JPH10278389A - Printer and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent mixture of printed matters of different forms by simplifying a specify operation of form data and delivery sheet receiver. SOLUTION: An association management table 31 stores form data loaded in the printer 1 and a delivery sheet receiver 13 associated with each other. When only a delivery sheet receiver specified value IDe is input from a host computer, a form data retrieving unit 27 detects form data specified value IDf corresponding to the value IDe. Meanwhile, when only the value IDf is input, a delivery sheet receiver retrieving unit 28 retrieves the value IDe corresponding to the value IDf. Thus, printed matter using predetermined form data is delivered to the associated predetermined receiver 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method capable of printing various forms of data such as forms and stamps on forms, for example, by superimposing them on an image of print data. The present invention relates to a printing apparatus having a paper receiving port and a printing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a printing apparatus such as an ink jet printer or a laser printer interprets print data input from an external host computer or the like and generates image data. Then, printing based on the image data is performed on a print recording medium such as paper. Further, some printing apparatuses include a plurality of discharge receiving ports (discharge bins) for storing printed print recording media.

FIG. 7A is an explanatory view schematically showing a conventional printing apparatus provided with a plurality of paper receiving ports. The printer main body 100 has a paper feed port 101 for feeding paper,
A plurality of paper receiving ports 102 are provided. Paper feed port 1
01 is the printing recording medium supplied from the printing apparatus main body 10.
The print engine performs predetermined printing while the print engine is carried into the printer. Then, after the printing is completed, the print recording medium is discharged to a paper discharge port 102 specified in advance.

As described above, in the case of a printing apparatus having a plurality of paper receiving ports 102, for example, paper discharging is performed in accordance with each print job, such as for each user who has input print data and for each type of paper used. The receptacle 102 can be designated.

On the other hand, as a printing apparatus according to the prior art,
A plurality of form data is supplied by a memory pack or the like, so that pre-designated form data and print data can be overlapped in the printing apparatus.
One having a so-called form overlay function is also known. By using this form overlay function, for example, it is possible to write a predetermined item on a form of a predetermined form and print it, and to print an important document with a stamp such as "confidential".
For example, FIG. 7B shows a case where form data of a ground pattern and character data are overlaid, and FIG. 7C shows a case where form data of a stamp is overlaid on character data.

[0006]

In a conventional printing apparatus having a plurality of paper receiving ports and having a form overlay function, the specification of the paper receiving port and the specification of the form overlay are independent of each other, so that the usability is low. There is a problem. That is, when a print recording medium printed by superimposing on desired form data is discharged to a desired discharge port, specification of the form data and specification of the discharge port must be performed separately.

Further, since there is no relation between the specification of the form data and the specification of the paper discharge port, a print recording medium printed with a different form is mixed in each paper discharge port. Therefore, in order to sort print recording media printed in the same form, it is necessary to check the print recording media accumulated in all the paper receiving ports and take out only the print recording media of a predetermined form, which is inconvenient. . For example, when only print recording media printed using a predetermined form such as a slip are collected and delivered to a predetermined department, if mixed prints of different types of forms are mixed, the sorting operation of the print recording media of the predetermined form is performed. It takes time and effort.

On the other hand, in recent years, LAN (Local Area Network)
In many cases, a plurality of host computers and a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected by a communication network such as rk), and the printing apparatuses are shared by a plurality of users. In the case of using such a network, in particular, there is a possibility that a mixture of different types of form prints frequently occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described various problems, and an object of the present invention is to simplify a designation operation by associating a paper receiving port with form data in advance, and to provide a different form printed matter. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method capable of preventing the mixing of a printing medium.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, in a printing apparatus according to the present invention, registered form data and a paper discharge port are previously associated with each other, and either the form data or the paper discharge port is designated. When a value is input, the other specified value is determined based on the input specified value, so that a print recording medium using predetermined form data is discharged to a predetermined discharge receiving port. I have.

