JP2007328515A - Print setting device, its print setting method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print setting device, its print setting method, and program for improving convenience of a print setting screen of a printer driver. <P>SOLUTION: A host computer 100 is provided with: a CPU 101 for controlling an entire device; application software 107 for registering a plurality of applications; a print data processing part 108 equipped with a printer driver which has two user interfaces (hereafter "UI") as an output driver for a printer 110; and a display 106 for displaying a print setting content by the printer driver based on either of the two UIs to a screen so as for a user to change the content. When printing specification setting is incapable with an execution application by the unit of page, the printer driver starts a UI which sets printing specifications by the unit of page among the UIs and, on the basis of the started UI, a UI setting screen 400 is displayed to the display 106. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a print setting apparatus, a print setting method thereof, and a program, and more particularly to a print setting apparatus that converts drawing data created by a host computer or the like into a printable predetermined format and outputs the print data to the print setting apparatus, and the printing thereof The present invention relates to a setting method and a program.

  Conventionally, print settings for data to be printed (hereinafter simply referred to as “data”) are performed based on a user interface (hereinafter referred to as “UI”) of the printer driver.

  For example, when the UI sets printing specifications in units of pages, the data is divided into pages, a format conversion is performed on the data, and a page number is assigned to each page. It is known to display on a computer display. In a printer driver, a technique is known in which a page of data input from an application is divided into a front surface and a back surface, and printing specifications for the front surface and the back surface can be set independently (for example, Patent Documents). 1).

  On the other hand, as an application, there is an application that displays on a computer display a setting screen capable of editing format conversion contents for document data including a plurality of pages (see, for example, Patent Document 2). A document composed of a plurality of pages is managed in a hierarchical structure of chapters and pages, and there is a configuration in which a print specification can be selected for each layer (for example, see Patent Document 3).

As described above, when the print specification is set by the application itself, since the structure of the document data and the number of pages held by the application are recognized, the print specification is set in units of pages or a certain range. Can be displayed.
JP 2004-126871 A JP 07-134707 A JP 2003-162407 A

  In the US Microsoft's next-generation OS, setting of a print specification called DEVMODE is possible for compatibility support with data created by the previous OS, but is usually performed using a Print Ticket. A print ticket is a data file in which print specifications instructed from an application to a printer driver are defined, and the print specifications can be defined for each page. That is, in the Windows (registered trademark) Vista of the next generation OS of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, setting of print specifications in units of pages can be performed by using the application itself without using the UI of the printer driver.

  For this reason, if a user always provides a UI for setting print specifications in units of pages or in a certain range by the printer driver, a situation in which the user experience becomes inconvenient is assumed.

  First, there may be a conflict between the print specification set by the printer driver based on the UI and the print specification in which the print ticket of the application acquired by the printer driver at the start of printing is embedded. For example, the print specification of the application specifies printing specifications for printing the 10th and 11th pages on both sides, and the printer driver UI specifies the printing specification for printing 10th and 11th pages on one side. This is the case. In this case, it is unclear which print specification should be executed, and the print specifications conflict (compete).

  Second, when printing data created with an application that originally printed only one page, such as Photoshop (registered trademark) of Adobe Corporation in the United States, a print setting screen based on a UI that can be set page by page with the printer driver is displayed. The user may be confused.

  As described above, depending on the application that issues the print request, the user interface for the print setting provided by the printer driver may be desired to be a screen that can be set for each job.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to appropriately switch the user interface for print settings to be displayed in accordance with an application that calls the user interface of the printer driver, and to improve the usability of the print setting screen of the printer driver. And a print setting method thereof, and a program.

  To achieve the above object, the print setting apparatus according to claim 1 is a print setting apparatus having a printer driver for setting print specifications, wherein the printer driver is a first user for setting print specifications in units of pages. In the print setting apparatus having the interface and the second user interface for setting print specifications for the entire print job, when the user interface of the printer driver is called from one application, the type of the one application Switching between displaying or not displaying the print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver according to the type of the one application determined by the determining unit and the determining unit And a display switching means.

