JP3900981B2 - Print job resubmission method when spool is full - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a print job re-input method when a spool is full.
[0002]
Data is stored in the spool area when a print service is performed on a server that performs printing on an OS (Operating System) such as UNIX (registered trademark). When the spool area becomes full, information necessary for printing is created. It is impossible to do so, and the solution is desired.
[0003]
[Prior art]
As a basic function of the UNIX OS, there is an LP print service as a general term for functions for managing and controlling jobs for printing. The main functions of the LP print service include the following functions (1) to (3).
[0004]
(1) lp: A function for sending a request to the LP print service.
[0005]
(2) lpstat: a function for displaying information related to the status of the LP print service.
[0006]
(3) lpsched: LP request scheduler (also called printer scheduler, LP spooler, etc.). A system-resident process that manages and controls requests sent by lp.
[0007]
The operation when this print service is executed will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example, which is a printing system having a configuration of a UNIX server having a spool area and a printer device. In the figure, 50 is a host, 51 is a UNIX server, 52 is a receiving unit, 53 is a spool area for realizing a spool (Simultaneous peripheral operation online) function which is an OS job management function, and 54 is a print job input unit. , 55 is an LP print service unit, and 56 is a printer apparatus.
[0008]
When a print command is input from the host 50 to the server 51 and the data is transferred, the receiving unit 52 is activated to receive the transferred data. The receiving unit 52 saves the received transfer data in the spool area 53 and activates the print job input unit 54. When activated, the print job input unit 54 inputs a print job to the LP print service unit 55. Note that “request transmission” may be used as a term having the same meaning as the term “print job submission”, but in this description, “print job submission” is used. Accordingly, the LP print service unit 55 performs an operation of writing information necessary for the LP print service unit 55 itself to manage and control each job as a file in the same spool area 53 as the transfer data. The information necessary to manage and control this print job (hereinafter referred to as print job management information) includes the printer that prints the job (job output destination), the job title, the job input format, etc. . When the print job management information is written by the LP print service unit 55, the print job can be executed.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional printing system having the LP print service, the server having the spool area, and the printer device, when a print command is input from the host to the server and the data transfer is normally completed, a print job is input from the host. It was considered a thing. However, when the data transfer is completed, if the spool area becomes full (full), the data transfer is completed normally and no notification is sent to the host, but the print job input unit 54 is started after that. Even if the print job management information is written by the LP print service unit 55 when the print job is input, the spool area 53 is full and cannot be written. In this case, submission of the print job has failed, but since the host 50 has completed the data transfer, it is interpreted that the print job has been submitted. Even though the job can be submitted, it is determined that it is not printed (a state in which some error has occurred).
[0010]
In this state, print jobs that have not yet been printed are printed in order (execution of a print job in which data is stored in the spool area in advance) to create a free area in the spool area 53, or printing to cancel printing. Can be canceled by deleting the job. However, after confirming this state, the operation of transferring data to the server again must be executed.
[0011]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a print job re-input method at the time of spool full that can realize the input autonomously even if the input of a print job fails due to spool full.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a server, 2 is a host, and 3 is a printer. 1a in the server 1 is a transfer data receiving unit, 1b is a spool area, 1c is a print job input unit, 1d is a print service unit, and 1e is an execution information area for storing print job parameter information when the spool is full according to the present invention. , 1f is a spool full print job input unit provided by the present invention.
[0013]
When data transfer is executed from the host 2 to the server 1 in the present invention, the transfer data receiving unit 1a stores the received data in the spool area 1b (a in FIG. 1) and starts the print job input unit 1c ( FIG. 1 b). The print job input unit 1c causes the print service unit 1d to execute lp (print command) in accordance with the activated condition (print command execution parameter) from the transfer data reception unit 1a (c in FIG. 1). , The next print service unit 1d is caused to input a print job. The print service unit 1d inputs a print job by executing lp (print command) of the print job input unit 1c. The print job information when the print service unit 1d submits the print job is information (referred to as LP information) for managing and controlling the execution of the print job, and is stored in the spool area 1b (FIG. 1). d). The management / control information is different from the lp parameter information described later.
[0014]
When storing the LP information in the spool area 1b due to the print job input by the print service unit 1d fails due to spool full, the execution result returned to the print job input unit 1c is displayed as failure (e in FIG. 1). ). Upon receiving this execution result, the print job input unit 1c stores the execution information (also called lp parameter information) of the print job in the execution information area 1e (f in FIG. 1). On the other hand, the spool full print job input unit 1f monitors the execution information area 1e (g in FIG. 1), and when execution information is stored in the execution information area 1e, printing (lp) is first executed according to the information. Execute again with exactly the same parameters as in (h in FIG. 1). If the execution result of the printing (lp) at this time indicates success (i in FIG. 1) and the print job is normally submitted, the execution information (lp) corresponding to the corresponding print job is retrieved from the execution information area 1e. Parameter information). If the print job (lp) fails due to spool full at the time of re-input, the contents of the execution information area 1e are held as they are. In this way, the spool full print job input unit 1f tries to input again until all execution information (lp parameter information) is exhausted.
[0015]
With this configuration, even if a print job fails to be submitted because the spool is full, data can be re-submitted as many times as possible until a free area is created in the spool area without losing data.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numerals 1, 2, and 3 represent the same as those in FIG. 1, and the names 10 to 15 in the server 1 are partially different, but their functions correspond to 1a to 1f in FIG. Is a transfer data receiving section, 11 is a spool area, 12 is a print job input section, 13 is an LP print service section, 14 is an lp execution information area, and 15 is a print job input section when the spool is full. Reference numeral 16 denotes a filter that converts data into a format optimal for the printer, and transmits the converted data to the printer device via a driver. Reference numeral 17 denotes a driver that performs print output processing.
[0017]
The transfer data receiving unit 10 is a system-resident processing unit that waits for data transfer from the host 2 (processing unit that transfers data). When the data is transferred, the data is first spooled in the spool area 11. Next, the print job input unit 12 is activated as a child process of the transfer data receiving unit 10 and executes lp on the LP print service unit 13 according to the activated condition (the same as the parameter specified by lp execution described later). To submit a print job. An example of the lp command executed at this time is shown below.
[0018]
/ usr / bin / lp -H hold -T SIA -t "JOBNAME / JOBNO / DISCNO" -d A -y class = A -y rmfile / var / opt / FJSVnlp / prtdata / JOBNAME / JOBDATA
This command consists of a number of parameters, outlined below.
The parameter “/ usr / bin / lp” represents the lp command, and “-H hold” represents that the print job is transmitted in the hall state, and another print job is printed first until an instruction to release the hold is given. “-T SIA” represents an input format of received data, and the LP print service unit has a function of selecting an optimum filter from this input format. “-T“ JOBNAME / JOBNO / DISCNO ”” represents the title of the print job, and “-d A” represents the printer name of the output destination, and represents a virtual printer on software registered in advance in the LP print service section. Actually, the virtual printer and the actual printer device are associated one-to-one (by ID or the like). The “-y” parameter of “-y class = A” is a user-defined parameter, and is registered in the LP print service unit 13 in a format such as “-y xxxx = yyyy” or “-y zzzz”. This parameter indicates the output class (writer name on the host). “-Y rmfile” is a parameter for instructing to delete a file after printing a job, and “var / opt / FJSVnlp... JOBDATA” represents received data stored in the spool full area.
[0019]
The execution result of the lp command is returned from the LP print service unit 13. If the lp end value in the execution result is 0, it indicates that the print job has been successfully input and the lp end. A value other than 0 indicates that the print job has failed to be submitted due to spool full. When the print job submission fails due to spool full, parameter information (hereinafter referred to as lp parameter information) when lp is executed is stored in the lp execution information area 14.
[0020]
In the case of the above example of the lp command, the parameters stored in the lp execution information area 14 are all parameters below “−H hold”.
[0021]
Further, the lp parameter information is stored with a file name as shown in the following example.
[0022]
“NPSRetryLp Process ID. Execution Time”
“NPSRetryLp” is the headline, “Process ID” is the process ID of the process when the print job submission unit is first executed, and the process ID is an identifier for the UNIX system to manage each process. It is a unique number. Without this process ID, when the print job input unit is executed at the same time (at the same time), the lp parameter information on one side is lost. The “execution time” is the time when the print job input unit 12 is first executed, and the UNIX system saves it before the system is reset (for example, when the server machine is turned off and then turned on again). The stored lp parameter information is lost (because it is overwritten).
[0023]
The LP print service unit 13 is a system resident processing unit, and submits a print job by an lp command which is one function of the LP print service. The print job information at the time of input is stored in the spool area 11 as LP information. The LP information is information for the LP print service unit 13 to manage and control the print job, and stores contents different from the lp parameter information described in the print job input unit 12. When the LP information is stored in the spool area 11 and the print job is successfully submitted, the LP request scheduler which is one function of the LP print service unit 13 monitors this information and sequentially instructs the filter 16 to print the print job. To do. If the LP print information cannot be stored in the spool area 11, the print job submission failure is notified to the print job submission unit 12 through lp as spool full.
[0024]
FIG. 3 shows an example of LP information stored in the spool area. Of these, the symbols C, D, F, H, P, T... Represent the type of information.
[0025]
If the print job cannot be submitted due to spool full, the print job submission unit 12 stores the lp parameter information in the lp execution information area 14. At the same time, this indicates that there is a print job that has failed to be submitted due to spool full when the lp parameter information is stored.