That is, the printing apparatus according to the present invention is provided with pre-registered form data and a plurality of paper receiving ports, and superimposes the selected form data image and the input print data image. A printing apparatus that prints on a print recording medium and discharges the print recording medium to a discharge outlet selected from among the discharge outlets, and manages the discharge outlets and the form data in association with each other. When one of a management table, a designated value for designating the form data, and a designated value for designating the paper discharge port is input, the management table is searched based on the input specified value. A designated value detecting means for detecting the other designated value corresponding to the inputted designated value, and a paper receiving port designated by the designated value being selected by the print recording medium. A paper receiving port setting means for setting as the paper receiving port, a form data setting means for setting the form data specified by the specified value as the selected form data, and the selected form data and the print data. Image data generating means for developing the image data and superimposing the two image data to generate composite image data; and driving a printing means based on the composite image data to place the print recording medium in the selected paper receiving port. And a drive control means for discharging the oil to the head.

When the form data is specified, the paper discharge port corresponding to the specified form data is detected by the specified value detecting means. On the other hand, when the paper discharge port is specified, the specified discharge port is specified. Form data corresponding to the discharged paper receiving port is detected by the designated value detecting means. Then, by setting the form data and the paper discharge port specified by these specified values, the print recording medium using the desired form data is discharged to the predetermined paper discharge port. Therefore, when performing printing using predetermined form data, the user may directly specify the desired form data, or may specify the form data indirectly by specifying the paper discharge port. .

For example, as in the invention according to a second aspect, when a designated value for designating any one of the discharge outlets is input, the designated value detecting means is configured to perform the processing based on the designated value. By searching the management table, it is possible to detect the specified value of the form data corresponding to the paper discharge port specified by the specified value.

[0014] On the other hand, as in the invention according to claim 3, when the designated value for designating the form data is input, the designated value detecting means stores the management table based on the designated value. By performing the search, it is possible to detect the specified value of the paper discharge port corresponding to the form data specified by the specified value.

More specifically, as in the invention according to claim 4, the designated value detecting means receives any one of a designated value for designating the form data and a designated value for designating the paper discharge port. When a designated value for designating one of the paper receiving receptacles is input, the management table is searched based on the designated value, and First search means for detecting a specified value of the form data corresponding to the specified paper receiving port; and when a specified value for specifying the form data is input, the management table is stored based on the specified value. By performing the search, it is possible to comprise a second search means for detecting a designated value of the paper discharge port corresponding to the form data designated by the designated value.

When the designated value is input via the host computer or the like, the designated type determining means determines whether the designated value of the paper discharge port or the designated value of the form data has been inputted. When the specified value of the paper discharge port is input, the specified value of the form data corresponding to the paper discharge port is read out from the management table by the first search means, while the specified value of the form data is input. In this case, the specified value of the paper discharge port corresponding to the form data is read from the management table. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the mixing of different forms of printed matter by discharging the print recording medium using the predetermined form data to the predetermined discharge outlet only by specifying either the discharge outlet or the form data. it can.

In the printing method according to the fifth aspect, an image of the selected form data and an image of the input print data are superimposed on each other and printed on a print recording medium, and the print recording medium is printed on a plurality of paper receiving ports. A printing method for discharging paper to a selected paper discharge port, wherein a management table for managing the respective paper discharge ports in association with the form data is provided, and a designated value for specifying the form data and the paper discharge port Is input, and the other specified value corresponding to the input specified value is detected by searching the management table based on the input specified value. A detecting step, and a step of setting a paper discharge port specified by the specified value as a selected paper discharge port of the print recording medium;
Setting the form data specified by the specified value as selected form data; developing the selected form data into image data; developing the print data into image data; Generating composite image data by superimposing the image data, and driving a printing unit based on the composite image data to discharge the print recording medium to the selected paper discharge port. It is characterized by.

Thus, the same effect as the first aspect can be obtained.

More specifically, as in the invention according to claim 6, in the detecting step, any one of a designated value for designating the form data and a designated value for designating the paper discharge port is input. And if a designated value for designating one of the paper receiving receptacles is input, the management table is searched based on the designated value, and the designated value is designated by the designated value. Detecting a designated value of the form data corresponding to the paper receiving port; and, if a designated value for designating the form data is input, searching the management table based on the designated value, thereby performing the designation. Detecting the specified value of the paper discharge port corresponding to the form data specified by the value.

Thus, the same function as the fourth aspect can be obtained.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

1. Configuration of Printer FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer 1 as a “printing device” according to the present embodiment. The printer 1 includes a CPU 2, a ROM 3, and a RAM, as described later.
4, an NVRAM 5, an interface (hereinafter abbreviated as “I / F”) 6 for receiving print data, etc., a control panel 7, a drive unit control unit 8, and a printing mechanism 9. .

