JPH0524839B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (A) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a multiple print processing device that prints a plurality of pages of print data arranged horizontally on a sheet of paper.

(b) Prior art As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-41367 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-11439, so-called bag binding is a technique in which two pages of print data are printed horizontally on paper. Processing devices capable of double printing, called printing, have been proposed in the past.

And, in a device that performs such multiple printing,
There are various methods for intermediate processing, but in all cases, the print data of each page of the same line is successively read out from the storage unit that stores print data of multiple pages and output to the print unit. That's what I was doing.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In general, print data includes function codes for specifying the start and release of function modes such as double-width mode and vertical writing mode. To specify the double-width mode from the 5th character of the 1st line to the 3rd character of the 2nd line, the double-width start code ESC・W・1 must be entered immediately before the data of the 5th character of the 1st line, and The double-width cancellation code ESC・W・0 is inserted immediately after the data of the third character on the second line.

However, if such a function code is included in the print data of one page among multiple pages of print data for which multiple printing is to be performed, the mode specification will be applied to the other pages for the same line of print data. This causes the problem that multiple printing cannot be performed in the correct mode. For example, in the case of the above example, if the 1st to 3rd pages are printed three times in succession, the double-width mode is specified from the 5 characters in the 1st line of the 1st page, so the 2nd and 3rd pages are Double-width mode is also specified for the first line of the page.

(d) Means for solving the problem The present invention includes a buffer memory that stores print data of a plurality of pages, and continuously outputs the print data of each page of the same line from the buffer memory to the printing unit. The multiple print processing device prints multiple pages of print data arranged horizontally on paper, and searches for a function code that specifies the start and release of a function mode for each line of print data of each page in the buffer memory. Input processing that detects the functional mode at the beginning and end of each line by performing this step, and stores first and second mode information representing the respective functional modes at the detected beginning and end of the line in association with the print data of each line. When outputting print data for each line of each page from the buffer memory, the first mode information of the output line is compared with the second mode information of the line output immediately before, and if they are not equal, the first mode is output. The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing an output processing section that adds a function code to the head of the print data for setting the function mode represented by the information and outputs the print data of the output line.

(e) Effect In the present invention, when outputting print data, the print data of each page on the same line is outputted consecutively, so the function mode of the beginning of the line of the output page in the same line and the line end of the immediately preceding page are different. If the two function modes are not equal as a result of this comparison, the first mode information of the output line, that is, the function code for setting the function mode at the beginning of the line of the output page, is added to the output print data. Even if the function mode of the previous page on the same line is specified, if the function mode at the beginning of the line of the output page is not the specified mode, the function code that specifies the cancellation of that function mode will be added at the beginning. or when the function mode at the beginning of the line of the output page is a function mode that is not specified on the immediately preceding page, a function code specifying the start of that function mode will be added at the beginning, and therefore, Functional modes are prevented from influencing between adjacent pages in the same row.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment in which a multiple print processing device 1 of the present invention is connected between a host device 2 and a printer device 3.
Data covering a plurality of pages is stored in the data storage section 4, and the creation and sending of print data based on this data is performed in exactly the same way in the case of multiple printing as in the case of normal printing. Further, the printer device 3 is a general device.

The multiple print processing device 1 includes two buffer memories 5 and 6 for storing line-by-line print data for each page sent from the host device 2, a memory 7 for storing the number α of multiple prints, and a memory 7 for storing the number α of multiple prints. horizontal position management table HCT8 that stores the horizontal offset of each page corresponding to , vertical position management tables LCT9 and LCT10 for managing each print data in buffer memories 5 and 6 line by line, and buffer memories 5 and 6. an input processing section 11 that executes processing when inputting data; and an output processing section 1 that executes processing when outputting data from the buffer memories 5 and 6.
2, and an input/output management unit 13 that manages input processing and output processing, and includes tables HCT8 and LCT.
9 and 10 are pointers HCTP14 and 10, respectively.
Its position is indicated by LCTPs 15 and 16. The values of the pointers LCTP15 and LCTP16 correspond to each line position in multiple printing.