  In order to achieve the above object, the print setting method according to claim 6 is a print setting apparatus having a printer driver for setting print specifications, wherein the printer driver is a first user for setting print specifications in units of pages. In the print setting method of the print setting apparatus having the interface and the second user interface for setting the print specifications for the entire print job, when the user interface of the printer driver is called from one application, the one A determination step for determining the type of the application, and a print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver is displayed or displayed according to the type of the one application determined by the determination step. A display switching step for switching between Characterized in that it obtain.

  In order to achieve the above object, a program according to claim 11 is a print setting device having a printer driver for setting print specifications, wherein the printer driver sets a first user interface for setting print specifications in units of pages. And a program for causing a computer to execute a print setting method of a print setting apparatus having a second user interface for setting print specifications for the entire print job, when the user interface of the printer driver is called from one application A display module for determining the type of the one application, and a print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver according to the type of the one application determined by the determination module. Or displayed Characterized in that it comprises a display switching module for switching the internal medicine.

  According to the present invention, the user interface for print settings to be displayed can be switched as appropriate according to the application that called the user interface of the printer driver, and the usability of the print setting screen of the printer driver is improved.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a print system including a host computer as a print setting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the printing system 1 includes a host computer 100 and a printer 110 that is an output device, which are connected via a connection interface 109.

  The host computer 100 includes a CPU 101 that controls the entire apparatus, a ROM 102 that holds an operating system (hereinafter referred to as “OS”) that is basic software, and a RAM 103 that functions as a work area for processing by the CPU 101. The host computer 100 also includes application software 107 that registers a plurality of applications that run on the OS. Further, the host computer 100 includes a print data processing unit 108 including an OS subsystem called a graphic device interface (GDI) that controls processing of output image information unique to the OS.

  Further, the host computer 100 displays the output setting contents of the activated output driver on the screen based on one of the UIs, and the input used when the user changes the output setting contents displayed on the screen. Device 105. Furthermore, the host computer 100 includes an auxiliary storage device 104 that temporarily stores temporary files.

  Registered in the application software 107 are applications having a function of printing created data, specifically, various applications such as word processing software for creating documents, drawing creation software, and presentation software.

  The print data processing unit 108 has device drivers for a plurality of output devices, and each device driver has a plurality of user interfaces (hereinafter referred to as “UI”). Specifically, when the output device is the printer 110, the printer driver has two UIs: a UI for setting print specifications in page units and a UI for not setting print specifications in page units. Further, for each application registered in the application software 107, there is a table 108a for registering information indicating whether or not the print specification can be set for each page for each application name.

  When the user issues a print execution instruction for data created by one application of the application software 107, the following processing is performed. That is, in general, when a “print” item is selected from the file menu of the application display screen, a print dialog is displayed, and a print property is selected on the print dialog, whereby the UI of the printer driver is changed. It is requested to start.

  When the printer driver activation request is received, the print data processing unit 108 determines the type of the application that requested the activation by a method described later, and displays a suitable user interface according to the determination result. When the print specification set via the displayed user interface is confirmed, the print specification is saved. When the “OK” button is pressed from the print dialog of the application, a print request is issued through the OS. When the OS receives a print request from an application, the OS detects a printer driver as an output device that outputs data to be printed for each page output from the application. Thereafter, the detected printer driver (print data processing unit 108) converts the data into a format that can be output by the printer 110. That is, an application that creates data for which a print execution instruction has been issued by the user (hereinafter referred to as “execution application”) dynamically links and uses the printer driver of the print data processing unit 108, and receives the print execution instruction. Print data.

  Further, when the data format is converted, if a temporary file is required for the expansion of data transmitted from the execution application to the print data processing unit 108, the file is generated in the auxiliary storage device 104. Thereafter, the data converted into the printer output format is sent from the print data processing unit 108 to the printer 110 via the connection interface 109 and printed.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a UI setting screen displayed on the display device 106 in FIG. 1 based on a UI for setting print specifications in page units.

  In FIG. 2, the UI setting screen 200 is displayed on the display device 106 based on a UI for setting print specifications in units of pages, and includes window switching tags 201 and 202.

  When the tag 201 is selected by the user, the UI setting screen 200 displays a print setting (hereinafter referred to as “basic setting”) screen that is commonly set for all pages in a user-changeable manner. When the tag 202 is selected by the user, the UI setting screen 200 displays a print setting for each page (hereinafter referred to as “page exception setting”) screen so that the user can change, as shown in FIG.

