JPH11184666A - Print system and preview display method to be applied to the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print system which can easily perform a preview display without loading burden on a system. SOLUTION: The print system is a printing system in which the images of form data for printing showing a preset form image with a printer dependent code corresponding to a printer 20 and data prepared by an application program(AP) 100 are composited and printed by the printer 20, is provided with an object file storage part 2 for storing the form data for display showing the form image with a printer independent code, image synthesizing part 5 for generating preview data by synthesizing the images of the form data for display in the object file storage part 2 and data prepared by the AP 100, and display device 6 for displaying the preview data generated by the image synthesizing part 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing system having a form overlay function, a preview display method applied to this system, and a recording medium on which a program for the method is recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer having a form overlay printing function has been used when printing many documents according to a specific form such as a form. Form overlay printing is a printing method in which a form image such as a form is registered in a printer in advance, and the form image is combined with data transmitted to the printer later and printed.

In this case, for example, as shown in FIG.
A form image to be registered in the printer 35 is created in advance with a control code depending on the model of the printer 35, that is, a printer-dependent code. At this time, when a plurality of printers 35 are used, it is necessary to describe the same form with a different control code for each model of the printer 35, and these form images are stored in the object file storage unit 31. . When printing is actually performed by the printer 35, first, a form image corresponding to the model of the printer 35 is registered in the printer 35 by the object registration unit 32, and the print data generation unit 34 is generated from the print data created by the application program 33. Generates print data described by the control code of the printer 35 and sends it to the printer 35. Printer 35
Prints the registered form image and print data.

However, in this method, since the print data and the form image are combined by the printer, the print result after the combination cannot be confirmed before the actual printing.

As a countermeasure against this, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-325
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 693, it has been considered that a form image is not registered in a printer, but is synthesized and displayed on a personal computer or the like for preview display. However, since a form image is described in printer-dependent code, Before performing the combining process, the printer-dependent code must be analyzed. In this case, a printer-dependent code analysis function for each printer model is required. Moreover,
The burden on the personal computer due to the synthesis process is also large.

[0006]

As described above, in a printer having a conventional form overlay function, since the combining process is performed by the printer, there is a problem that the printing result after combining cannot be confirmed in advance. there were.

[0007] In addition, the method of performing a synthesizing process on a personal computer or the like and displaying a preview without registering a form image in the printer requires a printer-dependent code analysis function for each printer model, which imposes a burden on the personal computer. There was a problem that was also large.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and a printing system capable of easily performing a preview display without imposing a load on the system, and a preview display method applied to the system. When,
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium on which a program for recording the program is recorded.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a method of printing form data for printing, in which a preset form image is indicated by a control code depending on the printing apparatus, and data instructed to be printed. A printing system that combines and prints an image in a storage device that stores display form data indicated by a control code that does not depend on a printing device, and a display form data stored in the storage unit. The image processing apparatus includes preview data generating means for generating preview data by synthesizing print-instructed data, and display means for displaying the preview data generated by the preview data generating means.

In this case, by performing the synthesizing process using the printing form data on the printing apparatus side, it is possible to perform the normal form overlay printing, and by performing the synthesizing process based on the display form data. Also, a preview display can be performed. Here, since the display form data is represented by a control code that does not depend on the type of the printing apparatus, it is not necessary to analyze the printer-dependent code as in the related art, and the preview display can be performed at a high speed. The burden on the user is small.

In the present invention, it is desirable to provide a storage means for storing the preview data. This storage means stores the preview data in association with the display form data and the data instructed to print. When there is another preview request for the same display form data and data for which printing has been instructed, it is preferable to perform a preview display based on the stored preview data. In this case, the preview display can be performed again at high speed without performing the synthesizing process on the display form data and the data for which printing has been instructed even once.

Further, if communication means for communicating the preview data to another system is provided in the present invention, the preview data can be displayed or printed by another system.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system includes an object generation unit 1, an object file storage unit 2, an object registration unit 3, a print data generation unit 4, an image composition unit 5, a display device 6, a storage device 7, and a communication device 8. And a printer 20. Object generation unit 1, object registration unit 3, print data generation unit 4, and image synthesis unit 5
May be realized as an application program operated on a computer.

The printer 20 has a form overlay printing function, a buffer memory 21 for storing a form image and print data, and an image synthesizing unit 22 for synthesizing the form image and print data.
And a printing unit 23 for performing actual printing.

