JPH03213374A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase printing speed and printing data receiving speed by reading the output image data stored in an external memory medium to output the same to an image forming means. CONSTITUTION:The output data of one page based on a printing data memory 10 receiving the printing data transmitted from a host computer is developed on a printing data developing means 102 as the bit map data of one page and successively stored in the developed data memory part 104 of a secondary memory apparatus. The bit map data at every page stored in the developed data memory part 104 is successively read from the developed data memory part to be transmitted to the output part 106 of a printer. The output part 106 is a part forming a visible image on the recording medium in the printer and performs processing according to the data outputted from a developed data reading means 105 (the data read from the developed data memory part 104).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printing device, and more particularly, to a printing device that receives page-by-page data and forms a visible image on a recording medium.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in this type of printing device, one page is printed based on print data (character code, figure, image, print position, size specification, etc.) received from a host computer. A common method is to develop an output image in an image memory, convert the result of the development in the image memory into a video signal, and transfer it to a printing mechanism.

Furthermore, in order to improve printing speed and print data reception speed, it has become common to use multiple image memories to expand and output print data.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] The problem here is that a large amount of print data (amount of data exceeding the capacity of the receiving buffer) is received from the host computer.
The recording speed when this is transmitted is limited by the paper conveyance speed of the printing mechanism. In other words,
Even if the printing device itself can receive a large amount of print data from the host computer and process the print data at high speed, if the paper transport speed of the printing mechanism is slow, the printing device's printing will be delayed. This results in slow speed.

Furthermore, if the processing capacity of the printing device is slow, the effects will spread to the host computer. That is, the problem arises that the host computer is slow to be released from print data output processing and cannot move on to the next process.

Furthermore, when traveling by boat, if recording paper becomes jammed in the paper conveyance path within the printing mechanism, the printing process must be restarted from the page where the paper jam occurred. For this reason, even if the print data has been developed, it must continue to be stored until it is completely ejected outside the apparatus, and memory must be allocated for this purpose as well. However, in this case, the ability to receive print data from all memories within the printing device is reduced, so that the process of receiving print data from the host computer becomes even slower.

The present invention was made in view of such conventional problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that can increase printing speed and print data receiving speed.

[Means for Solving the Problem] A printing apparatus of the present invention that solves this problem has the configuration shown below. That is, in a printing device that prints out received print data page by page, a large-capacity external storage medium, a storage means that sequentially stores page-by-page output image data based on the received print data in the external storage medium; an image forming means for forming a page-by-page visible image on a recording medium based on the output image data; and an output means for reading the output image data stored in the external storage medium and outputting it to the image forming means. Be prepared.

[Operation] In the configuration of the present invention, image data for each page based on the received print data is sequentially stored in the external storage device. During this time, page-by-page image data stored in the external storage device is read and output to the image forming means.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment.

In the figure, 101 is a print data memory for receiving print data (data such as character codes, figures, images, etc., data specifying print position, size, etc.) transmitted from the host computer. 102 is print data memory 1
This print data development means develops the output data of one page of the received print data in 01 as bitmap information. Reference numeral 103 denotes developed data storage means for sequentially storing one page's worth of bitmap information developed by the print data development means 102 in the developed data storage section 1.4 of the secondary storage device. The expanded data storage section 104 is a secondary storage device such as a hard disk device, and stores and holds each piece of bitmap information that has received a storage instruction from the expanded data storage means 103. 105 sequentially reads bitmap information for each page stored in the expanded data storage section 104 from the expanded data storage section, and outputs the information to the output section 10 of the printing apparatus.
This is a means for reading expanded data to be transferred to 6. Output section 1
06 is a part in the printing apparatus of the embodiment that actually forms a visible image on a recording medium, and is a developed data reading means 1.
Information output from 05 (expanded data storage unit 104
data read from).

FIG. 2 conceptually shows the flow of print data in this embodiment.

