JP6406085B2 - Print control program, print control apparatus, and print control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control program, a print control apparatus, and a print control method, and in particular, a print control program that analyzes a file to be printed and generates a variable print file, and a print that executes the print control program The present invention relates to a print control apparatus such as a server and a print control method in a print system including a print server.

  Variable printing is used for applications such as direct mail. In this variable printing, a file described in PPML (Personalized Print Markup Language) or PDF (Portable Document Format) / VT (Variable Transactional) format has been used. In recent years, a PDF file having a large file size has been used. Increasingly, it is submitted to a print control apparatus (print server). When using a file with such a large file size, it takes time to print. Therefore, the technology that analyzes the structure of the file and divides it into fixed data and variable data to reduce the file size and shorten the print time is known. It has been.

  Regarding the variable printing, for example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a server in which an image forming apparatus application is installed, an input apparatus that inputs image data, an image forming apparatus that forms an output image based on the input data, and a host In an image forming system including a computer, the image forming apparatus application receives a page description language conversion processing unit that converts an object into a page description language and a data processing end notification up to the object reuse range. Based on the name, image size, and position information, the variable print data creation processing unit that creates variable print data and saves the file, and the variable print data file and the object data file that receive notification from the variable print data creation processing unit One pressure A compressed archive creation unit that collects data into an archive, a print data storage unit that saves data in which objects are converted into a page description language, a GUI, an object processing unit that notifies the end of data processing up to the object reuse range, An image forming system having an object management unit that registers name / image size / position information and a coordinate conversion unit that converts position information and registers it in an object list is disclosed.

  Patent Document 2 listed below is a print control system that controls printing by transmitting print data received from a host device to a printer capable of registering print data of a fixed part, and received from the host device. Designing means for designing layout information including information for distinguishing between fixed parts and variable parts based on the print data of the first page, and distinguishing between fixed parts and variable parts in the layout information designed by the designing means Of the first page received from the host device based on the information to be registered, a registration unit transmission unit that transmits the print data of the fixed unit to the printing device, and the registration unit transmission unit receives the print data of the fixed unit. After transmission, the fixed part and the variable part are distinguished from the layout information designed by the design unit for the subsequent print data including the first page received from the host device. That a variable portion transmission means for transmitting the print data of the variable portion to the printing apparatus based on the information, the print control system with a disclosed.

JP 2006-235664 A JP 2004-174797 A

  In Patent Document 1, (1) the host print data stream is converted into a page description language for each object, (2) whether there is an object with the same rendering content, and (3) the object is reused. Is converted to a variable printing language capable of printing, the variable language is referenced with respect to the object converted in (1), and the object having the same drawing content checked in (2) is reused, so that the printing apparatus (image formation) Data transfer time to the printing apparatus) and printing processing time in the printing apparatus are reduced.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, the variable portion and the fixed portion of the print data are separated based on the logical information and the layout information that can distinguish the fixed portion and the variable portion in the process of the first page of the printed matter, and the fixed portion is printed. By pre-registering the data in the storage device on the printing device side and not performing the processing of the second page and the fixed portion of the same format that once executed the printing process, by sending only the variable portion to the printing device, The data transfer time to the printing apparatus and the printing processing time in the printing apparatus are shortened.

  As described above, the conventional technology analyzes the input file and converts it into variable print data to shorten the data transfer time to the printing apparatus and the print processing time in the printing apparatus. Not all the converted files can be converted into variable print data, and it takes time to analyze the file structure. Therefore, after analyzing all the pages of the submitted file, if it is found that the submitted file is not data that can be converted to variable print data, the analysis time of the file structure will be wasted. There is a problem that it takes extra time to output the printed matter.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a main object thereof is to provide a print control program, a print control apparatus, and a print control method for performing control so that print processing can be executed efficiently. is there.

  One aspect of the present invention is a print control program that operates in a print control device that outputs print data based on a document file to an image processing device that performs RIP processing, and the document file is stored in the print control device as fixed data. A file structure analysis process for analyzing a file structure for classification into a part and a variable data part; a data conversion process for converting the document file into variable print data based on the analysis result of the file structure; When the analysis is completed, the variable print data is output to the image processing apparatus, and when the analysis of the file structure is not completed, an output process for outputting the document file to the image processing apparatus is executed, In the file structure analysis process, based on information obtained during the analysis of the file structure, the file Wherein the determining whether to terminate prematurely or to continue forming the analysis.