The object generating unit 1 is for generating an object file corresponding to an arbitrary form image such as a form. For one form image, a control code (hereinafter referred to as a control code) depending on the model of the printer 20 is provided. Printer-dependent code) and an object file (hereinafter referred to as a printer object)
0, which is a control code independent of the model (hereinafter, printer-independent code), specifically, an object file (hereinafter, display object) described by a code which can be displayed as an image on the display device 6. Generate a file.

However, a plurality of printers 20 of different models
Is used, a plurality of printer objects are generated using different printer-dependent codes for each model of the printer 20. The object file storage unit 2 stores the printer object and the display object generated by the object generation unit 1.

The object registration unit 3 is for calling a printer object corresponding to the model of the printer 3 from the object file storage unit 2 and registering it in the printer 20 when printing is performed by the printer 3.

The print data generating section 4 generates print data described by a control code corresponding to the model of the printer 20 from the print data generated by the application program 100 and sends the print data to the printer 20. .

Here, the application program 10
Numeral 0 is for creating print data to be combined with the form image and printed, and the created print data is sent to the print data generator 4 and the image combiner 5, respectively. If the form image is a form, the print data corresponds to data such as a date, a character, and a numerical value to be entered in the form.

The image synthesizing unit 5 is for synthesizing print data created by an application program and a form image represented by a display object stored in the object file storage unit 2.

The display device 6 performs a preview display based on the data synthesized by the image display unit 5. As the display device 6, an arbitrary device such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display can be used.

The storage device 7 stores the data synthesized by the image synthesizing unit 5 as a file. The communication device 8 stores the data synthesized by the image synthesizing unit 5 in another system (such as a computer or a facsimile device). ) Is used to communicate.

Next, the operation of the printing system will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In this printing system, there are a case where printing is performed without performing preview display and a case where preview display is performed.

First, when printing is executed immediately without displaying a preview (print selection in step S1), processing is performed according to the form overlay printing function inherent to the printer 20.

That is, first, the object registration unit 3 reads the printer-dependent code of the printer object corresponding to the type of the printer 20 from the object file storage unit 2 (step S2), and registers the printer object in the printer 20 (step S3). ). The printer 20 stores the form image indicated by the printer object in the buffer memory 21.

Next, the print data generator 4 acquires the print data created by the application program 100 (step S4). However, as described above, the print data created by the application program 100 has been sent to the print data generator 4 and the image synthesizer 5 irrespective of the print / preview selection in step S1. Image compositing unit 5 at the time
Also obtains the same print data as that obtained by the print data generation unit 4.

Next, the print data generation unit 4 generates print data described by the control code of the printer 20 based on the obtained print data (step S5), and transmits the print data to the printer 20 (step S5). Step S6). The printer 20 stores the print data transmitted from the print data generation unit 4 in the buffer memory 21.

The printer 20 is connected to the image synthesizing section 2.
In step S7, the image data for printing is generated by combining the form image stored in the buffer memory 21 with the print data (step S7).
(Step S8).

On the other hand, when a preview is displayed before printing (selection of a preview in step S1), the image synthesizing unit 5
Reads the printer-independent code of the display object corresponding to the form image selected by the user from the object file storage unit 2 (step S9).

Further, the image synthesizing unit 5 acquires the print data created by the application program 100 (step S10). At this point, the print data generation unit 4 has also acquired the same print data as that acquired by the image composition unit 5.

The image synthesizing unit 5 synthesizes the acquired print data and the form image indicated by the printer-independent code read from the object file storage unit 2 to generate image data for preview display (step S11). . Then, the display device 6 performs a preview display based on the image data synthesized by the image synthesis unit 5 (step S12).

Thereafter, if the user does not give an instruction to print the preview-displayed image data (No in step S13), the process ends. On the other hand, when the user instructs to print the image data displayed as a preview (Yes in step S13), the object registration unit 3 corresponds to the display object for which the preview is displayed, that is, the printer of the printer object indicating the form image. The dependent code is read from the object file storage unit 2 (step S1).
4), and register it in the printer 20 (step S1)
5).

Since the print data generation unit 4 has obtained the print data created by the application program 100 at the time of step S10 as described above, the print data generation unit 4 executes the process based on the print data. Print data is generated (step S16), and thereafter, the print data is transmitted to the printer 20 in the same manner as in the case of printing only, and the printer 20 synthesizes image data for printing (step S7). Printing is performed in response (step S8).

When the preview display is performed once, the image data for the preview display is stored in the storage device 7 in association with the original display object and the print data. Then, when the user gives an instruction to perform the preview display again based on the same data, the corresponding image data is extracted from the storage device 7 and displayed on the display device 6. As a result, if the image data has been previewed even once, there is no need to repeat the processes corresponding to steps S9 to S11, and the preview display can be immediately performed according to the user's instruction. .