The CPU 2 is for performing predetermined arithmetic processing or the like on the data, as will be described later.
This is for storing a program to be executed by the CPU 2. The RAM 4 has an I / F 6 from the host computer.
The print data input via the CPU 2 is temporarily stored, and is used as a work area for data operation by the CPU 2. NVRAM (Nonvolatile Rand
The om-Access Memory 5 is a memory having two types of storage cells, that is, volatile storage cells and non-volatile storage cells per bit, and stores an association management table 31, form data, and the like to be described later. .

The control panel 7 is provided, for example, on the outer surface of the printer 1 and has an input function and a display function. The user can change the settings of the printer 1 via the control panel 7.
The drive control unit 8 as “drive control unit” controls the operation of the printing mechanism 9 as “printing unit”. As the printing mechanism 9, various mechanisms such as an ink jet type and a laser type can be adopted depending on the printing method. And CPU2, ROM3, RAM4, NVR
The AM 5, the I / F 6, the control panel 7, and the drive control unit 8 are mutually connected via a bus 10.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a functional configuration of the printer 1 according to the present embodiment. The printer 1 includes a print engine 11 and a printer controller 21.

The print engine 11 corresponds to the printing mechanism 9 in FIG. 1, and has a paper feed port 12 and a plurality of paper discharge ports 13. The print engine 11
By performing predetermined main scanning and sub-scanning based on image data and the like input from the printer controller 21, printing is performed on a print recording medium, and the print recording medium is inserted into the selected discharge receiving port 13. Discharge paper. Various types of print engines such as a laser print engine and an ink jet print engine can be employed.

The printer controller 21 interprets print data input from a print data generation device such as a host computer and develops it into image data, and controls the operation of the print engine 11. The printer controller 21 is specifically realized by the CPU 2, the drive control unit 8, and the like in FIG.

Print data input from a host computer or the like is stored in an input buffer 22 set on the RAM 4 via the I / F 6. The image data generation unit 23 as “image data generation means” reads and interprets the print data stored in the input buffer 22,
The print data is converted into image data necessary for printing by performing a predetermined data operation such as print density conversion in the work area set in AM4. The image data generated by the image data generation unit 23 is RA
The data is developed in the output buffer 24 set to M4, and is transferred to the print engine 11 via the output buffer 24.

On the other hand, the paper ejection port designation value IDe or the form data designation value Ie included in the input print data
Df is a designated value detecting unit 25 as “designated value detecting means”.
Is input to The designated value detecting unit 25 includes a designated determining unit 26
, Form data search unit 27, and paper discharge port search unit 2
8 is provided.

The designation discriminating section 26 as "designation type judging means" interprets, for example, a designated value included in the header of the print data, and includes any one of the designated value of the paper receiving port IDe and the designated value of the form data IDf. Is determined. When the print data includes the discharge port designation value IDe, the specification determination unit 26 inputs the discharge port designation value IDe to the form data search unit 27. On the other hand, when the print data includes the form data designated value IDf, the form data designated value IDf is input from the designation judging section 26 to the paper discharge port search section 28.

The form data search unit 27 as a "first search means" searches the later-described association management table 31 by using the paper discharge port designation value IDe input from the specification determination unit 26 as index information, and The form data designated value IDf corresponding to the paper receptacle designated value IDe is detected.

A paper discharge port search unit 28 as a "second search means" searches the association table 31 using the form data specified value IDf input from the specification determination unit 26 as index information, and searches for the form data specified. Value I
This is to detect a paper discharge port designation value IDe corresponding to Df.

The form data setting section 29 as "form data setting means" sets the form data designation value IDf input from each of the search sections 27 and 28 as the selected form data. That is, the form data setting unit 29 is configured to output the form data specified value IDf detected by the form data search unit 27 based on the paper discharge port designation value IDe or the form data used as the index information in the paper discharge port search unit 28. One of the designated values IDf is set in the image data generating unit 23 as the selected form data. Thus, the image data generating unit 23 reads out the selected form data based on the form data management table 32 and the form data storage unit 33 described later, and converts the form data into image data.