  One aspect of the present invention is a print control apparatus that outputs print data based on an original file to an image processing apparatus that performs RIP processing, and a file for classifying the original file into a fixed data portion and a variable data portion A file structure analysis unit that performs structure analysis; and a data conversion unit that converts the document file into variable print data based on the analysis result of the file structure, and the file structure analysis unit includes: Based on the information obtained during the analysis, it is determined whether to continue the analysis of the file structure or to terminate it halfway.

  One aspect of the present invention is a print control method in a print system including a print control apparatus that outputs print data based on a document file, and an image processing apparatus that performs RIP processing on the print data. The control device includes: a file structure analysis process for analyzing a file structure for classifying the document file into a fixed data portion and a variable data portion; and the variable print data based on the analysis result of the file structure. When the file conversion analysis and the file structure analysis are completed, the variable print data is output to the image processing apparatus. When the file structure analysis is not completed, the original file is processed by the image processing. Output processing to the apparatus, and the image processing apparatus performs the document file or the variable The print data is received and RIP processing is performed, and in the file structure analysis process, it is determined whether to continue the analysis of the file structure or to terminate the process based on information obtained during the analysis of the file structure. It is characterized by.

  According to the printing control program, the printing control apparatus, and the printing control method of the present invention, it is possible to perform control so that printing processing can be executed efficiently.

  The reason is that when the print control apparatus (print control program) analyzes the file structure of the document file, based on the information obtained during the analysis of the file structure, it continues or ends the analysis of the file structure. If the file structure analysis is completed, the variable print data is transmitted to the image processing apparatus. If the file structure analysis is not completed, the document file is transmitted to the image processing apparatus. is there.

It is a schematic diagram explaining the method of producing | generating variable print data from a PDF file. It is a schematic diagram explaining an effect by converting a PDF file into variable print data. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the other structure of the printing system which concerns on one Example of this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print server according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the controller which concerns on one Example of this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the print server which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a manuscript file. It is a figure explaining the time which a printing process requires.

  As shown in the background art, in recent years, PDF files having a large file size are frequently submitted to a print server during variable printing. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a PDF file. In this example, Page.1, 4, and 7 are variable data portions, and Page2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9 are static (fixed) data portions. When such a PDF file is submitted, the file structure is analyzed to extract a static (fixed) data portion (a portion surrounded by a broken line), and “static data × number of copies” (for example, Page.2 × The file size and the number of pages can be reduced by providing the file with information such as “100 copies, Page3 × 100 copies”. By reducing the file size and the number of pages, as shown in FIG. 2, the data transfer time from the print server to the printing device and the RIP (Raster Image Processing) processing time in the printing device or controller can be shortened. This can shorten the printing time.

  However, not all files submitted to the print server are data that can be converted into variable print data, and the above file analysis takes time. Therefore, for example, after analyzing all the pages of a file that has been submitted, if it is found that the submitted file is not data that can be converted to variable print data, the file analysis time on the print server is wasted. become. In particular, the number of pages of a PDF file for variable printing may be as large as about 10,000 pages. When a PDF file having such a large file size is submitted, a huge amount of time is wasted.

  Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the print server determines whether the page structure has regularity (whether there is a static (fixed) data portion) or not when analyzing the file structure, and determines a predetermined page. If regularity is not seen in the page structure even after the above analysis (the static (fixed) data portion is not found), the remaining time of the analysis of the file structure is compared with the time of the RIP processing, and the time of the RIP processing If is shorter, control is performed so that the analysis of the file structure is terminated halfway. As a result, if it is determined that the data is not convertible to variable print data as a result of analyzing the entire file structure, it is possible to prevent the problem that the analysis time of the file structure is wasted and the efficiency is improved. Print processing can be executed.

