JPH03161828A - Printer controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To freely select a reset item initialized with a reset instruction by providing a control information with an instruction for initializing a specific item and internal information relating to printing and providing a printer controller with a means for selecting whether the device is initialized or not with the instruction relating to the specific item. CONSTITUTION:Prior to resetting an item, a control instruction for selecting a reset item is stored in an input buffer (RAM) 7 in the printer controller 1 through a host interface 2(I/F). Reset information storing the existence of reset information in bit information or the like at every item is stored in the RAM 7 by a control program stored in a ROM 5 based upon the reset information. On the other hand, an item not to be reset is selected from a front panel operation part 8 or the like and its reset information is similarly stored in the RAM 7. Consequently, the reset instruction can be more widely utilized and time and labor required for resetting can be saved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Technical Field) The present invention relates to an information processing device (hereinafter referred to as a host machine) such as a word processor, office computer, or personal computer that sends character information or image information.
The present invention relates to a printer control device that is connected to a printer engine, creates image data according to print data and control instructions sent from a host machine, transfers the image data to the printer engine, and obtains a print image output.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in a printer control device that creates image data according to print data and control commands exchanged between a host machine and a printer engine, when a reset command is sent from the host machine to the printer control device, In the flowchart, the processing as shown in FIG. 4 was performed.

That is, when a reset command is sent to the printer control device from the host machine (81), the reset command is temporarily stored in the input buffer (RAM), and then the reset command is executed by the control program stored in the ROM. It is recognized that After that, the control program automatically laps (S2), character pitch (83),
For mode set information such as line pitch (S4) and font (S5), these reset items are reset in order.

Downloaded fonts (including rotation fonts) (S
6) and macro definitions (S7) are all cleared unconditionally (
reset).

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In the above-mentioned processing method using the reset command, a user downloads a certain image and defines it in a macro, and since this macro definition is used frequently, he prevents it from being reset. There are cases where you want to However, once a reset command is issued from the host machine to the printer control device, the download defined by the above macro is also reset unconditionally, so the user must
It was extremely inconvenient to use as it required downloading and redoing macro definitions.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a printer control device that allows a user to freely select reset items to be initialized by a reset command.

(Structure and Operation) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is connected to a host machine and a printer engine, forms image data according to print data and control instructions sent from the host machine, and connects the printer engine to the printer engine. In a printer control device that transfers image data to a printer and obtains a printed image output, the control command includes a command for initializing specific items and internal states related to printing, and is initialized by the command regarding the specific items. It is characterized by having a means for selecting whether or not.

In addition to the conventional reset command, the present invention can set a reset command that allows selection of reset items to be initialized and items not to be initialized, and can meet various needs of users.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer control device for carrying out the present invention, in which 1 is a printer control device that sends received data from a host machine 2 to a printer engine 3 according to a set control mode. Convert to image data for output. 4 is a microcomputer (CP
U), a ROM 5 that stores control programs, pattern data such as characters and symbols to be printed, and a non-volatile memory 6 used for the printer's mode set memory.
Data processing from the host machine 2 and other controls are performed according to the data. A RAM 7 is used for processing by the CPU 4 as a work memory, an input buffer 1 for temporarily storing data received from the host machine 2, and a bitmap memory for developing image data to be output to the printer engine 3 into a bitmap. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a reset command for selecting a reset item is stored in bit information indicating whether or not to reset for each item by a control program in the ROMS (see FIG. 3 (1)); Alternatively, reset information (see FIG. 3 (2)) for selected items that do not want to be reset from the front panel operation unit 8 or the like is stored.

Note that the front panel operation section 8 includes a display section showing the setting status of the printer, a mode setting of the printer,
It has keys and switches for changing fonts, etc. R.O.
The M cartridge 9 is a font cartridge used when you want to print using fonts other than those built into the printer controller, or an emulation card used when you want the printer to perform other functions (emulation of other printers). Also, the ability to read and write -1-
The ridge 10 is a RAM cartridge that expands the capacity of the RAM 7.

The host machine 2, printer engine 3, front panel operation unit 8, ROM cartridge 9, and read/write cartridge IO outside the printer control device I are corresponding interfaces 2 (I/F) and 3 (
I/F), 8 (I/F), 9/10 (I/F
) are connected. Each component within the printer control device 1 is connected by a bus (BUS) 11, which is a collection of data, address, and signal lines.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained using the reset 1 to flowchart shown in FIG. 2 and reset information examples (1) and (2) shown in FIG. 3.

First, before resetting, a control command for selecting a reset item is sent to the input buffer 1 (RAM 7) in the printer control device 1 through the host interface 2 (I/F).
). Based on these reset items, the control program in the ROMS stores the presence or absence of reset information for each item in bit information, etc.
)) is stored in the RAM 7 (S1).

Alternatively, select the item you do not want to reset from the front panel operation section 8, etc., and reset the item from Reset 1 to Information (Figure 3 (2)).
is stored in the RAM 7 in the same manner as above (S2).

For example, it is sufficient to store data in the RAM 7 that the user always considers that the download phones 1 to 1 do not want to be reset even if a reset command is sent.

That is, when a reset command is sent from the host machine 2 to the printer control device 1 (S3), each reset item (auto wrap, character pitch, line pitch, font, download font, macro etc.), before resetting RAM7.
The CPU 4 determines whether or not to reset (S4) based on the information stored therein (FIG. 3 (1) and (2)), and then performs the reset and non-reset 1- operations. In other words, in the case of Figure 3 (1), all items are reset, and in the case of Figure 3 (2), the frequently used download
This is the case when all items except font items are reset. Therefore, the user does not have to reset all items by a reset command from the host machine, and frequently used items do not need to be reset, so there is no need to download them each time.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the present invention stores information (non-reset items) that does not want to be reset in the RAM 7 even if a reset command is sent from the host machine to the printer control device. This allows the reset command to be used more widely, and the time and effort required for resetting can be saved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer control device for implementing the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation flowchart of FIG. 1 according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional operation flowchart. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Printer control device, 2... Host 1 machine, 3... Printer engine, 4... Micro computer (CPU), 5... Program ROM, 6... Non-volatile Memory 7...R
AM, 8...Front panel operation section, 9...
・ROM cartridge, 10... read/write cartridge, l1... bus, 2 (I/F), 3
(I/F), 8 (I/F), 9/10 (I/F)
)···interface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Connected to a host machine and a printer engine,
In a printer control device that forms image data according to print data and control instructions sent from the host machine, transfers the image image data to the printer engine, and obtains a print image output, the control instructions include specific items related to printing and A printer control device comprising a command for initializing an internal state, and means for selecting whether or not to initialize based on the command regarding the specific item.