Furthermore, the multiple print processing device 1 has a function code table that shows the correspondence between function codes and mode information.
FCT 17, and an input mode register INMREG 18 that temporarily stores mode information indicating the functional mode when inputting print data to buffer memories 5 and 6;
The FCT 17 is provided with an output mode register OUTMREG 19 that temporarily stores mode information indicating the functional mode when printing data is output from the buffer memories 5 and 6. A specific example of the FCT 17 is shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, two buffer memories are provided so that while the input processing section 11 is using one buffer memory, the output processing section 12 can use the other buffer memory. The management unit 13 controls the input processing unit 1 based on the busy signal and ready signal from the printer device 3.
1 and the output processing section 12 to access different buffer memories.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the data format stored in the buffer memories 5 and 6, in which the print data to be actually output is stored in the fifth and subsequent words, and the data size is stored in the second word. In the present invention, as will be described in detail later, the print data of each page on the same line is linked in the buffer memory, so the first word is used as a next pointer indicating the link destination. The starting address of the buffer memory that stores the data of the next page of the row is stored. In addition, the third and fourth words each contain the function mode at the beginning of the line of print data stored after the fifth word.
MODE0 and function mode MODE1 at the end of the line
is memorized.

The processing contents of this embodiment will be explained below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 to 7.

First, before transmitting data, the host device 2 transmits the number α of multiple series and the horizontal offset of each page corresponding to the number of multiple series. Then, the multiple print processing device 1 stores the number α of multiple prints in the memory 7, secures a storage area for the number of multiple prints as a table HCT8, and stores the horizontal offsets a ₁ , a ₂ of each page in these areas. , a ₃ ... are stored in page order.

After sending out the number of multiple stations and the horizontal offset, the host device 2 sequentially reads data from the data storage section 4 starting from the first row for each page, and sequentially sends print data based on the data, as in the case of normal printing. The input processing unit 11 of the multiple print processing device 1 initializes the pointers HCTP14 and LCTP15 to “1” and the entire contents of the table LCT9 to “0”, and each time print data is sent from the host device 2,
Execute the process shown in the flowchart in the figure.

That is, the horizontal offset indicated by HCTP14 is
A horizontal line corresponding to this horizontal offset is placed at the beginning of the print data read and sent from HCT8.
A TAB code is added and stored in the buffer memory 5. Then, it is determined whether the content of LCT9 indicated by LCTP15 is "0" or not, and if it is "0", LCTP1
It is determined that this is the first print data in the line indicated by 5, and the start address of the buffer memory 5 in which the data is stored is stored in the LCT 9 indicated by the LCTP 15.
If it is not "0", it is determined that there is already data to be printed first on the same line, the data at the start address stored in LCT9 is searched, and it is determined whether the next pointer in this data is "0" or not. . For the linked data indicated by the next pointer, which is not "0", it is similarly determined whether the next pointer is "0" or not, and this process is continued until data that becomes "0" is retrieved. When data whose next pointer is "0" is retrieved, the start address of the buffer memory 5 storing the transmitted data is written as a link destination to the next pointer in the retrieved data. Pointer LCTP1
5 is updated every time data is input, and when a line feed code and vertical TAB code are input,
Data is not stored in the buffer memory 5, but only the pointer LCTP 15 is updated. Also, pointer
The HCTP 14 is updated when a page break code is input, and at this time, the LCTP 15 is returned to the initial value "1". Incidentally, data is stored in the buffer memory 5 in the order in which it is sent.

Through the above processing, the print data for each page of each row is linked in page order in the buffer memory 5, and the start address where the data to be printed first in each row is stored is stored in the corresponding position of the LCT 9. When the data input for the number of pages corresponding to the set number of multiple series is completed, the data input process to the buffer memory 5 is completed, and subsequent data is stored in the other buffer memory 6.
will now be entered. This buffer memory 6
The input processing to the buffer memory 5 is performed in exactly the same manner, and when the processing for the number of pages corresponding to the number of series is completed, the buffer memory is switched and the input processing to the buffer memory 5 is executed again.