  In order to describe the above-described embodiment of the present invention in more detail, a print control program, a print instruction apparatus, and a print control method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of the printing system according to the present exemplary embodiment. FIGS. 5 to 7 are block diagrams illustrating the configurations of the print server, the controller, and the image forming apparatus, respectively. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the print server of this embodiment, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a document file, and FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the time required for printing processing. In the following description, data that can be converted into variable print data is data having a static (fixed) data portion with the same print content, and variable print data is a static (fixed) with the same print content. This is data in which the data portion is designated by the number of copies and the file size and the number of pages are reduced, and the format of the file to be printed, the data that can be converted into the variable print data, and the variable print data are not particularly limited.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the printing system of this embodiment, a print server 10 that can be connected via a communication network and an image forming apparatus 30 including a controller 20 are arranged on an intranet. In FIG. 3, the controller 20 is included in the image forming apparatus 30. However, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the controller 20 is made independent as an image processing apparatus, and the image forming apparatus 30 is connected to the controller 20. It is good also as a structure. 3 and 4, the print system includes the print server 10, the controller 20, and the image forming apparatus 30, but includes a client apparatus that creates a file to be submitted (transmitted) to the print server 10. Also good. Although Ethernet (registered trademark) or the like can be used as a communication network standard, data transfer from the printer controller 20 to the image forming apparatus 30 can be performed using IEEE1394, Parallel, or the like in addition to Ethernet (registered trademark). It is. Hereinafter, each apparatus will be described in detail on the premise of the printing system configured as shown in FIG.

[Print Server]
The print server 10 is a print control apparatus that transmits print data to the controller 20 or the image forming apparatus 30. As shown in FIG. 5A, the control unit 11, the storage unit 12, the network I / F unit 13, and the necessary The display unit 14 and the operation unit 15 are provided according to the above.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11a and memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) 11b and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 11c, which are connected via a bus. The CPU 11a performs overall control of the print server 10 by reading a program from the ROM 11b and the storage unit 12, and developing and executing the program on the RAM 11c.

  The storage unit 12 includes an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), and the like, a program (including a print control program) for the CPU 11a to control each unit, and a file submitted to the print server 10 And a file to be printed (hereinafter referred to as a document file) such as a file created using an application of the print server 10, variable print data generated from the document file, and the like are stored.

  The network I / F unit 13 includes a NIC (Network Interface Card), a modem, and the like, establishes a connection with the controller 20 and the image forming apparatus 30 connected via the network, and connects to the controller 20 and the image forming apparatus 30. Then, the original file or variable print data generated from the original file is transmitted.

  The display unit 14 is an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like, and displays various screens related to print instructions. The operation unit 15 is a mouse, a keyboard, or the like, and accepts various operations related to print instructions.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, the control unit 11 also functions as a file structure analysis unit 16, a time comparison unit 17, a data conversion unit 18, and the like.

  The file structure analysis unit 16 analyzes the file structure and classifies each page of the document file into a page composed of a variable data portion and a page composed of a static (fixed) data portion. At that time, the file structure analysis unit 16 determines whether to continue the analysis of the file structure or to end the process based on information obtained during the analysis of the file structure. Specifically, it is determined whether the page structure has regularity (whether there is a static (fixed) data portion), and the result of analyzing a predetermined page or more shows that the page structure has regularity (static If the target (fixed) data portion is found), the analysis of the file structure is continued and the analysis result is notified to the data conversion unit 18. On the other hand, if regularity is not recognized in the page structure even after analyzing more than a predetermined page (static (fixed) data part is not found), the time comparison unit 17 continues the analysis of the file structure or ends halfway Ask for the decision to do. When receiving an instruction to end the analysis of the file structure from the time comparison unit 17, the analysis of the file structure is ended in the middle and the document file is output to the controller 20 as it is.

  When requested by the file structure analysis unit 16, the time comparison unit 17 calculates the remaining time for the analysis of the file structure, calculates the time required for the RIP processing of the document file, and calculates the remaining time for the analysis and the RIP processing. Compare the time required. If the time required for the RIP process is shorter, the file structure analysis unit 16 is instructed to end the file structure analysis halfway.

The remaining analysis time can be calculated based on, for example, the elapsed time since the file structure analysis unit 16 started analyzing the file structure, and the number of pages and the amount of data that have been analyzed. it can. Specifically, if the elapsed time from the start of the analysis of the file structure is t1, the total number of pages in the document file is p, and the number of pages for which the analysis of the file structure is completed is p1, the remaining analysis time t Is
t = t1 / p1 × (p−p1) (1)
Can be used to calculate. When the analysis time of the file structure is proportional to the number of pages and the data amount, the remaining analysis time can be directly calculated from the remaining number of pages and the data amount.

  The time required for the RIP processing includes the processing capacity information (such as RIP time per unit page or unit data amount) acquired from the controller 20, the time required for the previous RIP processing, and the number of pages of the manuscript file. And can be calculated based on the relationship with the file size.

  When the analysis result is notified from the file structure analysis unit 16, the data conversion unit 18 converts the document file into variable print data based on the analysis result. Specifically, for a page composed of static (fixed) data parts, the page position and the number of copies are converted into data designated. The converted variable print data is output to the controller 20.

  The file structure analysis unit 16, the time comparison unit 17, and the data conversion unit 18 may be configured as hardware, and the control unit 11 functions as the file structure analysis unit 16, the time comparison unit 17, and the data conversion unit 18. The print control program may be configured so that the CPU 11a executes the print control program.

[controller]
The controller 20 is an image processing device that generates image data that can be printed by the image forming apparatus 30 based on the print data. As shown in FIG. 6, the controller 20, the storage unit 22, the RIP unit 23, the network I / O, and the like. An F unit 24 and a printer I / F unit 25 are included.

  The control unit 21 includes a CPU 21a and a memory such as a ROM 21b and a RAM 21c, which are connected via a bus. The CPU 21a performs overall control of the controller 20 by reading a program from the ROM 21b and the storage unit 22, and developing and executing the program on the RAM 21c.

  The storage unit 22 is configured by an HDD, an SSD, or the like, and includes a program for the CPU 21a to control each unit, a document file, variable print data generated from the document file, print image data generated from the document file or variable print data, and the like. Remember.

  The RIP unit 23 is configured by an image processing ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or the like, generates a raster data by developing a bitmap of a document file or variable print data acquired from the print server 10, and converts it into raster data as necessary. Screening and image processing are performed on the pages to generate print image data for each page of the document. Further, the RIP unit 23 performs screen processing, gradation correction, density balance adjustment, thinning, halftone processing, and the like on the print image data as necessary.

  The network I / F unit 24 includes a NIC, a modem, and the like, establishes a connection with the print server 10 connected via the network, and receives a document file, variable print data, and the like. The printer I / F unit 25 is a dedicated interface for connecting to the image forming apparatus 30 and transmits print image data and the like to the image forming apparatus 30.

[Image forming apparatus]
The image forming apparatus 30 is a printer, a multi-functional peripheral (MFP), or the like, and as shown in FIG. 7, a control unit 31, a controller I / F unit 32, a panel operation unit 33, and a printing unit (engine). 34 or the like.

  The control unit 31 includes a CPU 31a and memories such as a ROM 31b and a RAM 31c, which are connected via a bus. The CPU 31a performs overall control of the image forming apparatus 30 by reading a program from the ROM 31b, developing the program in the RAM 31c, and executing it.

  The controller I / F unit 32 is a dedicated interface for connecting to the controller 20 and receives print image data and the like from the controller 20.

  The panel operation unit 33 is a touch panel or the like in which a touch sensor made of a grid-like transparent electrode is formed on a display unit such as an LCD, and displays various screens related to printing and enables various operations related to printing.

  The printing unit 34 is an engine that executes print processing based on print image data. Specifically, the photosensitive drum charged by the charging device is irradiated with light corresponding to the image from the exposure device to form an electrostatic latent image, and the toner charged by the developing device is attached and developed. The image is primarily transferred to the transfer belt, secondarily transferred from the transfer belt to the paper, and a fixing device fixes the toner image on the paper.

  3 to 7 are examples of the printing system according to the present exemplary embodiment. If the image forming apparatus 30 can execute printing based on a document file or variable print data output from the print server 10, each apparatus The configuration and control can be changed as appropriate.

  Next, an example of the operation of the print server 10 configured as described above will be described. The CPU 11a executes the process of each step shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 by developing the print control program stored in the ROM 11b or the storage unit 12 in the RAM 11c and executing it.