In the figure, 201 is the print data memory 101 in FIG.
202 represents the print data development means 102 in FIG.
This shows bitmap information of one page's worth of print data developed by the following. 203 represents a secondary storage device that constitutes the developed data storage section 104 in FIG.
4 represents bitmap information for each page sequentially stored in the expanded data storage section 104 by the expanded data storage means 103 in FIG. Reference numeral 205 indicates the bitmap read by the expanded data reading means 105 of FIG. 1 for next printing out of the bitmaps for each page stored in the secondary storage device 203. Further, 206 corresponds to the output section 106 in FIG.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a basic configuration block diagram of the printing apparatus of the embodiment.

In the figure, 302 is a printing mechanism unit control device that controls the entire printing apparatus, 303 is a secondary storage device, and 304 is a printing mechanism unit, and these 302, 303, and 304 constitute the printing apparatus of this embodiment. ing. Note that 301 represents a host computer for transferring various print data to the printing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram of the printing mechanism control device 302.

In the figure, 401 represents a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) that controls the entire control unit, and 402 represents a program memory that stores processing procedures (=programs, flowcharts in FIGS. 7 to 9) of the CPU 401. For example, ROM (
(read-only memory). 403 is a font memory that stores character patterns corresponding to character codes, and 404 is a work memory (consisting of RAM) required while the CPU 401 is executing processing. Note that the print data memory 101 shown in FIG. 1 is secured in this work memory 404.

Reference numeral 405 indicates a data input interface circuit for receiving print data from the host computer 301. Reference numeral 406 represents an interface circuit for exchanging data with the hard disk (corresponding to a secondary storage device) 303.

Reference numeral 407 represents an image development memory for developing a bitmap for one page from the print data stored in the print data memory 101 in FIG.
(random access memory). 408
represents an image output memory for reading bitmap information (204 in FIG. 2) for each page stored in the hard disk 303 and outputting it to the printing mechanism device 304, such as RAM (random access memory).
It consists of Reference numeral 409 represents a data output interface circuit for connecting the printing mechanism section control device 302 and the printing mechanism section 304. 410 represents an image signal generator for generating a video signal for the printing mechanism device from the image output memory 408 in synchronization with the printing mechanism section 304. Further, 411 represents an internal bus connecting each memory or circuit to the CPU 401.

Although the description will be complicated, the print data expansion means 102, expansion data storage means 103, and expansion data reading means 105 in FIG. 1 are executed by the CPU 401.

An outline of the printing process (storage, management, and reading of bitmap information) of the embodiment in the above-described configuration will be explained using FIGS. 5 and 6.

First, the print data sent from the host computer is stored in the work memory 404, and then expanded into the image expansion memory by the print data expansion means 102 (CPU 401), and then stored in the hard disk 30, which is a secondary storage device.
3. The bitmap for each page stored in the hard disk 303 is stored in file units (spool files) as shown at 503 in FIG. 5, and is managed by a spool file management table as shown at 501 in FIG. The spool file management table itself is placed in the work memory 404 in FIG. In addition, 502 in FIG. 5 indicates each spool file (501 in FIG. 5) of the spool file management table (501 in FIG. 5).
It represents the management record for 503) in FIG.

Next, FIG. 6(A) shows the detailed format of the spool file management table 501 in FIG. 5, and FIG. 6(B) shows the detailed format of the management record 502.

Here, FIG. 6(A) shows that the spool file is used in a circular manner, and in order to manage this, which management record (502 in the figure) in the spool file management table 501 is used? A registration pointer 60'1 indicating which spool file has been stored, and an output pointer 602 indicating which management record's spool file (503 in FIG. 5) is to be output next are provided.

Furthermore, a paper jam recovery pointer 603 is also provided to perform retransmission processing in the event of a paper jam.

The above-mentioned pointers control the spool file management table (501 in FIG. 6(A)) so that it can be used in a circular manner, and at the same time, each management record (501 in FIG. 6(A)) is controlled so that it can be used in a circular manner.
The spool file under A) 502) (503 in Figure 5)
) is managed.

Next, FIG. 6 CB) is the spool file management table 5.
01 (502 in the figure).

