JPH0346060A - Collective control output system for slip between plural computers - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively output slips by collectively controlling and outputting the slips edited on plural computers. CONSTITUTION:The system has an intercomputer file exclusive controller which lies between first and second computers 10 and 20, slip editing parts 2 and output editing parts 4 provided in the first and second computers 10 and 20, printing image files 3 which are set as common use files, an output request control file 5, and a schedule part 6, an output device 7 and an instruction part 8, all of which are provided in a third computer for output 30. Then the system collectively controls and output-controls various slips edited in respective computers 10, 20 and 30. Thus, the number of times for transmitting paper information and overlay information to a printer, and the number of times for exchanging papers in the output device 7 by an operator are reduced, and the slips can effectively be outputted.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a system for editing and outputting various types of forms using multiple computers, and in particular, a system for collectively managing and outputting forms on all computers. The present invention relates to a control system for efficiently managing book output by scheduling sequences.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a form output system using multiple computers, various files are managed for each computer.

Then, in order to output forms efficiently by reducing the number of times paper control information/overlay information is sent to the output device and the number of times the paper is changed to the output device, the output order of forms is controlled for each computer. ing.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional technology described above, output control can only be performed on a computer-by-computer basis. For this reason, even if a form that uses the same paper◆overlay is edited on each computer, it is not possible to control the continuous output of the above forms from each computer, and the paper information/overlay information is It takes time to send the paper to the output device and the operator has to change the paper to the output device.

The problem of the present invention is to collectively manage a wide variety of forms edited by each computer and perform full output control.
To enable efficient output of forms by reducing the number of times paper information/overlay information is sent to a printer and the number of times an operator changes paper to an output device.

[Means to solve the problem]

The integrated form management output system among multiple computers according to the present invention prevents files shared between multiple computers having a form editing section and an output request editing section from being used simultaneously from programs on each computer. It has an inter-computer file exclusive control device that centrally performs exclusive control, and the shared files include a print image file that stores the form from the computer, and an output request management file that manages the form output request from the computer. and a performance management file for managing form editing/output performance, and a computer other than the plurality of computers searches the output request management file to continuously generate forms using the same paper/overlay. a schedule section that controls the output to
an output device that reads the print image file and outputs a form based on instructions from the scheduler section;

The present invention is characterized in that it includes an instruction section for giving instructions from an operator to the schedule section.

[Example] Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system showing an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an inter-computer file exclusive control device interposed between a second computer 10.20 and a form editing section 2 provided in each of the second and second computers 10.20 are used.
and output editing section 4. Print image file set as a shared file 3. Output request management file 5
and performance management file 9. Schedule section 6 provided in the third computer 30 for output. It has a printing device 7° and an instruction section 8.

Next, the functions of each part shown in FIG. 1 will be explained.

The inter-computer file exclusive control device 1 includes a form editing section 2 operating on each computer for the print image file 3, the output request management file 5, or the performance management file 9.
and output request editing department 4. This is a device for controlling so that two or more of the scheduler 6 and the output device 7 access each file at the same time and do not illegally update each of the files.

A form editing unit 2 edits and creates a form, outputs it to a print image file 3, passes the form information to a single output request editing unit 4, and outputs the editing results of the form to a performance management file 9. The output request editing section 4.

Based on the form information taken over from the form editing unit 2, the number of copies to be output and the paper to be output is determined, the output request is edited and outputted to the output request management file 5, and the number of planned copies to be output is output to the performance management file 9. given name. The print image file 3 is a file that stores a print image of a form edited by the form editing section 2. The output request management file 5 is a file that collectively manages output requests edited and output by the 1-output request editing section 4. Performance management file 9 is used for editing and
This is a file that collectively manages output results. The schedule unit 6 takes in the output requests from the output request management file 5, schedules the output order so as to output the forms most efficiently, issues an output request to the output device 7, and sends the output results of the forms to the performance management file 9. Output. Output device 7
reads the print image file 3 based on the output request from the schedule section 6 and outputs the form. The operator issues a scheduling instruction from the instruction section 8 to the schedule section 6.

