JP4320722B2 - Printing instruction device, printing instruction program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a print instruction apparatus and a print instruction program , and more particularly to a print instruction apparatus and a print instruction program for specifying a sheet to be used for an image forming apparatus capable of handling various types of sheets.

  Currently, there are various sizes of paper used all over the world, and different sizes of paper are used for each region due to differences in historical background. For this reason, in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a paper size that can be handled for each area to be used is set, and the user selects a desired paper within the set range and performs printing or the like. ing.

  However, in recent years, globalization of business and the like has progressed, and it is desired that various paper can be used in various parts of the world. For example, when a Japanese company opens an office or branch office in a foreign country and purchases a printer, etc., the paper size is usually set in the printer according to the region. In some cases, it is not possible to use paper of a size that is generally used.

  For this reason, recently, an increasing number of printers and the like are set so that paper of any size can be handled as long as it is physically usable.

  However, if all the paper sizes that can be physically used are set to be usable, the number of paper sizes that can be selected becomes huge when a print instruction is issued, and the user selects the paper. Can be complicated.

  In addition, depending on the model, printers may not be able to discriminate between papers of similar sizes, for example, A5 size paper and 5.5 inch × 8.5 inch paper due to cost constraints. In such a case, since both cannot be used at the same time, it is necessary to set in advance which paper is to be used, which increases the complexity.

Note that for paper size sets that cannot be distinguished by the printer, remember the last used paper size, and the paper size specified for a new print is included in the paper size set that cannot be distinguished. In this case, a technique has been proposed in which printing is performed as it is if the size matches the memorized paper size, and confirmation of the size is requested if the size is different (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-115280

  As described above, in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, when all physically usable papers can be used, when the user designates papers, the number of paper sizes that can be selected is set. It can be enormous and the work of selecting paper becomes complicated.

Therefore, the present invention provides a print instruction apparatus and a print instruction that can make it easy for a user to specify a sheet even when all sheets that can be physically used by the image forming apparatus can be used. The purpose is to provide a program .

Further, the sheet can not be used simultaneously in the image forming apparatus of the output destination, by registering on different paper group, eliminating the complexity of pre-set and can suppress simultaneous use of such a sheet, the print instruction An object is to provide an apparatus and a print instruction program .

In order to achieve the above-described object, the invention of claim 1 accepts printing conditions including a paper size, and responds to an output image forming apparatus based on the accepted printing conditions and separately input original information. In the print instruction apparatus that generates the print information, at least one paper group is defined, and all paper sizes that can be used in the output destination image forming apparatus are registered and managed in each of the paper groups. A paper group management unit, a paper group selection unit that selects any one of the paper groups managed by the paper group management unit, and a paper size included in the paper group selected by the paper group selection unit A paper size designation unit that enables the paper group management unit, and the paper group management unit is an output destination image forming apparatus. If a plurality of paper sizes that the image forming apparatus can not be determined as a different paper size is available, characterized in that to prevent users register multiple the paper size in the same sheet group.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the paper size designating unit displays all paper sizes usable in the image forming apparatus as options and is included in the selected paper group. Only the designation of the paper size is accepted.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the paper size designating unit displays a paper size included in the selected paper group as a paper designation option.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the paper group editing means for editing the paper group is further provided.

The invention of claim 5 further comprises sheet setting acquisition means for acquiring settings of available paper size groups from the image forming apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 , wherein the sheet size designation means The paper size group acquired by the setting acquisition unit is the paper group selected by the paper group selection unit.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a print condition including a paper size is received, and print information corresponding to the output image forming apparatus is generated based on the received print condition and separately input original information. A print instruction program that causes a computer to execute processing, defines at least one paper group, and registers all paper sizes that can be used by an image forming apparatus as an output destination in one of the paper groups. A paper group that is managed and prevents the output destination image forming apparatus from registering a plurality of paper sizes in the same paper group when the image forming apparatus can use a plurality of paper sizes that cannot be determined as different paper sizes. One of the paper groups is selected from the management step and the paper group managed in the paper group management step. A sheet group selecting step of, characterized in that to execute a sheet size designation step allows specify the paper size included in the sheet group selected by the sheet group selection step to the computer.

