JPH0628278A - Method and device for outputting screen data of data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate trouble such as an increase in the interruption time of CAD, etc., by transferring screen data to an output means or specific data processing means and immediately entering a state for expecting a keyboard input, etc. CONSTITUTION:When the output of screen data is indicated to a terminal device 2, the screen data are transferred to an output device 3 as they are if the output device 3 is ready to comply with a new output request, but when not, the screen data are transferred to a host computer 1 as they are and a series of processes for the output of the screen data at the terminal device 2 is ended. Namely, the screen data are only transferred to a corresponding transfer destination without reference to the state of the output device 3 and then the series of processes for the screen data output is ended. Therefore, it is possible to return to for accepting a keyboard input, etc., almost without a wait time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a screen data output method for a data processing device and the device therefor, and more particularly to a data processing system in which a plurality of data processing devices and output devices are connected via a communication line. At
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for outputting screen data of any data processing device by an output device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a network system has been proposed in which a plurality of data processing devices, input / output devices, etc. are connected via a communication line, and a plurality of data processing devices share a small number of input / output devices. It is becoming very popular. In such a network system, since a plurality of data processing devices share a small number of input / output devices, for example, when data is transferred to an output device and data is output on paper, it is generally used. Since the output device does not have the function of holding the transferred data, the corresponding data processing device monitors whether the output device can respond to the output request and determines whether the output device can respond to the output request. In this case, the data transfer is carried out only in the case of the above to eliminate the conflict of the data transfer and prevent the deterioration of the output quality.

[0003]

Although various output requests are issued in the above network system, in the case of requesting the output of normal document data, image data, etc., the output device operates as described above. By transferring the data to the output device only when it is identified that the output request can be met, a high-quality output can be obtained without any inconvenience.

However, when the data to be output is screen data (so-called hard copy), there is a high possibility that various processing will be performed while making a screen data output request and then watching the screen display again. If the conventional method of waiting until the output device is in a state where it can meet the output request and then transferring the data to the output device is adopted, while the operator is instructed to output the screen data, while watching the screen display again. There is a possibility that the time taken to be able to perform various kinds of processing will be remarkably long. More specifically, for example, when data is received from a host computer and CAD (Computer
When performing Aided Design, etc., there is a relatively frequent need to output screen data on paper during work. Then, after the screen data is output on the paper by an output device such as a printer in response to this request,
There is a high possibility that CAD will be continued again while looking at the screen data on the paper. Of course, even if the screen data is output on the paper, CAD or the like may be continued without looking at the output screen data.

However, when the above-mentioned conventional method is adopted, if the output device is performing output processing in response to an output request from another data processing device, the output device is monitored until the output process is completed. The screen data must be transferred to the output device only after the output processing is completed, and the data amount of the output processing is unknown to the operator who instructed the output of the screen data. The time required for the above is completely unknown, and as a result, there is a possibility that the time from when the operator gives an instruction to output the screen data until when the CAD or the like can be continued again becomes extremely long.

As a result, there is a disadvantage that workability such as CAD is significantly deteriorated as a whole.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the time required from when an operator gives an instruction to output screen data until when the data processing apparatus can be operated again. It is an object of the present invention to provide a screen data output method for a data processing device and a device therefor capable of significantly shortening the time.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a screen data output method for a data processing device, wherein a plurality of data processing means and output means are connected via a communication line. When a specific data processing means of the data processing system has a screen data holding means and the other one data processing means requests the output of the screen data, the output means cannot respond to the output request. Under the condition of being identified, the screen data is transferred to the specific data processing means, the screen data output processing is terminated, and the specific data processing means holds the screen data on condition that the screen data is transferred. Temporarily hold in the means,
In this method, the output means monitors whether or not the output request can be met, and the specific data processing means transfers the screen data to the output means on condition that the output means is ready to meet the output request.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the screen data output device of the data processing device, the specific data processing means of the data processing system in which the plurality of data processing means and the output means are connected via the communication line is the screen data holding means. And output control means for monitoring the output means and outputting an output command in order to output the screen data in response to the screen data being held in the screen data holding means. , The other data processing means responds to the monitor means for monitoring the output means to output the screen data in response to the instruction to output the screen data, and the state in which the output means can output the screen data. First screen data transfer means for transferring the screen data to the output means, and the screen data is saved in response to the state in which the output means cannot output the screen data. Second screen data transfer means for transferring to a specific data processing means to be held by the means, and screen data transfer in response to completion of supply of screen data by the first screen data transfer means or the second screen data transfer means. Screen data output completion identifying means for identifying completion of output.

[0010]

According to the screen data output method of the data processing device of claim 1, in a data processing system in which a plurality of data processing means and output means are connected via a communication line, any one of the data processing means displays a screen. When the output of data is instructed, the output means identifies whether or not the new output request can be met. If the new output request can be met, the screen data is directly transferred to the output device and the screen data is transferred. Will be output. Conversely, if a new output request cannot be met, the screen data is transferred to a specific data processing means and the screen data output process ends. Therefore,
Immediately thereafter, it becomes ready to perform processing in response to the input by the operator. Further, in the specific data processing means, the screen data is temporarily held in the screen data holding means, and it is monitored whether or not the output means can respond to the output request, and the output means can respond to the output request. Since the specific data processing means transfers the screen data to the output means on the condition that the screen data has been reached, it is possible to output the screen data with high quality without causing conflict of output requests.

That is, in the data processing means instructed by the operator to output the screen data, the screen data is transferred to the output means or a specific data processing means, and then the keyboard input or the like can be immediately accepted. Since the screen data is output, keyboard input etc. cannot be accepted for a remarkably long time.
The inconvenience that the interruption time of D etc. becomes remarkably long can be reliably solved.

According to the screen data output device of the data processing device of claim 2, in a data processing system in which a plurality of data processing means and output means are connected via a communication line, any one of the data processing means is a screen. When the output of data is instructed, the monitoring means identifies whether the output means can meet a new output request, and if the new output request can be met, the first screen data transfer means directly displays the screen. Transfer the data to the output device to output the screen data. On the other hand, when the new output request cannot be met, the second screen data transfer means transfers the screen data to the specific data processing means to end the screen data output processing, and the screen data output completion identifying means displays the screen. Identifies the end of data output processing. Therefore, after that, it becomes possible to immediately perform the process of responding to the input by the operator. Moreover, in the specific data processing means,
The screen data is temporarily held in the screen data holding means, and the output control means monitors whether or not the output means can meet the output request, and the condition is that the output means is ready to meet the output request. Since the specific data processing means transfers the screen data to the output means, it is possible to output the screen data with high quality without causing conflict of output requests.

That is, in the data processing means instructed by the operator to output the screen data, the screen data is transferred to the output means or a specific data processing means, and thereafter, the keyboard input or the like can be immediately accepted. Since the screen data is output, keyboard input etc. cannot be accepted for a remarkably long time.
The inconvenience that the interruption time of D etc. becomes remarkably long can be reliably solved.

[0014]

Embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a network system to which the screen data output method of the present invention is applied, in which a host computer 1, a terminal device 2 and an output device 3 are connected via a communication line 4. The host computer 1 has a storage device 1a for temporarily holding screen data.

1 and 2 are flowcharts for explaining an embodiment of the screen data output method of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the processing of the terminal device 2 and FIG. 2 shows the processing of the host computer. First, the processing of the terminal device 2 will be described. In step SP1, the process waits until the screen data output is instructed, and in step SP2, it is determined whether or not the output device 3 is ready for a new output request. If it is determined in step SP2 that the output device 3 is ready for a new output request, step S
In P3, the screen data instructed to be output is transferred to the output device 3, and in step SP5, the screen data transfer is ended, and a new keyboard input or the like can be accepted. If it is determined in step SP2 that the output device 3 is not in a state capable of responding to a new output request, the screen data instructed to be output is transferred to the host computer 1 in step SP4, and the process of step SP5 is performed as it is.

Therefore, when the terminal device 2 is instructed to output screen data, if the output device 3 is in a state where it can meet a new output request, the screen data is directly transferred to the output device 3 and vice versa. If the output device 3 cannot respond to the new output request, the screen data is transferred to the host computer 1 as it is, and the series of processes for outputting the screen data in the terminal device 2 is completed. That is, regardless of the state of the output device 3, the series of processing for outputting the screen data is completed only by transferring the screen data to the corresponding transfer destination, so that the keyboard input or the like can be accepted with almost no waiting time. To do.

Next, the processing of the host computer 1 will be described. On the condition that the screen data is transferred from the terminal device 2 via the communication line 4, the received screen data is stored in the storage device 1a of the host computer 1 in step SP1, and the output device 3 is stored in step SP2.
Is monitored, and in step SP3 it is determined whether or not the output device 3 can meet the new output request. If the output device 3 cannot meet the new output request, step SP2 is executed again.
Is processed. On the contrary, if the output device 3 is in a state capable of responding to a new output request, screen data is read from the storage device 1a and transferred to the output device 3 in step SP4.
A series of processing ends.

Therefore, the host computer 1 continues to monitor the state of the output device 3, and when the output device 3 becomes ready to accept a new output request, the screen data stored in the storage device 1a is read and output. By transferring to the device 3, the output of the screen data can be achieved without causing a conflict of output requests.

[0019]

[Embodiment 2] FIGS. 3 and 4 are block diagrams showing an embodiment of the screen data output device of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a terminal device 2 and FIG. 4 shows a host computer 1. First, the terminal device 2 will be described.

The terminal device 2 uses the discrimination result of the screen data output discriminating section 2a for discriminating whether or not the screen data output is instructed and the discrimination result of the screen data output discriminating section 2a indicating that the screen data output is instructed. In response to the inquiry data transfer unit 2b that transfers the inquiry data to the output device 3 (see the broken line a in FIG. 5), and receives the response data returned from the output device 3 in response to the transfer of the inquiry data ( (Refer to the broken line b in FIG. 5), a state determination unit 2c that determines whether the output device 3 is in a state of accepting a new output request, and In response to the determination result of the state determination unit 2c shown, the screen data is transferred to the output device 3 (see the broken line c in FIG. 5) and the first transfer unit 2d and the output device 3 cannot accept a new output request. To be in a state In response to the determination result of the state determination unit 2c, the screen data is transferred to the host computer 1 (see the broken line d in FIG. 5) by the second transfer unit 2e and the first transfer unit 2d or the second transfer unit 2e. It has a post-transfer processing unit 2f that restores the terminal device 2 to a state in which keyboard input and the like can be accepted again in response to the completion of the transfer of the screen data.

Therefore, when the terminal device 2 is instructed to output the screen data, the screen data is directly transferred to the output device 3 as long as the output device 3 can respond to a new output request (see FIG. If the output device 3 cannot meet a new output request, the screen data is directly transferred to the host computer 1 (broken lines a, b, d in FIG. 5). ), A series of processing for outputting the screen data in the terminal device 2 ends. That is,
Regardless of the state of the output device 3, the series of processes for outputting the screen data is completed simply by transferring the screen data to the corresponding transfer destination, so that the keyboard input or the like can be accepted with almost no waiting time.

Next, the host computer 1 will be described. The host computer 1 stores the received screen data in the storage device in response to the identification result of the identification unit 1b that identifies that the screen data is received from the terminal device 2 and the identification unit 1b that corresponds to the receipt of the screen data. 1a for storing the screen data, 1d for transmitting the inquiry data to the output device 3 in response to the state where the screen data is stored in the storage device 1a, and for transferring the inquiry data. A state determination unit 1e that receives response data returned from the output device 3 in response to determine whether the output device 3 is in a state in which it can accept a new output request, and the output device 3 outputs a new output request. In response to the determination result of the state determination unit 1e indicating that the screen data can be received, the screen data is read from the storage device 1a and transferred to the output device 3 (see the broken line e in FIG. 5). And a transfer unit 1f.

Therefore, the host computer 1 continues to monitor the state of the output device 3, and when the output device 3 becomes ready to accept a new output request, the screen data stored in the storage device 1a is read and output. By transferring to the device 3, the output of the screen data can be achieved without causing the conflict of the output requests (see the broken line e in FIG. 5).
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be applied to the case of outputting screen data of a data processing device other than the terminal device 2, for example, and can be variously modified within the scope not changing the gist of the present invention. It is possible to change the design of.

[0024]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, in the data processing means instructed by the operator to output the screen data, the screen data is transferred to the output means or a specific data processing means, and immediately thereafter the keyboard is used. Since the input can be accepted, it is possible to surely solve the inconvenience that the keyboard input cannot be accepted for a remarkably long time due to the output of the screen data and the interruption time of CAD or the like becomes extremely long. And moreover,
The screen data is temporarily held in a specific data processing means, the state of the output means is monitored, and the screen data is transferred to the output means on condition that the output means can accept a new output request. Therefore, there is a unique effect that high quality screen data output can be achieved without competing output requests.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the data processing means instructed by the operator to output the screen data, the screen data is transferred to the output means or a specific data processing means, and then keyboard input etc. can be immediately accepted. Therefore, it is possible to reliably eliminate the inconvenience that the keyboard input etc. is not accepted for a remarkably long time for the output of the screen data and the interruption time of CAD etc. becomes remarkably long. Hold the screen data temporarily in the processing means,
Since the state of the output means is monitored and the screen data is transferred to the output means on condition that the output means can accept a new output request, high-quality screen data output can be performed without conflict of output requests. Has the unique effect of achieving

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a terminal device in an embodiment of a screen data output method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the processing of the host computer in the embodiment of the screen data output method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a terminal device in one embodiment of the screen data output device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a host computer in one embodiment of the screen data output device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a network system to which the screen data output method of the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 host computer 2 terminal device 3 output device 4 communication line 1a storage device 1d inquiry data transfer unit 1e status determination unit 1f transfer unit 2b inquiry data transfer unit 2c status determination unit 2d first transfer unit 2e second transfer unit 2f post-transfer processing Department

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a data processing system in which a plurality of data processing means (1) (2) and an output means (3) are connected via a communication line (4), a specific data processing means (1) is a screen. Has a data holding means (1a),
When the other one data processing means (2) requests the output of the screen data, the output means (3) identifies that the output data cannot meet the output request, and the screen data is specified as the specific data processing means. The specific data processing means (1) temporarily holds the screen data in the screen data holding means (1a) on condition that the data is transferred to (1) and the screen data output processing is terminated, and the screen data is transferred. Output means (3)
Monitors whether or not the output request can be met, and the specific data processing means (1) outputs the screen data to the output means (3) on condition that the output means (3) is ready to accept the output request. A screen data output method for a data processing device, characterized in that 2. In a data processing system in which a plurality of data processing means (1) (2) and output means (3) are connected via a communication line (4), a specific data processing means (1) is a screen. In addition to having the data holding means (1a), the output means (3) is monitored to output the screen data in response to the screen data being held in the screen data holding means (1a), and an output command is issued. And output control means (1d) (1e) (1f) for supplying
The other data processing means (2) monitors the output means (3) to output the screen data in response to the instruction to output the screen data, and the monitoring means (2b) (2c), and the output means ( The first screen data transfer means (2d) for transferring the screen data to the output means in response to the state in which the screen data can be output by 3) and the state in which the screen data cannot be output by the output means (3). A second screen data transfer means (2e) which responds to transfer the screen data to a specific data processing means (1) so as to hold the screen data in the screen data holding means (1a);
A screen data output completion identifying means for identifying that the output of the screen data is completed in response to the completion of the transfer of the screen data by the first screen data transfer means (2d) or the second screen data transfer means (2e) ( 2f) is included, and a screen data output device of a data processing device.