JP3434858B2 - Server / Client system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a server / client system in which a client is connected as a terminal to a server by a terminal emulator. 2. Description of the Related Art The introduction of a server / client system has been promoted due to the opening and downsizing of computers. In a server / client system which performs form processing and the like, each client system is a terminal of the server system by a terminal emulator. FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show the structure of a server / client system, respectively. [0004] Of these, in FIG.
4 and the client system 12 are connected by a local area network 100, and in FIG. 4, the server system 14 and the client system 12 are connected by a wide area network 102. In FIG. 5, the server system 14
Are connected to a wide area network 104 via a bridge 106, and the client system 12 is connected to the wide area network 104 via a local area network 108 and a bridge 110. [0006] In many server-client systems in which the business of form processing is performed, a client system 12 (basically a single-task, single-user computer system) is connected to a server system 14 (multi-task, multi-user computer) by a terminal emulator. Computer system). However, in the case of a server / client system in which the client system 12 is a terminal of the server system 14 using a terminal emulator, the server system 14 cannot access the printer of the client system 12. Therefore, the form is printed on the server side away from the terminal user, cannot be issued on the client side,
This is a very serious problem in performing the form processing business. Therefore, conventionally, a network environment is used in which a printer provided on the client side can be controlled from the server side. When printing a form, the application program running on the client side is changed from the previous one. Switch to network environment. [0010] However, it is necessary to switch application programs when printing a form, and it becomes impossible to use the client system as a terminal at that time. Business is interrupted. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to control hardware resources (such as a printer) on a client side from a server side without switching programs on the client side. An object of the present invention is to provide a server-client system that can be used. [0012] To achieve the above object, a server-client system according to the present invention comprises:
The print task that controls the printer and the server system
An emulation task to emulate the terminal functions of
Server-client system with
The system sends the requested print data to the client
Print data transmission means for transmitting to the system, and a client
Receives the print execution result from the system and notifies the request source
Print result notifying means, and a client system
The server terminal emulation via logical communication path with the server program to display the transaction screen of the server business processing program on the display, in a server-client system that operates as a terminal of the operational program, the server for the server data printing When a communication message including print data from the business processing program of the server is received via a logical communication path with the program, the print data included in the communication message is output to a printer, and a response including a print execution result of the printer is received. Upon receiving a communication message including print execution result display data based on the response message from the business processing program of the server via a logical communication path between the server data printing means for returning the message and the server message output server program, Duties The print execution result display data include the contents of the plane to the communication message after saving the memory is displayed on the display, reads out the content of the operation screen from the memory based on the screen restores input from a user to display on the display Together with the display execution result as a logical communication path.
Server message output means for notifying from the client side to the server side via the server. Here, the server-client system will be described as follows. The server / client system (No. 1) is configured as shown in FIG. 1, and the server / client system shown in FIG. In the system, the server system 14 includes a print data transmitting unit 16 that transmits data requested to be printed to the client system 12 and a print result notifying unit 18 that receives a print execution result from the client system 12 and notifies the request source of the result. The client system 12 includes a print data receiving unit 20 that receives data to be printed from the server system 14, and a print control that causes the printer 10 to print received data and receive a print execution result from the printer 10. Means 22 and print control means 22
And a print result transmitting unit 24 that transmits a print execution result received from the printer 10 to the server system 14. The server-client system (No. 2) is configured as shown in FIG. 2. In the server-client system shown in FIG. 2, the client system 12 having the display 30 is a terminal client of the server system 14 using a terminal emulator. In the system, the server system 14 includes a display data transmitting unit 32 for transmitting data requested to be displayed to the client system 12.
And a display result notifying unit 34 for receiving a display execution result from the client system 12 and notifying the requesting source of the display execution result. The client system 12 includes a display data receiving unit 3 for receiving data to be displayed from the server system 14.
6, display control means 38 for displaying the received data on the display 30 to obtain a display execution result, and a server system 14 for displaying the display execution result obtained by the display control means 38.
And a display restoring unit 42 for returning the display on the display 30 to the contents before the received data is displayed. When a print request is issued from the server system 14, data to be printed is transmitted from the server system 14 to the client system 12, and is printed by the printer 10 of the client system 12. The print execution result (normal completion of printing, occurrence of a failure, etc.) at this time is stored in the client system 1.
