JP5106655B2 - Printing control apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control apparatus and method for processing, for example, document data and issuing a print job to a printer device, that is, a printing apparatus.

  Microsoft's Windows (registered trademark) Vista supports XPS (XML Paper Specification) which is a new XML format document format (Non-patent Document 1). The XPS document is a document format having three layers of FixedDocumentSequence, FixedDocument, and FixedPage as shown in FIG. An XML document for holding a print attribute called a print ticket (that is, print setting) can be associated with each hierarchical node (Non-patent Document 2). A job level print ticket 1304 is associated with the FixedDocumentSequence as in the example of FIG. A document level print ticket 1305 is associated with FixedDocument1. A page-level print ticket 1306 is associated with FixedPage1. Since a print ticket can be designated for each node of each hierarchy, it is possible to change the output paper size for each FixedPage in an XPS document. In an XPS document, by specifying print settings associated with each page (FixedPage) or a group of pages (FixedDocument), exceptional settings can be realized even in one document.

  Some conventional printer drivers have a page exception setting function that can specify print settings for a specific page in addition to print settings for the entire print job generated by the printer driver. For example, a PostScript (registered trademark) printer driver manufactured by Xerox has a section-specific setting function unit. The section-specific setting function unit provides a function of storing different print settings for each section of a document as a section setting information file. This function can also be used in a hot folder using a printer driver. A hot folder is a folder associated with a predefined function, and data stored in the folder is a target of processing by performing a function associated with the folder.

  Further, the PostScript (registered trademark) printer driver manufactured by Heidelberg has a function of predetermining exceptional printing conditions with respect to basic setting conditions. For example, let us consider a case where the exception setting condition is set to A3 for the paper size and 1-up for the page layout, and the basic setting condition is set to A4 for the paper size and 2-up for the page layout. If the document to be printed consists of 5 pages A4, A4, A3, A4, and A4, the first and second pages of the document are A4 size, so the layout is 2-up according to the basic settings. Since the third page of the document is A3 size and corresponds to the exception setting condition, the layout is 1-up. The fourth and fifth pages are printed in 2-up according to the basic setting conditions.

  When printing with the two printer drivers described above, the user first designates a page or a page range for which an exception is set, and creates a partition. Next, an exception is set for the specified partition in another print setting sheet or dialog.

  As described in Non-Patent Document 1, an XPS document has a side as a spool format at the time of printing and a side of an electronic document used for document distribution or the like. That is, XPS documents can also be used for the purpose of publishing and distributing various documents, such as PDF documents from Adobe. For example, an XPS document in which a print ticket, that is, a print setting is associated with a node in a desired hierarchy can be created, and the XPS document can be distributed together with the print setting. If an XPS document becomes widespread as an electronic document, direct printing capable of printing the document without the intervention of a computer, a hot folder using a computer, or the like is required as a means for easily printing the XPS document. For example, when the document data is input to a folder associated with a predetermined print setting (referred to as a hot folder), the hot folder executes a function associated with the folder. Direct printing is a function of printing a document with a single printer device without using a computer.

  When printing an XPS document using a hot folder, the print settings included in the XPS document do not always match the print settings associated with the hot folder. In particular, in the case of an XPS document, if there is an exception setting for each page or a group of pages, either the entire print setting or the exception setting does not match the hot folder print setting (sometimes referred to as folder setting). It will be. A page corresponds to a FixedPage, a group of pages corresponds to a FixedDocument, and the whole corresponds to a FixedDocumentSequence.

  For example, as an application of an XPS document, there is a form document whose output paper size is determined. For this purpose, it is necessary to specify the output paper size in the XPS document in advance. This is because the form size is constant. On the other hand, if settings that depend on the printer device, such as the paper feed tray, are specified in the print ticket of the XPS document, they are specified in the paper feed tray and XPS document specified in the print settings of the distribution destination hot folder. The paper feed stages may not match. In this case, the paper size needs to follow the print setting in the XPS document, while the paper feed stage needs to be flexibly changed for each printer device.

  As one solution, Patent Document 1 describes a hot folder in which different print tickets can be set for each print data to be submitted by specifying print settings for a plurality of subfolders.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-111284

Microsoft, "XML Paper Specification", [online], October 25, 2006, Microsoft, [searched January 31, 2007], Internet <URL: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc /xps/xpsspecdwn.mspx (XPS_1_0.exe)> Microsoft, "PrintTicket and PrintCapabilities Support in Windows (registered trademark) Print Drivers", [online], February 15, 2006, Microsoft, [searched January 31, 2007], Internet <URL: http: //www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/print/XPSDrv_PrintTicket.mspx (XPSDrv_PrintTicket.doc)>

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, when a document has a print setting like an XPS document, the print setting that the XPS document has cannot be used. Therefore, as in the form data example, if you want to output using only the specific print settings of the XPS document, the user knows the print settings specified in the XPS document and moves them to the hot folder settings. If it is not changed, the original output result cannot be obtained.

