JP2017208008A - Image processing device, printing system, and image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing device or the like which saves a user's trouble of blank page insertion as compared with a case where the user performs work of inserting a blank page between pages of variable image.SOLUTION: The image processing device includes: an arrangement mode selection part for selecting either one of a first arrangement mode for arranging a form image in a variable image of a plurality of pages by one page at a time and a second arrangement mode for arranging the variable image of a plurality of pages in the form page; and an image arrangement part for cyclically arranging a form image by one page at a time in the variable image by one page at a time in the case of the first arrangement mode, and arranging each page of the variable image in a specific page of the form image in the case of the second arrangement mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a printing system, and an image processing program.

  Conventionally, variable printing has been performed. Here, variable printing is a form image with a relatively small number of pages (for example, two pages) in which an image of each page at the time of printing is fixed for each page, and an image of each page at the time of printing for each page. And variable variable images are combined with each other to perform image processing for composing an image for each page, and printing an image for each page configured by this image processing.

  For this reason, for example, when the form image has a two-page configuration of the first page for the front side and the second page for the back side, and a variable image is to be arranged only on the front side, that is, Consider a case where double-sided printing is performed on the front side, in which an image obtained by combining the first page of the form image and each page of the variable image is printed, and only the second page of the form image is printed on the back side. In this case, the user needs to insert a blank dummy variable image for each page of the variable image so that an image combining the blank dummy variable image and the blank surface is printed. , It puts an extra burden on the user. In particular, when printing a large amount of variable images, it takes a lot of time to insert a blank dummy variable image for each page of the variable image, resulting in a heavy burden on the user.

  Here, Patent Document 1 discloses a variable print technique for assigning a barcode by applying a form pattern composed of a page order and a barcode arrangement position for each subset of variable data. Here, the number of pages for each subset is determined, and forms corresponding to the number of pages are applied.

JP2013-178716A

 Although the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is variable printing for a subset of variable data, it is irrelevant to the above-described reduction in extra labor.

 In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus, a printing system, and image processing that saves the user the trouble of inserting a blank page as compared to the case where the user performs an operation of inserting a blank page between pages of a variable image. The purpose is to provide a program.

The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 is an image processing apparatus that performs image processing for composing an image of a plurality of pages by combining a form image in which an image of a page at the time of printing is fixed and a variable variable image.
One arrangement mode of a first arrangement mode in which the form image is arranged one page at a time in the variable image of a plurality of pages and a second arrangement mode in which the variable image of a plurality of pages is arranged in the form image. An arrangement mode selection section to select;
In the first arrangement mode, each page of the form image is cyclically arranged in one page of the variable image, and in the second arrangement mode, each page of the variable image is specified for the form image. An image processing apparatus comprising an image arrangement unit arranged on each page.

Claim 2
A designation unit for designating the specific page;
The designation unit can designate an odd page of the form image or an even page of the form image as the specific page,
The image arrangement unit arranges each page of the variable image on an odd page of the form image when an odd page is designated as the specific page, and when an even page is designated as the specific page. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each page of the variable image is arranged on an even page of the form image.

Claim 3
A designation unit for designating the specific page;
The designation unit can designate an arbitrary page of the form image as the specific page,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image arrangement unit arranges each page of the variable image on a page specified as the specific page of the form image.

A fourth aspect of the present invention provides the image processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects,
A printing system comprising: a printing device that prints an image according to a combination of the form image and the variable image arranged by the image processing device for each page.

Claim 5 is executed by an information processing apparatus that executes a program, and the information processing apparatus combines a form image in which a page image at the time of printing is fixed and a variable variable image to generate an image of a plurality of pages. An image processing program that operates as an image processing apparatus that performs image processing,
The information processing apparatus;
One arrangement mode of a first arrangement mode in which the form image is arranged one page at a time in the variable image of a plurality of pages and a second arrangement mode in which the variable image of a plurality of pages is arranged in the form image. An arrangement mode selection section to select;
In the first arrangement mode, each page of the form image is cyclically arranged in one page of the variable image, and in the second arrangement mode, each page of the variable image is specified for the form image. An image processing program which is operated as an image processing apparatus including an image arrangement unit arranged on the page.

Claim 6 provides the information processing apparatus,
A designating unit for designating the specific page;
The designation unit can designate an odd page of the form image or an even page of the form image as the specific page,
The image arrangement unit arranges each page of the variable image on an odd page of the form image when an odd page is designated as the specific page, and when an even page is designated as the specific page. 6. The image processing program according to claim 5, wherein the image processing program is operated as an image processing apparatus that arranges each page of the variable image on an even page of the form image.