A paper discharge port setting unit 30 as a paper discharge port setting means is for setting a paper discharge port designation value IDe input from each of the retrieval units 27 and 28 as a selected paper discharge port. It is. In the same manner as described above, the paper discharge port setting unit 30 is detected by the paper discharge port search unit 28 based on the paper discharge port specification value IDe or the form data specification value IDf used as the index information in the form data search unit 27. One of the paper discharge port designation values IDe is set as the selected paper discharge port. Thereby, the print engine 11 discharges the printed print recording medium to the set discharge receiving port.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the structures and relationships of the association management table 31, the form data management table 32, and the form data storage unit 33.

The association management table 31 as a "management table" is a table in which each paper discharge port designated value IDe and each form data designated value IDf are recorded in association with each other. Therefore, when either the paper discharge port designation value IDe or the form data designation value IDf is input, by referring to the association management table 31, it is possible to read out the other designated value that is not specified. Here, in the drawing, the n-th paper discharge port (paper discharge port specification value IDen) is selected when performing normal printing without using form data.

The form data management table 32 stores, for each form data designated value IDf, a read start address ADR and a data length DL of the corresponding form data f. For example, taking the first form data designation value IDf1 as an example, the storage address (head address) ADR of the first form data f1 designated by this form data designation value IDf
1 and the data length DL1 of the form data f1 are stored in correspondence with the specified form data value IDf1.
Here, in the present embodiment, as described above, the n-th paper discharge port (paper discharge port specification value IDen) is secured as a discharge destination of normal printed materials that do not use form data. Therefore, in the form data management table 32, the head address “0” and the data length “0” are assigned to the form data designated value IDfn corresponding to the paper discharge port of the normal printed matter. Thus, when the form data designation value IDfn is set, the image data generation unit 23 develops the image data as normal printing without using the form data.

The form data storage unit 33 stores, for example, N
It is set in the VRAM 5 and stores various form data f such as a watermark pattern, a ground pattern, a stamp, and a form format. The contents of these pre-registered form data can be changed by replacing the memory or rewriting data from the host computer. Note that the storage content of the association management table 31 can be changed by manual input via the control panel 7 and can be changed by remote download from a host computer via a utility program.

2. Operation Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 4 is a flowchart schematically showing the entire printing process of the printer 1 according to the present embodiment.

In step (hereinafter abbreviated as “S”) 1, when print data is input from the host computer, S 2
Then, it is determined whether the specified value included in the print data is the paper discharge port specified value IDe or the form data specified value IDf. If the print data includes the discharge port designation value IDe, the process proceeds to S3 and executes a discharge port specification process described later. On the other hand, when the form data specification value IDf is included in the print data, the process proceeds to S4 to perform a form data specification process described later.

Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 4, when the print data includes both the paper discharge port designation value IDe and the form data designation value IDf, for example,
Various processes can be performed, such as (1) canceling the print job as invalid, (2) giving priority to the preset designated value, and canceling the other designated value. Further, when the paper discharge port is not specified, the processing can be performed assuming that a preset paper discharge port is specified, such as the n-th paper discharge port.

Next, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a paper discharge port designation process when a paper discharge port is designated.

First, the discharge port designation value IDe is detected (S11), and the association management table 31 is searched using this discharge port designation value IDe as index information (S1).
2) As a result, the designated value IDf of the form data corresponding to the designated discharge port is detected.

Next, it is determined whether the form data designation value IDf detected from the association table 31 is a predetermined value (S13). That is, it is determined whether the printing is normal printing using no form data or printing using form data. In the present embodiment, as described above, the paper discharge port indicated by the specified value IDen is set as the discharge destination of the normal printed matter, and a predetermined form data specified value IDfn is associated with the paper discharge port. Therefore, in S13, the form data specified value IDf detected in S12 is replaced with the predetermined specified value IDfn.
Is determined.

If the detected form data designated value IDf is the prescribed designated value IDfn, it is a case of normal printing without using form data, and therefore, S14 described later.
Steps S16 to S16 are skipped. On the other hand, the case where the detected form data designated value IDf is other than the prescribed designated value IDfn is a case of form printing.

Therefore, the form data management table 32 is searched using the detected form data designated value IDf as index information, and as a result, the start address A of the form data corresponding to the form data designated value IDf is obtained.
The DR and the data length DL are detected (S14). By reading the stored data of the form data storage unit 33 by the data length DL starting from the start address ADR, the designated form data can be taken out (S1).
5). The read form data is converted into image data by the image data generator 23 (S16).