  In addition, when an exception setting is specified for a hot folder whose output format is an XPS document, it is necessary to edit the print ticket for each page. For this reason, if the number of pages of the document and the number of exception setting items increase, editing efforts are required, which not only decreases productivity but also causes human error.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and an object thereof is to solve the above-described problems. More specifically, the present invention provides a print control apparatus and method that can transfer a designated level (that is, whether an exception is included) and a designated item among print settings included in document data such as XPS to a hot folder setting. For the purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a print control apparatus for further adding a plurality of external print settings defined externally and corresponding to the hierarchy to document data having a hierarchical structure and including a plurality of internal print settings corresponding to each hierarchy. And storing means for accepting and storing the input of the plurality of external print settings and the input of the takeover setting relating to the hierarchy to be inherited among the plurality of internal print settings, and the takeover of the print setting is designated by the takeover setting If it is, the internal print settings of hierarchy the takeover of the plurality of internal print setting is designated, a new the takeover by merging said external print setting corresponding to the hierarchy in which the takeover is designated Generating means for generating print settings of a specified hierarchy, and printing settings generated by the generating means together with the document data; Characterized in that it comprises a data transmitting means for transmitting to the device.

  According to the present invention, the above-described problems can be solved. In particular, a specified level (that is, whether an exception is included) and a specified item among print settings included in document data such as XPS can be taken over by hot folder settings.

1 is a diagram of a printing system. It is a figure of a hot folder structure. It is a figure of the example of a hot folder basic setting screen. It is a figure of an example of an exception setting screen. It is a figure of an example of an exception setting addition screen. It is a figure of the operation setting screen example at the time of XPS input. It is a figure of the operation setting screen example at the time of XPS input. It is a flowchart of a hot folder setting preservation | save process. It is a hot folder input processing flowchart. It is an output processing flowchart of the XPS package format in the first embodiment. It is a JDF format output processing flowchart in the first embodiment. It is a conventional output process flowchart. It is a XPS document block diagram. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of XPS document print settings. FIG. It is a figure of the example of a print ticket. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a JDF that stores print settings for a hot folder. It is a figure of the example of JDF after merging the contents of a print ticket. It is a figure of the example of JDF which designated PDF as content data. It is a figure of the example of JDF which designated XPS as content data. FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example XPS document after merging hot folder print settings with input XPS document print settings. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print ticket after merging print settings of a hot folder with print settings of an input XPS document. FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example of an XPS document after merging hot folder print settings with input XPS document print settings. FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example XPS document after merging hot folder print settings with input XPS document print settings. It is an output processing flowchart of the XPS package format in the second embodiment. It is an output processing flowchart of JDF format in a 2nd embodiment. It is a figure of the example of JDF which designated XPS takeover setting. It is a figure of the example of the print ticket which designated the XPS takeover setting. It is a figure of the example of JDF which designated XPS as content data. It is a figure of the example of the print ticket which designated the XPS takeover setting. FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example of an XPS document that designates a print ticket having an XPS takeover setting. FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example of an XPS document that designates a print ticket having an XPS takeover setting. It is a figure of the example of JDF which designated the XPS document as content data. It is a figure of the example of JDF which designated the XPS document as content data.

[First Embodiment]
<System configuration>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a printing system having a printing control apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a client PC 101 and a printer 103 are configured, and these can communicate via a network 104 which is a communication medium. In order to show that there are a plurality of client PCs on the network, two client PCs 101 and 102 are shown. Since both units have the same configuration, only the client PC 101 is used for the description. The client PC 101 is equipped with a hot folder for receiving and printing an electronic document, specifically, an XPS document having a hierarchical structure. The printer 103 can interpret the XPS document and print according to the print settings included in the XPS document. It is also possible to interpret the JDF and print a document associated with the JDF according to the print settings defined in the JDF. The job control information including the print settings and the content (content) of the document to be printed are collectively referred to as a package. The print settings included in the XPS document constitute a part of the XPS document, and can be called internal print settings or dependent print settings dependent on the document. On the other hand, the print settings defined externally for the hot folder can be called external print settings or independent print settings independent of the document.

<Configuration of Hot Folder in the Present Invention>
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the hot folder manager 200 that controls the operation of the hot folder in the present embodiment. The system is mounted on the client PC 101 and controls hot folder settings and processes input electronic documents. The hot folder manager 200 includes a document control unit 201 and a setting control unit 202. Below, each control part which comprises the hot folder manager 200 is demonstrated.

<Description of Hot Folder Setting Control Unit in Present Invention>
The UI control unit 213 of the setting control unit 202 is a UI control unit for designating print settings and operation settings in advance in the hot folder. The UI control unit 213 includes operation screens shown in FIGS. A setting storage process of the UI control unit 213 at the time of print setting will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The setting values input on the UI screens of FIGS. 3 to 7 are temporarily stored in a format that can be identified for each item.

  When the user opens a setting screen (not shown) by right-clicking on a hot folder icon created on the desktop or the like (not shown), the UI control unit 213 displays a setting screen 301 as shown in FIG. The setting screen 301 in this embodiment includes a basic setting sheet 302, an exception setting sheet 303, and an XPS operation setting sheet 304. The basic setting sheet 302 includes a hot folder name 305, a basic print setting selection area 307, an OK button 308, and a cancel button 306. The basic setting sheet 302 receives print setting designation (print setting) designated for the entire print job generated by the hot folder. For example, taking the output paper size in the screen example of FIG. 3 as an example, print settings for outputting the paper size in A4 size are input.