According to a seventh aspect of the invention, in the sixth aspect of the invention, the paper size designation step displays all paper sizes usable in the image forming apparatus as options and is included in the selected paper group. Only the designation of the paper size is accepted.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention, in the sixth aspect of the invention, the paper size designation step displays a paper size included in the selected paper group as a paper designation option.

According to a ninth aspect of the invention, in the sixth aspect of the invention, the computer further executes a paper group editing step for editing the paper group.

In a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect of the present invention, the computer further executes a paper setting acquisition step of acquiring a setting of a usable paper size group from the image forming apparatus, and the paper size designation step includes: The paper size group acquired in the paper setting acquisition step is the paper group selected in the paper group selection step.

  According to the present invention, since the user can select only the paper size included in the paper group, even when the printer can use all physically usable paper, The user can easily select an appropriate sheet according to the usage environment.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printing instruction apparatus and a printing instruction program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of a printer driver to which the present invention is applied. As shown in the figure, a computer 1 is connected to a printer 2 and an application 10 and a printer driver 11 are operated.

  The printer 2 may be locally connected to the computer 1 or may be connected to the network via a network. The application 10 creates and edits data to be printed, such as a document. One or more applications run on the computer 1. The printer driver 11 generates print data corresponding to the printer 2 based on the data output from the application 10.

  Here, the printer driver 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer driver 11 includes a UI function unit 12 and an image generation unit 13. Actually, the printer driver 11 is configured to include 11 and other functional units, but is omitted here for the sake of simplicity.

  The UI function unit 12 is a function unit for providing a UI (user interface), and displays various types of information on the provided UI, accepts designation of print parameters and output forms, designation of paper size, and the like. Do. The image generation unit 13 generates print data corresponding to the printer 2 based on the data output from the application 10 and the specification of the parameters received by the UI function unit 12, and sends the generated print data to the printer 2. .

  Next, details of the UI function unit 12 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the UI function unit 12. In the figure, only functional units according to the present invention are shown, and the configuration of other functional units and the like is omitted. In addition, the UI function unit 12 may be realized by operating the computer 1 by a program. In this case, the functional configuration may differ depending on the program method or the like. , Will be similar.

  As shown in the figure, the UI function unit 12 includes a paper group selection unit 120, a paper selection unit 121, a paper group holding unit 122, and a paper group editing unit 123. In this configuration, the paper group holding unit 122 manages selectable paper sizes as paper groups. This paper group is edited by the paper group editing unit 123, and one paper size may belong to a plurality of groups. The paper group selection unit 120 selects a group of paper sizes that can be selected by the user. The paper selection unit 121 causes the user to select a paper size belonging to the paper group selected by the paper group selection unit 120 as an available paper size.

  Here, the detail of each part which comprises the UI function part 12 is demonstrated. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing examples of display of a part of the UI provided by the paper group selection unit 120. FIG. The UI shown here is displayed on a display unit (not shown) of the computer 1.

  A UI 200 shown in FIG. 3 is a display when the user selects a paper group. In the UI 200, a paper group selection field 201 and a detail display button 202 are arranged. The paper group selection field 201 is used to select a paper group desired by the user from the paper groups held by the paper group holding unit 122. In the example of FIG. 3, “Japan”, “Asia / Oceania”, “ Selection is made from five groups: North America, South America, and Europe.

  Further, when the user presses the detail display button 202, details of each group are displayed. This display is displayed as a UI 210 shown in FIG. The UI 210 is provided with a detailed display field 211 and a selection instruction button 212. The detailed display field 211 allows the user to check the paper size included in the paper group, and the selection instruction button 212 selects a desired paper group. It becomes possible to do.