In FIG. 5, it is shown that the entire form data is read and then converted into image data. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is possible to sequentially convert the form data into image data while reading the form data. In this case, the image data generation time can be reduced.

Next, the image data generation unit 23 interprets the print data input from the host computer and converts the print data into image data (S17). Thereby, the composite image data in which the image of the print data and the image of the form data are composited is developed on the output buffer 24. The composite image data is transferred to the print engine 11 and printed on a print recording medium. Then, the printed print recording medium is discharged to the paper discharge port specified by the paper discharge port specification value IDe.

Next, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a form data designation process executed when form data is designated.

First, the form data designated value IDf inputted from the host computer is detected (S21), and the association management table 31 is searched based on the inputted form data designated value IDf (S22).

Next, the discharge port designation value IDe corresponding to the form data designation value IDf is associated with the association management table 3.
Then, it is determined whether or not it has been detected from step 1 (S23). Discharge port designation value ID corresponding to form data designation value IDf
e is detected, the discharge receiving port designation value IDe
Is set as the selected paper receiving port (S24). If the paper discharge port designation value IDe corresponding to the form data specification value IDf is not detected, a predetermined paper discharge port preset as an initial value is set as the selected paper discharge port (S25). In the present embodiment, for example, a specified value IDen that specifies the n-th paper discharge port is set as an initial value.

Then, the form data management table 32 is searched based on the form data designation value IDf, and the start address ADR and data length DL of the form data corresponding to the form data designation value IDf are detected (S).
26). Similarly to the above, the designated form data can be taken out by reading the stored data of the form data storage unit 33 by the data length DL starting from the start address ADR (S27). The read form data is converted into image data by the image data generator 23 (S28). As described above, it is possible to sequentially convert form data into image data while reading out the form data.

Next, the image data generator 23 converts the print data into image data, and develops the image data in the output buffer 24 (S29). Thereby, the image data obtained by expanding the form data and the image data obtained by expanding the print data are combined,
The composite image data is transferred to the print engine 11. Then, the print engine 11 executes printing on the print recording medium, and discharges the print recording medium to the selected discharge receiving port.

According to the present embodiment configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

First, since the specification of the paper discharge port and the specification of the form data are associated with each other, when the form data is specified, the paper discharge port can be specified indirectly. If you specify the paper exit,
Form data can be specified indirectly. Therefore, even when a form print using predetermined form data is to be discharged to a predetermined discharge receiving port, only one of the form data and the discharge receiving port needs to be designated. And greatly improve workability and usability.

Secondly, since the form data and the paper receiving port are processed in association with each other, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of so-called mixing of different types of printed materials, that is, a printed material using different form data being mixed into each paper receiving port. can do. That is, since a predetermined form printed matter can be discharged to a predetermined discharge receiving port, a sorting operation can be performed in advance, and work efficiency can be greatly improved.

It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various additions and changes within the scope of the present invention described in the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the present invention can be realized by storing a predetermined program in a recording medium MM and loading the program into the printer 1. As a recording medium, for example, RO
In addition to various tangible storage media such as M, FD, CD-ROM, and IC card, it also includes a communication medium to be downloaded via a communication network. When the program is recorded on the recording medium MM, for example, it can be expressed as follows.

"A management table for managing a computer by associating a paper discharge port with form data, and one of a specified value for specifying the form data and a specified value for specifying the paper discharge port is input. In this case, a designated value detecting means for detecting the other designated value corresponding to the inputted designated value by searching the management table based on the inputted designated value, and an output designated by the designated value. A paper receiving port setting means for setting a paper receiving port as a selected paper receiving port of the print recording medium; and a form data setting means for setting the form data specified by the specified value as the selected form data. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program. " Alternatively, it can be expressed as follows.

A computer is provided with a management table for managing the paper discharge port and the form data in association with each other, and one of the specified value for specifying the form data and the specified value for specifying the paper discharge port is input. A detecting step of searching the management table based on the input specified value to detect the other specified value corresponding to the input specified value; and A computer-readable recording program for executing a step of setting a paper receiving port as a selected discharge receiving port of a print recording medium and a step of setting the form data specified by the specified value as the selected form data Possible recording medium ".