  FIG. 4 is a screen example of the exception setting sheet 303. The exception setting is a print setting for a specific page with respect to the basic setting sheet 301 of FIG. The exception setting sheet 303 includes a page range display area 401 for exception settings and a setting item display area 402 for displaying the contents of print settings set for each page range. The exception setting sheet 303 includes an exception setting addition button 403 and an exception setting deletion button 404. When the exception setting addition button 403 is pressed, an exception setting addition screen 501 as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, and exception settings can be added. When the delete button 404 is pressed, the exception setting selected in the exception setting display area is deleted. In the example of FIG. 4, color settings and resolution settings are set as exception settings for pages 2 to 3, and output paper sizes are set for pages 5 to 10, respectively.

  The exception setting addition screen 501 in FIG. 5 includes a page exception range specification area 502 for specifying a page range to which exception settings are applied, an exception setting area 503, an OK button 504, and a cancel button 505. In the screen example of FIG. 5, pages 5 to 10 are designated as exception ranges, and exception settings for outputting the output paper size in A3 size are set for the ranges. When the user presses an OK button 504, the setting items in the exception setting area 503 are registered in association with the page specified in the page exception range specifying area 502. The registered contents are displayed in the page range display area 401 and the setting item display area 402 described above. The print setting designated as “same as basic setting” in the exception setting area 503 means that the print setting designated on the basic setting sheet 302 is processed.

  FIG. 6 is a screen example for operating setting when an XPS document is input to the document control unit 201. The output format specifying unit 601, the operation mode specifying unit 602, the takeover item specifying unit 603, and the takeover level specifying unit 604 are included. The output format designation unit 601 designates the format of the output format to be sent to the device when the XPS document is input to the hot folder. In the present embodiment, either “output in XPS package format” or “output in JDF format” can be selected. Details of each format will be described later. The operation mode designating unit 602 sets whether to take over the print settings specified in the input XPS document. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, either “prioritize hot folder setting” or “inherit XPS setting of selected item” is selected. When “take over the XPS setting of the selected item” is designated in the operation mode designation unit 602, the item designated in the takeover item designation unit 603 is inherited from the print settings. The takeover item designation unit 603 designates items to be taken over for each setting item such as “take over all items” or “color setting” and “output paper size”. In the example of FIG. 6, “color setting” and “output paper size” are set to be inherited. The takeover level designation unit 604 selects which hierarchy setting of the XPS document is to be taken over when the operation mode designation unit 602 selects “inherit the XPS setting of the selected item”. When “job setting only” is designated, only the job level (ie, document data level) print setting 1304 in the XPS document shown in FIG. 13 is taken over. In this case, the exception setting is not inherited. On the other hand, when “all pages” is selected, the print settings (also referred to as attributes) 1306 associated with all the FixedPages in the input XPS document are inherited. That is, it is inherited including exception settings.

  As described above, in the hot folder setting, in addition to the print settings such as the basic print setting and the exceptional print setting, it is possible to specify the takeover setting regarding the takeover of the internal print setting included in the XSP document. In the takeover setting, it is possible to select either the first takeover setting for performing printing according to only the external print setting without taking over the hot folder print setting, that is, the internal print setting, or the second takeover setting for taking over the internal print setting. . In the second takeover setting, a setting for taking over all internal print settings and a setting for not taking over all can be selected. When all items are not inherited, the items to be inherited can be specified. Further, in the second takeover setting, a takeover level can be further set. At the takeover level, it is possible to select whether to take over only the print settings for the entire job or to take over the exception print settings for all pages.

<Processing by hot folder setting control unit>
FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of processing in which the hot folder setting control unit 202 saves the contents of the setting screen when the setting is completed on the setting screen of FIGS. 3 to 7 and the OK button 308 is pressed. If an event occurs on the hot folder setting screen 301 in S801, it is determined whether or not an OK button press event occurs in S802. If it is determined that the OK button is pressed, the process advances to step S803. If it is determined in S802 that the event is not an OK button press event, the event wait state is entered again in S801.

In step S <b> 803, the XPS hot folder operation setting storage unit 214 stores the contents set on the XPS operation setting sheet 304 in the XPS operation setting 216. The contents of the XPS operation setting 216 are as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, but are summarized as follows.
(1) Output format: XPS package or JDF format. This can be said to be the selection of whether the force format is the document data itself or a format in which print settings are added to the document data.
(2) Operation mode: hot folder setting (external print setting) priority or XPS print setting (internal print setting) takeover (3) takeover item: specification of items to be taken over (all or individual items)
(4) Takeover level: job level (ie document level) or page level. That is, the takeover level indicates whether or not to take over the exceptional print setting.

