JP3812277B2 - Recording medium, computer, print data creation method and print data transfer method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to printing processing in a computer system, and more particularly to a technique for effectively using hard disk resources during printing.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When printing, the output to the printer prevents the computer system from slowing down the completion of the calculation. Therefore, computer systems usually employ a technique called print spool.
[0003]
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an outline of processing at the time of printing by a locally connected printer. The print data generated by the printer driver 231 (data described in the printer control language) is sent to a spooler 241 that is one of the modules of the print system 240 of the operating system. The spooler 241 that has received the print data temporarily stores the print data as a spool file 260 on the hard disk. The print processor 242, which is one of the modules of the print system 240, reads this spool file 260 and transfers it to the printer 20.
[0004]
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an outline of processing when printing a plurality of copies with a network-connected printer. In this figure, the print data generated by the client computer 210 connected to the network is printed by the printer 20 connected to the server computer 280.
[0005]
The client computer 210 stores the print data in the hard disk as a spool file 260 in the same manner as in FIG. 1 and then transfers the print data to the spooler 291 of the printer server computer 280.
[0006]
The spooler 291 of the print server computer 280 that has received the print data also stores the print data as a spool file 300 on the hard disk. Thereafter, the print processor 292 reads the spool file 300 and transfers it to the printer 20.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, some operating systems have a printer system with a specification that holds print data until the end of printing when print data is spooled on a hard disk when printing with a locally connected printer. Depending on the print object, the spool file 260 may exceed several hundred megabytes, and holding this data until the end of printing is unlikely to effectively use hard disk resources.
[0008]
Also, when printing multiple copies with a network-connected printer, the same print data is created for multiple copies, stored in the hard disk as a spool file 260, and then sent to the spooler 291 of the print server computer 280. It has become. For this reason, there is a problem that hard disk resources are consumed by both the client computer 210 and the printer server computer 280 for the same print data for a plurality of copies.
[0009]
An object of the present invention is to reduce the occupation time of a storage area of an external storage device by print data during printing.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention divides print data for controlling printing of a printer into a plurality of data, adds information for identifying the data to each data, and records these as files. Processing, creating data including information for specifying the file, recording data as a spool file separately from the file, reading the print spool file, and referring to information for specifying the file A computer-readable record that records a process, a process for reading the identified file and outputting the print data contained in the file, a process for erasing the file containing the output print data, and a program to be executed by the computer Provide media. As a result, since the file transferred to the printer can be deleted, it is possible to reduce the occupation time of the storage area of the external storage device by the print data.
[0011]
Further, the present invention is a program for creating print data for controlling a printer in accordance with a print command from an operator, and a print processor that can be used by a computer in which the program is installed is a unique program that can create the program. A determination unit that determines whether transfer control to a printer can be performed according to print data, and a print processor that can perform print control to the printer according to unique print data that can be created by the program. When the determination is made, the print data is divided into one or a plurality of data, information for identifying the data is added to each data, and the data is recorded as a file, and the file is specified Means for creating data including information for the file separately from the file. To provide a recording medium which records a program characterized Rukoto. By using the spool file created by this program, it is possible to shorten the occupation time of the storage area of the external storage device by the print data.
[0012]
In the present invention, a program for reading a print spool file and controlling transfer to a printer, wherein the print spool file includes information for specifying one or more files including print data. A determination means for determining whether the print spool file includes information for specifying one or a plurality of files including print data, and reads the print spool file to specify the file There is also provided a recording medium having recorded thereon a program characterized by comprising means for referring to information for reading and means for reading the specified file and outputting print data contained in the file. With this program, it is possible to shorten the occupation time of the storage area of the external storage device by the print data.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the first embodiment, the present invention is applied to a computer system that performs printing with a locally connected printer.
[0014]
First, the configuration of the computer system in the first embodiment will be described.
[0015]
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the computer system. In this figure, the computer main body 10 comprises a CPU 11, an image control device 12, a main storage device 13, an external storage device 14, an input / output control device 15, an interface 16, and a bus 17 for connecting them. Is done.
[0016]
The CPU 11 is a device that performs central control of the computer, and has a function of decoding and executing various instructions stored in the main storage device. The image control device 12 performs calculations for generating an image. The main storage device 13 has a function of temporarily storing data, software, an operating system, etc. handled by the computer. The external storage device 14 is a storage device having a recording medium that can read and write data such as a hard disk, and stores software, temporary files, and the like. The input / output control device 15 receives instructions from an operator and performs control when outputting data to an externally connected device. The interface 16 mediates connection with a peripheral device such as the printer 20. The bus 17 is a line through which signals such as address and data flow.
