JP2012226696A - Print driver and print command device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print driver which has good maintainability and facilitates use of prohibition settings.SOLUTION: A print driver 40 when installed in a user PC 30 converts function information described in XML into function information 44 in the form of binary data in which elements of the same layer are sorted, converts prohibition information described in XML into prohibition information 45 in the form of binary data in a multidimensional array, and saves the function information 44 and prohibition information 45 after the conversion in a setting file 43. Then a display output module 41 determines prohibition conditions utilizing the saved setting file 43, and displays and outputs the determination result as a print setting display picture plane. The prohibition information 45 may include printing medium sizes and printing medium types of many prohibition settings. Further, the prohibition information 45 which is multidimensionally arrayed by functions of a printer 20 may be saved in an HDD 35.

Description

  The present invention relates to a print driver and a print command device.

  Conventionally, as a print driver, the print driver setting information is stored in the printer, the print driver setting information is managed for each user, and the print driver setting information is stored on the computer (PC) used by the user when necessary. Some of them are intended to be used for diverting print driver setting information for the same user between different PCs, managing print driver setting information independent of the PC, and easily recovering from loss of setting information due to failure or malfunction. It has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-231930 A

  By the way, the print driver of Patent Document 1 or the like may have a prohibition condition in which one cannot be selected when one is selected, for example, the size capable of borderless printing is limited. It has been desired to make it easy to use such prohibition setting. On the other hand, it is also desired to improve the maintainability of the configuration file.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a print driver and a print command apparatus that are easy to maintain and that can easily use prohibition settings.

  The present invention adopts the following means in order to achieve the main object described above.

The print driver of the present invention is
A print driver that executes information processing related to print processing of a printing apparatus,
A conversion storage module that converts the prohibition settings related to printing from structured data described in a structured language into prohibition setting data that is binary data arranged in a multidimensional array, and stores the converted prohibition setting data in a storage unit;
An output module that determines the prohibition condition using the stored prohibition setting data and outputs the determination result;
It is equipped with.

  In this print driver, the prohibition setting related to printing is converted from the structured data described in the structured language into the prohibition setting data which is binary data arranged in a multi-dimensional array, and the converted prohibition setting data is saved and saved. The prohibition condition is determined using the prohibition setting data, and the determination result is output. For example, when using structured data, it must be converted into binary data and used. However, since it is converted into binary data arranged in a multidimensional array in advance, it is easier to use. In addition, since it is used based on structured data described in a structured language, it is easy to manage and easy to maintain. The print driver may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium (for example, a hard disk, ROM, FD, CD, DVD, etc.) or via a transmission medium (communication network such as the Internet or a LAN). It may be distributed from one computer to another, or may be exchanged in any other form. The print driver may be executed by one computer, or each step may be shared and executed by a plurality of computers. The structured data described in the structured language may be described in the markup language. By doing this, it is only necessary to rewrite the contents of the tag and the like, so that the prohibition setting can be managed more easily. Here, XML, XHTML, etc. are mentioned as a markup language.

  In the print driver of the present invention, the conversion storage module may convert structure data in which the prohibition setting including a print medium size and a print medium type is described. Since there are many prohibition settings for settings relating to the print medium, it is highly meaningful to apply the present invention.

  In the print driver of the present invention, the conversion storage module may convert the structured data into the prohibition setting data when the print driver is installed in a print command device that issues a print command to the printing device. In this way, the prohibition setting is rarely changed after that, and is easily used after conversion at the time of installation.

  In the print driver of the present invention, the conversion storage module may store prohibition setting data arranged in a multidimensional manner for each function of the printing apparatus. In this way, the prohibition setting data can be used for each function, so that it is easy to use.

  In the print driver of the present invention, the conversion storage module is a function information which is binary data after sorting so that elements in the same hierarchy of the element tree structure including the function information of the printing device included in the structured data are continuous. It is also possible to convert it into data and store the converted function information data in the storage means. This makes it easy to use function information converted from structured data to binary data.

The printing command device of the present invention is
A print command device that executes information processing related to print processing of a printing device,
Storage means for storing data;
Conversion storage means for converting the prohibition setting related to printing from structured data described in a structured language into prohibition setting data which is binary data arranged in a multi-dimensional manner, and storing the converted prohibition setting data in the storage means;
An output means for determining a prohibition condition using the stored prohibition setting data and outputting the determination result;
It is equipped with.

  Since this print command device uses structured data written in a structured language, like the above-described print driver, it is easy to manage and has good maintainability, and is converted into binary data arranged in advance in a multidimensional manner. It is easy to use the prohibition setting. In this print command apparatus, various aspects of the above-described print driver may be adopted, and a configuration that realizes each function of the above-described print driver may be added.

