JPH0916352A - Device and method for supporting printer output - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide device and method for supporting printer output with which a printer output is enabled without being conscious of any printer language and printer. CONSTITUTION: This device is provided with a format file for storing fixed format data, editing means for editing printer output information, general-purpose file 3 synthesizing the fixed format data in the format file and the output information from the editing means, and rule file 4 for storing the rules of printer language peculiar for the printer. Then, since a converting means 6 converts the contents of the general-purpose file 3 and outputting them to the printer while using the rules matched with the type of the desired printer to output data, the output can be performed for anyone while using the printer installed anywhere without being conscious of any printer language and printer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer output support apparatus and method for efficiently using a print function in software development from a plurality of applications.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various printer languages have been provided, and by making full use of this printer language and sending control codes directly to the printer, delicate printer output can be performed. However, the specifications of this printer language are
It took a considerable amount of time to master each usage (grammar) and description method and be able to make full use of it, depending on the manufacturer. As a result, only certain people could use it and always had to rely on the same person to create new formats. In addition, when connecting terminal devices and printers scattered in various places to form a network and exchanging various information,
In many cases, printers of different models are connected. In such a case, the person who prints must always be aware of the printer before printing. Further, in such a case, there is a possibility that the designation is made by mistake, and there is a fear that wasteful paper is output.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to unify printer formats for all types of printer languages and printers so that anyone can perform printer output without being aware of the printer language and printer. It is to provide a support device and a method thereof.

A first printer output support device of the present invention comprises a general-purpose file for storing output condition information of data to be printed, a rule file for storing a printer language rule specific to a printer, And a conversion unit that converts and creates printer output data using the rule file for a printer that designates output of the general-purpose file. A second printer output support apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the general-purpose file is edited by using a style file that stores fixed style data and an editing unit that edits printer output information. Further, a third printer output support device of the present invention, in a network system connecting a plurality of stations via a server, stores a format file storing fixed format data and printer output information in the server or the station side. Editing means for editing, fixed format data in the format file, a general-purpose file in which output information is combined by the editing means, and a rule file for storing printer language rules specific to the printer,
A printer information file having information on printers connected to the station, and when the printer output is transmitted from the first station to the second station, the general-purpose file is converted to the corresponding printer in the printer information file. A conversion unit that converts the output data into printer output data using the rule file for the printer connected to the second station based on information, and converts the output data converted by the conversion unit into the first output data. It has a transmitting means for transmitting from the station to the second station side. Further, the fourth printer output support apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the editing means includes a color setting means, a frame setting means, a ruled line setting means, and a character editing means. Further, a fifth printer output support method of the present invention is, in a network system in which a plurality of stations are connected via a server, when general-purpose file data edited by the first station is output to the second station by printer output. , Find the printer information closest to the second station, and based on this printer information, convert the data in the first station to the printer closest to the second station, and convert the converted data Is transmitted to the second station.