[0017]
A mouse 18, a keyboard 19, and a printer main body 20 are connected to the computer main body 10 via an interface 16. The mouse 17 and keyboard accept input from the computer operator. The printer main body 20 receives print data from the computer 10 and executes printing.
[0018]
Note that the configuration of the computer system is not limited to this configuration.
[0019]
Next, an outline of the flow of print data when a print command of application software such as a word processor and graphics is executed will be described with reference to FIG. In this figure, application software 50, printer driver 31, and print system 40 are stored in the main storage device 13 as software. The CPU 11 refers to these softwares and performs the processing shown in this figure. The application software 50 is a program executed on the computer 10. Upon receiving a print command from the operator, the application software 50 sends drawing data 51 (mainly an image output data format) of the print object to the printer driver 31.
[0020]
The printer driver 31 expands the sent drawing data 51 into print data 52 (data described in the printer control language), and sends it to the print system 40.
[0021]
The print system 40 temporarily stores the sent print data 52 in the external storage device 14. Thereafter, the stored print data 52 is sent to the printer 20, and the printing process of the computer main body 10 is terminated.
[0022]
The printer 20 that has received the print data 52 executes printing.
[0023]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the configuration and processing of the first embodiment. In this figure, the spooler 41 and the print processor 42 are software modules that constitute the print system 40. The spooler 41 stores data sent from the printer driver 31 and received by the print system 41 in the external storage device 14. The print processor 42 reads the stored print data and sends it to the printer 20. The print processor 42 is usually provided as part of the operating system, but it is also possible to develop and use a proprietary one.
[0024]
An overview of processing in the first embodiment performed by the above configuration will be described.
[0025]
When generating the print data, the printer driver 31 divides the print data into subfiles 70 described later and stores them in the external storage device 14. Then, the file name of the sub file 70 and the file name of the print control command file 71 are sent to the spooler 41. Here, the print control command file 71 is a file created in the external storage device 14 or the like by the printer driver 31 in order to write a command for controlling the printer, for example, a cancel command.
[0026]
The spooler 41 that has received them stores the sub file name 61 and the file name 62 of the print control command file in the external storage device 14 as the spool file 60.
[0027]
In this way, by dividing the print data into subfiles and storing information such as subfile names in the spool file, the spool file size can be reduced, and a large size that cannot be expanded into a spool file due to file size limitations. It is possible to print the print object.
[0028]
The print processor 42 refers to the subfile name 61 from the spool file 60 and sequentially opens the corresponding subfile 70. Then, the sub file 70 is read from the external storage device 14, print data is reconstructed, and sent to the printer 20. Then, the subfile 70 corresponding to the print data sent to the printer 20 is sequentially deleted. Also, the print processor 42 refers to the print control command file name 62 from the spool file 60 and monitors the corresponding print control command file 71.
[0029]
Next, the operation of the printer driver 31 in the first embodiment will be described in detail. The printer driver 31 checks whether or not the print processor 42 can perform the printing process according to the present invention, and if so, performs the following process. If not possible, conventional processing is performed. Whether the print processor 42 can perform the printing process according to the present invention is determined by, for example, attaching an identification code to the print processor 42 capable of performing the printing process according to the present invention, and the printer driver 31 using the code. Can be realized by determining that the printing process according to the present invention is possible.
[0030]
The printer driver 31 that has started print processing for a certain job in response to a print command from the user sends identification data indicating that print processing according to the present invention is performed and the file name of the print control command file to the spooler 41. Note that a job refers to a unit of print processing performed by one print command. There is no limitation on the number of printed pages or the number of copies.
[0031]
Next, the printer driver 31 processes the print data, divides it into a plurality of subfiles 70, and stores them in the external storage device 14. Then, the file name of the sub file is sent to the spooler 41.
[0032]
Here, a process in which the printer driver 31 processes print data and divides the print data into a plurality of subfiles 70 will be described.
[0033]
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the subfile 70. As shown in FIG. 5A, the sub file 70 includes a header part 71, a main body part 72, and a footer part 73. The main body 72 further has packet parts (72a, 72b,...) (This figure (b)).
[0034]
The header portion 71 is used for identifying the type of the sub file 70 and the like. Each of the packet parts (72a, 72b,...) Has a code for identifying the start of the job, a code for identifying the start of the page, print data, and the like. The footer unit 73 is used for identifying the end of the subfile.