Claim 7 provides the information processing apparatus,
A designating unit for designating the specific page;
The designation unit can designate an arbitrary page of the form image as the specific page,
The said image arrangement | positioning part is operated as an image processing apparatus which arrange | positions each page of the said variable image on the page designated as the said specific page of the said form image. This is an image processing program.

  According to the image processing apparatus of claim 1, the printing system of claim 4, and the image processing program of claim 5, each page of the variable image can be specified as a form image only by selecting the second arrangement mode. Placed on the page. Therefore, compared with the case where the user performs an operation of inserting a blank page between pages of a variable image, the user's trouble of inserting a blank page is saved.

 According to the image processing apparatus of claim 2 and the image processing program of claim 6, when arranging each page of the variable image only on one of the odd page or the even page of the form image, the user places between the pages of the variable image. Compared to the operation of inserting a blank page, the user's trouble of inserting a blank page is saved.

 According to the image processing device of claim 3 and the image processing program of claim 7, when placing each page of the variable image only on an arbitrary page of the form image, the user inserts a blank page between the pages of the variable image. This saves the user the trouble of inserting a blank page as compared with the case of performing the operation.

1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system. It is explanatory drawing of variable printing. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an instruction screen for “page layout of form and job”. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “Place form page on all pages of job” is selected. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “arrange all pages of a job on odd pages of a form” is selected. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “arrange all pages of a job on even pages of a form” is selected. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an instruction screen for “bookbinding method”. An example of a combination of a form image and a variable image is shown when “collectively 1 sheet” (here “2 up”) is selected and “place form page on all pages of job” is selected. FIG. An example of a combination of a form image and a variable image in the case where “collectively 1 sheet” (here “2 up”) is selected and “place all pages of the job on odd pages of the form” is selected is also shown. It is a figure. Shown is an example of a combination of a form image and a variable image when “collectively 1 sheet” (here “2 up”) is selected and “place all pages of job on even pages of form” is selected. It is a figure. A diagram showing an example of a combination of a form image and a variable image when “branch plate” (here “two-sided”) is selected and “place form page on all pages of job” is selected. It is. A diagram showing an example of a combination of a form image and a variable image when “breeding plate” (here “two-sided”) is selected and “place all pages of the job on odd pages of the form” is further selected. It is. Shown is an example of a combination of a form image and a variable image when “branch plate” (here “2 imposition”) is selected and “place all pages of job on even pages of form” is selected. FIG. It is the figure which showed the example of a combination of a form image and a variable image in case a form image is 2 pages and a variable image is 3 pages. It is the figure which showed the flowchart of the image processing program. It is the figure which showed the flowchart of a page arrangement | positioning process.

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

 In the embodiment described below, all images on data are handled except images printed on paper. Therefore, hereinafter, even an image on data may be simply expressed as “image” without clearly indicating that the image is on data, such as “image data”. The same applies to other terms that fall within the category of images, such as manuscripts.

 FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of the printing system. The printing system shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to an embodiment of the printing system of the present invention.

 The printing system 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of client PCs (personal computers) 100 and a multifunction device 200, which are connected to each other via a LAN (Local Area Network) 300.

 In each client PC 100, image editing processing including processing for variable printing described later is performed by a user operation. Here, each client PC 100 corresponds to an example of the image processing apparatus of the present invention, and a program related to variable printing processing (described later) executed in each client PC 100 is an example of the image processing program of the present invention. Equivalent to. The hardware of the client PC 100 is a widely known general-purpose technology, and illustration and description thereof are omitted here.

 The multi-function device 200 corresponds to an example of a printing apparatus according to the present invention. The multifunction device 200 has a communication function via the LAN 300, a scanner function that reads an image drawn on a document or the like to generate image data, a print function that prints an image on paper, and the like.

 FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of variable printing. 2A is a form image, FIG. 2B is a print image, and FIG. 2C is a variable image. Here, the idea is to create a business card for double-sided printing.

 The form image shown in FIG. 2A has a two-page configuration including a first page printed on the front side of the paper and a second page printed on the back side of the paper. On the first page printed on the front side, characters “XX Co., Ltd.” are arranged at the bottom. Also, on the second page printed on the back side, the letters “XX Co., Ltd.” are arranged at the top, and the illustration is arranged at the bottom.