  In step S804, the contents of the print setting designated by the hot folder setting are stored in the JDF data 218. The contents stored here are the setting contents of the basic setting sheet 302 and the setting contents of the exception setting sheet 303. In the case of the basic setting and the exception setting in the UI screen examples of FIGS. 3 and 4, the JDF as shown in the example of FIG. 16 is saved. The JDF 1601 in FIG. 16 has a layout arrangement processing setting 1602, a rendering processing setting 1603, and a printing processing setting 1604. Px in FIG. 16 indicates a page number. In the layout arrangement processing setting 1602, basic settings are applied to all pages, and a portrait is designated as the print direction for all pages. In the rendering processing setting 1603, as basic settings, the color setting is set to color and the resolution is set to 600 dpi, and as exceptional settings, the color setting is set to monochrome and the resolution is set to 300 dpi on the second and third pages. JDF (Job Definition Format) is job control information defined in XML, and includes print settings and the like.

  In step S805, the output format designated by the output format designation unit 601 of the XPS operation setting sheet 304 is determined. If “output in XPS package format” is selected, the process advances to step S806. If not, the process ends. In step S806, the print setting format generation unit 215 stores the contents of the basic setting 302 in the print ticket 217, and the process ends. In the screen example of FIG. 3, a print ticket as shown in FIG. 15 is generated. A print ticket is also data defined in XML. The print ticket 1500 has a plurality of Feature designation sections 1502 in a PrintTicket tag 1501. The Feature designation unit 1502 represents a setting item, and the Option designation unit 1503 represents a setting value of the setting item designated by the Feature designation unit 1502.

In the example of FIG. 15, the following items specified on the basic setting screen are stored.
<Feature Name = “JobDuplex”>: Duplex setting <Option Name = “TwoSided”>: Duplex printing <Feature Name = “PageMediaSize”>: Paper size <Option Name = “ISOA4”>: A4 size <FeaturePoolName ” “>: Color setting <Option Name =“ Color ”>: Color printing <Feature Name =“ Page Orientation ”>: Printing orientation <Option Name =“ Portrait ”>: Vertical <Feature Name =“ PageResolution ”>: Resolution <Option Name = “600 dpi”>: 600 dpi.

  Through the above procedure, the print settings input in the hot folder UI are saved in the print ticket format if the XPS package format is selected as the output format, and are saved in the JDF format if the JDF format is selected. .

<Processing by the input document control unit of the hot folder>
Hereinafter, an operation of the input document control unit 201 of the hot folder manager 200 in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 shows a processing flow when a document is input to the hot folder. The document reception unit 203 enters an input waiting state in S901, an event occurs in S902, and in S903, it is determined whether or not the event that occurred in S902 is a document input event. If it is determined in S903 that the event is an input event, the process proceeds to S904. On the other hand, if it is determined that the event is not an input event, the process proceeds to S901 and the input wait state is entered again.

  In step S904, the input document determination unit 205 determines the data type of the input document, and the process advances to step S905. In step S905, it is determined whether the data type of the determined input document is an XPS document. If it is determined in S905 that the document is an XPS document, the process proceeds to S907. On the other hand, if it is determined that the data type is other than the XPS document, the process proceeds to S911. Data types other than XPS documents indicate PDF, TIFF, PostScript, etc. that have been conventionally supported in hot folders. Whether a document file is an XPS document can be determined by, for example, an xml tag added to the top of the document. In S911, the conventional output processing is executed by the PDF control unit 206, the TIFF control unit 205, and the like.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a conventional hot folder output process. In step S1201, the JDF data 218 saved by the setting control unit 202 is acquired. In step S1202, the document data input to the document reception unit 203 is specified as the JDF content acquired in step S1201 (that is, the document file to be printed) to generate a print job. FIG. 18 shows an example when a PDF file (SAMPLE.pdf) is designated as the JDF data 1801 content data stored in the JDF data 218. In step S1202, the identifier of the content data 1805 is described in the JDF data 1801, and in step S1203, package data 1806 obtained by packaging the PDF data 1805 and the JDF data 1801 is transmitted to the device 103, and the process ends. This package data is data corresponding to a print job.

  On the other hand, processing when it is determined in step S905 in FIG. 9 that the document is an XPS document will be described. In S906, the XPS operation setting 216 is acquired. Of course, it is only necessary to be able to access the contents of the XPS operation setting 216 without acquisition. In S907, it is determined whether there is a set value for the exception setting item with reference to the PT data 217 or JDF data 218 according to the output format setting of the XPS operation setting 216. In step S908, the output format determination unit 208 determines whether the setting value of the output format designation unit 601 in the XPS operation setting 216 is “output in XPS package format”. If it is determined in S908 that the format is the XPS package format, the process proceeds to S909. On the other hand, if it is determined that the format is not the XPS package format, the process proceeds to S910. In step S909, output processing in the XPS package format is executed.

  The XPS package format output process in step S909 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S1001, the hot folder print setting PT data 217 stored in the print ticket format is acquired. In step S1002, it is determined whether the XPS operation setting 216 acquired in step S907 is set to take over the print setting of the input XPS document. If there is no XPS print setting takeover setting, that is, if “prioritize hot folder setting” is designated in the operation mode designation unit 602, the process advances to step S 1013.