  First, the control unit 11 (file structure analysis unit 16) of the print server 10 starts analyzing the file structure of a document file submitted to the print server 10 or created by the print server 10 (S101). Specifically, the document file is classified into a variable data portion and a static (fixed) data portion.

  Next, the control unit 11 (file structure analysis unit 16) determines whether the page structure has regularity (whether there is a static (fixed) data portion), along with the analysis of the file structure (S102). If regularity is recognized in the page structure as a result of analyzing a predetermined predetermined page or more (a static (fixed) data portion is found), the file structure is continuously analyzed, and the control unit 11 (data conversion) The unit 18) converts the document file into variable print data based on the analysis result (S106), and outputs the variable print data to the controller 20 (S107). For example, when the manuscript data as shown in FIG. 9 is submitted, the second page and the fifth page have the same configuration. Therefore, when the file structure is analyzed up to the fifth page, the static (fixed) ) The data part (2nd page and 5th page) can be found.

  On the other hand, if regularity is not recognized in the page structure even after analyzing a predetermined page or more (a static (fixed) data portion is not found), the control unit 11 (file structure analysis unit 16) The comparison unit 17 is requested to determine whether to continue the analysis of the file structure or to terminate the process halfway. Then, the control unit 11 (time comparison unit 17) calculates the remaining time for the analysis of the file structure, calculates the required time for the RIP processing of the document file, and compares the remaining time for the analysis with the required time for the RIP processing. (S103).

  For example, as shown in FIG. 10, when the time required for the RIP process is shorter than the remaining analysis time (Yes in S103), the RIP process is performed on the document file rather than continuing the analysis of the file structure. Since the time required for the printing process is shorter, the control unit 11 (time comparison unit 17) instructs the file structure analysis unit 16 to stop the analysis of the file structure. Then, the control unit 11 (file structure analysis unit 16) ends the analysis of the file structure in the middle according to the instruction (S105), and outputs the document file as it is to the controller 20 (S107).

  On the other hand, when the remaining analysis time is equal to or shorter than the time required for the RIP processing, the time required for the printing processing is shorter when the file structure analysis is continued than when the RIP processing is performed on the document file. 11 (file structure analysis unit 16) continues to analyze the file structure, and the control unit 11 (data conversion unit 18) converts the document file into variable print data based on the analysis result (S104). The variable print data is output to the controller 20 (S107).

  In this way, when analyzing the file structure of a manuscript file, it is determined whether the page structure has regularity. If it is determined that the page structure has regularity, the file structure analysis is continued and the page structure is analyzed. Is determined to be non-regular, the remaining time of the file structure analysis is compared with the time required for the RIP processing of the original file, and if the time remaining for the analysis is less than the time required for the RIP processing, the file structure analysis is performed. If the time required for RIP processing is shorter than the remaining analysis time, the analysis of the file structure is terminated in the middle, thereby preventing a problem that a wasteful file structure analysis time is generated in advance. The printing process can be executed.

  In the above flow, when there is no regularity in the page configuration (the static (fixed) data portion is not found even if the predetermined page is analyzed), the remaining analysis time is compared with the time required for RIP processing in S104. However, the order of these determinations can be changed as appropriate. For example, the remaining time of analysis is compared with the time required for RIP processing, and the page configuration is set when the remaining time for analysis is less than the time required for RIP processing. It can also be judged whether there is regularity.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the configuration and control of the printing system and each apparatus can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the remaining time of the file structure analysis is compared with the time required for the RIP processing of the document file, but the comparison is made taking into account the print data transfer time (data size and network communication speed). Can do. For example, the time obtained by adding the data transfer time corresponding to the size of the variable print data to the remaining analysis time and the time obtained by adding the data transfer time corresponding to the size of the document file to the time required for the RIP processing are compared. May be.

  The present invention relates to a print control program that analyzes a file to be printed and generates a file for variable printing, a recording medium that records the print control program, a print server that executes the print control program, and a print server. The present invention is applicable to a printing control method in a printing system including the above.