 Next, the description of FIG. 2B will be given later, and the variable image of FIG. 2C will be described first.

 In the odd page of the variable image shown in FIG. 2 (C), the name and department are described. Even pages are blank pages.

 The print image shown in FIG. 2B is an image obtained by combining the form image shown in FIG. 2A and the variable image shown in FIG. In this combination, the first and second pages of the form image are used cyclically (here, since the form image is two pages, it is used alternately). On the other hand, the variable image is sequentially used page by page from the first page. When the form image of FIG. 2A and the variable image of FIG. 2C are combined in this way, as shown in FIG. 2C, the front surface is the first page of the form image and the variable image. The image is a combination of odd-numbered pages, and the back surface is an image of only the second page of the form image. When a print image in which a form image and a variable image are combined in this way is printed on both sides of a sheet, a business card for double-sided printing is completed.

 In the example shown in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 2C, blank pages are arranged on even pages of the variable image. Conventionally, a user performs an operation of inserting a blank dummy variable image between each page of a front-side variable image one page at a time, and a blank page as shown in FIG. It was necessary to prepare the arranged variable images. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the variable image prepared by the user is a variable image of only the front surface of FIG. 2C in which no blank page is inserted. A blank page is automatically inserted according to the instruction content of the combination method with the image.

 Hereinafter, this process will be described in detail.

 FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an instruction screen for “page layout of form and job”.

 The user operates the client PC 100 to display the “form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. 3 on the display screen. Here, “form” refers to a set of form images (for example, a form image consisting of two pages shown in FIG. 2A), and “job” refers to a set of variable images before a blank page is inserted. (For example, it refers to a set of only pages (odd pages) on the front surface of the variable image shown in FIG. 2C).

 On the “Form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. 3, “Place form page on all pages of job”, “Place all page of job on odd pages of form”, “ Any one of the three pull-down menus of “Arrange all pages of job on even pages” is selected by user operation. Here, “place the page of the form on all pages of the job” corresponds to an example of the “first placement mode” in the present invention, and “place all the pages of the job on the odd pages of the form” and “ “Arrange all pages of job on even pages” corresponds to an example of “second arrangement mode” in the present invention.

 FIG. 4 shows a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “Place form page on all pages of job” is selected on the “Form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. It is a figure. 4A is a form image, FIG. 4B is a variable image, and FIG. 4C is a print image.

 The form image shown in FIG. 4A includes two pages “F1” and “F2”. The variable image shown in FIG. 4B is composed of four pages “V1” to “V4”.

 In this case, “Place form page on all pages of job” is selected on the “Form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. Therefore, the print image shown in FIG. 4C is an image in which “F1” and “V1” are combined on the first page, and “F2” and “V2” on the second page, as illustrated. The third page is an image in which “F1” and “V3” are combined, and the fourth page is an image in which “F2” and “V4” are combined.

 FIG. 5 shows a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “Place all pages of job on odd pages of form” is selected on the “Page arrangement of form and job” instruction screen shown in FIG. FIG. Here, FIGS. 5A and 5B are similar to FIGS. 4A and 4B, respectively, and form images “V1” to “V1” composed of two pages “F1” and “F2”, respectively. This is a variable image composed of four pages of “V4”.

 FIG. 5C shows a print image. Here, “Place all pages of job on odd pages of form” is selected on the “Form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. Therefore, in the print image shown in FIG. 5C, all the pages “V1” to “V4” of the variable image are arranged only on the odd page “F1” of the form image. The even page “F2” of the form image is not combined with the variable image and constitutes an even page of the print image alone. As a result, a total of eight printed images are obtained. Here, in composing the print image shown in FIG. 5C, as internal processing of the client PC 100, a blank page is inserted after each page of the variable images “V1” to “V4”, and the even page of the form image “F2” is combined with the blank page. That is, a blank page is inserted before combining the form image and the variable image, and the same combination process is repeated for all pages of the print image. By doing so, a print image consisting only of the even page “F2” of the form image is generated for the even page.

 FIG. 6 shows a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “arrange all pages of job on even pages of form” is selected on the “page arrangement of form and job” instruction screen shown in FIG. FIG. Here, FIGS. 6A and 6B are similar to FIGS. 4A and 4B and FIGS. 5A and 5B, respectively, and form images composed of two pages “F1” and “F2”, “ This is a variable image composed of four pages of “V1” to “V4”.