The present invention is not limited to printing apparatuses such as laser printers and ink jet printers.
The present invention can be widely applied to other printing apparatuses such as a copying machine and a facsimile machine.

[0061]

As described above, according to the printing apparatus and the printing method according to the present invention, since the form data and the paper receiving port are processed in association with each other, only one of the form data and the paper receiving port is designated. By simply doing so, a predetermined printed material can be discharged to a predetermined discharge receiving port.
In addition, it is possible to prevent a different type of printed material using different form data from being mixed in the paper receiving port,
The work efficiency of the sorting work can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the printer.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an association table and the like.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart schematically showing an entire printing process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a paper discharge port designation process executed when a paper discharge port is designated;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a form data designation process executed when form data is designated.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory views showing a conventional technique, in which FIG. 7A is a schematic explanatory view showing the whole of a conventional printer, and FIG. 7B is a case where a character string is printed on form data such as a ground pattern; (C) is an explanatory diagram showing a case where form data such as a stamp is overlaid on a character string and printed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 printer 11 print engine 13 paper discharge port 21 printer controller 23 image data generation unit 25 specified value detection unit 26 specification determination unit 27 form data search unit 28 discharge paper reception port search unit 29 form data setting unit 30 paper discharge port setting unit 31 association Management table 32 Form data management table 33 Form data storage unit

Claims (6)

[Claims] An image of selected form data and an image of input print data are superimposed on each other, and are printed on a print recording medium. A printing apparatus that discharges the print recording medium to a discharge outlet selected from among the discharge outlets, wherein a management table that manages the discharge outlets and the form data in association with each other, the form data If one of the designated value for specifying the paper ejection port and the designated value for specifying the paper receiving port is inputted, the management table is searched based on the inputted designated value, and the inputted designated value is obtained. A specified value detecting means for detecting the other specified value corresponding to the specified value; and a discharge port specified by the specified value is set as a selected discharge port of the print recording medium. Paper ejection receiving port setting means; form data setting means for setting form data specified by the specified value as selected form data; developing the selected form data and the print data into image data; Image data generating means for generating composite image data by superimposing image data, driving a printing means based on the composite image data,
And a drive control unit for discharging the print recording medium to the selected paper discharge port. 2. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the designated value detecting means is configured to, when a designated value for designating any one of the discharge outlets is input,
2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a specified value of form data corresponding to a paper discharge port specified by the specified value is detected by searching the management table based on the specified value. 3. When a designated value for designating the form data is input, the designated value detecting means searches the management table based on the designated value,
3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a specified value of a paper discharge port corresponding to the form data specified by the specified value is detected. 4. The specified value detecting means includes: a specified type determining means for determining which of a specified value for specifying the form data and a specified value for specifying the paper discharge receiving port; When a designated value for designating one of the receptacles is input, the management table is searched based on the designated value, and the designated value of the form data corresponding to the paper receiving port designated by the designated value is retrieved. First search means for detecting the form data, and when a designated value for designating the form data is input, by searching the management table based on the designated value, form data designated by the designated value 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second search unit configured to detect a specified value of a paper discharge receiving port corresponding to the first printing apparatus. 5. An image of a selected form data and an image of input print data are superimposed and printed on a print recording medium, and the print recording medium is selected from a plurality of discharge receptacles. A management table for associating each of the paper discharge ports with the form data, and providing a management table, wherein a specified value for specifying the form data and a specified value for specifying the paper discharge port are provided. One of which is input; a detection step of searching the management table based on the input specified value to detect the other specified value corresponding to the input specified value; Setting the paper discharge port specified by the above as the selected paper discharge port of the print recording medium; and forming data specified by the specified value. Setting as selected form data; developing the selected form data into image data; developing the print data into image data; and superimposing the respective image data to form composite image data. Generating, and driving a printing unit based on the composite image data;
Discharging the print recording medium to the selected paper receiving port. 6. The detecting step comprises: determining which of a designated value for designating the form data and a designated value for designating the paper discharge port is input; Detecting a specified value of the form data corresponding to the paper discharge port specified by the specified value by searching the management table based on the specified value when the specified value is specified; When a designated value for designating the form data is input, by searching the management table based on the designated value, the designated value of the paper discharge port corresponding to the form data designated by the designated value 6. The printing method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of: