JP2008162133A - Printing controller, printer, printing system, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing controller which prevents a printed matter unavailable in a post processing step from being prepared even if a failure is generated while printing for the post processing step including folding is being made. <P>SOLUTION: A configuration information storage part 44 stores configuration information on a post processing by a post processing apparatus 12. A print data storing part 48 stores prepared print data. Print data preparing part 46 prepares the print data from document data and the configuration information and keeps it stored in the print data storing part 48. In the print data, physical page data corresponding to the first sheet of a booklet includes first page information showing the effect that the sheet is the first page of the booklet. A reprinting controller 50 refers to header information of the stored physical page data, and searches the physical page data including the first page information out of the plurality of physical page data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control apparatus that controls printing on a recording medium that is folded and bound.

  This type of printing control apparatus performs printing in the form of one book when the printed sheets are bundled and folded. Such printing is also called book printing, for example. When book printing is performed, if a large amount of paper for one book is bundled and folded at a time, the paper may be greatly displaced due to thickness, and bookbinding may not be performed cleanly. For this reason, the print control apparatus considers the page configuration so that a booklet is divided into a plurality of booklets, and then a plurality of booklets are bundled together to form a single book. May be printed. The number of pages allocated to one sheet and the number of sheets included in the booklet are not recognized by the user because they depend on the post-processing process.

  If a failure such as running out of paper or jam occurs during printing, printing stops. After the failure is recovered, if printing is performed from the next page, in the case of continuous paper, extra pages such as blank paper are inserted or the paper is cut. Even if a failure occurs during printing in the book printing format, if printing is performed from the continuation of the printed page when an error occurs after recovery, extra pages may be inserted in the middle of the booklet, or the paper may be cut There are things to do. For this reason, the printed material cannot be set in the post-processing apparatus as it is, and must be executed again from the printing process. In this case, extra costs are incurred.

  Furthermore, since the user is unaware of which page the booklet desired to be reprinted starts from, the user may perform reprinting from the number of pages appropriately returned. In this case, since printing may not be performed from the first page of the booklet, there is a problem that a half-sized page is printed.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a method of returning to a print start item when a failure occurs, transferring it to a substitute printer, and performing reprinting.

JP 2005-243048 A

  The present invention provides a print control apparatus capable of preventing generation of a printed matter that cannot be used in a post-processing step even when a failure occurs during printing for the post-processing step including folding. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, a printing control apparatus according to the present invention includes a configuration information storage unit that stores configuration information related to a bundle composed of a plurality of recording media, and a page corresponding to each of the plurality of recording media collected in the bundle. Print data generating means for generating print data including first data in the first page data of the page data based on the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage means, Print data storage means for storing print data generated by the print data generation means, and a page including head information from a plurality of page data included in the print data stored by the print data storage means Search means for searching for data. According to the present invention, even when a failure occurs during printing for a post-processing process including folding, printing is resumed from the first page of the booklet. Generation of printed matter that cannot be used in the processing step can be prevented.

  Preferably, the search means searches for page data including a bundle including designated page data and head information of any one of the bundles next to the bundle. According to the present invention, regardless of the physical page set by the operator, printing can be resumed from the first page of the booklet next to the booklet completed before the failure occurs.

  Preferably, the search means selects page data close to the designated page data from the bundle including the designated page data and the page data including the top information of the next bundle of the bundle. . According to the present invention, the time required to search for the first page in reprinting can be shortened.

  Preferably, the page data includes a plurality of logical pages, and the search means searches from the plurality of page data included in the bundle including the page data including the specified logical page. To do. According to the present invention, the operator can specify the reprint start position by the page number of the logical page.

  The printing apparatus according to the present invention includes configuration information storage means for storing configuration information relating to a bundle composed of a plurality of recording media, and page data corresponding to each of the plurality of recording media collected in the bundle, and the configuration information storage means Print data generating means for generating print data in which the first page data of the page data includes the head information based on the configuration information stored by the print data, and the print data generated by the print data generating means Print data storage means for storing data; search means for searching for page data including head information from a plurality of page data included in the print data stored by the print data storage means; Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium based on page data after page data searched by the searching means; To. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even when a failure generate | occur | produces during the printing for the post-processing process including a folding process, it can prevent producing | generating the printed matter which cannot be utilized in a post-processing process.

  The printing system according to the present invention includes configuration information storage means for storing configuration information relating to a bundle made up of a plurality of recording media, and page data corresponding to each of the plurality of recording media collected in the bundle, and the configuration information storage means Print data generating means for generating print data in which the first page data of the page data includes the head information based on the configuration information stored by the print data, and the print data generated by the print data generating means Print data storage means for storing data; search means for searching for page data including head information from a plurality of page data included in the print data stored by the print data storage means; Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium based on page data after page data searched by search means , And a post-processing means for performing post-processing on a predetermined unit of recording medium to form an image by the image forming means. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even when a failure generate | occur | produces during the printing for the post-processing process including a folding process, it can prevent producing | generating the printed matter which cannot be utilized in a post-processing process.

  A program according to the present invention includes page data corresponding to each of a plurality of recording media collected in a bundle in a print control apparatus including a computer, and the page data of the page data is based on configuration information about the bundle composed of the plurality of recording media. The first page data includes a print data generation step for generating print data whose head information is included, a storage step for storing the generated print data, and the stored print data. A search step for searching for page data including head information from a plurality of page data is executed by the computer of the print control apparatus. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even when a failure generate | occur | produces during the printing for the post-processing process including a folding process, it can prevent producing | generating the printed matter which cannot be utilized in a post-processing process.

  According to the printing control apparatus of the present invention, even when a failure occurs during printing for a post-processing step including folding, it is possible to prevent generation of a printed material that cannot be used in the post-processing step. be able to.

First, a print control apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a printing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 1 includes a terminal device 16, a printing control device 2, an image output device 10, and a post-processing device 12. The terminal device 16 and the print control device 2 are connected via a network 14 such as a LAN or WAN, and transmit and receive data to and from each other. The image output apparatus 10 is connected to the print control apparatus 2, and the post-processing apparatus 12 is connected to the image output apparatus 10. Note that the image output apparatus 10 may be connected to the print control apparatus 2 via the network 14.

  The terminal device 16 transmits document data in which characters, graphics, and the like are described in a predetermined page description language (PDL) or the like to the print control device 2 via the network 14. The terminal device 16 is, for example, a host computer as a data output device.

  The print control device 2 accepts document data transmitted from the terminal device 16, draws an image based on the document data, performs allocation so that a plurality of pages are printed on one sheet, and prints the print data. The print data is generated and output to the image output device 10. Hereinafter, pages included in the document data are also referred to as logical pages. The print control device 2 may be included in the image output device 10.

  The image output apparatus 10 is, for example, a printer, a copying machine, or the like, and includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium such as paper or an OHP sheet. When receiving the print data output from the print control device 2, the image output device 10 forms an image on a recording medium based on the print data, and discharges the recording medium to the post-processing device 12. Hereinafter, the number indicating the order of the recording media is also referred to as a physical page. Hereinafter, a case where a sheet is used as a recording medium will be described as an example.

  The post-processing device 12 receives paper discharged from the image output device 10 and performs post-processing such as folding and bookbinding. Specifically, the post-processing device 12 folds each of a plurality of sheets to generate a signature, generates a booklet by collecting a predetermined unit of signatures, and further performs a bookbinding process by collecting the plurality of booklets together. . Note that the post-processing apparatus 12 may perform bookbinding processing by collecting a plurality of signatures.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating folding processing by the post-processing device 12 and assignment processing by the print control device 2.
2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating the folding process by the post-processing device 12, and FIG. 2A shows a signature generated by two-folding, and FIG. Indicates a signature generated by winding four folds. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the post-processing device 12 performs a predetermined folding process on the printed paper. For example, the post-processing device 12 performs parallel folding such as two-folding and winding four-folding, right-folding such as turning eight pages, turning 16 pages, and the like. The folding process by the post-processing device 12 is not limited to this example, and any kind of folding method may be used.

  FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating an allocation process by the print control apparatus 2. Here, the numbers in the figure indicate the logical page numbers of the document data transmitted from the terminal device 16, and the direction of the numbers indicates the direction of the image on the page. In this example, the front surface of a 16-page folded left binding top bag is shown. As illustrated in FIG. 2C, the print control apparatus 2 includes a plurality of logics of document data so that the order and orientation of the logical pages are appropriate when the paper printed by the image output apparatus 10 is folded. Arrange pages and generate print data. Such allocation processing is also referred to as imposition.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the print control apparatus 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the print control apparatus 2 performs a data write / read process on a CPU 18, a memory 20, a storage device 22 such as a hard disk drive, and a recording medium such as an FD, CD, DVD, or tape. A medium interface (IF) 24, a user interface (UI) device 26 including a touch panel or a liquid crystal display and a keyboard, a communication IF 28 for transmitting and receiving data to and from an external computer such as the terminal device 16 via the network 14, and an image output device 10 has a print IF 30 for outputting print data. These components are connected to each other via a system bus 32. The print control device 2 is, for example, a general-purpose computer in which a print control program 4 described later is installed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a print control program 4 that realizes print control processing by the print control apparatus 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 4, the print control program 4 includes a document data receiving unit 40, a print data configuration unit 42, a configuration information storage unit 44, a print data generation unit 46, a print data storage unit 48, and a reprint control unit 50. . Note that all or part of the functions of the print control program 4 may be realized by hardware provided in the print control apparatus 2.

  In the print control program 4, the configuration information storage unit 44 stores configuration information related to post-processing performed by the post-processing device 12. Specifically, the configuration information storage unit 44 stores configuration information regarding a booklet (bundle) made up of a plurality of sheets. For example, the configuration information includes information on how to fold in folding, how to assign logical pages to paper, the number of signatures that make up a booklet, how to bind, and the like. The configuration information storage unit 44 is realized by at least one of the memory 20 and the storage device 22.

  The print data storage unit 48 stores print data generated by a print data generation unit 46 described later. The print data storage unit 48 is realized in the same manner as the configuration information storage unit 44.

  The document data receiving unit 40 receives print target document data transmitted from the terminal device 16 via the communication IF 28. The document data receiving unit 40 may receive document data read by the recording medium IF 24 via a recording medium such as a DVD.

  The print data configuration unit 42 receives the document data output from the document data reception unit 40, reads configuration information corresponding to the document data from the configuration information storage unit 44, and prints the document data and the read configuration information. The data is output to the generation unit 46. Information relating to the configuration information corresponding to the document data may be included in the document data or may be input via the UI device 26.

  The print data generation unit 46 generates print data based on the document data output from the print data configuration unit 42 and the configuration information, and stores the generated print data in the print data storage unit 48. Further, the print data generation unit 46 outputs the print data to the image output device 10. The print data generation unit 46 will be described in detail later.

  The print data includes physical page data corresponding to each of a plurality of sheets collected in a booklet. The print data includes information regarding whether or not the printing process is book printing. The physical page data includes information related to the logical page included in the physical page. Of the physical pages, the physical page data corresponding to the first sheet of the booklet includes head information indicating that the sheet is the head of the booklet. Such information is included in the header of physical page data, for example.

  The reprint control unit 50 receives a reprint request via the UI device 26 after a failure such as a jam is recovered, and the print data stored in the print data storage unit 48 is changed to the print data based on the request. By referring to the header information of the plurality of physical page data included, the physical page data including the head information is searched from the plurality of physical page data. The reprint control unit 50 outputs the print data to the image output apparatus 10 with the page including the searched head information as the print start page. In this way, the reprint control unit 50 constitutes a search unit. The reprint process will be described later in detail.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a detailed functional configuration of the print data generation unit 46.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the print data generation unit 46 includes a drawing / assignment unit 460, a head information adding unit 462, and a print data output unit 464. In the print data generation unit 46, the drawing / assignment unit 460 analyzes the document data output from the print data configuration unit 42, draws an image for each logical page based on the document data, and performs predetermined image processing. In addition, the drawing / assignment unit 460 assigns the drawn images to paper based on the configuration information, and generates print data. Image processing includes, for example, binarization processing, color conversion processing, gradation correction processing, and the like.

Based on the configuration information, the head information adding unit 462 adds head information to physical page data corresponding to the first sheet of the booklet among physical page data corresponding to each of the plurality of sheets collected in the booklet. .
The print data output unit 464 outputs the print data generated in this way to the image output apparatus 10. Further, the print data output unit 464 stores the print data in the print data storage unit 48.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the print data generation process (S10) by the print data generation unit 46.
As shown in FIG. 6, in step 100 (S100), the drawing / assignment unit 460 of the print data generation unit 46 draws an image corresponding to the logical page based on the document data, and the image based on the configuration information. Allocates and generates physical page data.

  In step 102 (S102), the head information adding unit 462 determines whether the physical page is the first page of the booklet based on the configuration information. If the physical page is the first page of the booklet, the head information adding unit 462 proceeds to the process of S104, and otherwise proceeds to the process of S106.

In step 104 (S104), the head information adding unit 462 adds head information to the physical page data.
In step 106 (S106), the print data output unit 464 stores the print data related to the physical page in the print data storage unit 48.

  In step 108 (S108), the print data generation unit 46 determines whether the processing has been completed for all logical pages included in the document data. The print data generation unit 46 proceeds to the processing of S110 when the processing for all the logical pages is completed, and proceeds to the processing of S100 otherwise.

  In step 110 (S110), the print data output unit 464 of the print data generation unit 46 reads out the print data stored in the print data storage unit 48 and outputs it to the image output apparatus 10.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the printing process (S20) in the printing system 1.
As shown in FIG. 7, in step 200 (S200), the document data receiving unit 40 of the print control program 4 operating on the print control apparatus 2 receives the transmitted document data.
In step 202 (S202), the print data configuration unit 42 reads the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage unit 44, and outputs the document data and the configuration information to the print data generation unit 46.

When receiving the document data and the configuration information, the print data generation unit 46 performs a print data generation process (FIG. 6; S10).
In step 204 (S204), the image output apparatus 10 receives the print data output from the print control apparatus 2, forms an image on a sheet based on the print data, and discharges the sheet to the post-processing apparatus 12. To do.
In step 206 (S206), the post-processing device 12 performs a folding process, generates a booklet by collecting a predetermined unit of paper, and performs bookbinding processing by collecting these booklets.

In such a printing process, when a failure such as a paper out or jam occurs and the printing process is stopped, the reprinting process is performed after the failure is recovered.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the print data generation process (S30) at the time of reprinting by the reprint control unit 50 of the print control program 4.
As shown in FIG. 8, the worker inputs a physical page number via the UI device 26 of the print control device 2. For example, the worker inputs the number of the physical page next to the physical page conveyed to the post-processing device 12. When the page number is input, in step 300 (S300), the reprint control unit 50 of the print control program 4 sets the input page number as the print start page.

In step 302 (S302), the reprint control unit 50 reads the print data stored in the print data storage unit 48.
In step 304 (S304), the reprint control unit 50 refers to, for example, a header of the print data, and determines whether the print process for the print data is book printing. If the printing process is book printing, the reprint control unit 50 proceeds to the process of S306, and otherwise proceeds to the process of S312.

In step 306 (S306), the reprint control unit 50 refers to the physical page data set as the print start page.
In step 308 (S308), the reprint control unit 50 determines whether the physical page data includes head information. The reprint control unit 50 proceeds to the process of S312 when the head information is included, and proceeds to the process of S310 otherwise.

  In step 310 (S310), the reprint control unit 50 sets the physical page immediately before the physical page as a print start page. Thereafter, the reprint control unit 50 returns to the process of S306.

In step 312 (S312), the reprint control unit 50 adds information related to the print start page to the print data.
In step 314 (S314), the reprint control unit 50 outputs the print data provided with the print start page to the image output apparatus 10.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the reprinting process (S40) by the printing system 1.
As shown in FIG. 9, after a failure such as a jam is recovered, print data generation processing (S8; S30) at the time of reprinting is executed.

In step 400 (S400), the image output apparatus 10 searches for the print start page based on physical page data after the physical page data set by the reprint control unit 50 of the print control program 4 and set as the print start page. An image of the set physical page is formed on a sheet.
In step 402 (S402), the post-processing device performs post-processing on the paper on which an image is to be formed by the image output device 10.

Next, a print control apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The print control apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment, in the print data generation process at the time of reprinting, the head information of any one of the booklet including the physical page data designated via the UI device 26 and the booklet next to the booklet. Is different from the print control apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment in that it searches for physical page data that includes.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of print data generation processing (S50) at the time of reprinting by the reprinting control unit 50 of the print control program 4 according to the present embodiment. Of the processes shown in FIG. 10, the same reference numerals are assigned to the processes that are substantially the same as those shown in FIG. 8.
As shown in FIG. 10, when a physical page number is input, a print start page is set in the processes of S300 to S304, and it is determined whether or not the print process is book printing. If the printing process is not book printing, the processes of S312 and S314 are executed.

  On the other hand, if the printing process is book printing, it is determined in S306 and S308 whether the top information is included in the physical page data set as the print start page. If the top information is not included in the physical page data, the reprint control unit 50 proceeds to the process of S500. When the top information is included in the physical page data, the processes of S312 and S314 are executed.

The reprint control unit 50 performs the processing of S500 and subsequent steps on the first physical page of the booklet that includes the physical page set as the print start page and the first physical page of the next booklet. Of these, the closest physical page data is searched.
In step 500 (S500), the reprint control unit 50 substitutes the print start page number into variables A and B.

In step 502 (S502), the reprint control unit 50 subtracts 1 from A.
In step 504 (S504), the reprint control unit 50 refers to the physical page data whose page number is A, and determines whether or not the top information is included in the physical page data. The reprint control unit 50 proceeds to the process of S512 when the head information is included, and proceeds to the process of S506 otherwise.

In step 506 (S506), the reprint control unit 50 adds 1 to B.
In step 508 (S508), the reprint control unit 50 determines whether B is equal to or less than the page number C of the physical page conveyed to the post-processing device 12. The reprint control unit 50 proceeds to the process of S510 if B is C or less, and returns to the process of S502 otherwise.

  In step 510 (S510), the reprint control unit 50 refers to the physical page data whose page number is B, and determines whether or not head information is included in the physical page data. The reprint control unit 50 proceeds to the process of S512 when the head information is included, and proceeds to the process of S502 otherwise.

In step 512 (S512), the reprint control unit 50 sets the physical page including the head information as the print start page.
In the processes of S312 and S314, the print start page is set as print data, and the print data is output to the image output apparatus 10. Thereafter, the reprinting process (FIG. 9; S40) is executed.

Next, a print control apparatus 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The print control apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment includes physical page data including the top information of a booklet based on a logical page number designated via the UI apparatus 26 or the like in print data generation processing at the time of reprinting. Is different from the print control apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment in that it is searched for.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the print data generation process (S60) at the time of reprinting by the reprint control unit 50 of the print control program 4 according to the present embodiment. Note that among the processes shown in FIG. 11, substantially the same processes as those shown in FIG. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
As shown in FIG. 11, in step 600 (S600), the worker inputs a logical page number via the UI device 26 of the print control apparatus 2. When the logical page number is input, in step 300 (S300), the reprint control unit 50 of the print control program 4 receives the input logical page number.

  In step 602 (S602), the reprint control unit 50 sets the first physical page as the print start page. Further, the reprint control unit 50 reads the stored print data in the process of S302, and refers to the physical page data set as the print start page in the process of S306.

In step 604 (S604), the reprint control unit 50 determines whether or not the designated logical page is included in the physical page. The reprint control unit 50 proceeds to the process of S304 if the logical page is included in the physical page, and proceeds to the process of S606 otherwise.
In step 606 (S606), the reprint control unit 50 sets the next physical page as the print start page, and returns to the process of S306.

  If the specified logical page is included in the physical page, it is determined in step S304 whether or not the printing process is book printing. In steps S306 to S314, the predetermined physical page is set as a print start page. Information is added to the print data, and the print data is output. Thereafter, the reprinting process (FIG. 9; S40) is executed.

1 is a diagram illustrating a printing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating folding processing by the post-processing device 12 and assignment processing by the print control device 2. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of the printing control apparatus 2 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the printing control program 4 which implement | achieves the printing control process by the printing control apparatus 2 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating a detailed functional configuration of a print data generation unit 46. FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of print data generation processing (S10) by a print data generation unit 46. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the printing process (S20) in the printing system 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the print data generation process (S30) at the time of reprinting by the reprinting control part 50 of the printing control program 4 which operate | moves on the printing control apparatus 2 which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the reprint process (S40) by the printing system 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the printing data generation process (S50) at the time of reprinting by the reprinting control part 50 of the printing control program 4 which operate | moves on the printing control apparatus 2 which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the print data generation process (S60) at the time of reprinting by the reprinting control part 50 of the printing control program 4 which operate | moves on the printing control apparatus 2 which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Print System 2 Print Control Device 4 Print Control Program 10 Image Output Device 12 Post-Processing Device 14 Network 16 Terminal Device 18 CPU
20 Memory 22 Storage device 26 UI device 28 Communication IF
30 Print IF
40 Document data reception unit 42 Print data configuration unit 44 Configuration information storage unit 46 Print data generation unit 48 Print data storage unit 50 Reprint control unit 460 Drawing / assignment unit 462 First information addition unit 464 Print data output unit

Claims (7)

Configuration information storage means for storing configuration information relating to a bundle of a plurality of recording media;
It includes page data corresponding to each of a plurality of recording media collected in a bundle, and the first page data includes the top information based on the configuration information stored by the configuration information storage means. Print data generating means for generating print data
Print data storage means for storing print data generated by the print data generation means;
A search control device comprising: search means for searching for page data including head information from a plurality of page data included in the print data stored by the print data storage means. The printing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search unit searches for page data including head information of any of a bundle including designated page data and a next bundle of the bundle. The search means selects page data close to the designated page data from the page data including the designated page data and the top data of the next bundle of the bundle. The printing control apparatus described. The page data contains multiple logical pages,
The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search unit searches from a plurality of page data included in a bundle including page data including a specified logical page. Configuration information storage means for storing configuration information relating to a bundle of a plurality of recording media;
It includes page data corresponding to each of a plurality of recording media collected in a bundle, and the first page data includes the top information based on the configuration information stored by the configuration information storage means. Print data generating means for generating print data
Print data storage means for storing print data generated by the print data generation means;
Search means for searching for page data including head information from a plurality of page data included in the print data stored by the print data storage means;
A printing apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium based on page data after page data searched by the search means. Configuration information storage means for storing configuration information relating to a bundle of a plurality of recording media;
It includes page data corresponding to each of a plurality of recording media collected in a bundle, and the first page data includes the top information based on the configuration information stored by the configuration information storage means. Print data generating means for generating print data
Print data storage means for storing print data generated by the print data generation means;
Search means for searching for page data including head information from a plurality of page data included in the print data stored by the print data storage means;
Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium based on page data after page data searched by the search means;
And a post-processing unit that performs post-processing on a recording medium of a predetermined unit on which an image is formed by the image forming unit. In a printing control apparatus including a computer,
The page data corresponding to each of a plurality of recording media to be bundled together is included, and the first page data of the page data includes the top information based on the configuration information regarding the bundle composed of the plurality of recording media. A print data generation step for generating print data;
A storing step for storing the generated print data;
A program for causing the computer of the print control apparatus to execute a search step of searching for page data including head information from a plurality of page data included in the stored print data.

Images