a result of the determination in S504, when the print processing related program 204 determines that the print paper sizes acquired in S502 and S503 are the same, the print processing related program 204 generates a print control command based on the print paper size. Then, a print control command is sent to the printer 1500 connected to the host computer (information processing apparatus) to execute printing.

  As a result of the determination in S504, if it is determined that the print paper sizes acquired in S502 and S503 are different, the printer driver UI control module 2042 constituting the print processing related program displays a paper size setting user interface (UI) as shown in FIG. It is displayed (S505). Here, the paper size setting UI of FIG. 6 will be described. In this paper size setting UI, a printing paper size (“A5” in this embodiment) set by the application is displayed. Further, a paper change button 602, a print execution button 603, and a cancel button 604 are displayed.

  The print execution button 603 is for executing printing. When the print execution button 603 is pressed, the print paper size displayed in the paper size setting UI in FIG. 6 (“A5” in this embodiment). Printing is performed. A cancel button 604 is for invalidating the processing flow in FIG. 5, and cancel processing of printing processing is performed. The paper change button 602 is used to change the print paper size held in the print command data from the application. When the paper change button 602 is pressed, a paper size change UI as shown in FIG. Is displayed.

  When the print processing related program 204 recognizes that the paper change button 602 is pressed in FIG. 6 (S506), it displays a paper size selection UI as shown in FIG. 7 and is selected from the print paper size 701 in FIG. The paper size is recognized (S507). Specifically, this is realized by the print processing related program 204 recognizing the print paper size selected from 701 in FIG. 7 by the pointing device or the like via the KBC 5. If the paper change button 602 is not pressed in S507, the process in FIG.

  When the print paper size changing process is performed in S508 (S509), the print processing related program executes printing with the paper size recognized in S508. Specifically, by writing the paper size recognized by the print processing related program in the application Devmode area 203, the printer driver can finally recognize which paper size should be used.

  According to this embodiment, when it is determined that the paper size preset in the printer driver is different from the paper size set by the application, the paper size setting UI as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed. Even if the print setting screen of FIG. 4 is not displayed from the print instruction screen, it can be recognized that printing is being performed at a size different from the paper size previously set in the printer driver, and printing is performed at an unexpected paper size. Can be prevented.

  Furthermore, when the print setting screen 401 in FIG. 4 is displayed, since the user has set in detail which paper size to print, a paper size different from the paper size previously set in the printer driver is set. Even if it is done, since the UI as shown in FIG. 6 is not displayed, it is possible to control so that a message unnecessary for the user is not displayed.

  In the present embodiment, it is described that when the print setting screen 401 in FIG. 4 is displayed, S505 and subsequent steps in FIG. 5 are not performed. However, even if the print setting screen 401 is displayed, just in case. You may make it perform the process after S505. In addition, when any setting is changed on the print setting screen 401, the processing after S505 may not be performed.

  In the present invention, a storage medium (or recording medium) storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores it. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the medium.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running 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.

  Furthermore, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to the storage medium provided in the function expansion card inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the case where the CPU of the function expansion card 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.

  In addition, the present invention distributes the program code of software that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments via a network, so that storage means such as a hard disk or memory of a system or apparatus, CD-RW, CD-R, etc. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the storage means or the storage medium. Absent.

Block diagram of the print processing system The figure which shows the memory map of RAM2 The figure which shows an example of the printing instruction | indication screen which an application displays Figure showing an example of the print settings screen Flow chart showing printing paper size display method Figure showing an example of the message screen UI diagram for changing the paper size Application and printer driver processing flowchart Detailed view of the comparison process for each paper size Schematic diagram of a structure that stores print settings

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU
2 RAM
5 KBC
6 CRTC

Claims (12)

A print control apparatus having a printer driver that generates a print control command interpretable by the printing apparatus,
Initial paper size acquisition means for acquiring an initial paper size set in the printer driver;
Paper size acquisition means for acquiring the paper size set in the print command data for generating the print control command;
A comparison means for comparing the initial paper size and the paper size acquired by the initial paper size acquisition means and the paper size acquisition means;
A printing control apparatus, comprising: a display unit configured to display a message when the comparison unit determines that the initial paper size and the paper size are different.   And a determination unit that determines whether or not a print setting screen for performing print settings is displayed. When the print setting screen is displayed by the determination unit, the comparison unit does not perform comparison. The printing control apparatus according to claim 1.   A paper size changing unit for changing the paper size is provided, and when the comparison unit determines that the initial paper size and the paper size are different, the changing process by the paper size changing unit is performed. The print control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.   4. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the message displayed by the display unit displays a paper size acquired by the paper size acquisition unit. A printing control method in a printing control apparatus having a printer driver that generates a printing control command interpretable by the printing apparatus,
An initial paper size acquisition step of acquiring an initial paper size set in the printer driver;
A paper size acquisition step of acquiring the paper size set in the print command data for generating the print control command;
A comparison step of comparing the initial paper size and the paper size acquired by the initial paper size acquisition step and the paper size acquisition step;
A printing control method comprising a display step of displaying a message when it is determined that the initial paper size and the paper size are different in the comparison step.   A determination step of determining whether or not a print setting screen for performing print settings is displayed, and when the print setting screen is displayed by the determination step, the comparison by the comparison step is not performed. The printing control method according to claim 5.   A paper size changing step for changing the paper size is provided, and when the comparison step determines that the initial paper size and the paper size are different, the changing process by the paper size changing step is performed. The printing control method according to claim 5 or 6.   The print control method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the message displayed in the display step displays the paper size acquired in the paper size acquisition step. A print control program in a print control apparatus having a printer driver that generates a print control command interpretable by the printing apparatus,
An initial paper size acquisition step for acquiring an initial paper size set in the printer driver;
A paper size acquisition step for acquiring a paper size set in the print command data for generating the print control command;
A comparison step for comparing the initial paper size and the paper size acquired by the initial paper size acquisition step and the paper size acquisition step;
A computer-readable print control program comprising a display step of displaying a message when it is determined that the initial paper size and the paper size are different in the comparison step.   A determination step of determining whether or not a print setting screen for performing print settings is displayed, and when the print setting screen is displayed by the determination step, the comparison by the comparison step is not performed. The printing control program according to claim 9.   A paper size changing step for changing the paper size is provided, and when the comparison step determines that the initial paper size and the paper size are different, the changing process by the paper size changing step is performed. The print control program according to claim 9 or 10.   12. The print control program according to claim 9, wherein the message displayed in the display step displays the paper size acquired in the paper size acquisition step.

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