[0035]
The header part 71, the footer part 73, and the packet parts (72a, 72b,...) Have a common format as shown in FIG. The packet part 72 a has a variable length and includes a packet size part 721, a packet code part 722, a packet ID part 723, and a packet data part 724.
[0036]
The packet size unit 721 stores the data size of the packet data 72a. The packet code unit 722 stores a code indicating the type of packet. The packet ID section 723 stores a code for identifying the data type of the packet data 72a (data type in the packet type). The packet data part 724 stores the data body.
[0037]
The data structure of the print control command file 71 is the same as that of the sub file 70 described above, and both are identified by the contents of the header portion 71.
[0038]
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a process in which the print driver 31 divides the print data 52 into subfiles 70. In this figure, 70a, 70b, and 70c are subfiles. Each subfile is composed of a header part (71a, 71b, 71c), a footer part (73a, 73b, 73c), and a packet part (72a, 72b...) As a main part.
[0039]
The printer driver 31 breaks down the print data into packets, collects several packets, adds a header part and a footer part to form a subfile. Here, the unit to be decomposed into packets is at least one packet for printing commands such as job start and page start, but other print data can be of any size. In addition, the unit for collecting packets into one subfile is arbitrary. However, it is not allowed to change the arrangement order of the print data.
[0040]
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the sub file 70 created by the printer driver 31 and the spool file 60 created by the spooler 41 when the file name is sent from the printer driver 31 to the spooler 41. Two examples of b) are shown.
[0041]
FIG. 4A shows a method of holding all the file names of the created subfiles as spool files. In this figure, the spool file 60 is composed of a print control command file name 61, a sub file name 1, a sub file name 2,... (62a, 62b...).
[0042]
FIG. 4B shows a method of holding the representative name of the file name of the created subfile as a spool file. In this figure, the spool file 60 is composed of a print control command file name 61 and a sub file name 62. Subfile 1, subfile 2,... Can be sequentially identified by referring to subfile name 62.
[0043]
Next, processing when the printer driver 31 receives a cancel instruction instructed by the user will be described.
[0044]
When the printer driver 31 receives a print cancel command from the user, the printer driver 31 writes a printer control command indicating the cancellation in the print control command file 71.
[0045]
Next, the operation of the print processor 42 in the first embodiment will be described in detail.
[0046]
When the print processor 42 receives a print command from the print system 40, the print processor 42 checks whether or not there is identification data in the spool file 60 indicating that the print processing according to the present invention is being performed. If identification data is detected, the following processing is performed. The identification data is sent from the printer driver 31 that has performed this processing to the spooler 41 and is written in the spool file 60 by the spooler 41.
[0047]
The print processor 42 refers to the spool file 60 and acquires a sub file name 61 and a print control command file name 62. The print processor 42 opens the subfile 70 corresponding to the first file name of the subfile name 61 and reads it in packet units (including the header part 71 and the footer part 73). Then, the packet data portion 724 that is print data is sequentially sent to the printer 20.
[0048]
When the print processor 42 reads the footer section 73, the read subfile is closed, the subfile 70 corresponding to the file name next to the subfile name 61 is opened, the same processing is performed, and the reading is performed. Erase the first subfile that has been used. Thereby, saving of the disk capacity of the external storage device is realized. Thereafter, this process is repeated until the end of the print data.
[0049]
When the print processor 42 reads the job end packet, the print is ended, and the last subfile 70 is closed and deleted.
[0050]
When the first subfile is created, the print processor 42 can start data to the printer without waiting for the completion of the subfile for the entire job, thus shortening the waiting time until the start of printing. It becomes possible to do.
[0051]
The print processor 42 monitors the print control command file 71 every time the file is read in units of packets. When it is detected that the print control command file 71 has been updated due to an increase in the file size of the print control command file 71 or the like, the print control command file 71 is read.
[0052]
If a print cancel command has been added to the print control command file 71 as a result of the reading, the transfer of subsequent packets to the printer 20 is stopped, a page end command and a job end command are sent to the printer 20, and printing is performed. Terminate. By this print canceling process, it is possible to cancel printing quickly and reliably.
[0053]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the second embodiment, the present invention is applied to a computer system that prints a plurality of copies from a network-connected printer.