  In step S1013, the XPS document job level print ticket 1401 shown in FIG. 14 is deleted. The job level print setting refers to the print ticket 1401 associated with the FixedDocumentSequence node of the XPS document shown in FIG. In step S1014, the print ticket 217 is associated with the FixedDocumentSequence of the input XPS document instead of the deleted print ticket. The print ticket 217 is data stored in step S806 in FIG. Further, in step S1015, all FixedPage print tickets belonging to the input XPS document are deleted. As a result, an XPS document in which a print ticket is associated only with the FixedDocumentSequence node as shown in FIG. 20 is generated. In step S1017, the generated XPS document is transmitted to the printer device, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S1002 that the print settings of the input XPS document are taken over, the process proceeds to S1003. In S1003, the takeover item specified by the takeover item specifying unit 603 is acquired from the XPS operation setting 216. In the case of the screen example of FIG. 6, “color” and “output paper size” are acquired as takeover items as follows.
[Transfer items]
<PageOutputColor>
<PageMediaSize>.

In step S1004, the job level print setting of the input XPS document is acquired. The following print settings are associated with the print ticket 1401 as an example.
<Feature Name = “PageMediaSize”>... Paper size <Option Name = “ISOA4”>... A4 size <Feature Name = “PageOutputColor”>... Color setting <Option Name = “Mono”>. Monochrome printing <Feature Name = “PageResolution”>... Resolution <Option Name = “300 dpi”>... 300 dpi.

  In S1005, only the designated handover items acquired in S1003 out of the print settings acquired in S1004 are merged with the print setting PT data 217 of the hot folder. The print ticket 2100 in FIG. 21 is a print ticket obtained by merging the print ticket 1500 in FIG. 15 with the job level print ticket 1401 of the input XPS document shown in FIG. Of the print ticket 1401 of the input document, the PageOutputColor and PageMediaSize of the takeover items are taken over by the print ticket 2100. In this merging process, if there is an item in the merged print setting (hot folder print setting) that is the same as the merged print setting (XPS document print setting), the setting value of that item is merged. It is replaced with the print setting value on the side. If there is no identical item, the merged item is added to the merged print setting.

  In step S1006, after deleting the job level print ticket 1401 of the input XPS document, the newly created print ticket 2100 is associated with the job level. Next, in S1007, it is determined whether or not all page settings are to be taken over. Here, it is determined whether or not “all pages” of the takeover level designation unit 604 in FIG. 6 is designated by the XPS operation setting 216 acquired in S907. If it is determined that “all pages” is not designated, the process advances to step S1016. In S1016, the page level print setting of the input XPS document, that is, all the print tickets associated with the FixedPage are deleted. In the example of the input XPS document in FIG. 14, the print ticket 1402 is deleted. As a result, an XPS document having a print ticket 2201 merged with the XPS setting of the input document and the print setting of the hot folder as shown in FIG. 22 is generated. Next, the XPS document generated in S1017 is transmitted to the printer device.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S1007 that all print settings are taken over, the process proceeds to S1008, and a print ticket for the first page of the input XPS document is acquired. In step S1009, only the print settings for the takeover item acquired in step S1003 are extracted from the print ticket acquired in step S1008. In step S1010, the original print ticket acquired in step S1008 is deleted from the related page, and the print ticket extracted in step S1009 and including only the print settings to be taken over is associated again. Next, in S1011, it is determined whether or not the page currently referred to is the last page. If it is not the last page, the next page is referred to in S1012 and S1008 is repeated again. Note that there is no setting item to be inherited for pages that are not associated with a print ticket, and the process may branch from S1008 to S1011.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S1011 that the page is the last page, the process proceeds to S1017, and for all pages of the input XPS document, the XPS document associated with the print ticket that inherits the setting value of the designated item is transmitted to the device. To do.

  FIG. 23 is an example of an XPS document created by handing over only specified items among print tickets associated with all pages of the XPS document shown in FIG. In the FixedDocumentSequence print ticket 2301, the items PageOutputColor and PageMediaSize that are designated to be taken over are merged in the print ticket of the original XPS document that has been input. Also, it can be seen that only the designated items have been taken over by the print ticket 2302 even in the print tickets associated with the FixedPage 2 and the FixedPage 3. In FixedPaeg2 and FixedPage3, only PageOutputColor and PageMediaSize are set as exception settings, and other items follow the settings of the print ticket 2301 at the job level.

  Returning to the description of FIG. In S910, output processing in JDF + XPS format is executed. The JDF + XPS format output process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S1101, JDF data 218 having print settings designated as a hot folder is acquired. In step S1102, it is determined whether the XPS operation setting 216 acquired in step S907 has a hot folder setting that inherits the print setting of the input XPS document. If it is not set to take over the XPS print settings, the process advances to step S1107. In step S1107, the XPS document input to the JDF data 218 is designated as content, and JDF data 1901 as shown in the example of FIG. 19 is generated. In step S1108, the package data 1906 of the JDF and XPS document 1905 is transmitted to the device, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if there is an instruction to take over the XPS document print settings, the process advances to step S1103. In S1103, the takeover item designated by the takeover item designation unit 603 is acquired from the XPS operation setting 216. In the case of the screen example of FIG. 6, “color” and “output paper size” are acquired as takeover items as follows.
[Transfer items]
<PageOutputColor>
<PageMediaSize>.