The control method of the print command apparatus of the present invention is:
A control method of a print commanding device that executes information processing related to printing processing of a printing device,
(A) converting prohibition settings relating to printing from structured data described in a structured language into prohibition setting data which is binary data arranged in a multidimensional manner, and storing the converted prohibition setting data in a storage unit;
(B) determining a prohibition condition using the prohibition setting data stored in step (a) and outputting the determination result;
Is included.

  In this control method of the print command apparatus, similar to the above-described print driver, since it is based on structured data described in a structured language, it is easy to manage and has good maintainability. Since it is converted, it is easy to use prohibited settings. In the control method of the print command apparatus, various aspects of the above-described print driver may be adopted, and steps for realizing the functions of the above-described print driver may be added.

1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a printer system. Explanatory drawing of the setting file which is structured data by XML. The flowchart which shows an example of a function information conversion process routine. The conceptual diagram of conversion into binary data of function information. The flowchart which shows an example of a prohibition information conversion process routine. The conceptual diagram of the conversion of prohibition information into binary data. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a print setting display screen.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of a configuration of a printer system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer system 10 of the present embodiment has a function as a printer 20 configured to be capable of large format printing, and a print command device that displays and outputs a print setting screen and outputs a print job to the printer 20. And a user personal computer (PC) 30.

  The printer 20 includes a controller 21 that controls the entire apparatus and a printing mechanism 25 that ejects ink as a colorant onto the printing medium S. The controller 21 includes a flash memory 23 that stores various processing programs and a RAM 24 that temporarily stores data, and is configured as a microprocessor centered on the CPU 22. The printing mechanism 25 contains a carriage 26 that reciprocates left and right (main scanning direction) along the carriage axis, a print head 27 that applies pressure to each color ink and ejects ink droplets from the nozzles, and contains each color ink. And an ink cartridge 28 for supplying the stored ink to the print head. The print head 27 ejects ink by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element to deform the piezoelectric element and pressurize the ink. The print head may employ a method in which ink is pressurized by a heater and ejected toward the print medium S. The ink cartridge 28 individually accommodates ink of each color such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K).

  The user PC 30 is a personal computer configured as a print command device used by the user. The user PC 30 includes a CPU 32 that executes various controls, a flash memory 33 that stores various control programs, a controller 31 that includes a RAM 34 that temporarily stores data, and a large-capacity memory that stores various application programs and various data files. A certain HDD 35 and an interface (I / F) 36 for communicating with an external device such as the printer 20 are provided. The HDD 35 stores a print driver 40 that performs print settings and print execution, a spool system 48 that is used during print execution, and an application program 49 (for example, a document editing program) that is an execution program.

  Further, the user PC 30 includes an input device 37 such as a keyboard and a mouse for a user to input various commands, a display 38 for displaying various information on a screen, and the like. The user PC 30 has a function of executing an operation corresponding to the input operation when the user inputs the cursor or the like displayed on the display 38 via the input device 37. The controller 31, the HDD 35, the I / F 36, the input device 37, and the display 38 are electrically connected via a bus 39 so that various control signals and data can be exchanged. The user PC 30 instructs the printer 20 to perform print processing or displays information about the printer 20 by using the installed program.

  Here, the print driver 40 stored in the HDD 35 will be described. The print driver 40 is used for print settings of the printer 20 and print execution. The print driver 40 stores information on available functions of the display output module 41 that controls display of a screen related to print settings, the print data creation module 42 that converts image data and generates print data, and the printer 20. A configuration file 43, a UI resource script 44 that stores a display image to be displayed on a configuration display screen, a conversion storage module 47 that converts a file described in a markup language into a configuration file 43 that is binary data, and the like. ing. The display output module 41 is a program that controls a display screen related to print processing displayed on the display 38. The display output module 41 has a function of determining a prohibition condition using the stored prohibition information 45 and displaying the determination result. The print data creation module 42 has a function of acquiring image data to be printed from the application program 49 and the like and generating print data that can be printed by the printer 20. The setting file 43 is data converted into binary data at the time of installation from a file described in a markup language, function information 44 including functions available for the printer 20, and prohibition information including prohibition settings in the printer 20. 45 is stored. The function information 44 stores information on the print paper size and print paper type, information on print functions that can be used by the printer 20 such as double-sided printing, borderless printing, and copying. The function information 44 is binary data sorted so that elements in the same hierarchy of the tree structure including the function information are continuous. The prohibition information 45 is stored as multi-dimensionally arranged binary data such as information on combinations of elements of a plurality of functions that cannot be used among the available functions. The prohibition information 45 includes a printing paper size and a printing paper type as elements. The generation of the setting file 43 will be described later in detail. The UI resource script 44 stores a plurality of pieces of information such as object images, arrangement positions and sizes. It also stores text (character strings), messages, and the like. As described above, the print driver 40 is localized so that the setting file 43 and the UI resource script 44 may be replaced according to the model. The conversion storage module 47 sorts the binary data so that the elements in the same hierarchy of the element tree including the function information of the printer 20 included in the structured data in which the function settings related to printing are described in the markup language are continuous. The function information 44 is converted into the function information 44 and the converted function information 44 is stored in the HDD 35. Also, the conversion storage module 47 converts the structured data in which the prohibition setting regarding printing is described in the markup language into the prohibition information 45 which is binary data arranged in a multidimensional manner for each function of the printer 20, and the converted function information. 44 and the prohibition information 45 are stored in the HDD 35.