Here, 604 is an identification flag indicating the state of the management record. In other words, whether the management record is empty, a spool file (503 in Figure 5) is being registered, or a registered spool file (503 in Figure 5) is being registered.
03) is an identification flag indicating whether it is being output to the printing mechanism unit. 605 represents the file name when storing the expanded bitmap on the hard disk 303;
06 reads the spool file (503 in FIG. 5) under the management record management from the hard disk 303,
This area represents an area for setting the time when output to the printing mechanism unit 304 is started.

Next, a bitmap storage (spooling) method will be explained according to the flowchart of FIG.

First, wait for print data to be sent from the host computer, and then wait for the print data memory 101 (work memory 40
4) Confirm that one page's worth of print data has been stored in (step 5701). Next, a bitmap is developed from the print data of that one page in the image development memory 407 (step 5702), and it is checked whether there is an empty space in the spool file management table 501 (step 5703). That is, it is checked whether the flag of the management record (in the case of the last record, the first record) following the management record indicated by the registration pointer 601 of the spool file management table has a value indicating an empty state.

If it is not empty, the spool file management table 501 is full, so wait until the spool file is actually output and the spool file management table 501 becomes empty.

Also, if there is an empty space in the spool file management table 501, proceed to step 5704 and proceed to step 570.
The bitmap developed in step 2 is written to the hard disk 303 as a spool file (503 in FIG. 5) (developed data storage means).

Next, the above-mentioned spool file is registered in the relevant management record of the spool file management table 501 (the record following the management record indicated by the registration pointer 601). That is, the identification flag 604 is rewritten from empty to registered, and the name of the spool file is set in the file name 605 (step 5705).

Finally, the registration pointer of the spool file management table is incremented by "1" (if it is the last record, it is returned to the beginning) (step 5706), and the process returns to step 5701 for the next print data development process.

Next, in order to actually print the bitmap registered on the hard disk 303, the hard disk 303 is
The procedure for reading data from 3 and outputting it to the printing mechanism section will be explained according to the flowchart of FIG.

First, it is checked whether the developed bitmap is registered in the spool file management table 501 (step 5801). That is, the identification flag of the management record in the spool file management table 501 indicated by the output pointer 602 is in the registered state. Check if there is one. If it is not registered, wait until it becomes registered.
If registration is in progress, the spool file (bitmap) indicated by the file name 605 of the management record is read into the image output memory 408 (step 5802).
.

Next, the identification flag of the management record is set from registered state to outputting, and furthermore, the output start time 606 is set (
Step 3803), and increments the output pointer of the spool file management table 501 by “1” (step 3803).
If it is the last record, return it to the beginning) (step 58
04). After this, the bitmap read into the image output memory 408 in step 5802 is transferred to the image signal generator 4.
1O to the printing mechanism unit 304 for actual output processing (step 5805), and then returns to step 5801 for output processing of the next spool file.

Next, a method for deleting a spool file for which output processing has been completed while taking paper jam recovery processing into consideration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, it is checked whether the identification flag of the management record indicated by the paper jam recovery pointer 603 of the spool file management table 501 is in the output state (step 590).
1).

If it is not in the output state, wait until it becomes the output state.
If it is in the output state, it is checked whether a certain period of time has elapsed since the output start allocation 606 of the management record (step 5902).

This is because the paper conveyance speed of the printing mechanism section 304 is generally constant, so if a certain period of time passes without any failure after bitmap output to the printing mechanism section starts, the printing process is performed correctly on the paper. This is because the paper can be considered to have been ejected outside the printing mechanism section. If the certain period of time has not elapsed, wait until the certain period of time has elapsed.

Now, in step 5902, if a certain period of time has elapsed, it can be considered that the printout process for the page has ended, so the spool file indicated by the management record in question is deleted (step 5903), and the management record is made empty (step 5903). Step 5904), then the paper jam recovery pointer in the spool file management table 501 is incremented by "l" (if it is the last record, it is returned to the beginning) (
Step 5905), and the process returns to step S901 in FIG. 9 for the next spool file deletion process.

By the way, if a paper jam occurs during paper transport, the paper jam recovery pointer (603 in Fig. 6 (A)) of the spool file management table is changed to the output pointer of the spool file management table (603 in Fig. 6 (A)). ) 602) and restarting the printing process, it is possible to easily resend the page where the paper jam occurred.

