JPH0459269A - Printer with memory function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operating convenience by calculating the data amount of format data stored in a memory means for each format to indicate the calculated data amount for each format and also indicate the whole data amount or the remaining amount of memory capacity of the memory means. CONSTITUTION:A printer P comprises a CPU 3, RAM 5, a printing control section 6, a thermal head 7, and a stepping motor 8. The CPU 3 controls the entire printer P in accordance with a signal from a host computer. The RAM 5 stores the data which changes each time such as the format data sent from the host computer and the contents of the format data (index). The printing control section 6 prepares index data from the format data stored in the RAM 5 with an index preparation program stored in built-in ROM, or reads the format program stored in the built-in ROM, the format data stored in the RAM 5 by the index printing program, or the index data.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a printer with a memory function. [Prior Art] When printing on a label or the like using a printer, the printer uses a combination of a format program for printing in each column of the label and format data (print data) suitable for each label. Labels are now printed properly. Normally, a format program is input into ROM, and format data (print data) suitable for each label is created.
is input into RAM so that it can be printed using only the printer's built-in device.However, since the storage capacity of the printer's built-in RAM is small, it is not possible to store a lot of format data, and the data stored in RAM becomes full. Even when I tried to store new format data in RAM, I realized that the RAM was full, and I hurriedly deleted the format data that was no longer needed and tried to store the new format data again. There is the problem of having to do double work. Furthermore, when deleting format data, it is necessary to search for format data that can be deleted from among the stored format data. There is no way to check the stored format data because the content cannot be read by a computer, and conventional printers do not have the ability to display the content and amount of stored format data. Additionally, there was a problem in that the remaining storage capacity of the storage device (RAM) was not known.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to display the contents of each format data stored in a storage device of a printer, the total capacity of the stored data, or the remaining amount of storage capacity of the storage device.

[Means for Solving Problem 11] In a printer having a storage means for storing format data and a function of directly printing on a label, etc. using the format data stored in the storage means, the format data stored in the storage means is The data amount is calculated for each format, and the calculated data amount is displayed for each format, and the total data amount or the remaining storage capacity of the storage means is displayed.

[For use]

When storing format data created for each label in a storage device, the first address (start code address) and last address (start code address) where the format data is stored are stored.
By making it possible to read the exit code address),
The data amount of each format data can be calculated, the data amount of all stored format data can be displayed, and the storage device (RAM)
), it can be determined whether the format data that you want to input can be input without deleting the stored format data. Furthermore, when it becomes necessary to delete format data, it becomes possible to immediately determine which format data is best to delete, which facilitates the input of format data.

【Example】

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a communication interface that receives signals from the host computer and inputs various signals to the printer P. The printer P uses CPU3. RAM5. Print control section 6. It is composed of a thermal head 7 and a stepping motor 8, and a CPU 3 controls the entire printer P based on signals from a host computer. As shown in FIG. 2, the RAM 5 stores format data sent from the host computer and data that changes each time, such as the content (index) of the format data. The data stored in the index area is 3. As shown in Figure 3, the format data number. Start code address, end code address, data amount.Finally, calculate and write the total data amount.Even if you write the remaining storage capacity in RAM5 (RAM storage capacity - total amount of stored data) in this column. The print control unit 6 creates index data from the format data stored in the RAM 5 using an index creation program stored in the built-in ROM, or creates index data from the format data stored in the RAM 5 using the index creation program stored in the built-in ROM. The format data or index data stored in the RAM 5 is read and the thermal head 7 and stepping motor 8 are controlled to print on a label or paper. FIG. 4 is an example of index printing, in which the format, its data amount, and the remaining storage capacity obtained by subtracting the stored data amount from the RAM storage capacity are printed. When inputting new format data to RAM 5, if the remaining storage capacity is more than the amount of data you want to store, it will be stored as is, and if the remaining amount of storage capacity is less than the amount of data you want to store, delete it from the format list. After selecting data and deleting the selected format data, new format data is stored in the RAM 5. The above operation input is performed by the host computer 1. By combining the index creation program and the index printing program, a format data display program is created, and the format list shown in FIG. 4 can be displayed. Figure 5 shows a flowchart of a format data display program that links an index creation program and an index print program.First, N=1 is set (a).Whether or not the start code of the Nth format data remains. (a) If it remains, detect the address where the start code of the Nth format data exists, and store the start code address (t). Detect the registration number of the Nth format data. Store (E), Detect the address where the end code of the N-th format data exists, and store the end code address (E), Data capacity of the N-th format data, Data capacity = (End code address) −(
Ill! Calculate and store the starting court code address (force), set N=N+1 (ki), and return to operation (b). In operation (a), if it is determined that the start code of the Nth format data does not remain, the total data amount of the stored format data is calculated and stored (i), and each stored format data is The registration number, data volume, and total data volume of stored format data or remaining storage capacity are printed.

【effect】

According to the present invention, it is now possible to display the contents of format data stored in the printer.
It is now possible to delete format data as needed, making it more convenient to use.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a storage method in the above embodiment, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an index area storage method in the above embodiment, and FIG. 4 is an illustration of the above implementation. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the format data display program (index creation and printing program). P...Printer, 1...Host computer, 2.
...Communication interface, 3...CPU, 5...
RAM, 6... Print control unit, 7... Thermal head, 8... Stepping motor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a printer having a storage means for storing format data and a function of directly printing on a label, etc. using the format data stored in the storage means, the amount of data of the format data stored in the storage means is calculated for each format. 1. A printer with a storage function, characterized in that the amount of data stored is displayed by format, and the total amount of data or the remaining storage capacity of a storage means is displayed.