 FIG. 6C shows a print image. Here, “Place all pages of job on even pages of form” is selected on the instruction screen of “Page arrangement of form and job” shown in FIG. Therefore, in the print image shown in FIG. 6C, all the pages “V1” to “V4” of the variable image are arranged only on the even page “F2” of the form image. The odd page “F1” of the form image is not combined with the variable image and constitutes an odd page of the print image alone. As a result, a total of eight printed images are obtained. Here, in composing the print image shown in FIG. 6C, as internal processing of the client PC 100, a blank page is inserted before each page of the variable images “V1” to “V4”, and the odd number of the form image The blank page is combined with the page “F1”. That is, a blank page is inserted before combining the form image and the variable image, and the same combination process is repeated for all pages of the print image. In this way, a print image consisting only of the odd page “F1” of the form image is generated for the odd page.

 FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a “bookbinding method” instruction screen.

 The user operates the client PC 100 to display the “binding method” instruction screen shown in FIG. 7 on the display screen.

 The “collectively one sheet” shown on the “bookbinding method” instruction screen is to arrange print images of a plurality of pages on one side of each sheet (each side in the case of duplex printing). Means. When this “collective one” is selected, “2 up”, “4 up”, and “8 up” can be selected on the menu screen below. Here, “2 up” means that print images for two pages are collectively arranged on one side of one sheet (each side in the case of double-sided printing). Others are the same.

 In addition, the “breeding plate” shown on the “binding method” instruction screen of FIG. 7 has a plurality of print images of the same page on one side of each sheet (each side in the case of double-sided printing). This means that they are placed side by side. Also for this “growing plate”, the number of print images (two-sided, four-sided, etc.) arranged side by side on one side of each sheet (each side in the case of double-sided printing) on the menu screen below it. ) Can be selected. This “bookbinding method” has options other than “collectively one sheet” and “breeding plate”, but is not related to the description here and will be omitted.

 In FIG. 8, “collectively one sheet” (here “2 up”) is selected on the “bookbinding method” instruction screen shown in FIG. 7, and “form and job page layout” shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “Place form page on all pages of job” is selected on an instruction screen. Here, FIG. 8A is a form image, FIG. 8B is a variable image, and FIG. 8C is a print image. In FIG. 8C, a frame surrounding two pages of the print image represents one side of the paper on which the print image is printed.

 The form image shown in FIG. 8A includes two pages “F1” and “F2” as in FIGS. 4A to 6A described above. The variable image shown in FIG. 8B is composed of four pages “V1” to “V4”, as in FIG. 4B to FIG.

 In this case, “Place form page on all pages of job” is selected on the “Form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. For this reason, the print image shown in FIG. 8C is an image in which “F1” and “V1” are combined on the first page, and “F2” and “V2” on the second page, as illustrated. The third page is an image in which “F1” and “V3” are combined, and the fourth page is an image in which “F2” and “V4” are combined.

 Up to this point, it is the same as the example shown in FIG.

 However, since “2 up” is designated here, an image obtained by combining the first page (“F1” + “V1”) and the second page (“F2” + “V2”) of the print image is the paper. The top page is the first page image, and the third page (“F1” + “V3”) and the fourth page (“F2” + “V4”) of the print image are the second page on the paper. And two pages of images on the paper.

 In FIG. 9, “collectively one sheet” (here, “2 up”) is selected on the “bookbinding method” instruction screen shown in FIG. 7, and “form and job page layout” shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “arrange all pages of a job on odd pages of a form” is selected on an instruction screen. Here, FIGS. 9A and 9B are a form image composed of two pages “F1” and “F2” and a variable image composed of four pages “V1” to “V4”, respectively. is there. FIG. 9C shows a print image. In FIG. 9C, a frame surrounding two pages of the print image represents one side of the paper on which the print image is printed.

 Here, “Place all pages of job on odd pages of form” is selected on the “Form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. For this reason, in the print image shown in FIG. 9C, all pages “V1” to “V4” of the variable image are arranged only on the odd-numbered page “F1” of the form image. The even page “F2” of the form image is not combined with the variable image and constitutes an even page of the print image alone. As a result, a total of eight printed images are obtained.

 Up to this point, the example is the same as that shown in FIG.