  Next, an operation when the print driver 40 is installed in the user PC 30 will be described. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a setting file that is structured data in XML. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a function information conversion processing routine executed by the CPU 32. The print driver 40 includes a display output module 41 and a print data creation module 42, as well as structured data 50 described in XML, and is provided to users and the like. The structured data 50 stores function information 52 describing information on functions supported by the printer 20 and prohibition information 54 including prohibition settings that cannot be used by combining the functions. The print driver 40 is set to convert the structured data 50 into a binary data setting file 43 and save it at the time of installation. First, the contents and processing of the structured data 50 will be described below.

  The function information 52 holds, for example, information related to the printing function corresponding to the printer 20 in the form of a node tree in the format shown in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 2, for example, “ModelInfo” is a tag that holds model information of the printer 20, and “FunctionInfo” is a tag that holds information related to the printing function of the printer 20. “Fid” is a function ID, and a number is associated with each printing function, such as a paper feeding device or paper size. “Eid” is an element ID, and a number is associated with each function element. For example, when the paper type is “fid”, for example, plain paper, glossy paper, and the like are listed as elements, and a unique “eid” is associated with each of these elements. The prohibition information 54 stores prohibition conditions in the form of an XML-based logical product and logical sum using the function ID and the element ID in the format shown in FIG.

  Next, an operation when such structured data 50 is installed in the user PC 30 will be described. The user sets the provided recording medium (for example, CD) of the print driver 40 in the user PC 30 and starts the print driver installation process. Then, the function information conversion processing routine shown in FIG. 3 and the prohibition information conversion processing routine shown in FIG. 5 are executed. The CPU 32 executes the function information conversion processing routine and the prohibition information conversion processing routine using the function of the conversion storage module 47.

  When the function information conversion processing routine is executed, the CPU 32 first acquires the data of the head element (root node) of the function information 52 from the structured data 50 (step S100) and stores it in a data structure array that becomes binary data (step S100). Step S110). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not there is a lower element (step S120). If there are lower elements, the lower elements are listed and sorted, and stored in the data structure array in association with the upper elements (step S130). . Here, the association between the upper element and the lower element may be performed, for example, by assigning unique index information to both. Subsequently, it is determined whether or not there are further lower elements (step S140). If there are further lower elements, in step S130, further lower elements are listed and sorted, and the data structure is associated with the higher elements. Repeat the process of storing in the array. On the other hand, when there is no lower element in step S140 and step S120, the data structure array (function information 44), which is binary data after conversion, is stored in the setting file 43 and saved in the HDD 35 (step S150), and this routine is continued. Exit.

  FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of conversion of function information into binary data. As shown in FIG. 4, in the function information 52, elements of each hierarchy are stored from the upper level to the lower level by each tag. Here, each element is sorted so that elements in the same hierarchy are consecutive in the order corresponding to the upper element. The sort order may be the descending order of the function information 52 or the ascending order. Here, the sorting is performed in descending order. Further, as shown by the arrows of the function information 44 that is binary data in FIG. 4, the upper elements and the lower elements are associated with each other. For this reason, by storing the data structure array of binary data in the memory space and accessing the data structure array in order from the memory address of the first node at the target level, the support function and the target function options can be accelerated. Can be enumerated. In the data search, the target element can be found at high speed by executing processing using the quick sort algorithm from the top element of the corresponding hierarchy.