Description of the Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the print data is expanded and stored (spooled) in the secondary storage device (hard disk 3o3). Naturally, this method may use a large amount of capacity of the secondary storage device.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, a high-speed compression/decompression circuit 1
By newly adding 001, the capacity of the secondary storage device can be used effectively without reducing the printing speed.

In addition, in the embodiment, the hard disk 303 is used as the secondary storage device, but as a matter of course, reading and
The present invention is not limited to this, as it is also possible to implement a writable secondary storage device, such as a floppy disk or a magneto-optical disk.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the spool file management table 50
1 is secured in the work memory 404 as shown in FIG. 4, but there is also a method of storing and using it in a secondary storage device as a spool file management file 1101, as shown in FIG.

If you simply allocate the spool file management table in the work memory, if the power to this printing device is cut off while a registered spool file exists, the registered spool file will be lost, but the spool file will be lost. When a file management file is used, when the power is turned on again, it is possible to resume printing from the spool file that is already being registered.

Description of the Third Embodiment By the way, in what is generally known as a page printer, a plurality of form information sent from a host computer are registered in the device, and one of the registered forms is There is a printer that prints the received print data by superimposing it on top of the received print data. However, even if the same form is used for each page of print data transmitted from the host computer, the processing related to the form development cannot be ignored.

In the third embodiment, an example of minimizing the time required for such form expansion processing will be described.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram of the configuration of a printing apparatus in the third embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 1201 indicates a print information development unit that develops the print data sent from the host computer into bitmap information for one page. Reference numeral 1202 indicates a print information development unit that develops the print data sent from the host computer into bitmap information for one page. This is a form expansion unit that expands into bitmap information as a form of data. Reference numeral 1203 denotes a form management unit for registering form information transmitted from the host computer in a secondary storage device and for managing registered form information. Reference numeral 1204 represents a form storage unit that stores bitmap information (form image) generated based on the form information transmitted from the host computer, and 1205 represents a form storage unit that stores the form information transmitted from the host computer as it is. represents the department.

These form storage units 1204 and 1205 are both areas provided in the secondary storage device.

Further, 1206 is a bitmap of the print data developed by the print information development section 1201 and the form development section 1.
Further, 1207 represents a superposition means for superimposing the form information bitmap developed by 202 to create a print output bitmap for one page.
It is an output section representing an actual printing mechanism, and a superimposing means 1
This is the part that actually outputs the output data created by step 206.

FIG. 13 shows an example of superimposing print data and forms in the third embodiment. In FIG. 1302 represents the expanded state, and 1302 is expanded form information (image information expanded into a bitmap) registered in the form storage unit 1204 by the form expanding unit 1202;
Alternatively, it represents a state in which the form information of the transmission data registered in the form storage unit 1205 is expanded into a bitmap for one page.

Then, 13o3 shows a printing result that is actually output by superimposing a bitmap 1301 of print data and a bitmap 1302 of form information by a superimposing means 1206.

FIG. 14 shows details of the printing mechanism section control device 302 of the printing apparatus in the third embodiment.

In the illustration, 1401 to 14o6 are 401 to 401 in FIG.
406, 1408-1410 are 409-41 in FIG.
It corresponds to 1. Reference numeral 1407 is an image memory for developing bitmap data (image data) for actual printing.The program memory 1402 stores programs related to flowcharts shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, which will be described later. In addition, the print information development section 1201 shown above is also included. The form development unit 1202 and the superposition unit 1206 are controlled by the CPU 1401, and the form management unit 12
03, the form storage units 1204 and 1205 are connected to the hard disk 303, and the output unit 1207 is connected to the printing mechanism unit 3.
04 is compatible. Strictly speaking, the form management unit 1203 is composed of a file for managing forms and a program for managing the files. Therefore, only the former is stored in the hard disk 303, and the latter is stored in the program ROM 1402 because it is processed by the CPU 1401.

Next, a method for managing form information in the printing apparatus according to the third embodiment will be explained using FIGS. 15 and 16.