In Figure 8, the number of multiple stations α is set to ``3'', the horizontal offset of each page is set to ``0'', ``10'', and ``20'', respectively.
This shows an input processing situation when the host device 2 sends print data related to these data in page order when the data as shown in FIG. 9 is stored in the data storage unit 4. If the data on the third line is stored starting from the first address "3+S ₁ " and this first address "3+S ₁ " is stored in the third storage area of LCT9, the data on the third line of page 3 will be input. Then,
This input data is stored in the buffer memory 5 following the data on the second line of page 3, and its start address "202+S ₅ " is set to the next pointer of the data on the third line of page 1, which is the preceding data on the same line. Written as a link destination. In this example,
There is no data in the third row of the second page.

By the way, the input processing unit 11 further executes the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 in the data storage routine to the buffer memory in STEP-B of the flowchart of FIG. Furthermore, INMREG1
8, its contents are initialized to all "0"s when inputting print data is started.

That is, after storing one line of input print data in the buffer memory, first, the contents of INMREG18 are written as MODE0 of the input line, and a function code is searched for the print data of the input line. Once the function code is retrieved, refer to FCT17 to check the corresponding mode information and set INMREG1
By turning on or off the bit corresponding to that code in 8, you can read the corresponding mode information.
Set INMREG18 and after the search is complete,
Write the contents of INMREG18 as MODE1 on the input line. Therefore, the function mode at the end of the input line is written as MODE1, and when inputting print data for the next line, the function mode at the end of the previous line is written.
It remains held in INMREG18. here,
Since the print data is input to the buffer memory in order from the first line for each page, the function mode at the end of the previous line matches the function mode at the beginning of the next line, and therefore the input as MODE0 is The functional mode at the beginning of the line is written.

Therefore, for example, in the case of FIG. 9 described above, as shown in FIG.・W・1 is included,
The print data on the 3rd line of the 1st page includes the function code ESC・W・0 that specifies the cancellation of the double-width mode, so the print data on the 1st line of the 1st page
Mode information “000001” is written as MODE1 and MODE0 on the third line of the first page, and the other lines
Mode information "000000" is written as MODE0 and MODE1.

Next, data output processing from the buffer memory 5 will be explained.

When the data input process to the buffer memory 5 is completed, the output processing unit 12 is activated, and as shown in the flowchart of FIG. I do. In processing each line, first, it is determined whether the content of LCT9 indicated by LCTP is "0" or not, and if it is "0", no processing is performed. If it is not "0", a vertical TAB code is sent to feed the paper to the position indicated by the LCTP 15. Or, regardless of the content of LCT9,
Outputs a line feed code every time LCTP15 is incremented. If the content of LCT9 is not "0", data excluding the next pointer and data size is read from the start address indicated by LCT9 of buffer memory 5, and this data is output to printer device 3. If the next pointer of this data is not "0", it jumps to the link destination and similarly outputs the data and determines the next pointer. This process is repeated until the next pointer of the link destination becomes "0", and by this process, data on the same line of a plurality of linked pages are sequentially output in page order.

For example, in the case of the example shown in FIG. 8, when LCTP15 is incremented to "2", first,
Newline code or vertical TAB equivalent to this line
The code is output, then the LCT9 is referenced and the data on the second line of the second page at address "102+S ₃ " is output, and the next pointer of that data is then referenced and the data at the link destination address "200" is output. The data on the second line of page 3 is output. Needless to say, the above processing is performed on the buffer memory 6 in exactly the same manner.

By the way, the output processing unit 12 further executes the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 in the data output routine in STEP-C and STEP-D of the flowchart of FIG. Furthermore, OUTMREG19
When the output of print data starts, the contents are initialized to all "0".

That is, the contents of MODE0 and OUTMREG19 on the output line are compared, and if they are equal, the function code for specifying the function mode of MODE0 is FCT17.
If they are equal, no function code is added. and in the output line
MODE1 is set to OUTMREG19, and the print data of the output line is output. When outputting the print data of the next line, the mode information at the end of the line output immediately before is held in OUTMREG19, and when outputting, the print data of each page of the same line is output continuously as described above. Therefore, in the first step of this process, the function mode at the end of the line of the page previously output on the same line is compared with the function mode at the start of the line of the page to be output next. Therefore, if they are equal, the data is output as is, and if they are not equal, the function mode of the previous line is canceled, and the function mode of the previous line is forcibly specified.
Alternatively, a function code specifying the start of a new function mode is added to the beginning. If the page you are trying to output is the data of the first page of multiple printing, the function mode at the beginning of that line is of course compared with the function mode at the end of the last page of the previous line, and the same processing is performed. will be done.

For example, in the example shown in Figure 8, MODE1 on the first line of the first page indicates double-angle mode as "000001", but MODE0 on the first line of the second page indicates standard mode as "000000". The function code ESC・W・0 that specifies cancellation of double-width mode is added to the beginning of the print data on the first line of the second page, and when outputting the print data on the third line of the first page, Since MODE0 is "000001" and MODE1 on the second line of the third page that was output immediately is "000000", the function code ESC.W.1, which specifies the start of double-width mode, is added to the beginning. Therefore, in the printer device 3, the desired three consecutive prints as shown in FIG. 10 are performed on the paper 20.

By the way, when sending so-called solid data that is not divided into pages in advance from the host device 2, the number of lines in one page is specified before sending, and when storing the data in the buffer memory,
This can be handled by determining whether or not the content of the LCTP exceeds the specified number of lines, and if it exceeds the specified number of lines, performing the same process as when inputting a page break code.

The above embodiment is an example in which the present invention is implemented in a separate device connected between the host device 2 and the printer device 3, but the present invention is implemented in the output stage of the host device or the printer device. It is of course also possible to implement it at the input stage.

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, even if a function code specifying a function mode is included in the print data of multiple pages to be printed multiple times, the page containing the function code is It is possible to enable only the specified mode and prevent incorrect mode specification for other pages. Therefore, on the host side, even in the case of multiple printing, the function code can be freely used without being particularly conscious.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a diagram showing specific contents of FCT, and Figure 3 is a diagram showing the specific contents of FCT.
The figure shows a data format, Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an overview of data input processing to the buffer memory, Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an overview of data output processing from the buffer memory, and Figure 6 is a data input process. 7 is a flowchart showing detailed contents of data output processing, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing specific contents of HCT, LCT, and buffer memory, and FIG. 9 is a data storage section. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the result of multiple printing. 1...Multiple print processing device, 2...Host device, 3...
printer device, 4...data storage unit, 5, 6...buffer memory, 8...HCT, 9, 10...LCT, 11
...input processing section, 12...output processing section, 17...FCT,
18...INMREG, 19...OUTMREG.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A buffer memory for storing print data of multiple pages is provided, and by successively outputting print data of each page of the same line from the buffer memory to a printing unit, the print data of the multiple pages can be arranged horizontally on paper. A multiple print processing device for printing, which detects the functional mode at the beginning and end of each line by searching for a function code that specifies the start and release of a functional mode for each line of print data of each page in the buffer memory. an input processing unit that stores first and second mode information representing the detected functional modes at the beginning and end of the line in association with the print data of each line; and an input processing unit that stores the print data of each line of each page from the buffer memory. When outputting, a function for comparing the first mode information of the output line with the second mode information of the line output immediately before, and setting the functional mode represented by the first mode information when they are not equal. 1. A multiple print processing device comprising: an output processing unit that outputs print data of an output line by adding a code to the beginning thereof.