  The page exception setting screen includes a box 301 used for user designation of a page number to which the page exception setting is applied, and a box 302 for calling up a screen for displaying a list of differences of the page exception setting with respect to the basic setting when the user is selected. With.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a UI setting screen displayed on the display device 106 based on a UI that does not set print specifications in page units. In FIG. 4, the same components as those in FIGS.

  In FIG. 4, a UI setting screen 400 is displayed on the display device 106 based on a UI that does not set print specifications in units of pages, and does not have a window switching tag 202 unlike the UI setting screen 200 of FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the print setting process executed by the CPU 101 in FIG. Since this process is executed by the CPU 101 in accordance with a printer driver program corresponding to the print data processing unit, the CPU 101 will be mainly described in the following flowchart.

  In FIG. 5, it is determined whether or not a printer driver UI activation request has been made in order to execute printing on a document or image data created by one of the applications registered in the application software 107 (step S500).

  As a result of the determination in step S500, when there is a request for activation of the printer driver UI, the CPU 101 causes the printer driver to acquire the application name in order to determine the type of the execution application (step S501). This acquisition method is executed by exchanging mutual information between the execution application and the printer driver when the specification of the execution application is implemented using an SDK (Software Development Kit) published by the printer driver.

  Note that the acquisition method is not limited to the present embodiment as long as the application name can be acquired by the print data processing unit 108 in step S501. Therefore, in addition to the acquisition method of the present embodiment, it may be executed by dynamically exchanging information between the execution application and the printer driver by API (Application Program Interface). Alternatively, the CPU 101 may transmit the printer driver call command to the print processing unit 107 and add the application name of the execution application to the call command. Further, these means may be executed in combination.

  Next, the print data processing unit 108 searches for information on print specifications that can be set by the execution application registered in the table 108a from the application name acquired in step S501 (step S502). As a result of this search, when the CPU 101 determines that the execution application cannot set the print specification for each page (NO in step S503), the printer driver activates the UI for setting the print specification for each page in the UI (step S503). S504). Thereafter, the UI setting screen 200 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is displayed on the display device 106 based on the activated UI (step S505), and the process proceeds to step S508.

  On the other hand, as a result of the search in step S502, when the CPU 101 determines that the execution application can set the print specification for each page (YES in step S503), the printer driver activates a UI that does not set the print specification for each page (step S503). Step S506). Thereafter, the UI setting screen 400 of FIG. 4 is displayed on the display device 106 based on the activated UI (step S507), and the process proceeds to step S508.

  In step S508, when the print setting change process by the user is completed on the UI setting screen displayed on the display device 106, the present process ends.

  According to this process, when the execution application cannot set the print specification for each page (NO in step S503), the UI setting screen 400 is displayed on the display device 106 based on the UI for setting the print specification for each page (step S503). Steps S504 and S505). Thereby, an optimal UI can be set according to the execution application.

  In the present embodiment, the printing specification information that can be set by the execution application is searched using the table 108a from the application name acquired in step S501, and which UI of the printer driver is activated according to the result. I decided. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this embodiment as long as an optimal UI can be set according to the execution application.

  For example, the CPU 101 may have a flag that is ON when the execution application can set the print specification in units of pages, and OFF when it cannot be set. In this case, the CPU 101 determines which UI of the printer driver is to be activated in accordance with ON / OFF of the flag. Thereby, even if the list of application names registered in the table 108a is old and the execution application cannot be searched in step S502, an optimal UI can be set according to the execution application. Even if the table 108a does not exist, an optimal UI can be set according to the execution application.

  In addition, as an application that can set print specifications in units of pages, an application that can handle a Print Ticket corresponding to a print pass of the next-generation OS is assumed. In such an application, the print specification can be set for each page by the application itself. Therefore, when the printer driver UI is started, there is no need to set an exception for the print specification for each page. Start the UI to be set.

  Also, when outputting only one page of image data as in an image application, there is no need to set print specifications for each page, so the printer driver uses a UI for setting print specifications for each job. Start and display.

  If the application is not registered in the table 108a, the printer driver activates and displays a UI for setting print specifications for each page.