Next, the job level print setting (print ticket) of the XPS document input in step S1104 is acquired. For example, the following print settings are associated with the job level print ticket 1401.
<Feature Name = “PageMediaSize”>... Paper size <Option Name = “ISOA4”>... A3 size <Feature Name = “PageOutputColor”>... Color setting <Option Name = “Mono”>. Monochrome printing <Feature Name = “PageResolution”>... Resolution <Option Name = “300 dpi”>... 300 dpi.

  In step S <b> 1105, the PT merge unit 209 merges the inherited item acquired in step S <b> 1103 out of the input XPS document print settings with the print settings of the JDF data 218. An example of the result of merging the print ticket settings in FIG. 14 while the JDF 1601 shown in FIG. 16 is designated as a hot folder is shown in the JDF data 1701 in FIG. In the screen example of FIG. 6, the color print setting and the output paper size are specified as takeover items. In the print ticket 1401, the “monochrome” print setting of the color setting and the “A4” setting of the output paper size are inherited from the basic setting of the JDF data 218 which is the print setting of the hot folder. Since the basic setting of the color setting of the JDF data 218 is the “color” print setting, the “color” print setting of the rendering process setting 1603 is changed to the “monochrome” print setting like the rendering process setting 1703. As for the output paper size 1604, the basic setting of the hot folder is “A4” size, so the setting of the JDF data 218 remains the same even when the inheritance is performed. The print ticket 1401 is instructed to have a resolution of 300 dpi, but is not taken over because it is not included in the takeover item. In step S1106, the input XPS document is designated as the content data for the JDF data 1701 merged in step S1105. For example, an XPS document file name is described in JDF. FIG. 28 shows an example in which XPS data 1905 (SAMPLE.xps) is specified as content in the JDF 1701. SAMPLE. Is specified in the content specification part of JDF2801. xps is specified. In step S 1108, package data 1906 obtained by packaging the JDF 1901 and the XPS data 1905 is transmitted to the printer device 103.

  With the above procedure, a hot folder in which an XPS document is input can be realized. In other words, the print setting specified in the XPS document can be used and printed as it is. Alternatively, the print settings specified in the XPS document can be used only for the specified items, and the print settings of the hot folder can be used for other setting items. Also, only the hot folder print settings can be used without using any XPS document print settings. Further, when the XPS document print settings are taken over, it is possible to specify whether or not to take over the exception settings set for each page. As a result, for example, only essential items are given to the print settings included in the XPS document, and in the client that performs printing, the hot folder setting can be set to take over the XPS settings. By making such settings, it is possible to print according to the settings according to the individual printing environment while following the print settings intended by the creator of the XPS document.

  Further, as a format for the power to the printer, the format can be switched according to the support status of the printer, such as a conventional format using JDF, an XPS format, and a format in which JDF is added to XPS. In this embodiment, the printer is compatible with both XPS and JDF. However, since there is a printer that supports only one of them, such a printer can be used.

  In this embodiment, the exception print setting is set to the page level only. However, the fixed document level print ticket can be handled as the exception print setting in the same manner as the page level exception print setting.

[Second Embodiment]
This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the details of S909 and S910 in FIG. 9 of the first embodiment are the procedures shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, respectively.

  First, output processing in the XPS package format will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S2401, hot folder print setting PT data 217 stored in the print ticket format is acquired. In step S2402, the takeover item and the takeover level specified in the XPS operation setting 216 acquired in step S907 are acquired.

  In S2403, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction to take over the print setting of the input XPS document in the takeover item acquired in S2402. If there is no instruction to take over the XPS print settings, that is, if “prioritize hot folder settings” is specified in the operation mode 602, the process advances to step S 2409.

  In step S2409, the job level print ticket 1401 included in the input document in the XPS document format as shown in FIG. 14 is deleted. The job level print setting refers to the print ticket 1401 associated with the FixedDocumentSequence of the XPS document shown in FIG. In step S2410, the PT data 217 having the print setting input in the hot folder setting is associated with the FixedDocumentSequence of the input XPS document. In S2411, “None” is designated as the takeover level in the print ticket associated in S2410. As a result, a print ticket 2900 as shown in FIG. 29 is generated. The takeover level designation unit 2901 describes the None designated in S2411. In step S2408, the generated XPS document shown in FIG. 30 is transmitted to the device 103, and the process ends. In the device 103 that has received the print ticket 2900, if None is specified by the takeover level specifying unit 2901, the contents of the print ticket 3002 specified at the page level are ignored. As a result, the print setting of the input XPS document is not carried over as instructed by the hot folder.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S2403 that the print settings of the input XPS document are to be taken over, the process advances to S2404. In step S2404, the job level print setting of the input XPS document is acquired. The following print settings are associated with the print ticket 1401.
<Feature Name = "PageMediaSize"> ... Paper size <Option Name = "ISOA4"> ... A3 size <Feature Name = "PageOutputColor"> ... Color setting <Option Name = "Mono"> Monochrome printing <Feature Name = “PageResolution”>... Resolution <Option Name = “300 dpi”> 300 dpi.