According to the present invention, a format file for storing fixed format data, editing means for editing printer output information, fixed format data in the format file, a general-purpose file combining output information by the editing means, and a printer It has a rule file that stores the rules of its own printer language, and the conversion means converts the contents of the general-purpose file using the rules that match the type of printer you want to output and outputs it to the printer, so that anyone, anywhere Even the installed printer can perform output regardless of the printer language and printer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an editing unit, which is composed of, for example, a color setting unit 11, a frame setting unit 12, a ruled line setting unit 13, and a character editing unit 14. Reference numeral 2 is a style file for registering frequently used output styles. Reference numeral 3 is a general-purpose file created by using the editing means 1 and the style file 2. Reference numeral 4 is a rule file corresponding to each printer, 5 is a printer information file that stores the connected printer and the rules of the printer, 6 is a conversion means for converting the printer language according to the printer using the rule file 4, 7 Is the converted data. FIG. 2 is an example of the structure of a printer information file, which defines printers close to each station and their rules. This file is stored in the server as a file for each terminal or in the server as a system-wide file. FIG. 3A is information for frame setting. For example, the X coordinate value (3a1) for starting the frame and the Y coordinate value (3
a2), the X coordinate value (3a3) and the Y coordinate value (3a4) for ending the frame, the color code (3a5) of the frame, the line type of the frame, the presence / absence of filling (3a6), and the like are stored. FIG. 3B
Is information for setting ruled lines. For example, X to start a ruled line
The coordinate value (3b1) and the Y coordinate value (3b2), the X coordinate value (3b3) that ends the ruled line, and the coordinate value (3b that indicates the Y coordinate.
4), a character pattern that defines the color code of the ruled line (3b
5), information such as a character code (3b6) defining the line type of the ruled line is stored. FIG. 3C is information for character editing. For example, the X coordinate value (3c1) and the Y coordinate value (3c2) at which the character string starts, the character string (3c3) containing Chinese characters, the character pattern (3c4) that defines the color code of the character string, and the character point size of the character string Character code (3c5) that defines
Stores information such as. Figure 4 is the information for style setting,
The commonly used forms should be registered in the form file.
The format setting information includes, for example, a character string (41) that defines the size of the paper and a character string (4 that defines the orientation of the paper.
2) the character string coordinate value (43) that defines the upper margin (UPM) on the paper, the character string coordinate value (44) that defines the lower margin (LOM) on the paper, and the left margin (LFM) on the paper. The number of character string points to be defined (45), the character string coordinate value (46) to define the right end margin (RIM) on the paper, and the like are included. Next, a processing flow will be described with reference to FIG. First, one of "point setting", "millimeter setting", and "inch setting" is designated as the unit for setting coordinate values (S51). The settings at this time will be reflected in all future specifications. Next, the style to be used in the style file is selected (S52). The editing means 1 (color setting means 11, frame setting means 12, ruled line setting means 13, character editing means 14) is used to create and edit information to be output (S53). In case of frame setting, "f
ram (48.19, 65.21, 569.84, 7
05.91, BLK, SSL) "." 48.
19 "is the start X coordinate value," 65.21 "is the start Y coordinate value," 569.84 "is the end X coordinate value, and" 705.9 ".
1 "is the end Y coordinate value," BLK "is the color code (black),"
"SSL" means a line type (thin solid line). In the case of a character output part, for example, "char1 (283.50,677.5).
7. Specify "pending content", BLK, K) "." 283.50 "is the start X coordinate value," 677.5 "
“7” means the start Y coordinate value, “problem content” means the character data, “BLK” means the color code (black), and “K” means the character size (double-byte / half-width 10-point designation). The created information is stored in the general-purpose file 3 (S5).
4). If you have specified a special printer, match it with the type of printer, or if not specified,
In the printer information file, the rule file 4 matching the type of the default printer is searched (S55), and converted to output data using this rule file (S56). The output destination printer is, for example, POSTSCRIPT (US A
If it is compatible with dove System's page technology language), the above frame designation is "[] 0" setdash
48.2 65.2 moveto0 640.7
rlineto 521.7 0 rlineto 0
-640,7 rlineto -521.7 0
rlineto closepath 0.3 set
It is converted into linewidth stroke "... The above-mentioned character setting is" BLK newpath / Kanji findfont [10 0 0 1
0 0 0] makefonot setfont
283.5 677.6 moveto (in pending
Y) show [] 0 setdash 0 set
It is converted into "gray" ... This rule file 41
Provides a conversion table into a language that can support each printer type, but if a function that cannot be supported is specified, a substitute rule is prepared, for example, a printer that cannot support double ruled line output. If so, a single ruled line is defined as the designated replacement rule, and the rule is converted into a single ruled line. After data conversion, output to printer (S5
7). Next, using FIG. 6, the data created by the first station 211 is transferred to the second station 22 based on the request from the second station 221.
The flow of processing when outputting to the printer 222 close to 1 will be described. In the first station, data is created and edited using frame setting, ruled line setting, character editing, and style file, and saved in the general-purpose file 3. Next, the printer information file 5 is searched for printer information near the second station 221. A rule file 41 corresponding to the printer model is selected from the setting information of the printer to be output, and the data of the general-purpose file 3 is converted based on the selected rule file. The converted data is transmitted to the printer 222 to be output, and at the same time, the requesting second station 22 is transmitted.
A message to the effect that it has been sent to the printer 222 is displayed on the screen 1. Similarly, even when outputting to the third, fourth ...
It is possible to output the image at the time of creation to a printer close to each station without having to be aware of the type of printer close to each station.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily perform delicate setting printer output without knowing the specifications and usage of various existing printer languages. Also, even if terminal devices and printers scattered in various places are connected to form a network and various types of information are exchanged, it becomes possible to output without concern for the output destination printer. There are advantages.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a structural example of a printer information file.

FIG. 3A is an example of information for setting a frame.

FIG. 3B is an example of information for setting ruled lines.

FIG. 3C is an example of information for character editing.

FIG. 4 is an example of information for style setting.

FIG. 5 is a processing flowchart.

FIG. 6 is a network correspondence diagram.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Editing means, 11 ... Color setting means, 12 ... Frame setting means, 13 ... Ruled line setting means, 14 ... Character editing means, 2 ... Style file, 3 ... General-purpose file, 4 ... Rule file, 5 ... Printer information file, 6 ... Conversion means, 7 ... Data, 21 ... First station, 22 ... Second station, 222 ... printer, 23 ... network.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Using a general-purpose file for storing output condition information of data to be printed, a rule file for storing printer-specific printer language rules, and a rule file for a printer for designating output of the general-purpose file. A printer output support device having a conversion means for converting and creating printer output data. 2. The printer output support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the general-purpose file is edited by using a format file that stores fixed format data and an editing unit that edits printer output information. 3. In a network system for connecting a plurality of stations via a server, a format file for storing fixed format data, editing means for editing printer output information, and the format file in the server or the station side. It has an internal fixed format data, a general-purpose file in which output information is combined by the editing means, a rule file for storing the rules of the printer language unique to the printer, and a printer information file having information of the printer connected to the station. , When transmitting the printer output from the first station to the second station, the general-purpose file is used for the printer connected to the second station based on the corresponding printer information in the printer information file. And a conversion unit that converts and creates printer output data using a rule file, and outputs the data converted by the conversion unit. Printer output support device having a transmitting means for transmitting data from said first station to said second station side. 4. The printer output support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the editing means comprises a color setting means, a frame setting means, a ruled line setting means, and a character editing means. 5. In a network system in which a plurality of stations are connected via a server, when general-purpose file data edited by the first station is output to a second station by printer output,
Find the printer information closest to the second station, and based on this printer information, convert the data in the first station for the printer closest to the second station, and convert this converted data. A printer output support method for transmitting to the second station.