First, the form information transmitted from the host computer, whether it is data as transmitted or form information redeveloped into a bitmap, is stored in the eight-dimensional disk 303 as a form file 1504 in FIG. 5.

Next, various form files 1504 stored in the hard disk device 303 are stored in a form management file 150.
Managed by 1. Also form management file 15
01 itself is stored and held in the hard disk 303. Further, 1502 in FIG. 15 indicates the format of the management record 1503 for each form file 1504 of the form management file 1501.

The detailed contents of the management record 1503 are shown in FIG. 16. That is, each management record 1
503 is the form name 1601.503 specified by the host computer when registering the form in this device. A flag 160 indicating whether the stored form information is data sent as it is from the host computer or image data that has been expanded into a bitmap.
2, and a file name 1603 determined by the device when storing the form information on the hard disk 303.

The form registration method will be explained according to the flowchart of FIG. 17.

First, the form information sent from the host computer is once imported into the work memory 1404 in this device (step 51701), and then the image of the form based on the imported form information is stored in the image memory 1407.
The time required for expansion is calculated (step 51702). The time required for this development is “T”.
t”.

Next, when the received form information itself is stored in the hard disk 303, the time "Tr" required to read the form information from there is measured.

Similarly, when a form image developed in the image memory 1407 is stored in the hard disk 303, the time "Tbr" required to read the form image from there is measured.

Here, “Tr” and “Tbr” are the hard disk 303
It is determined by the amount of data transferred from the hard disk drive and the specifications of the hard disk device (average seek time, etc.).

Now, once these values are obtained, the process proceeds to step 51703, where (Tr+Tt) and Tbr are compared.

Here, if it is determined that (Tr+Tt)<Tbr, the received form information is stored as is in the hard disk 303 (step 51704).

Okay, if (Tr+Tt)≧Tbr, the form image, which is the form information developed into a bitmap, is stored in the hard disk drive (
Step 51705).

Note that any type of time measurement means may be used. For example, a counter for counting clocks may be provided, reset at the start of time measurement, and read in the count number at the end of time measurement.

Next, a method of developing the form registered in the hard disk 303 for actual printing will be explained according to the flowchart of FIG. 18.

First, based on the form name specified in the print information sent from the host computer, the form file registered in the hard disk (secondary storage device) 303 of the printing device is created, and the form management record of the form management file is created. Find it by searching (Step 5)
1801).

Next, depending on the flag in the form management record of the found form file, you can check whether the form file stores the form information as it is, or
It is determined whether the form information expanded into a bitmap is stored (step S1802).

If it is determined that the form information is stored as is, the form information is temporarily read from the hard disk 303 into the work memory l 404 (step 31).
803) Then, a form image is developed in the image memory 1407 based on the form information (step 51804).

If it is determined in step S1802 that the form information stored in the hard disk 303 is a form image developed as a bitmap, the form data is directly read into the image memory 1407 (step 81805).

In this way, when the form image is developed in the image memory 1407, the image (character pattern, etc.) is developed in the image memory 1407 based on the print data received from the host computer, and one page of print data is generated. Once the image of the data has been developed, the bitmap of the print data and the bitmap of the form are superimposed using the superimposing means 1206 in FIG. 12 and output to the printing mechanism section 304 for recording.

Description of the fourth embodiment> In the third embodiment described above, the hard disk 303
There are two types of data stored in the device: a form image and the received form information itself, and the former generally has a larger memory capacity than the latter. Therefore, there is a possibility that it occupies a large area with respect to the storage capacity of the hard disk 303.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 19, a high-speed compression/decompression circuit 19
By adding 01 to the block diagram of FIG. 14,
It becomes possible to effectively utilize the capacity of the secondary storage device without reducing the printing speed.

In addition, in the first to fourth embodiments described above, the hard disk 303 was used as the secondary storage device, but it goes without saying that other readable/writable secondary storage devices such as floppy disks, magneto-optical disks, etc. However, the present invention is not limited by this.