[0026]
FIG. 4 is a processing flow of the print job input unit. FIG. 4 shows an example of the lp command given as the above example. First, lp is executed (S1 in FIG. 4), and the execution result is acquired (S2). This lp execution result is obtained by acquiring the end value of the print job input unit 12 started as a child process. It is determined whether the execution result is normal termination (S3 in FIG. 4). This determines whether the end value of the print job input part of the lp execution result is 0 (whether it ended normally) or not. If it is 0 (normal end), the process ends. If it is not 0 (print job submission failure), the process ID is first obtained (S4 in FIG. 4). The process ID of this process is managed by the UNIX system as described above, and can be acquired by making an inquiry there. Next, the current time is acquired (S5). This time is used in the next file name creation process (S6 in FIG. 4), followed by the process for creating lp parameter information (S7). At this time, information in a format such as the parameter information example described for the print job input unit 12 is created from the parameters executed in S1. Further, the lp parameter information is stored in the lp execution information area 14 (S8), and the process ends.
[0027]
When the lp parameter information is stored in the lp execution information area when the print job submission failure due to spool full occurs in the processing flow of the print job submission unit, the print job submission unit during spool full performs monitoring and resubmission processing.
[0028]
FIG. 5 is a processing flow of the print job input unit when the spool is full. First, it is determined whether there is lp parameter information stored in the lp execution information area (S1 in FIG. 5), and if there is no information, the process proceeds to S7 described later. The one with the earliest execution time is selected (S2). The selected lp parameter information is acquired, and the lp command is executed again with the same parameters as when the print job submission unit executed (S3 in FIG. 5), and the lp execution result is acquired (S4). This execution result is obtained in the same manner as S2 in FIG. From the execution result, it is determined whether or not the lp has been normally completed (S5 in FIG. 5). If the lp has been normally completed (print job has been successfully submitted), the corresponding lp parameter information is deleted (S6). When it is determined that the print job input has failed and after step S6, a sleep process is performed (S7 in FIG. 5). This sleep process is a resident process with a print job input part when spool is full, and is a program that always loops infinitely, so it can be set by determining whether or not processing is necessary. If it is better to try lp re-execution frequently, it is better not to enter this sleep process. However, the spool full state is not canceled unless another job is printed or deleted. , Don't need to do so often. Also, if it is important to reduce the load on the CPU of the server, it is better to include this sleep process.
[0029]
Next, it is determined whether an end request is generated (S8 in FIG. 5). The termination request is normally a signal reception (interrupt processing) in the case of a UNIX system, and the print job submitting unit at the time of spool full interrupts the signal (interrupt processing) in order to terminate the system or another program normally. The processing according to the program is temporarily interrupted and the predetermined processing is executed). If an end request is generated (a signal is received), the process ends normally. If an end request is not generated (a signal is not received), the process returns to S1 and the process is repeated.
[0030]
(Supplementary Note 1) A print job re-submission method at the time of spool full in a server that executes processing for storing management information in a spool when a transfer data from a host is received and stored in the spool. The print job input unit that starts after the transfer data is stored in the spool area and inputs a print job, and is started by the print job input unit and stores the print job management information in the spool area to perform print processing. A print service unit for performing, and the print service unit is provided with means for notifying the print job input unit of the execution result of the storage processing in the spool area, and the print job input unit includes an execution result from the print service unit Means for storing the parameter information of the print job in another area in the case of unsuccess A print job re-submission method when the spool is full, comprising means for re-submitting the print job to the print service unit when the print job parameter information is stored by monitoring the area of
[0031]
(Supplementary note 2) In Supplementary note 1, the print job parameter information includes the process identification information and the execution time when the print job is first executed, and the print job is re-entered when the spool is full method.
[0032]
(Supplementary note 3) In Supplementary note 2, the means for resubmitting the print job resubmits the print job in order of the execution time of the corresponding original print job if a plurality of parameter information is stored in the other area A print job re-submission method when the spool is full.
[0033]
(Supplementary Note 4) In Supplementary Note 1, the print service unit sets “0” for success and a numerical value other than “0” for failure as the execution result of the storage processing in the spool area. A print job re-submission method when the spool is full, which is provided to the print job input unit.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, even if a print job cannot be submitted once due to spool full, a new mechanism can be provided to automatically resubmit the print job until the spool area becomes empty. This makes it possible to manage printing efficiently.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a principle configuration of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an example.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of LP information stored in a spool area.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of a print job input unit.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of a print job input unit when the spool is full.
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Server 1a Transfer data receiving section 1b Spool area 1c Print job input section 1d Print service section 1e Execution information area 1f Print job input section when spool is full 2 Host 3 Printer device

Claims (2)

When the transfer data from the host is received, it is stored in the spool, and when the print job is submitted, the management information is stored in the spool.
The server is activated after the transfer data is stored in the spool area, and is activated by the print job input section, and is activated by the print job input section to store the management information of the print job in the spool area. A print service section that performs processing,
Means for notifying the print job input unit of the execution result of the storage processing in the spool area in the print service unit;
A means for receiving an execution result from the print service unit in the print job input unit and storing parameter information of the print job in another area in the case of unsuccess;
A print job re-submission method when the spool is full, comprising means for re-submitting the print job to the print service section when the parameter information of the print job is stored by monitoring the other area. In claim 1,
The print job re-submission method at the time of spool full, wherein the parameter information of the print job includes process identification information and execution time when the print job is first executed.

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