  The paper group holding unit 122 manages each paper group and the paper size belonging to each. This management is performed using, for example, a table as shown in FIG.

  The paper selection unit 121 selects the paper size included in the paper group based on the paper group selected from the UI 200 provided by the paper group selection unit 120 when the user sets the printing conditions.

  There are two methods for selecting the paper size by the paper selection unit 121. As a first method, a UI 300 as shown in FIG. 6A is displayed, and the user is made to select a desired paper from a paper size selection column 301 arranged on the UI 300. In this paper size selection field 301, paper sizes that can be physically used by the printer 2 are displayed as options, but paper sizes not included in the paper group designated by the paper group selection unit 120 cannot be selected. It has become. The prohibition of selection of an unusable paper size is performed, for example, by notifying the user that the paper size cannot be selected by displaying a dialog as shown in FIG.

  Further, as a second method of selecting a paper size by the paper selection unit 121, a UI 310 as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed, and a desired paper is sent to the user from a paper size selection column 311 arranged in the UI 310. Let them choose. In the paper size selection column 311, only the paper sizes included in the paper group designated by the paper group selection unit 120 are displayed. For this reason, the user selects only the paper size included in the designated paper group.

  Note that the paper size selected by the paper selection unit 121 is usable by the printer 2, and does not indicate the paper size of the paper currently set in the printer 2.

  The paper group editing unit 123 changes the paper size included in the paper group held by the paper group holding unit 122 or sets a new paper group. In editing the paper group, a UI 400 as shown in FIG. 8 is displayed, and a paper group name and paper desired by the user are displayed in the paper group name setting column 401 and the paper size designation column 402 arranged in the UI 400. This is done by entering or selecting a size. Since the paper group can be edited arbitrarily, the user sets the paper group for each region, and sets a group such as general office work and design for each use of the printer 2. Can do.

  In addition, when the target printer 2 cannot discriminate between papers of similar sizes, for example, when it cannot discriminate between A5 size paper and 5.5 inch × 8.5 inch size paper. When A5 size and 5.5 inch × 8.5 inch size are set to be included in the same group, a problem occurs. Therefore, when such designation is input on the UI 400, the paper group editing unit 123 displays a dialog as shown in FIG. 9 to notify the user that these paper sizes cannot be set as the same group.

  In the first embodiment, the paper group is selected only by the printer driver 12, but depending on the target printer, if the printer itself has a paper size setting that can be used, Inconsistencies may occur in the settings of both the printer and the printer driver.

  For this reason, in the second embodiment, the configuration of the printer driver when the printer itself has a paper size setting that can be used will be described.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the UI function unit of the printer driver according to the second embodiment. In the figure, only functional units according to the present invention are shown, and the configuration of other functional units and the like is omitted. Further, the UI function unit 501 may be realized by operating the computer 1 with a program. In this case, the functional configuration may differ depending on the method of the program, but substantially , Will be similar.

  As shown in the figure, the UI function unit 501 includes a paper group selection unit 510, a paper selection unit 511, a paper group holding unit 512, a paper group editing unit 513, and a paper setting acquisition unit 514. Note that the paper group selection unit 510, the paper selection unit 511, the paper group holding unit 512, and the paper group editing unit 513 are the paper group selection unit 120, the paper selection unit 121, the paper group holding unit 122, and the paper in the first embodiment, respectively. Since it corresponds to each group editing unit 123, description thereof is omitted.

  The paper setting acquisition unit 514 acquires the paper setting held in the paper setting holding unit 520 by the target printer 502, adds this setting to the paper group holding unit 512 as a paper group, and the paper group selection unit 510. To select the added paper group.

  With this configuration, the user can select a paper size that matches the setting of the printer 502.

  The acquisition of the paper setting from the printer 502 by the paper setting acquisition unit 514 is performed using a communication unit of a computer (not shown).