  In S2405, only the takeover item acquired in S2402 among the print settings acquired in S2404 is merged with the print setting PT data 217 of the hot folder. The print ticket after merging the print ticket 1500 in FIG. 15 with the job level print ticket 1401 included in the input XPS document shown in FIG. 14 is the print ticket 2100 in FIG. It can be seen that, among the print tickets 1401 of the input document, only the PageOutputColor and PageMediaSize of the takeover items are taken over by the print ticket 2240.

  In step S2406, after deleting the job level print ticket 1401 of the input XPS document, the print ticket 2240 is associated with the job level. In step S2407, the XPS document acquired in step S2402 and the transfer level are specified in the print ticket specified in the job level in step S2406. A print ticket 2700 in FIG. 27 is an example of a print ticket in which a takeover item and a takeover level are designated. “Page” is designated in the takeover level designation part 2701, and “PageMediaSize” 2703 and “PageOutputColor” 2704 are designated in the takeover item designation part 2702. As shown in FIG. 31, an XPS document designating the print ticket 2700 as the job level is generated and transmitted to the device in S2408. When the device receives a print ticket in which “Page” is designated as the takeover level, the print processing is executed by applying only the print settings designated in the takeover item designation unit 2702 of the page level print ticket. In the example of FIG. 31, the setting values of PageOutputColor and PageMediaSize, which are specified items among the print settings specified in the print ticket 3102, are applied to FixedPage2 and FixedPage3.

  Next, JDF + XPS format output processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S2501, JDF data 218 having print settings designated as a hot folder is acquired. In step S2502, the print setting of the XPS document to which the XPS operation setting 216 acquired in step S907 is input is acquired as a handover item and a handover level. In step S2503, it is determined whether there is an instruction to take over the print setting of the XPS document. If there is no instruction to take over the XPS print settings, the process advances to step S2506. In step S2506, the XPS document input to the JDF data 218 is designated as content, and in step S2507, a takeover level is designated in the JDF data. Here, since the XPS document print settings are not taken over, NONE is designated as in the XPS takeover level designation unit 3202 of JDF 3201 shown in FIG. In step S2508, the JDF and XPS package data 3206 is transmitted to the device 103, and the process ends. In the device 103 that has received the package data 3206, if NONE is designated in the XPS takeover level designation unit 3202, the print setting designated in the XPS document 3207 is ignored.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S2503 that there is an instruction to take over the XPS print settings, the process advances to S2504. In S2504, the takeover item and takeover level set in S2502 are designated in the JDF takeover level designation unit and XPS priority item setting designation unit, respectively. In the example of JDF 2601 in FIG. 26, “PAGE LEVEL” is designated in the XPS takeover level designation section 2602, and the output paper size and color settings are designated in the XPS priority item setting designation section 2603. In step S2505, the input XPS document 3207 is designated as the content in the JDF 3201 for which the takeover item / level is designated. As a result, a JDF 3301 as shown in FIG. 33 is created. In step S2508, the XPS package data 3307 is transmitted to the device 103. The device 103 that has received the XPS package data 3206 takes over the print settings described in the print ticket of the XPS document 3308 according to the settings of the JDF XPS takeover level designation unit 3302 and the XPS priority item setting designation unit 3303.

  According to the above procedure, a hot folder in which an XPS document is input can be realized also in the present embodiment.

  With the above procedure, a hot folder in which an XPS document is input can be realized. In other words, the print setting specified in the XPS document can be used and printed as it is. Alternatively, the print settings specified in the XPS document can be used only for the specified items, and the print settings of the hot folder can be used for other setting items. Also, only the hot folder print settings can be used without using any XPS document print settings. Further, when the XPS document print settings are taken over, it is possible to specify whether or not to take over the exception settings set for each page. As a result, for example, only essential items are given to the print settings included in the XPS document, and in the client that performs printing, the hot folder setting can be set to take over the XPS settings. By making such settings, it is possible to print according to the settings according to the individual printing environment while following the print settings intended by the creator of the XPS document.

  Further, as a format for the power to the printer, the format can be switched according to the support status of the printer, such as a conventional format using JDF, an XPS format, and a format in which JDF is added to XPS. In this embodiment, the printer is compatible with both XPS and JDF. However, since there is a printer that supports only one of them, such a printer can be used.

  Note that the present invention can be applied to a system (for example, a copier, a facsimile machine, etc.) consisting of a single device even if it is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (eg, a host computer, interface device, reader, printer, etc.). You may apply. Another object of the present invention is to supply a recording medium recording a program code for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and the system or apparatus computer reads out and executes the program code stored in the storage medium. Is also achieved. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program code itself and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention.

  Further, according to the present invention, the operating system (OS) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. This is also included. Furthermore, the present invention is also applied to the case where the program code read from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. In that case, based on the instruction of the written program code, the CPU of the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. .