As explained above, Book 1. According to the second embodiment, by adding a low-cost, large-capacity secondary storage device such as a hard disk to a printing device, the data generation source (host computer, etc.) can reduce the output processing of a large amount of print data. Since it is opened quickly, it is possible to improve the operating environment for the operator. Furthermore, even if a paper jam occurs during conveyance of recording paper, it is possible to restart the printing process from the page where the paper jam occurred at a relatively low cost. In particular, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to effectively utilize the hard disk.

Also, 3rd. According to the fourth embodiment, individual form information is stored in a state where each printing speed is minimized, so that composite printing of forms and characters, numbers, figures, images, etc. written on them can be performed at high speed. It becomes possible to In particular, according to the fourth embodiment, it is possible to effectively utilize the hard disk.

In the embodiment, the form information is explained as a form form as shown in 1302 in FIG. 13. However, the present invention is not limited to this, as it may be, for example, an illustration or the like.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, a large-capacity external storage medium such as a hard disk is provided, and image data to be printed out is stored therein, so that the printing speed and the reception of print data can be improved. It is possible to increase the speed.

Furthermore, since the image data of a form is registered in the external storage device so that it can always be generated at high speed, it is possible to print characters and symbols on the form at high speed. Moreover, since the registration destination is an external storage device, the registered data is retained even if the device itself is powered off.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the configuration of the printing device in the first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining an overview of printing processing in the first embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a basic diagram of the printing device in the embodiment. 4 is a detailed block diagram of the printing mechanism control device in the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an overview of print data management in the first embodiment. A) is a diagram showing the details of the spool file management table in the fifth embodiment, FIG. 6(B) is a diagram showing the contents of the management record in FIG. 6(A), and FIG. 7 is the print data in the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure from reading print data to print output in the first embodiment; FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure for storing the registered data in the first embodiment. Flowchart related to printing data deletion processing, FIG. 10 is a detailed block diagram of the printing mechanism control device in the second embodiment, and FIG. 11 is a secondary storage of the spool management file for registered data in the second embodiment. A diagram showing the state when stored in the device, FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram of the configuration of the printing device in the third embodiment, and FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the printing process in the third embodiment. FIG. 14 is a detailed block diagram of the printing mechanism control device in the third embodiment. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an overview of form information management in the third embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the contents of management records. , FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing the procedure for registering form information in the third embodiment, FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing the procedure for developing form information in the third embodiment, and FIG. 19 is a flow chart showing the procedure for registering form information in the third embodiment. FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram of the printing mechanism control device in the fourth embodiment. In the figure, 101...Print data memory, 102...Print data development means, 103...Development data storage means,
104... Expanded data storage section, 105... Expanded data reading means, 106... Output section, 301...
Host computer, 302... Printing mechanism unit control device, 303... Secondary storage device, 304... Printing mechanism unit, 401... CPU, 402... Program memory, 403... Font memory, 404... Work memory, 405... Input I/F circuit, 406... Hard disk I/F circuit, 407... Memory for image development, 408... Memory for image output, 409... Output I
/F circuit, 410... is an image signal generator. 503 Figure 16 Old figure

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A printing device that prints out received print data page by page, comprising: a large-capacity external storage medium; and a storage means that sequentially stores page-by-page output image data based on the received print data in the external storage medium; , an image forming means for forming a page-by-page visible image on a recording medium based on the output image data; and an output means for reading the output image data stored in the external storage medium and outputting it to the image forming means. A printing device comprising: (2) The storage means includes a compression means for compressing output image data, and the output means includes a decompression means for decompressing the compressed data stored in an external storage medium.
Printing device as described in section. (3) In a printing device that registers multiple forms and prints a composite of the specified form and print information to be superimposed on the form, a large-capacity external storage medium and a memory for developing images related to printing are used. , storage means for storing form information for generating the form and image data of the form in the external storage medium; reading the form information stored in the storage means;
a first timer that measures the time required to form image data of a corresponding form on the memory; and a first timer that measures the time required to read the image data of the form stored in the storage means into the memory. Second to do
A printing apparatus comprising: a timer; and a registration means for registering in the storage means a data format with a smaller time value measured by the first and second timer.