  In addition, an object of the present invention is to supply a program code for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and for the computer of the system or apparatus to read and execute the program code stored in a storage medium. Is also achieved.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program code and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention. .

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used. Optical disks are CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and DVD + RW. Alternatively, the program code may be downloaded via a network.

  In addition, when the OS running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code read by the computer, the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. Is also included.

  Further, each of the above-described embodiments is achieved by the CPU provided in the expansion unit performing part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code written in the memory provided in the function expansion unit connected to the computer. Can be realized.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing a print system including a host computer as a print setting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a UI setting screen displayed on the display device in FIG. 1 based on a UI for setting print specifications in units of pages. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a screen in which a UI setting screen in FIG. 2 is switched. It is a figure which shows the UI setting screen displayed on a display apparatus based on UI which does not set a printing specification in a page unit. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of print setting processing executed by a CPU in FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

1 Print System 100 Host Computer 101 CPU
102 ROM
103 RAM
104 Auxiliary storage device 105 Input device 106 Display device 107 Application software 108 Print data processing unit 108a Table 109 Connection interface 110 Printer

Claims (11)

A print setting apparatus having a printer driver for setting a print specification, wherein the printer driver is a first user interface for setting a print specification for each page, and a second for setting a print specification for an entire print job. In a print setting device having a user interface,
Determining means for determining the type of the one application when the user interface of the printer driver is called from the one application;
Display switching means for switching whether or not to display the print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver according to the type of the one application determined by the determination means. A print setting device. The determining means determines the type of the one application by determining whether or not the one application can set a print specification in page units.
The display switching unit displays a print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver when it is determined that the one application is of a type in which a print specification cannot be set for each page. The print setting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: Application registration means for registering a plurality of applications including the one application; application information registration means for registering information indicating whether or not a print specification can be set for each application name of the registered application; Further comprising
The determination unit includes an application name acquisition unit that acquires an application name of the one application, and a search unit that searches the information registered for the one application from the acquired application name. The print setting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:   The application name acquisition unit includes a call command transmission unit that transmits a call command for calling the printer driver to the printer driver, and an adding unit that adds the application name of the one application to the call command. The print setting apparatus according to claim 3. The discrimination means includes
Determining whether the type of the one application is an image application that outputs image data for one page;
The display switching means does not display the print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver when the type of the one application is determined to be the image application, and displays the second setting screen. The print setting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a print setting screen based on the user interface is displayed. A print setting apparatus having a printer driver for setting a print specification, wherein the printer driver is a first user interface for setting a print specification for each page, and a second for setting a print specification for an entire print job. In a print setting method of a print setting device having a user interface,
A determining step of determining a type of the one application when a user interface of the printer driver is called from the one application;
A display switching step for switching whether or not to display the print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver according to the type of the one application determined in the determination step. A print setting method characterized by the above. The determining step determines the type of the one application by determining whether the one application can set a print specification in page units,
The display switching step displays a print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver when it is determined that the one application is of a type in which print specifications cannot be set in page units. The print setting method according to claim 6. An application registration step for registering a plurality of applications including the one application, and an application information registration step for registering information indicating whether a print specification can be set for each application for each application name of the registered application; Further comprising
The determination step includes an application name acquisition step for acquiring an application name of the one application, and a search step for searching for the information registered for the one application from the acquired application name. The print setting method according to claim 7, wherein:   The application name acquisition step includes a calling command transmission step of transmitting a calling command for calling the printer driver to the printer driver, and an adding step of adding the application name of the one application to the calling command. The print setting method according to claim 8. The determination step includes
Determining whether the type of the one application is an image application that outputs image data for one page;
In the display switching step, when it is determined that the type of the one application is the image application, the second setting without displaying the print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver. 7. A print setting method according to claim 6, wherein a print setting screen based on the user interface is displayed. A print setting apparatus having a printer driver for setting a print specification, wherein the printer driver is a first user interface for setting a print specification for each page, and a second for setting a print specification for an entire print job. In a program for causing a computer to execute a print setting method of a print setting apparatus having a user interface,
A determination module for determining a type of the one application when a user interface of the printer driver is called from the one application;
A display switching module for switching whether or not to display the print setting screen based on the first user interface of the printer driver according to the type of the one application determined by the determination module. A program characterized by

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