[0054]
First, the configuration and processing of the computer system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The client computer 10 is the same as the computer of the first embodiment. The server computer 80 is connected to the client computer 10 via a network, and is further connected to the printer 20. The server computer includes a print system 90, and the print system 90 includes a spooler 91 and a print processor 92. The print data of the client computer 10 is sent to the spooler 91 of the print server computer 80 and sent to the printer 20 via the print processor 92. Since the hardware configuration of the server computer 80 is the same as that of the client computer 10 and as shown in FIG. 8, the same reference numerals are used. However, to avoid confusion, the client computer 10 or the server computer 80 is specified. To use.
[0055]
The printer driver 31 of the client computer 10 that has received a print command from an operator who explains the processing of the client computer 10 in this embodiment includes a sub file name 61 and a print control command file name 62, as in the first embodiment. A spool file 60, a sub file 70, and a print control command file 71 are created. The print processor 42 refers to the subfile name 61, sequentially opens the subfile 70, sends it to the spooler 91 of the print server computer 80 in units of packets, and sequentially deletes the transferred subfile. As a result, as in the first embodiment, the external storage device 14 of the client computer 10 can be effectively used.
[0056]
The print processor 42 also sends information (number of copies, presence / absence of registration) regarding printing of a plurality of copies received from the operator to the spooler 91 of the print server computer 80. Thus, since it is not necessary to send print data for a plurality of prints at the time of a plurality of prints, the transfer time can be reduced and the print start time can be shortened.
[0057]
Next, processing of the print server computer 80 to which the above data has been sent will be described. The spooler 91 stores the sent print data in units of packets as a spool file 100 in the external storage device 14 of the print server computer 80.
[0058]
The print processor 92 refers to the information regarding printing of a plurality of copies sent from the client computer 10 and acquires the number of copies to be printed and the presence / absence of check printing.
[0059]
If printing of a plurality of copies is not designated, the print processor 92 reads the spool file 100 in units of packets, sequentially sends the packet data 724 to the printer 20, and executes printing.
[0060]
If printing of a plurality of copies is designated, the print processor 92 reads the spool file 100 in units of packets, temporarily creates a page file 110 for each page, and stores it in the external storage device 14 of the server computer 80. .
[0061]
Here, the page file 110 is created by first creating a file for storing the print data of the print start page, and adding packet data 724 to the file until a packet indicating page end is read. When the end packet is read, this file is closed and the process of creating a file for storing the print data of the next page name is repeated until the job end packet is read. Therefore, as many page files 110 as the number of print pages are created.
[0062]
FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of the processing at this time. In the figure, reference numeral 100 denotes a spool file for each packet. The spoof file 100 is composed of D1, D2, and D3 which are the actual parts of printing, PE1 and PE2 meaning page end, and JE meaning job end. 110a and 110b are page files. The print processor 92 reads the spool file 100 and creates two page files 110a and 110b with the page end PE1 and PE2 as a separator.
[0063]
With the above processing, even when a plurality of copies are specified, spool files for a plurality of copies are not required, and the external storage device 14 of the server computer 80 can be used effectively.
[0064]
In the case of non-printing printing, this page file 110 is repeated for the designated number of copies, sent to the printer 20 in page order, and the transferred page file 110 is sequentially deleted.
[0065]
FIG. 7A is a conceptual diagram of the processing at this time. In this figure, 110a, 110b and 110c are page files. Assume that these three copies are printed in a non-book manner. Reference numeral 112 denotes data sent to the printer 20. The print processor 92 sends the page file 110a of the print start page P1 to the three-part printer 20, and deletes the P1 page file 110a. Thereafter, similar processing is performed on the P2 page file 110b and the P3 page file 110c, and printing is terminated.
[0066]
In this way, by effectively deleting the page file after printing, the external storage device 14 of the print server computer 80 can be used effectively.
[0067]
In the case of book printing, the process of sending the page file 110 to the printer 20 in page order is repeated for the designated number of copies. Then, the temporary file is deleted after the processing is completed.
[0068]
FIG. 7B is a conceptual diagram of the process at this time. The meanings of the symbols are the same as those in FIG. 7A, and three copies are printed in a book. The print processor 92 sequentially sends the page file 110a of the print start page P1, the page file 110b of P2, and the page file 110c of P3 to the printer 20. This is repeated three times, which is the number of copies, and finally the page files 110a, 110b, and 110c are deleted, and printing ends.
[0069]
Needless to say, the process of printing a plurality of copies can be applied not only to printing with a network-connected printer but also to printing with a local-connected printer.