 However, since “2 up” is specified here, an image obtained by combining the first page (“F1” + “V1”) and the second page (only “F2”) of the print image is 1 on the paper. The image of the page is a combination of the third page (“F1” + “V2”) and the fourth page (only “F2”) of the print image, which is the second page image on the paper. The combined image of the fifth page (“F1” + “V3”) and the sixth page (only “F2”) is the third page image on the paper, and the seventh page of the print image (“F1” + An image obtained by combining “V4”) and the eighth page (only “F2”) is an image of the fourth page on the paper, and an image of four pages on the paper.

 In FIG. 10, “collectively one sheet” (here, “2 up”) is selected on the “bookbinding method” instruction screen shown in FIG. 7, and “form and job page layout” shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “arrange all pages of a job on even pages of a form” is selected on an instruction screen. Here, FIGS. 10A and 10B are a form image composed of two pages “F1” and “F2” and a variable image composed of four pages “V1” to “V4”, respectively. is there. FIG. 10C shows a print image. In FIG. 10C, a frame surrounding two pages of the print image represents one side of the paper on which the print image is printed.

 Here, “Place all pages of job on even pages of form” is selected on the instruction screen of “Page arrangement of form and job” shown in FIG. For this reason, in the print image shown in FIG. 10C, all pages “V1” to “V4” of the variable image are arranged only on the even page “F2” of the form image. The odd page “F1” of the form image is not combined with the variable image and constitutes an even page of the print image alone. As a result, a total of eight printed images are obtained.

 The steps so far are the same as the example shown in FIG.

 However, since “2 up” is designated here, the combined image of the first page (“F1” only) and the second page (“F2” + “V1”) of the print image is 1 on the paper. The image of the page is a combination of the third page of the print image (only “F1”) and the fourth page (“F2” + “V2”). The combined image of the fifth page (“F1” only) and the sixth page (“F2” + “V3”) is the third page image on the paper, and the seventh page of the print image (“F1” only) ) And the eighth page (“F2” + “V4”) are the images of the fourth page on the paper and the images for four pages on the paper.

 11, “Breed” (here, “2 imposition”) is selected on the “binding method” instruction screen shown in FIG. 7, and “form and job page layout” instructions shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of a form image and a variable image when “Place form page on all pages of job” is selected on the screen. Here, FIG. 11A is a form image, FIG. 11B is a variable image, and FIG. 11C is a print image. In FIG. 11C, a frame surrounding two pages of the print image represents one side of the paper on which the print image is printed.

 The form image shown in FIG. 11A includes two pages “F1” and “F2”. In addition, the variable image shown in FIG. 11B is composed of four pages “V1” to “V4”.

 In this case, “Place form page on all pages of job” is selected on the “Form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. Therefore, as shown in the figure, the print image shown in FIG. 1C is an image in which “F1” and “V1” are combined on the first page, and “F2” and “V2” on the second page. The third page is an image in which “F1” and “V3” are combined, and the fourth page is an image in which “F2” and “V4” are combined.

 Up to this point, it is the same as the example shown in FIG.

 However, since “two-sided” is designated here, two print images for one page are arranged and printed on each page on the sheet.

 12, “Breed” (here “2 imposition”) is selected on the “bookbinding method” instruction screen shown in FIG. 7, and “form and job page layout” instructions shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of a form image and a variable image when “Place all pages of job on odd pages of form” is selected on the screen. Here, FIGS. 12A and 12B are a form image composed of two pages “F1” and “F2” and a variable image composed of four pages “V1” to “V4”, respectively. is there. FIG. 12C shows a print image. In FIG. 12C, a frame surrounding two pages of the print image represents one side of the paper on which the print image is printed.

 Here, “Place all pages of job on odd pages of form” is selected on the “Form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. For this reason, in the print image shown in FIG. 12C, all the pages “V1” to “V4” of the variable image are arranged only on the odd page “F1” of the form image. The even page “F2” of the form image is not combined with the variable image and constitutes an even page of the print image alone. As a result, a total of eight printed images are obtained.

 Up to this point, the example is the same as that shown in FIG.

 However, since “two-sided” is designated here, two print images for one page are arranged and printed on each page on the sheet.

 FIG. 13 shows that “branch plate” (here, “2 imposition”) is selected on the “bookbinding method” instruction screen shown in FIG. 7, and “form and job page layout” instruction shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a combination example of a form image and a variable image when “arrange all pages of a job on even pages of a form” is selected on the screen. Here, FIGS. 13A and 13B are a form image composed of two pages “F1” and “F2” and a variable image composed of four pages “V1” to “V4”, respectively. is there. FIG. 13C shows a print image. In FIG. 13C, a frame surrounding two pages of the print image represents one side of the paper on which the print image is printed.

 Here, “Place all pages of job on even pages of form” is selected on the instruction screen of “Page arrangement of form and job” shown in FIG. For this reason, in the print image shown in FIG. 13C, all pages “V1” to “V4” of the variable image are arranged only on the even page “F2” of the form image. The odd page “F1” of the form image is not combined with the variable image and constitutes an even page of the print image alone. As a result, a total of eight printed images are obtained.

 The steps so far are the same as the example shown in FIG.

 However, since “two-sided” is designated here, two print images for one page are arranged and printed on each page on the sheet.

  The description so far is an example of a combination of a form image and a variable image when the number of pages of the variable image is a multiple of the number of pages of the form image when the form image has two pages and the variable image has four pages. It is. Next, a combination example of a form image and a variable image when the number of pages of the variable image is not a multiple of the number of pages of the form image will be described.

 FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a combination example of a form image and a variable image when the form image has two pages and the variable image has three pages.

 FIG. 14A shows a form image composed of two pages “F1” and “F2”. FIG. 14B shows a variable image composed of three pages “V1”, “V2”, and “V3”.

 FIG. 14C shows a print image when “Place form page on all pages of job” is selected on the “Place page of form and job” instruction screen shown in FIG. is there.

 In this case, two pages of form images are alternately and repeatedly used page by page, and form images are assigned to all pages of the variable image.

 FIG. 14D is a view showing a print image when “Place all pages of job on odd pages of form” is selected on the “Page arrangement of form and job” instruction screen shown in FIG. is there.

  In this case, the page of only the form image is added so that the number of pages of the print image is a multiple of the number of pages of the variable image.

  Here, the case where the form image is two pages has been described, but when the form image is three pages or more, the form images of three pages or more are repeatedly used one by one in a cyclic manner. When the form image is one page, the one-page form image is repeatedly used.

  FIG. 15 shows a flowchart of the image processing program.

  The image processing program shown in FIG. 15 is executed in the client PC 100 shown in FIG. 1, thereby realizing the combination of the form image and the variable image exemplified above.

  Here, a form (a set of form images) and a job (a set of variable images) are selected in accordance with a user operation (step S01). Next, a bookbinding method (see FIG. 7) is selected (step S02), and a page layout method for forms and jobs (see FIG. 3) is further selected (step S03). Then, the page arrangement processing of the form image and the variable image is performed in the client PC 100 as exemplified above (step S04). Step S04 will be described later with reference to FIG.

 When the page layout process (step S04) ends, a preview of the print image is displayed (step S05). When the preview is instructed (step S06) and printing is instructed (step S07), a print image and a print instruction based on the print image are transmitted from the client PC 100 to the multifunction device 200 (step S08). . In response to this instruction, the multifunction device 200 prints a print image on paper.

 FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a flowchart of the page arrangement process. The page layout process shown in FIG. 16 is a process in step S04 in FIG.

 Here, first, the number of pages of the document is acquired (step S40). Here, “the number of pages of the document” refers to the number of pages of the variable image before the blank page is inserted.

 Next, a document page list is created (step S41). Here, the “document page list” refers to an arrangement of frames in which documents are arranged page by page. In this initial stage, the first page frame is associated with the first page frame, the second page frame is associated with the second page of the document, and so on. When a blank page is inserted in a later step, the correspondence of the subsequent pages is adjusted by the amount of the blank page inserted.

 Next, the number of pages of the form is acquired (step S42).

 Next, “Mode 1” (“Place form page on all pages of job”) is selected on the “Form and job page layout” instruction screen shown in FIG. 3, or “Mode 2” ( It is determined whether “All pages of job are arranged on odd pages of form” or “All pages of job are arranged on even pages of form”) is selected (step S43). This selection is performed in step S03 of FIG.

 When “Mode 2” is selected, “Odd” (“Place all pages of job on odd pages of form”) is selected or “Even” (“Jobs on even pages of form”) It is determined whether or not “place all pages of” is selected (step S44). If “odd number” is selected, a blank is placed behind each frame in the manuscript page list in which each manuscript is associated so that the even page of the form image is combined with the blank page of the variable image. A page frame is added (step S45). FIG. 2C shows a manuscript page list after a blank page frame is added behind each frame associated with each manuscript. On the other hand, if “Even” is selected, a blank is placed in front of each frame in the document page list in which each document is associated so that the odd page of the form image is combined with the blank page of the variable image. A page frame is added (step S46).