10 Print Server 11 Control Unit 11a CPU
11b ROM
11c RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Memory | storage part 13 Network I / F part 14 Display part 15 Operation part 16 File structure analysis part 17 Time comparison part 18 Data conversion part 20 Controller 21 Control part 21a CPU
21b ROM
21c RAM
22 Storage Unit 23 RIP Unit 24 Network I / F Unit 25 Printer I / F Unit 30 Image Forming Device 31 Control Unit 31a CPU
31b ROM
31c RAM
32 Controller I / F part 33 Panel operation part 34 Printing part

Claims (9)

A print control program that operates on a print control device that outputs print data based on a document file to an image processing device that performs RIP (Raster Image Processing) processing,
In the printing control device,
A file structure analysis process for analyzing a file structure for classifying the document file into a fixed data portion and a variable data portion;
A data conversion process for converting the document file into variable print data based on the analysis result of the file structure;
When the analysis of the file structure is completed, the variable print data is output to the image processing apparatus, and when the analysis of the file structure is not completed, an output process of outputting the document file to the image processing apparatus. Let it run
In the file structure analysis processing, based on information obtained during the analysis of the file structure, it is determined whether to continue the analysis of the file structure or to end in the middle,
A print control program characterized by that. In the file structure analysis process, if the fixed data portion is not found even after analyzing the file structure over a predetermined predetermined page, the analysis of the file structure is terminated in the middle.
The print control program according to claim 1. In addition to the print control device,
A time comparison process for calculating and comparing the remaining time of the analysis of the file structure of the document file and the time required for the RIP process of the document file;
In the file structure analysis process, the fixed data portion is not found even if the file structure is analyzed for the predetermined page or more, and the time required for the RIP process in the time comparison process is shorter than the remaining time of the analysis. If it is determined that the file structure is short, the analysis of the file structure is terminated halfway.
The print control program according to claim 2. A print control apparatus that outputs print data based on a document file to an image processing apparatus that performs RIP (Raster Image Processing) processing,
A file structure analysis unit for analyzing a file structure for classifying the document file into a fixed data part and a variable data part;
A data conversion unit that converts the document file into variable print data based on the analysis result of the file structure;
The file structure analysis unit determines whether to continue or end the analysis of the file structure based on information obtained during the analysis of the file structure.
A printing control apparatus characterized by that. The file structure analysis unit ends the analysis of the file structure in the middle when the fixed data portion is not found even after analyzing the file structure over a predetermined predetermined page,
The printing control apparatus according to claim 4. In addition to the print control device,
A time comparison unit that calculates and compares the remaining time of analysis of the file structure of the document file and the time required for RIP processing of the document file;
If the file structure analysis unit does not find the fixed data portion even after analyzing the file structure for the predetermined page or more, whether to continue the analysis of the file structure or end the process in the time comparison unit To request
The time comparison unit instructs the file structure analysis unit to end the analysis of the file structure halfway when the time required for the RIP processing is shorter than the remaining time of the analysis;
The print control apparatus according to claim 5. A printing control method in a printing system, comprising: a printing control device that outputs printing data based on a document file; and an image processing device that performs RIP (Raster Image Processing) processing on the printing data,
The print control device includes:
A file structure analysis process for analyzing a file structure for classifying the original file into a fixed data portion and a variable data portion;
Data conversion processing for converting the document file into variable print data based on the analysis result of the file structure;
When the analysis of the file structure is completed, the variable print data is output to the image processing apparatus, and when the analysis of the file structure is not completed, the output process of outputting the document file to the image processing apparatus; And
The image processing apparatus receives the original file or the variable print data, performs RIP processing,
In the file structure analysis processing, based on information obtained during the analysis of the file structure, it is determined whether to continue the analysis of the file structure or to end in the middle,
And a printing control method. In the file structure analysis process, if the fixed data portion is not found even after analyzing the file structure over a predetermined predetermined page, the analysis of the file structure is terminated in the middle.
The printing control method according to claim 7. The print control device further includes:
A time comparison process for calculating and comparing the remaining time of the analysis of the file structure of the document file and the time required for the RIP process of the document file;
In the file structure analysis process, the fixed data portion is not found even if the file structure is analyzed for the predetermined page or more, and the time required for the RIP process in the time comparison process is shorter than the remaining time of the analysis. If it is determined that the file structure is short, the analysis of the file structure is terminated halfway.
The print control method according to claim 8.

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