Claims (15)

A print control apparatus for further adding a plurality of external print settings defined externally and corresponding to the hierarchy to document data having a hierarchical structure and including a plurality of internal print settings corresponding to each hierarchy. ,
A storage unit that receives and stores the input of the plurality of external print settings and the input of the takeover setting relating to a hierarchy to be taken over among the plurality of internal print settings;
If takeover print setting by the takeover setting is specified, the internal print setting of the takeover of the plurality of internal print settings are specified hierarchy, the external printing corresponding to the hierarchy in which the takeover is designated Generating means for merging settings and generating print settings of a hierarchy in which a new takeover is specified;
A print control apparatus comprising: a data transmission unit configured to transmit a print setting generated by the generation unit to a printer device together with the document data. The takeover setting includes a priority selection of the external print setting,
The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit deletes the internal print setting when the priority of the external print setting is selected. The storage unit also stores an output format setting for selecting whether the data format transmitted by the data transmission unit is the document data itself or a format in which print settings are added to the document data. ,
When the document data itself is selected as the output format, the generation unit generates a new print setting in the internal print setting format, and adds the print setting to the document data as the output format. 2. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a new print setting is generated in the form of the external print setting.   The generation unit generates a new print setting in the format of the external print setting when a format in which print settings are added to document data is selected as the output format. The printing control apparatus according to 1. The document data has a job level hierarchy and a page level hierarchy lower than the job level hierarchy,
The takeover configuration, a designation to take over the internal print setting of the job level in the hierarchy without inherited the internal print setting of the page-level hierarchy, the internal print settings and the job level of the page level of the hierarchy The print control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a designation that takes over the internal print settings of a hierarchy of A print control method for further adding a plurality of external print settings externally defined and corresponding to the hierarchy to document data having a hierarchical structure and including a plurality of internal print settings corresponding to each hierarchy. ,
A storing step for receiving and storing the input of the plurality of external print settings and the input of the takeover setting relating to a hierarchy to be taken over among the plurality of internal print settings;
Generating means, if the takeover of the print settings by the takeover setting is specified, the internal print setting of the takeover of the plurality of internal print settings are specified hierarchy, corresponding to the hierarchical said takeover is designated a generation step of the new piece of the takeover by merging and external print settings to generate print settings for the specified hierarchy,
A print control method comprising: a data transmission step, wherein the data transmission means transmits a print setting generated in the generation step together with the document data to a printer device. The takeover setting includes a priority selection of the external print setting,
The print control method according to claim 6, wherein, in the generation step, the internal print setting is deleted when priority of the external print setting is selected. In the storing step, the setting of the output format for selecting whether the data format transmitted by the data transmitting means is the document data itself or a format in which print settings are added to the document data is also stored.
In the generation step, when document data itself is selected as the output format, a new print setting is generated in the format of the internal print setting, and a format in which the print setting is added to the document data as the output format The print control method according to claim 6, wherein a new print setting is generated in the form of the external print setting when is selected.   9. The generation step includes generating a new print setting in the format of the external print setting when a format in which print settings are added to document data is selected as the output format. A printing control method according to claim 1. The document data has a job level hierarchy and a page level hierarchy lower than the job level hierarchy,
The takeover configuration, a designation to take over the internal print setting of the job level in the hierarchy without inherited the internal print setting of the page-level hierarchy, the internal print settings and the job level of the page level of the hierarchy The print control method according to claim 6, further comprising: any one of designations that take over the internal print setting of the hierarchy of A computer serving as a print control apparatus for further adding a plurality of external print settings defined externally and corresponding to the hierarchy to document data having a hierarchical structure and including a plurality of internal print settings corresponding to each hierarchy A program for functioning,
A storage unit that receives and stores the input of the plurality of external print settings and the input of the takeover setting relating to a hierarchy to be taken over among the plurality of internal print settings;
If takeover print setting by the takeover setting is specified, the internal print setting of the takeover of the plurality of internal print settings are specified hierarchy, the external printing corresponding to the hierarchy in which the takeover is designated Generating means for merging settings and generating print settings of a hierarchy in which a new takeover is specified;
A program for causing a computer to function as a data transmission unit that transmits a print setting generated by the generation unit to a printer device together with the document data. The takeover setting includes a priority selection of the external print setting,
12. The program according to claim 11, wherein the generation unit deletes the internal print setting when priority of the external print setting is selected. The storage unit also stores an output format setting for selecting whether the data format transmitted by the data transmission unit is the document data itself or a format in which print settings are added to the document data. ,
When the document data itself is selected as the output format, the generation unit generates a new print setting in the internal print setting format, and adds the print setting to the document data as the output format. 12. The program according to claim 11, wherein a new print setting is generated in the form of the external print setting when is selected.   14. The generation unit generates a new print setting in the format of the external print setting when a format in which print settings are added to document data is selected as the output format. The program described in. The document data has a job level hierarchy and a page level hierarchy lower than the job level hierarchy,
The takeover configuration, a designation to take over the internal print setting of the job level in the hierarchy without inherited the internal print setting of the page-level hierarchy, the internal print settings and the job level of the page level of the hierarchy 12. The program according to claim 11, comprising any one of designations that take over the internal print setting of the hierarchy of the file.

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