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a printer driver to which the present invention is applied. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a UI function unit 12. FIG. FIG. 6A is a diagram (1) illustrating a display example of a part of a UI provided by a paper group selection unit 120. FIG. 10B is a diagram (2) illustrating a display example of a part of the UI provided by the paper group selection unit 120. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table used by a paper group holding unit 122 for managing paper groups. FIG. FIG. 6A is a diagram (1) illustrating a display example of a part of a UI provided by a paper selection unit 121. FIG. 8B is a diagram (2) illustrating a display example of a part of the UI provided by the paper selection unit 121. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a part of a UI provided by a paper group editing unit 123. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a dialog provided by a paper group editing unit 123. FIG. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a UI function unit of a printer driver according to a second exemplary embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Computer 2 Printer 10 Application 11 Printer driver 12 UI function part 13 Image generation part 120 Paper group selection part 121 Paper selection part 122 Paper group holding part 123 Paper group edit part 200 UI
201 Paper group selection field 202 Detailed display button 210 UI
211 Detailed display field 212 Selection instruction button 300 UI
301 Paper size selection field 310 UI
311 Paper size selection field 400 UI
401 Paper group name setting field 402 Paper size designation field 501 UI function part 502 Printer 510 Paper group selection part 511 Paper selection part 512 Paper group holding part 513 Paper group editing part 514 Paper setting acquisition part 520 Paper setting holding part

Claims (10)

In a print instruction apparatus that receives print conditions including a paper size and generates print information corresponding to an image forming apparatus that is an output destination based on the received print conditions and separately input document information.
A paper group management unit that defines at least one paper group, and registers and manages all paper sizes that can be used in the output image forming apparatus in each of the paper groups;
A paper group selection means for selecting one of the paper groups from the paper groups managed by the paper group management means;
Paper size designation means for enabling designation of the paper size included in the paper group selected by the paper group selection means ,
The paper group management unit prevents a plurality of paper sizes from being registered in the same paper group when a plurality of paper sizes that cannot be determined as different paper sizes by the image forming apparatus at the output destination can be used. A printing instruction apparatus. The paper size designation means includes:
Wherein all paper sizes usable in the image forming apparatus to display as an option, a print instruction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accept only the specified paper size included in the selected paper group. The paper size designation means includes:
Print instruction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displaying a paper size included in the selected paper group as the paper specified options. Print instruction apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising a sheet group editing means for editing the paper group. Further comprising paper setting acquisition means for acquiring settings of available paper size groups from the image forming apparatus,
The paper size designation means, a print instruction apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a by the sheet group selected by the paper size group the paper setting acquisition unit has acquired the sheet group selection means. A print instruction program for receiving a print condition including a paper size and causing a computer to execute a process of generating print information corresponding to an output destination image forming apparatus based on the received print condition and separately input document information Because
At least one paper group is defined, and all paper sizes that can be used in the output destination image forming apparatus are registered and managed in each of the paper groups , and the output destination image forming apparatus A paper group management step for preventing a plurality of paper sizes from being registered in the same paper group when a plurality of paper sizes that cannot be determined as different paper sizes by the forming apparatus can be used ;
A paper group selection step of selecting one of the paper groups from the paper groups managed in the paper group management step;
A print instruction program that causes a computer to execute a paper size designation step that allows a paper size included in a paper group selected in the paper group selection step to be designated. The paper size designation step includes:
The print instruction program according to claim 6 , wherein all paper sizes usable in the image forming apparatus are displayed as options, and only designation of paper sizes included in the selected paper group is received. The paper size designation step includes:
7. The print instruction program according to claim 6, wherein a paper size included in the selected paper group is displayed as a paper designation option. 7. The print instruction program according to claim 6 , further causing a computer to execute a paper group editing step for editing the paper group. Causing the computer to further execute a paper setting acquisition step of acquiring a setting of available paper size groups from the image forming apparatus;
The paper size designation step includes:
The print instruction program according to claim 6 , wherein the paper size group acquired in the paper setting acquisition step is the paper group selected in the paper group selection step.

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