JPH0739193B2 - Print control method - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print control method in a printing apparatus that generates print information based on print control information from document information input from an external device and prints the print information.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, print information (for example, pattern data for one page) is converted from document information (for example, code information such as a character code or a control command such as a page break code) input from an external device such as a host computer. To change the print control information used for generation, it is necessary to change it by a setting command from an external device such as a host computer or reset the dip switch provided in the printing device.

However, the former requires an external device such as a host computer to perform extra processing, and the latter DIP switch is rarely located on the front panel of the printing device, and is easily located inside or behind the printing device. Had a problem that it could not be reset.

[Purpose] The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the above-described conventional technology, and its purpose is to provide print control information stored in a printing apparatus or a detachable external storage unit. It is an object of the present invention to provide a print control method in which the print information is generated, and the print information can be freely generated according to the state of the printing apparatus.

[Embodiment] An embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus for carrying out an embodiment according to the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a host computer that outputs document information (for example, code information such as character codes and control naming such as page break codes), 2 is the printing apparatus main body of this embodiment, and 3 is a cartridge that stores print control information. Is.

The main body 2 includes a control unit 21 that controls the main control of the printing process, and a pattern conversion unit that generates pattern data corresponding to code information in the document information input from the host computer 1.
22 and a dot printer section 23 for printing the generated pattern data on a sheet.

The feature of the present embodiment is that the print control information is read from the cartridge 3 detachably mounted on the main body 2 and used.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the cartridge 3.

In the figure, a plurality of dip switches DS1 to DS6 are provided on the side surface of the cartridge 3.

The arrangement shown in the figure shows an example made in consideration of easy operation of the switch, but the arrangement is not limited to this.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a connector which is detachably fitted to the connector 24 of the main body 2 and electrically connects various signals. When the cartridge 3 is loaded in the connector 24, the print control information of each of the dip switches S1 to DS6 is read by the control unit 21 via the connectors 31 and 24, and various print control information can be easily operated by the printer main body. Can be given to 2.

With simple operation, for example, in general, there are many types of print control information according to the printing work, so a plurality of cartridges storing various print control information in advance are prepared.
It is to convert these with a simple operation. Alternatively, depending on the printing job, it may be sufficient to change only one or two pieces of print control information. Therefore, the print control information can be changed directly with respect to the dip switch of the cartridge which is loaded in the printer so as to be easily operated. Can perform operations.

In these cases, if one example of print control information corresponding to each DIP switch is shown, DS1 is a line pitch of print, DS2 is a character pitch in each line, DS3 is an upper margin of the printing surface, DS4 is the same lower margin, and DS5 is The left margin of the print line, DS6 is the right margin.

In addition, the number of DIP switches may be further increased, or it may be freely defined to specify the thickness of an underline that specifies the number of prints (the number of copies) without increasing the number.

For example, if the control unit 21 of the apparatus of this embodiment is configured by a microprocessor including RAM and ROM, what print control information the dip switches DS1 to DS6 are when the document information of various printing jobs is input from the host computer. This is because it is easy to give.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a print control process of one embodiment executed by the microprocessor in the control unit 21.

The process shown in the figure is executed at the time of initial setting when the apparatus is powered on, when the attachment / detachment state of the cartridge 3 is changed, or when a page feed code (control command) is received from the host computer 1. Here, for example, a change in the attachment / detachment state of the cartridge 3 can be easily known by determining whether or not any two pins of the connector 24 have been short-circuited due to the loading of the cartridge 3. When the page information code is included in the document information, it is determined that the page break code is input from the host computer 1.

Now, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the cartridge 3 is loaded in the connector 24. When the cartridge 3 is not loaded, the determination is NO and the program proceeds to step S2 to set the mode in which the default print control information is used. The default print control information is stored in the ROM in the control unit 21 in advance as reference print control information. Therefore,
In the apparatus of this embodiment, the print control process is executed according to the predetermined print control information even when the cartridge 3 is not loaded.

The process proceeds to step S9, and the print control process is executed on the document information sent from the host computer based on the print control information. One example of the main functions that the microprocessor of the control unit 21 executes based on the program is to feed the paper to the position of the upper margin, print the characters from the position of the left margin, insert the character pitch between the characters, and A line feed code is forcibly generated at the margin position, a pitch is inserted between lines, each line is printed up to the lower margin position, and a page break code is forcibly generated at the lower margin position.

If it is determined in step S1 that the cartridge 3 is loaded, the determination is YES, and step S
Go to 3. The process up to step S8 is Cartridge 3
This is a process for reading print control information from. Load the row pitch values from DS1 in step S3, DS2 in step S4.
To load the value of the character pitch, step S5 to load the value of the upper margin from DS3, step S6 to load the value of the lower margin from DS4, step S7 to load the value of the left margin from DS5, step S8. Now load the value of the right margin from DS6 into RAM.

The process proceeds to step S9 and print control processing is performed on the document information sent from the host computer based on the loaded print control information.

Of course, the above-mentioned printing control information may be loaded directly from the cartridge 3 whenever necessary at the same time as the execution of the program in step S9.

When the print control information of the document information for one page sent from the host computer 1 ends, there is a page break code sent from the host computer 1. The control unit 21 executes the processing of FIG. 3 again based on the page feed code.

Therefore, the print control information of the apparatus of this embodiment can be changed at each time point when the print control processing of the document information for one page sent from the host computer 1 is completed.

Therefore, as in the case of a normal printing device, the host computer 1 sends a temporary stop command of the printing operation by the operation of the operator, and the printing control information can be easily changed at the page break where the printing operation is stopped. Therefore, the operability is improved.

[Effect] As described above, according to the present invention, the print information is generated based on the print control information stored in the printing apparatus or the detachable external storage unit. You can decide freely according to the state of being placed.

Specifically, if the detachable external storage unit is connected to the printing apparatus, the print information is changed from the document information input from the external device based on the print control information stored in the detachable external storage unit. Is generated. On the other hand, if the detachable external storage unit is not connected to the printing apparatus, based on the print control information stored in advance in the printing apparatus,
The print information is generated from the document information input from the external device.

Therefore, the print information can be generated from the document information according to the state in which the printing device is placed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of a cartridge, and FIG. 3 shows a printing control process of an embodiment executed by a control unit. Flowchart shown here, 1 ... Host computer, 2 ... Printing device main body, 3 ... Cartridge, 21 ... Control unit, 22 ... Pattern conversion unit, 23 ... Dot printer unit, DS1 to DS6 ... Dip It is a switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A print control method in a printing apparatus for generating print information from document information input from an external device and printing the print information, wherein the print control information used when generating print information from the document information is stored. A determination step of determining whether or not the detachable external storage means is connected to the printing apparatus, and if the determination step determines that the external storage means is connected to the printing apparatus, If the print information is generated from the document information input from the external device based on the print control information stored in the external storage means, and the external storage means is not connected to the printing device in the determining step. If determined, a control step of generating print information from document information input from the external device based on print control information stored in advance in the printing device. Print control method characterized in that it comprises.