  Next, the prohibition information conversion processing routine shown in FIG. 5 will be described. When this function information conversion processing routine is executed, the CPU 32 acquires the prohibition condition elements of the prohibition information 54 from the structured data 50 (step S200), and lists the options elements (step S210). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not there is a target function element (step S220). If there is a target function element, the function element is temporarily stored in the element data (step S230), and the processes after step S200 are performed. Do. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of conversion of prohibition information into binary data. As shown in FIG. 6, in the processing of steps S200 to S220, the prohibition condition of the entire functional element is acquired from the prohibition information 54, and the prohibition condition is stored in the element data 56 in the order of a predetermined function ID. This element data 56 is provisional data used for confirming the prohibition condition when converted into binary data. Here, as an example, the option of function ID = 1 is element ID = E11, E12, E13, the option of function ID = 2 is element ID = E21, E22, and the option of function ID = 3 is element ID = The case of E31 and E32 will be described.

  When there is no target functional element in step S220, that is, when the above processing is performed for all functional elements, the CPU 32 enumerates function IDs existing in the temporarily stored element data (step S240). A multi-dimensional data array that is binary data is created from the function ID, and a process of initializing the prohibition condition is performed (step S250). Here, a multidimensional data array is created for each function. In FIG. 6, for example, the prohibition condition X1 has a combination of function ID = 1, 2, the prohibition condition X2 has a combination of function ID = 1, 2, 3, and the prohibition condition X3 has a function ID. Suppose there are a combination of = 2,3. At this time, for each prohibition condition, each element ID for each function ID is listed to generate a multidimensional data array (matrix), and prohibition information with an initial value “0” is provided for each combination. The prohibition information is set to a value “1” when there is a prohibition, for example.

  Subsequently, the CPU 32 extracts a functional element for setting the prohibition condition (step S260), determines whether or not the prohibition condition is met based on the content of the temporarily stored element data (step S270), and sets the prohibition condition. When they match, that is, when there is a prohibition, a value “1” is set in the prohibition information to set the prohibition to exist (step S280), while when the prohibition condition is not met, there is an unprocessed functional element as it is. Is determined (step S290). When there is an unprocessed functional element, the processes after step S260 are executed. On the other hand, when there is no unprocessed functional element, the generated multi-dimensional data array (forbidden information 45) as binary data is saved by storing it in the setting file 43 (step S300), and this routine is terminated.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 6, in the prohibition condition X1, when the combination of the element E21 and the element E21 and the combination of the element E12 and the element E21 are prohibited, the process of steps S260 to S290 includes the element E12. And the prohibition information of the combination of the element E13 and the combination of the element E13 and the element E21 are set to the value “1”. Thus, the setting file 43 in which prohibition information is set for each combination of elements is stored.

  Next, a case where print setting is performed using the setting file 43 will be described. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the print setting display screen 70. When the user selects print setting screen display in the application program 49 or the like, the CPU 32 expands the prohibition information 45 in the RAM 34 and displays the print setting display screen 70 by the function of the display output module 41. As shown in FIG. 7, the print setting display screen 70 includes a first pull-down menu 72 relating to the paper type, a first check box 73 relating to color correction, a first combo box 74 relating to the paper feeding method, and borderless printing. A second check box 75 relating to the input button 76 and an input button 76 for determining the selection contents are arranged. In the print setting of the printer 20, for example, borderless printing has a prohibition condition that only A4 size, L size, and postcard size print media S are supported, and borderless printing is not possible with other sizes. And When the user operates the first combo box 74 with the cursor 71 and selects the “other size” as the paper size, the print driver 40 performs borderless printing in accordance with the “prohibited” information in the prohibition information 45. It is determined that it cannot be performed, and the second check box 75 is displayed and output in such a manner that it cannot be input (see the lower part of FIG. 7). In this way, print setting is performed using the prohibition information 45 which is binary data and is matrixed for each function.

  Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. The HDD 35 of this embodiment corresponds to the storage means of the present invention, the conversion storage module 47 corresponds to the conversion storage module, and the display output module 41 corresponds to the output module. Also, XML as a markup language corresponds to a structured language, structured data 50 corresponds to structured data, prohibition information 45 corresponds to prohibition setting data, and function information 44 corresponds to function information data. In the present embodiment, an example of the print command apparatus of the present invention is also clarified by describing the operation of the user PC 30.

  According to the print driver 40 of this embodiment described in detail above, the function information 52 described in XML is converted into function information 44 that is binary data obtained by sorting elements in the same hierarchy, or is described in XML. The prohibition information 54 is converted into prohibition information 45 that is binary data arranged in a multidimensional manner, and the converted function information 44 and prohibition information 45 are stored in the setting file 43. Thereafter, the prohibition condition is determined using the saved setting file 43, and the determination result is displayed and output. For example, when the prohibition information 54 of the structured data 50 is used, it must be converted into binary data and used. However, the prohibition information 45 is easier to use because it is converted into binary data arranged in a multidimensional array in advance. . Further, since it is used based on the structured data 50 described in the markup language, it is easy to manage and easy to maintain. Furthermore, elements in the same hierarchy are sorted, and it is easy to use function information 44 that is binary data converted from structured data.

  In addition, the prohibition information 45 includes a print medium size and a print medium type with many prohibition settings. Therefore, it is highly significant to apply the present invention. Further, since the structured data 50 is converted into the setting file 43 when the print driver 40 is installed in the user PC 30, the function information 44 and the prohibition information 45 that are rarely changed thereafter are converted at the time of installation. Easy to use afterwards. Furthermore, since the prohibition information 45 arranged in a multidimensional manner for each function of the printer 20 is stored in the HDD 35, the prohibition information 45 can be used for each function and is easy to use.

  In addition, if the structured data 50 described in the markup language is used as it is, it requires processing through a parser or the like, and processing may take time. For example, when the application program 49 makes many inquiries about print settings, the print settings and print processing may become extremely slow. Here, since the data is converted into binary data in advance and the converted setting file 43 is used, the processing speed can be further increased.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modes as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the function information 44 of the setting file 43 is also converted into binary data, but this may be omitted. If the prohibition information 45 is converted into binary data, the prohibition information can be more easily used.

  In the embodiment described above, the structured language is XML, but is not particularly limited to this. For example, the structured language may be a markup language, and the XML may be XHTML.

  In the above-described embodiment, the prohibition information 45 includes the print medium size and the print medium type. However, the prohibition information 45 is not particularly limited as long as it is an element related to the print function. For example, one of these is omitted. Alternatively, other elements may be included.

  In the above-described embodiment, when the print driver 40 is installed in the user PC 30, the structured data 50 is converted into the setting file 43. However, the setting file 43 is previously changed to binary data. If it does, it will not be limited to this in particular.

  In the above-described embodiment, the prohibition information 45 arranged in a multidimensional manner for each function of the printer 20 is stored. However, the present invention is not limited to this as long as it is converted and saved into binary data arranged in a multidimensional manner.

  In the embodiment described above, the display output module 41 uses the prohibition information 45 to display and output the prohibition condition determination result on the print setting display screen 70. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

  In the above-described embodiment, the user PC 30 has been described as the print command device of the present invention, but the invention is not particularly limited as long as the prohibition information 45 of the printer 20 is used. Moreover, although the aspect of the print driver 40 has been described, it may be an aspect of a control method of the print command apparatus.

10 Printer system, 20 Printer, 21 Controller, 22 CPU, 23 Flash memory, 24 RAM, 25 Printing mechanism, 30 User personal computer (PC), 31 Controller, 32 CPU, 33 Flash memory, 34 RAM, 35 HDD, 36 Interface ( I / F), 37 input device, 38 display, 39 bus, 40 print driver, 41 display output module, 42 print data creation module, 43 setting file, 44 function information, 45 prohibition information, 46 UI resource script, 47 conversion storage Module, 48 spool system, 49 application program, 50 structured data, 52 function information, 54 prohibition information, 56 element data, 70 print setting display screen, 71 modules Sol, 72 first pull-down menus, 73 first check box 74 first combo box, 75 second check box 76 input button, S print medium.

Claims (6)

A print driver that executes information processing related to print processing of a printing apparatus,
A conversion storage module that converts the prohibition settings related to printing from structured data described in a structured language into prohibition setting data that is binary data arranged in a multidimensional array, and stores the converted prohibition setting data in a storage unit;
An output module that determines the prohibition condition using the stored prohibition setting data and outputs the determination result;
Print driver with   The print driver according to claim 1, wherein the conversion storage module converts structure data in which the prohibition setting including a print medium size and a print medium type is described.   The print driver according to claim 1, wherein the conversion storage module converts the structured data into the prohibition setting data when the print driver is installed in a print command device that issues a print command to the printing device.   The print driver according to claim 1, wherein the conversion storage module stores prohibition setting data arranged in a multidimensional manner for each function of the printing apparatus.   The conversion storage module performs sorting so that elements in the same hierarchy of the element tree structure including the function information of the printing device included in the structured data are consecutively converted into function information data that is binary data, and the conversion The print driver according to claim 1, wherein the function information data is stored in the storage unit. A print command device that executes information processing related to print processing of a printing device,
Storage means for storing data;
Conversion storage means for converting the prohibition setting related to printing from structured data described in a structured language into prohibition setting data which is binary data arranged in a multi-dimensional manner, and storing the converted prohibition setting data in the storage means;
An output means for determining a prohibition condition using the stored prohibition setting data and outputting the determination result;
A printing command device equipped with

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