JP2662471B2 - Output control method for non-window devices - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an output control method for a non-window device having no window function.
In particular, the present invention relates to an output control method for a non-window device that enables a data output request source to recognize the non-window device as if it had a window function.

[0002] The window function is a partition for input / output that divides the screen of a single input / output device so that it can be virtually regarded as a plurality of input / output devices. In recent years, this window function has been widely used in data processing apparatuses.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, a window function has been realized in terms of hardware / firmware as a capability unique to the device. From now on, an output device such as a line printer which does not have intelligence enough to construct a window function cannot realize the window function.

That is, in an output device having no window function, a specific attribute is assigned to the entire device. Therefore, assuming that the window A and the window B are constructed on the output device, the data output requester first assigns the attribute for outputting the line segment data in red to the window A, and then outputs the attribute. By outputting the target line segment data to window A, the line segment data is output in red, and then the attribute for outputting the line segment data in blue is assigned to window B. Is output to the window B, the line segment data is output in blue. Then, by outputting the line segment data to be output to the window A, the line segment data is output in red. Since the line segment data is finally assigned blue, the line segment data is not outputted in red but outputted in blue.

[0005]

As described above, when the output device connected to the data processing device is a non-window device, since the window device does not have a window function, the data output request source sends the data to the window device. However, there is a problem that data cannot be output in the same processing procedure as that for outputting.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and when data is output to a non-window device, the data output request source is determined as if the non-window device had a window function. An object of the present invention is to provide an output control method for a new non-window device that can recognize and output data.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows the principle configuration of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a data processing device, 2 is a non-window device connected to the data processing device 1, and 3 is a higher-level device that issues a data output request to the data processing device 1.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a device attribute information management table provided in the data processing device 1, which manages attribute information set in the non-window device 2, 11-i (i = 1 to n)
Is a window attribute information management table provided in the data processing device 1, provided for a window virtually expanded in the non-window device 2, and managing attribute information allocated to the window.

Reference numeral 20 denotes output data developing means provided in the data processing device 1 for developing data to be output to the non-window device 2. Reference numeral 21 denotes data output means provided in the data processing device 1, and Means for outputting the output data developed in the means 20 to the non-window device 2; 22 is a comparing means provided in the data processing device 1; When there is an output request, the attribute information managed by the window attribute information management table 11-i associated with the window and the attribute information managed by the device attribute information management table 10 are compared. When the comparing unit 22 determines that different attribute information is managed, Prior to the output processing of the force means 21,
The attribute information managed by the window attribute information management table 11-i to be compared by the comparing means 22 is set as attribute information of the non-window device 2.

[0010]

According to the present invention, each window attribute information management table 11-i is stored in the non-window device 2 set by the host device 3.
The attribute information for the upper window is managed, while the device attribute information management table 10 manages the latest attribute information set for the non-window device 2.

At the time of adopting this management configuration, when there is an output request from the higher-level device 3 to the non-window device 2 by designating a window, the comparing means 22 determines the window associated with the specified window. The attribute information managed by the attribute information management table 11-i is compared with the attribute information managed by the device attribute information management table 10. Then, if it is determined by the comparison process that the two pieces of attribute information match, the data output unit 21 is immediately activated. In response to the start instruction, the data output means 21 outputs the output data developed by the output data developing means 20 to the non-window device 2, and upon receiving this output, the non-window device 2 According to the information (the attribute information managed in the device attribute information management table 10), the output data is output to the corresponding window position.

On the other hand, the comparison means 22 performs
If it is determined that the attribute information does not match, the setting unit 23 is activated. In response to the activation instruction, the setting unit 23 sets attribute information managed by the window attribute information management table 11-i to be compared by the comparing unit 22 as attribute information of the non-window device 2 (corresponding to this setting process). Then, the management data of the device attribute information management table 10 is also updated), and then the data output unit 21 is started. In response to the start instruction, the data output means 21
Outputs the output data developed by the output data developing means 20 to the non-window device 2, and upon receiving the output, the non-window device 2 outputs the data in accordance with the set attribute information.
Outputs output data to the corresponding window position.

As described above, in the present invention, the host device 3
First, when attribute information is set for a virtual window on the non-window device 2, the data can be output without specifying the attribute. It is possible to recognize as if it has a window function.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to embodiments. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the management table provided in the data processing device 1 of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 30 denotes a device name table, which manages the device names of the non-window devices 2 connected to the data processing device 1, and 31 denotes a device attribute table pointed from the device name table 30. 32A is a window name table pointed out from the device name table 30, which manages the latest attribute information set in the window device 2. What is managed, 32B is a window name table pointed from the device name table 30, and manages the window name of the window B virtually developed in the non-window device 2.