[0070]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, at the time of printing, the occupation time of the storage area of the external storage device by print data can be shortened.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration and processing according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a sub file.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating processing for dividing print data into subfiles.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a relationship between a spool file and a sub file.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining an outline of a configuration and processing of a second embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating creation of a page file.
FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating printing of a plurality of copies.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a computer system.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of the flow of print data.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an outline of processing at the time of printing by a locally connected printer.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an overview of processing when printing a plurality of copies with a network-connected printer.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Computer main body 20 ... Printer 31 ... Printer driver 40 ... Print system 41 ... Spooler 42 ... Print processor 60 ... Spool file 70 ... Sub file 71 ... Print control command file

Claims (11)

The print data for controlling the printing of the printer is divided into a plurality of data, and a process of the information for identifying the divided data is added to the divided respective data, and records them as a sub-file,
Create data including information for specifying the sub-files, a process for recording a separate spool file and the subfile,
A process of reading the spool file and referring to information for specifying the subfile ;
Read the identified sub-file, and outputting the print data contained in the subfiles,
Processing to delete the subfile containing the output print data;
A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute is recorded. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute processing for creating print data for controlling a printer according to a print command ,
The program is
A process of determining whether a printer transfer module that can be used in the computer is capable of controlling transfer to a printer using a subfile created by the program ; and
When it is determined that the printer transfer module can control the transfer to the printer using the subfile created by the program , the print data is divided into a plurality of data, and the divided data is Processing for adding information for identification to each divided data and recording these as subfiles ;
Data including information for specifying the sub-file, and the sub-file and the process of creating Separately,
A computer-readable recording medium characterized by causing a computer to execute. 3. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 2, wherein the data including information for specifying the subfile includes information indicating that the program has been created. The recording medium according to claim 2, wherein the program further includes:
A process for accepting multiple copies of a print command;
When accepting the printing instruction of a plurality of copies, the data including information for specifying the sub-file, and a process of including the information about the print command of the plurality of copies,
A computer-readable recording medium characterized by being executed by a computer.   The recording medium according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
  The program is
  The printer transfer module outputs print data as a spool file when it is determined that the printer transfer module cannot control transfer to a printer using a subfile created by the program. recoding media.   A method of creating print data in a computer,
  Receiving a print command;
  Determining whether the printer transfer module available on the computer is capable of controlling transfer to a printer using a subfile created by the computer;
  When it is determined that the printer transfer module can control transfer to the printer using the subfile created by the program, the print data is divided into a plurality of data and the divided data is identified. Adding information for each of the divided data and recording these as subfiles,
  A method of creating print data, comprising: creating data including information for specifying the subfile separately from the subfile.   A computer having means for creating print data for controlling a printer in accordance with a print command,
  Means for dividing the print data into a plurality of data, adding information for identifying the divided data to each divided data, and recording these as subfiles;
  Means for creating data including information for specifying the subfile separately from the subfile;
A computer comprising:   A determination process for determining whether the spool file includes information for specifying a plurality of subfiles including the divided print data;
  When it is determined that the spool file includes information for specifying a plurality of subfiles including print data, the spool file is read, and processing for referring to the information for specifying the subfile;
  Reading the specified subfile and outputting the print data contained in the subfile;
  Processing to delete the subfile containing the output print data;
The computer-readable recording medium which recorded the program for making a computer perform.   9. The recording medium according to claim 8, wherein the program further includes:
  A process for determining whether the spool file contains information on a plurality of copies of the print command;
  When it is determined that the spool file contains information on a plurality of copies of the print command, instead of the process of reading the specified subfile and outputting the print data included in the subfile,
  A process of reading the specified subfile, creating and recording a page data file consisting of print data in page units,
  A process of referring to the page data file according to a plurality of copies of the print command and outputting the print data for each page a plurality of times
A computer-readable recording medium characterized by causing a computer to execute.   Determining whether the spool file includes information for specifying a plurality of subfiles including the divided print data; and
  When it is determined that the spool file includes information for specifying a plurality of subfiles, reading the spool file and referring to information for specifying the subfiles;
  Reading the identified subfile and outputting the print data contained in the subfile;
  Erasing the subfile containing the output print data; and
A print data transfer method comprising:   Means for reading a spool file including information for identifying a plurality of subfiles including the divided print data;
  Means for referring to information for specifying the subfile;
  Means for reading the identified subfile and outputting the print data contained in the subfile;
  Means for erasing the subfile containing the output print data;
A computer comprising:

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