 Further, it is determined whether or not the number of frames arranged in the document page list is a multiple of the number of form pages (step S47). If it is not a multiple, as shown by a thick frame at the end of FIG. Then, a blank page is added to the end of the manuscript page list (step S48). However, the image after the form image “F2” is arranged in the blank frame is shown at the end of FIG.

 In this way, the form image is cyclically (in each frame (any one page of the document or a blank is arranged in each frame) in the document page list in which a blank frame is inserted as necessary. (Including alternates when the form image is two pages) (step S49). When the form image is only one page, the form image for that one page is always arranged.

  Here, if it is determined in mode S43 that the mode is 1, the process directly proceeds to step S49.

 Through the above processing, the combination of the form image and the variable image exemplified so far is realized without the user performing an operation of inserting blank pages one by one.

  Here, as the second mode of the present invention, an example in which each page of the variable image is arranged only on the even page of the form image or only on the odd page has been described. However, each page of the variable image is set to an arbitrary page of the form image. It is good also as a structure which can be arrange | positioned on a page. In this case, for example, when the form image has four pages, if only one page of the form image is designated, each page of the variable image is arranged only on the first page of the form image. Also, for example, when the form image has four pages, if the first page and the second page of the form image are designated, each page of the variable image is alternately displayed on the first page and the second page of the form image. Placed in. Further, for example, when the form image has a 4-page configuration, if the first page, the second page, and the third page of the form image are designated, each page of the variable image is changed to the first page of the form image. The second page and the third page are arranged cyclically.

10 Printing System 100 Client PC
200 MFP 300 LAN

Claims (7)

An image processing apparatus that performs image processing to form a multi-page image by combining a form image with a fixed page image at the time of printing and a variable variable image,
One arrangement mode of a first arrangement mode in which the form image is arranged one page at a time in the variable image of a plurality of pages and a second arrangement mode in which the variable image of a plurality of pages is arranged in the form image. An arrangement mode selection section to select;
In the first arrangement mode, each page of the form image is cyclically arranged in one page of the variable image, and in the second arrangement mode, each page of the variable image is specified for the form image. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image arrangement unit arranged on each page. A designation unit for designating the specific page;
The designation unit can designate an odd page of the form image or an even page of the form image as the specific page,
The image arrangement unit arranges each page of the variable image on an odd page of the form image when an odd page is designated as the specific page, and when an even page is designated as the specific page. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each page of the variable image is arranged on an even page of the form image. A designation unit for designating the specific page;
The designation unit can designate an arbitrary page of the form image as the specific page,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image arrangement unit arranges each page of the variable image on a page designated as the specific page of the form image. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A printing system comprising: a printing device that prints an image according to a combination of the form image and the variable image arranged by the image processing device for each page. The image processing is executed by an information processing apparatus that executes a program, and the information processing apparatus performs image processing that forms a multi-page image by combining a form image with a fixed page image at the time of printing and a variable variable image. An image processing program that operates as an image processing apparatus to perform,
The information processing apparatus;
One arrangement mode of a first arrangement mode in which the form image is arranged one page at a time in the variable image of a plurality of pages and a second arrangement mode in which the variable image of a plurality of pages is arranged in the form image. An arrangement mode selection section to select;
In the first arrangement mode, each page of the form image is cyclically arranged in one page of the variable image, and in the second arrangement mode, each page of the variable image is specified for the form image. An image processing program that operates as an image processing apparatus including an image placement unit that is placed on the page. The information processing apparatus;
A designating unit for designating the specific page;
The designation unit can designate an odd page of the form image or an even page of the form image as the specific page,
The image arrangement unit arranges each page of the variable image on an odd page of the form image when an odd page is designated as the specific page, and when an even page is designated as the specific page. The image processing program according to claim 5, wherein the image processing program is operated as an image processing apparatus that arranges each page of the variable image on an even page of the form image. The information processing apparatus;
A designating unit for designating the specific page;
The designation unit can designate an arbitrary page of the form image as the specific page,
The said image arrangement | positioning part is operated as an image processing apparatus which arrange | positions each page of the said variable image on the page designated as the said specific page of the said form image. Image processing program.

Images