Reference numeral 33A denotes a first window attribute table pointed from the window name table 32A, which manages attribute information assigned to the window A. Reference numeral 34A denotes a second window attribute pointed by the window name table 32A. A table, which manages attribute information scheduled to be allocated to window A, 35A is a window information table pointed to by window name table 32A, and manages information on the arrangement position and size of window A. Is what you do.

Reference numeral 33B denotes a first window attribute table pointed from the window name table 32B, which manages attribute information allocated to the window B. Reference numeral 34B denotes a second window attribute pointed by the window name table 32B. A table, which manages attribute information to be allocated to the window B, and a window information table 35B, which is pointed to from the window name table 32B, manages information on the arrangement position and size of the window B. Is what you do.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a processing procedure executed when the data processing device 1 outputs line segment data to the non-window device 2 when the management table configuration is provided. Next, the processing of the present invention will be described in detail according to this example. The data processing device 1 responds to an instruction from the higher-level device 3 to virtually expand the window A
To output the red line segment data to
First, as shown in the figure, in the data area for window A, data indicating that the line segment data to be output to window A in the future is to be red is created. Corresponding to the attribute information becoming red, the fact that the attribute information of the window A is red is registered in the first window attribute table 33A. Next, line segment data to be drawn is created in the data area for window A as shown in FIG. Subsequently, the contents of the data area for window A are output to the non-window device 2 as shown in FIG. By this output processing, red line segment data is drawn in the window A. Then, in synchronization with this output processing, the red, which is the management attribute of the first window attribute table 33A, is copied to the device attribute table 31 in correspondence with the attribute information of the non-window device 2 becoming red. In response to the fact that the attribute information of the line segment data to be output to the window A becomes red, the red color, which is the management attribute of the first window attribute table 33A, is copied to the second window attribute table 34A. .

Subsequently, the data processing device 1
When outputting blue line segment data to the window B virtually expanded in response to the instruction from the user, first, as shown in FIG. The first window attribute table is prepared in such a manner that data indicating that the line segment data to be output to the window B in the future is to be blue is generated, and when this data is output, the attribute information of the window B becomes blue. Register that the attribute information of window B is blue in 33B. Next, line segment data to be drawn is created in the data area for window B as shown in FIG.
Subsequently, the contents of the data area for window B are output to the non-window device 2 as shown in FIG. By this output processing, blue line segment data is drawn in the window B. Then, in synchronization with the output process, the blue color, which is the management attribute of the first window attribute table 33B, is copied to the device attribute table 31 so that the attribute information of the non-window device 2 becomes blue. The blue color, which is the management attribute of the first window attribute table 33B, is copied to the second window attribute table 34B in correspondence with the attribute information of the line segment data to be output to the window B becoming blue. .

Thereafter, when trying to draw the line segment data in the red color previously allocated to the window A, the host device 3 instructs the data processing device 1 to create the line segment data. Receiving the data processing device 1
Creates line segment data to be drawn immediately in the data area for window A, as shown in FIG. next,
As shown in (1), the contents of the data area for window A are output to the non-window device 2. At this time, since the first window attribute table 33A manages different attribute information such as managing the red color and the device attribute table 31 managing the blue color, prior to this output process, the window A It creates and outputs difference data that makes the attribute information red. By this output processing, red line segment data is drawn in the window A. Then, in synchronization with this output processing, the red, which is the management attribute of the first window attribute table 33A, is copied to the device attribute table 31 in correspondence with the attribute information of the non-window device 2 becoming red. In response to the fact that the attribute information of the line segment data to be output to the window A becomes red, the red color, which is the management attribute of the first window attribute table 33A, is copied to the second window attribute table 34A. .

As described above, according to the present invention, the data processing device 1 stores the attribute information assigned to the window virtually expanded on the non-window device 2 and the attribute information of the non-window device 2. Is different, the attribute information of the non-window device 2 is processed so as to become the attribute information assigned to the window before outputting the data to the window. First, when attribute information is set for a virtual window on the non-window device 2, data can be output without specifying the attribute information.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When outputting data to a non-window device, a data output request source can recognize and output the data as if the non-window device has a window function.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a management table configuration.

FIG. 3 is an example of a processing procedure of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 data processing device 2 non-window device 3 host device 10 device attribute information management table 11 window attribute information management table 20 output data expansion means 21 data output means 22 comparison means 23 setting means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A data processing system comprising a data processing device and a non-window device connected to the data processing device, wherein the data processing device manages attribute information set in the non-window device. An information management table (10), a window attribute information management table (11) provided for a window virtually deployed on a non-window device and managing attribute information allocated to the window, and When there is an output request to a non-window device, the attribute information managed by the window attribute information management table (11) associated with the window and the device attribute information management table (1
(0) and comparing means (22) for comparing with the attribute information managed, and when it is determined by the comparing means (22) that different attribute information is managed, prior to the output of the output data, Setting means (23) for setting attribute information managed by the window attribute information management table (11) to be compared by the means (22) as attribute information of the non-window device. Output control method for window devices.