2 is sent to the server system 14 and notified to the printing request source (process or the like). When a request for display is generated on the server system 14 side, data to be displayed is stored in the server system 1.
4 is transmitted to the client system 12 and displayed on the display 30 of the client system 12. Further, the display execution result at this time is transmitted from the client system 12 to the server system 14 and notified to the display request source, and the display on the display 30 is returned to the immediately preceding content by the display restoring means 42. However, the above printer output and display output are performed in parallel with the processing of the terminal emulator. In the actual server / client system, for example, when a failure occurs in printing, the fact and the cause of the failure (paper shortage, paper jam, etc.) are output to the display 30 of the client system 12 and the failure is output. The display 30 informs the user of the client system 12 with user input indicating that this cause has been eliminated.
Is preferably returned to the original terminal screen, and when printing is normally completed, the serial number of the slip is automatically incremented and the next process is started. Further, it is also preferable to access other hardware resources of the client system 12 from the server system 14 instead of the printer 10 and the display 30. The present invention can be applied to the systems shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 and a system in which they are combined. FIG. 6 illustrates the configuration of an embodiment. In FIG. 6, a client system 12 is connected to a server system 14 via a local area network 100 (for example, by TCP / IP). I have. The client system 12 is composed of a processing device main body 60, a printer 10, and a display 30 (including an input device such as a keyboard in this example).
0 and the local area network 14 are connected. The client program 1200 is the client system 12 (processing device main body 60), and the business processing program 1400 and the server program 140
2 are running on the server system 14, respectively. Thus, the client program 12
A logical communication path is formed on the local network 100 between the server program 1402 and the server program 1402, the business screen of the form processing is displayed on the display 30 in full screen, and the client system 12
Used as a terminal. The business processing program 1404 and the server program 1406 are the server system 14, and the client program 1202 is the client system 12
Respectively, the data on the server side is delivered to the client side via a logical communication path on the local network 100 and printed by the printer 10, and the result of the print execution is transmitted via the communication path to the client side. Is notified to the server side. FIG. 7 illustrates the processing contents of the server program 1406 using a flowchart. The server program 1406 includes a print request (a communication address indicating the output destination printer 10 and print data) of the business processing program 1404. ) (Step 700). The print request is sent to the business processing program 1
Upon receipt from the printer 404 (step 702), an output file name (the printer 10 is defined in the form of a file) corresponding to the print request (communication address included therein) is acquired with reference to the conversion table in FIG. Step 704). Further, a communication message is assembled from the obtained file name and the print request (print data included in the print request) and delivered to the network communication unit 1401 (see FIG. 6).
Output to the client system 12 (step 70)
6). Thereafter, the network communication unit 1401 receives the response message (indicating the result of printing execution) received from the client system 12 (step 70).
8) The job processing program 1404 is notified in the same format (interface) as in the case of file access (step 710). In FIG. 9, the client program 1202
Is described using a flowchart,
The client program 1202 waits for an incoming notification from the network communication unit 1201 (see FIG. 6) (step 9).
00). After confirming the incoming call notification, the communication message transmitted and output by the server system 14 is received from the network communication unit 1201 (step 902).
The print data (control code or character code) indicated by the message is output to the printer 10 (step 90).
4). Further, the result of the print execution returned by the printer 10 is obtained (step 906), and the response message including the print execution result is assembled and delivered to the network communication unit 1201.
4 (step 908). As described above, the server system 14 (the business processing program 1404) can use the printer 10 provided in the client system 12 as if it were connected to itself. In FIG. 6, the business processing program 1
408 and the server program 1410 run on the server system 14, and the client program 1204 runs on the client system 12.
It is delivered via the above logical communication path and displayed on the display 30, and the result of the display execution is notified from the client side to the server side via the communication path. In FIG. 10, the processing contents of the server program 1410 are described with reference to a flowchart.
(Including a communication address indicating the output destination display 30 and display data) (step 100)
0). The display request is sent to the business processing program 1
Upon receipt from the 404 (step 1002), the display request (communication address included in) is referred to with reference to the conversion table of FIG.