Next, the operation will be explained according to FIG.

The inter-computer file exclusive control device 1 manages the print image file 3, output request management file 5, and performance management file 9 that are accessed from each computer, and from which part on which computer they are accessed.

When a certain file is being accessed from a certain section, if there is an access request for that file from another section, the access from the later section will wait until the access from the section accessing it first is completed. let for example.

If the output request editing section 4 of the computer 20 attempts to access the performance management file 9 while the form editing section 2 of the computer 10 is accessing the performance management file 9, the form editing section 2 of the computer 10
The output request editing section 4 of the computer 20 until the access is completed.
Wait for access.

Then, when the access by the form editing section 2 of the computer 10 is completed, the output request editing section 4 of the calculator 20 is made to access. In this way, the file is prevented from being accessed from different parts at the same time.

Performs control to maintain file integrity.

The form editing section 2 edits the form and stores it in the print image file 3, and at the same time stores the editing results of the form in the performance management file 9. Print image file 3. When accessing the performance management file 9, the inter-computer file exclusive control device 1 is notified that each file will be accessed. and.

Each file is accessed when a notification that access is possible is returned from the inter-computer file exclusive control device 1. The output request editing unit 4 edits the output request by adding print information to the form information received from the form editing unit 2, stores it in the output request management file 5, and at the same time stores information such as the number of copies scheduled to be printed for one form. Register in the performance management file 9.

Output request management file5. When accessing the performance management file 9, the inter-computer file exclusive control unit 1 is notified of the fact that each file will be accessed.

The file is accessed when a notification that it is accessible is returned. The schedule unit 6 reads the output requests in the output request management file 5, performs scheduling so that the same forms and overlays are output continuously, and sequentially gives output instructions to the output device 7. When accessing the output request management file 5, the inter-computer file exclusive control device 1 is notified of this fact. Then, when there is no longer any access to the output request management file 5 from the output request editing section 4 on another computer, the computer receives a notification that access is possible from the inter-computer file exclusive control device 1, and accesses the output request management file 5. do.

The output device 7 reads the print image file 3 based on an output instruction from the schedule section 6 and outputs a form. When accessing the print image file 3, the inter-computer file exclusive control device 1 is notified of this fact. Then, when there is no longer any access to the print image 3 from the form editing section 2 on another computer, the user receives a notification that the print image file 3 can be accessed, and accesses the print image file 3. When the output of the form on the output device 8 is completed, the schedule unit 6 registers the output record of the form in the performance management file 9 and issues an output instruction to the output device 8 for the form to be outputted as the primary output. When registering the output record of a form in the record management file 9, the inter-computer file exclusive control device 1 is notified that the record management file 9 is to be accessed. Then, the performance management file 9 from the output request editing section 4 on another computer
When the access to the record management file 9 is completed, registration is performed after receiving a notification from the inter-computer file exclusive control device 1 that the performance management file 9 can be accessed.

Although the present invention has been described above with respect to the case where the first and second computers 10 and 20 are provided, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a case where there are three or more computers.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention collectively manages and outputs forms edited on multiple computers, thereby reducing the number of times paper control information, overlay information, etc. are sent to an output device, This has the effect of reducing the number of manual operations required to set the media and efficiently outputting forms.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention. 1... Inter-computer file exclusive control device, 2... Form editing department, 3... Print image file, 4...
Output request editing department, 5... Output request management file, 6.
... Schedule section, 7... Output device, 8... Instruction section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) It has an inter-computer file exclusive control device that performs exclusive control management of files to be shared among a plurality of computers, which has a form editing unit and an output request editing unit, and the shared file includes a form from the computer. It has a print image file to store, an output request management file to store the request for outputting the form from the computer, and a performance management file to manage the editing/output results of the form, and is separate from the computer for output. The calculator includes a schedule section that schedules a request to output a form, an instruction section that gives instructions from an operator to the schedule section, and an output device that reads the print image file and outputs a form based on instructions from the schedule section. A system for collectively managing and outputting forms between multiple computers, characterized by comprising: