JPH06297782A - Method for controlling restart of printing in trouble during emulation - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the same printing results as those by an actual machine without changing application by installing a transfer reserve buffer in a hardware emulator and storing printing data in the buffer when a trouble has occurred in a printing apparatus. CONSTITUTION:A printing apparatus 2 is driven by the application 1 in an emulation system 10. When a trouble occurs in the printing apparatus 2, printing data are stored in the transfer buffet of a printer port 13. On the other hand, when the trouble is eliminated, the stored data are transferred to the printing apparatus 2 for the restart processing. In such a data processing apparatus 1a, a transfer buffer 110 is installed in a hardware emulator 11. When a trouble has occurred in the printing apparatus 2, the printing data are stored in the transfer buffer 110. When the trouble is eliminated, the printing data stored in the transfer buffer 110 are transferred so that the restart process is executed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print resuming control method when a failure occurs during emulation.

With the recent increase in the usage of computer systems, computer systems having various characteristics and adapted to their respective uses are being constructed.

Further, due to recent advances in computer technology, the performance of data processing systems has improved, and so far, it has been possible to combine one application program generated to operate with a plurality of different systems into an arbitrary program. By emulating with a computer, demands for further cost reduction have increased.

For example, when an application running on one personal computer is run on another personal computer and the same printer is driven to obtain the same print result, it is necessary to emulate control considering the difference in hardware operation. However, since the characteristics of the basic system are different, there is a problem that the physical difference, for example, the difference in operation affected by the difference in whether or not the transfer buffer is provided in the printer port cannot be absorbed. Effective control methods are needed.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a conventional print control method. FIG. 1A shows a case where a general serial printer device 2 is connected to a personal computer 1 to obtain a print result.

In this case, as the physical resource, for example,
Bus (signal line) 3 and printer port connected to it
13 is equipped with a transfer buffer 130
In the application running on 1, when the print data is transferred to the serial printer device 2 to perform predetermined printing, the receiving device, for example, the serial printer device 2, receives the data and transfers the ACK signal. Until that time, the transfer buffer 130 of the printer port 13 holds the transfer data for printing, and even if an error occurs on the bus 3 to the serial printer device 2, the transfer data itself Is left on the bus 3, and when the serial printer device 2 sends out a signal (ACK) to recover the abnormality, the transfer buffer 130
Transfer data (also called print data) held in
Is immediately transferred to the serial printer device 2 to prevent data loss.

FIG. 1B shows a case where the data processing device 1a connected by a protocol having no relation to the above operation transfers the transfer data to be printed from the application to the same serial printer device 2 as described above. Is shown.

The emulation system 10 shown in FIG. 1 (b) emulates the operation of an application so that the data processor
1a is configured so that it can be seen as the personal computer 1 shown in FIG. 3 (a).

However, the above emulation system 1
0 indicates a physical operation, such as the transfer buffer 130 provided in the printer port 13 described above, even if logical emulation is performed in the hardware emulator interposed between the serial printer device 2 and the printer. It was the current situation that it did not emulate until the operation.

[0010]

Therefore, an application (APL) for another computer (data processing device: personal computer) 1 is operated by one computer (for example, a personal computer: sometimes called a native system) 1a, and serialized. When the print result is obtained by the printer device 2, the difference in the hardware operation to the bus 3, that is, the signal transition of the operation when the transfer buffer 130 provided in the printer port 13 is provided is not performed Then, the following problems occur.

1) During printing, if the operation panel of the serial printer device 2 is operated and, for example, the offline button is pressed, an abnormal state occurs, and the abnormal signal is transferred from the serial printer device 2, and the transfer that has just been transferred. The data will not be received by the serial printer device 2 side, resulting in a missing transfer data.

2) When the serial printer device 2 notifies the end of an attempt to transfer the print data that an error, for example, a paper jam has occurred, a part of the data on the bus 3 is lost and the transfer data is lost. Next to, for example, "Return +
When the "new line" instruction is added, the "return" data disappears, and even if the instructed data is faithfully transferred from the application, the "return" operation disappears in the stream. There was a problem such as.

As described above, in the conventional input / output bus control method, the print result depends on the state notified from the peripheral device in controlling the data transfer.
Even if the print data is transferred by an operation equivalent to that of the data processing device to be emulated, the same result is not always obtained.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the present invention is a method for realizing the same printing result and operating method as an actual machine without changing the application, that is, without being affected by the physical difference of the hardware interface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a control method capable of obtaining the same print result.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. The above problems can be solved by the print restart control method at the time of a failure during emulation configured as follows.

A data processing apparatus 1 is provided with a transfer buffer 130 at a printer port 13 and holds print data while printing data.
Drive, and when there is a failure notification from printer device 2,
When the print data is held in the transfer buffer 130 and the fault condition is recovered, the print data held in the transfer buffer 130 is transferred to the printer device 2 to emulate the data processing device 1 that executes the restart process. In the data processing device 1a that drives the printer device 2, the transfer hold buffer 110 is provided in the hardware emulator 11 and the transfer buffer 1 is connected to the printer port 13.
Even data processing device 1a that does not have 30 can be emulated when the above application is executed by the printer device.
When a failure occurs in 2, the print data is held in the transfer hold buffer 110, and when the failure in the printer device 2 is recovered, the print data held in the transfer hold buffer 110 is transferred and restarted. Configure to perform the process.

[0017]

That is, according to the present invention, a data processing device to be emulated, for example, an emulation system for emulating a personal computer (actual device), the emulation system, and the input / output bus
A data processing device having a hardware emulator that emulates an input / output bus, for example, in another personal computer, a transfer hold buffer for emulating the input / output bus is provided in the hardware emulator.
When the print data is transferred from the application to the serial printer and printed, the print data is transferred to the input / output bus and is simultaneously held in the transfer hold buffer.

Therefore, even if a bus error occurs during the transfer of print data to the input / output bus,
Since the transfer data is held, when the signal to release the abnormal state, for example, the ACK signal is sent from the serial printer side, the data held in the transfer hold buffer is sent to the I / O bus. Because you can
Similar to a data processing device that has a transfer buffer in the printer port, it is possible to perform complete restart control in the event of an abnormality, and it is possible to achieve the same print result and operation method as the actual machine without changing the application. Is obtained.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 described above is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an operation flow diagram of restart processing at the time of abnormality according to the present invention.

In the present invention, the data processing apparatus 1 is provided with the transfer buffer 130 at the printer port 13 and prints while holding the print data. The application drives the printer apparatus 2 and the printer apparatus 2 sends a failure notification. If there is, the print data is held in the transfer buffer 130, and when the failure condition is recovered, the transfer buffer is
The print data held in 130 is transferred to the printer device 2 to emulate the data processing device 1 that executes the restart process, and the data processing device 1a that drives the printer device 2 emulates the input / output bus 3. A transfer hold buffer 110 is provided in the hardware emulator 11 that operates to hold the print data in the event of an error, and responds to a signal (ACK) instructing cancellation of the error condition,
The means for transferring the print data held in the transfer holding buffer 110 to the bus 3 is a means necessary for implementing the present invention. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the drawings.

Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 3, the method for controlling the print restart at the time of a failure during emulation according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, 1a is
Any data processing device (native system) on which the emulation system 10 operates, for example, a personal computer, 10 is an emulation system that is a basic interface with another personal computer (actual device) to be emulated, and is an application. is there.

The data processing device (native system) 1a viewed from the above-mentioned application is seen by the emulation system 10 as a personal computer (data processing device: personal computer 1 in FIG. 3) which is a source of emulation. And, 11 is the emulation system 10 when the above arbitrary data processing device (native system) 1a is used.
It is a hardware emulator for realizing the application interface presented by and has the following functions.

1) Function of receiving print instruction data and converting format 2) Function of notifying the application of the status of the serial printer device 2 regardless of whether it is synchronous or asynchronous, and 12 is the data processing device (native) system)
With 1a, it is a logical device required to realize the printing function,
Basically, it is a driver that exchanges signals between the data processing device (native system) 1a and the serial printer device 2, and 110 is a buffer (transfer pending) for bus emulation, which is the core of the present invention. Buffer), if the printing device is serial printer device 2, 1
It has the same data length as the bus width in bytes.

Now, when emulation is performed as an interface between the data processing device (native system) 1a and the printing device in consideration of the protocol conforming to the serial printer device 2, the serial printer device 2
However, when it goes offline asynchronously, the following operations are performed on bus 3.

1) Data is set on the bus 3 regardless of whether the transfer is completed or not. 2) When the serial printer device 2 resumes processing from the offline state, specifically when the ACK signal is sent out, the serial printer device 2 receives the remaining data on the bus 3.

In order to realize the above requirements by software, in the present invention, when the asynchronous offline notification (notification of abnormal state) is received immediately before data transfer, the transfer data (print data) is transferred. , The above buffer for bus emulation (transfer pending buffer, abbreviated below) 110
It is configured to hold at
When the abnormal state cancellation signal (ACK) signal is received, the original transfer data can be retransmitted.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the above operation. First, when print data is transferred from the application (APL) to the hardware emulator 11 via the emulation system 10, the data format is converted in the hardware emulator 11 and the serial data is sent via the driver 12. It is sent to printer device 2.

At this time, if an offline state occurs in the serial printer device 2, when an abnormality (that is, the above-mentioned offline) is detected in the hardware emulator 11, the immediately preceding transfer data (print data) is transferred to the bus emulation. Save to buffer 110. {Fig. 2
Processing steps 100, 101, 102} Until the signal (ACK) for canceling the abnormal state (offline state) is sent from the serial printer device 2, data is continuously stored in the bus emulation buffer 110 and the abnormal state is canceled. When the signal (ACK) is sent out, the transfer data (print data) stored in the bus emulation buffer 110 is transferred via the driver 12
When the signal is transferred to the serial printer device 2 and a signal (ACK) instructing normal termination is sent from the serial printer device 2, a completion signal is sent to the application. {Refer to processing steps 103, 104, 105 in FIG. 3} By the operation described in FIG. 2 by the mechanism shown in FIG. 1, the offline bus control in the serial printer device system, specifically, the bus control at the time of abnormality is completely completed. Emulation is possible and the same print result and operation method as the real machine 1 equipped with a transfer buffer at the printer port can be realized without changing the application.

[0029]

As described above in detail, according to the method for controlling print restart at the time of failure during emulation of the present invention, the offline bus control in the serial printer device system, specifically, when an abnormality occurs The bus control of can be completely emulated, and the same printing result and operation method as the actual machine equipped with the transfer buffer at the printer port can be realized without changing the application.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flow chart of restart processing at the time of abnormality according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conventional print control method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Data processing device (personal computer) 1a Data processing device (native system: personal computer) 10 Emulation system 11 Hardware emulator 110 Bus emulation buffer (transfer pending buffer) 12 Driver 13 Printer port 130 Transfer buffer 2 Serial printer device 3 Bus, I / O Bus 100 to 105 Processing step application (APL) ACK Normal end signal

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transfer buffer (130) for a printer port (13).
A data processing device (1) for printing while holding print data, wherein when the application () drives the printer device (2) and the printer device (2) gives a failure notification, When the print data is held in (130) and the fault condition is recovered, the transfer buffer (13
The print data stored in (0) is transferred to the printer device (2), the data processing device (1) that executes the restart process is emulated, and the data processing device (1a that drives the printer device (2) is emulated. ) In the hardware emulator (11), the transfer pending buffer (1
10) is provided, and when a failure occurs in the printer device (2) during emulation when the above application is executed, the print data is held in the transfer hold buffer (110) and the printer device (2) A print restart control method at the time of a failure during emulation, characterized in that, when the failure is recovered, the print data held in the transfer hold buffer (110) is transferred and the restart processing is executed.