(The display 30 is defined as a file) corresponding to the output file name (step 100)
4). Further, a communication message is assembled from the obtained file name and the display request (display data included therein) and delivered to the network communication unit 1401 (see FIG. 6).
Output to the client system 12 (step 10
06). After that, the network communication unit 1401 receives the response message (indicating the result of the display execution) received from the client system 12 (step 100).
8) The job processing program 1404 is notified in the same format (interface) as in the case of file access (step 1010). In FIG. 12, the client program 120
4 is described using a flowchart, and the client program 1204 waits for an incoming call notification from the network communication unit 1201 (see FIG. 6) (step 1250). Upon confirming the incoming call notification, the communication message transmitted and output by the server system 14 is received from the network communication unit 1201 (step 1252), and the display data (control code or character code) indicated by the message is output to the display 30. (Step 125
6: Output to a message output-only area, or open a window and output to the window). Further, the display execution result returned by the display 30 is obtained (step 1258), the response message including the display execution result is assembled, delivered to the network communication unit 1201, and output to the server system 14 there. (Step 1260). However, the contents of the screen display area which is overwritten by the output of the display data are saved in the memory in advance at the time of overwriting (step 1254), and when the user input of the screen restoration is confirmed (step 1262), The evacuation contents are read from the memory (step 1264) and output to the screen display area before evacuation (step 1266). As described above, the server system 14 (the business processing program 1408) can use the display 30 provided in the client system 12 as if it were connected to itself. In this example, the business processing programs 1404 and 1408 communicate with the business processing program 1400 for terminal emulation, and the business processing program 1400 instructs the business processing program 1404 to print a form (slip). Print result (indicates normal completion or failure such as paper out, paper jam, etc.)
And instructs the business process program 1408 to display the print execution result on the display, and starts the next process (such as incrementing the slip number) only when the printing is normally completed. As described above, according to the present embodiment, while the server system 14 uses the client system 12 as a terminal of the server system 14, the printer 10 and the display 30 of the client system 12 operate as if they were Can be controlled as Therefore, it is not necessary to switch the program at the time of printing, and it is possible to avoid interruption of the business due to the switching. In addition, the print result (especially, occurrence of a trouble such as paper out or paper jam) can be displayed and output to the terminal user. Further, the terminal screen can be restored to the one before the print result is displayed. Therefore, the system can be operated efficiently. As described above, according to the present invention, while the server system uses the client system as a terminal, the client-side hardware can be controlled in the background and the response can be obtained. Therefore, various business processes can be performed smoothly and efficiently without interruption.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory view (1) of the principle of a server client system. FIG. 2 is a diagram (part 2) illustrating the principle of a server client system. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a server client system. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a server client system. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a server client system. FIG. 6 is a configuration explanatory diagram of an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing contents of a print server program. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a conversion table of an output device and a communication address. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating processing contents of a printing client program. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating processing contents of a display server program. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a conversion table of an output device and a communication address. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating processing contents of a display client program. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printer 12 Client system 14 Server system 100 Local area network 102 Wide area network 104 Wide area network 106 Bridge 108 Local area network 110 Bridge 1201 Network communication unit 1401 Network communication unit

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Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] (1)A print task to control the printer,
Emulation to emulate the terminal function of the server system
Server / client system with
And The server system is Send print requested data to client system
Print data transmitting means for performing Receives the print execution result from the client system and
A print result notifying means for notifying the requester; Including The client system Theory of server program for server terminal emulation
Of the server business processing program via the physical communication path
Display the screen on the display, and
Works as a terminalAnd Logical communication path with server data printing server program
Print data from the business processing program of the server via
When a communication message containing data is received, the communication message
Print data contained in the printer to a printer
Server that sends back a response message containing the
A data printing means, Logical communication with server program for server message output
From the server's business processing program via the path before
Including print execution result display data based on the response message
When a communication message is received, the contents of the business screen
After evacuating to the memory, the print
Displaying the row result display data on the display;
Of the business screen from the memory based on the screen restoration input from
Read the contents and display them on the displayAlong with the display
The result is sent from the client side via the logical communication path.
Notify the serverServer message output means, Server / client system characterized by comprising:
M