Further, the image data is transmitted to the communication device 8.
If the image data is sent to another computer system or the like, image data can be displayed or printed by a system other than the printing system.
This is because the display object used to generate the image data for preview display is described in printer-independent code.

As described above, in the printing system according to the present embodiment, as the object file corresponding to the form image, the printer object described by the printer-dependent code depending on the model of the printer 20 and the printer 20
A display object which is a printer-independent code which does not depend on the model of the printer and which is described by a code which can be displayed on the display device 6 as an image.
When printing is performed by the printer 20, the combining process is performed on the printer 20 side based on the printer object, and when performing preview display, the combining process is performed on the main body side based on the display object.

That is, the preview display of the image data to be printed by the printer 20 can be performed while using the printer 20 having the form overlay printing function.

Moreover, since the display objects used for performing the preview display are described in a printer-independent code which does not depend on the model of the printer 20, the printer-dependent code is analyzed for the preview display as in the conventional case. This eliminates the need to perform preview display at a high speed, thereby reducing the load on the system.

Further, it is not necessary to provide a printer-dependent code analysis function for each model of the printer 20 in the main body, so that the system configuration can be simplified. Conversely, if the system main body can analyze at least the printer-independent code describing the display object, the system can perform preview display.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, by performing the synthesizing process using the printing form data in the printing apparatus, it is possible to perform normal form overlay printing, and furthermore, to display the form data. By performing the synthesizing process on the basis of, the preview display can also be performed.

Further, since the display form data is represented by a control code of the display device, that is, a control code that does not depend on the type of the printing device, it is not necessary to analyze the printer-dependent code as in the related art. Can be performed at high speed, and the load on the system is small.

By storing the preview data in association with the display form data and the print-instructed data, when the same display form data and print-instructed data are again requested to be previewed, they are combined. Preview display can be performed at high speed without performing any processing. Further, by communicating the preview data to another system, the preview data can be displayed or printed on another system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing system according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional printing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Object generation part 2 ... Object file storage part 3 ... Object registration part 4 ... Print data generation part 5 ... Image synthesis part 6 ... Display device 7 ... Storage device 8 ... Communication device 20 ... Printer 21 ... Buffer memory 22 ... Image Synthetic unit 23 ... Printing unit

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A printing system for combining a form data for printing indicated by a control code dependent on a printing device with a form image set in advance and data instructed to be printed by the printing device, and printing the combined image. Storage means for storing display form data in which the form image is represented by a control code independent of the printing apparatus; and display form data stored in the storage means and the print-instructed data in response to a preview request. A printing system comprising: preview data generating means for generating preview data by performing image synthesis on the basis of image data; and display means for displaying the preview data generated by the preview data generating means. 2. A printing system for combining a form data for printing indicated by a control code dependent on a printing device with a form image set in advance and data instructed to be printed by the printing device and printing the image. Storage means for storing display form data in which the form image is represented by a control code independent of the printing apparatus; and display form data stored in the storage means and the print-instructed data in response to a preview request. Preview data generating means for generating preview data by synthesizing images, display means for displaying the preview data generated by the preview data generating means, and storage for storing the preview data generated by the preview data generating means Printing system, comprising: Tem. 3. The storage means stores the preview data in association with the display form data and print-instructed data, and the display means stores the display form data and print-instructed data. 3. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein when a preview request is issued again, the corresponding preview data stored in the storage unit is displayed. 4. A printing system for combining a form data for printing indicated by a control code depending on a printing device with a form image set in advance and data instructed to be printed by the printing device, and printing the combined image. Storage means for storing display form data in which the form image is represented by a control code independent of the printing apparatus; and display form data stored in the storage means and the print-instructed data in response to a preview request. Preview data generating means for generating preview data by combining images with each other, display means for displaying the preview data generated by the preview data generating means, and preview data generated by the preview data generating means to another system. Communication means for communicating. Printing system to a butterfly. 5. A printing apparatus comprising a display device for combining a form data for printing, which indicates a preset form image with a control code depending on the printing device, and data instructed to be printed by the printing device and printing the combined image. A preview display method of a system, comprising: generating display form data in which the form image is indicated by a control code independent of the printing apparatus; and using the display form data and the data instructed to be printed in a preview request. A preview display method for generating preview data by synthesizing the images in accordance with the image, and displaying the preview data on the display device. 6. The preview data is stored in a storage device in association with the display form data and the data for which printing has been instructed, and there is a request for a preview again for the display form data and the data for which printing has been instructed. 6. The preview display method according to claim 5, further comprising displaying the corresponding preview data stored in the storage device on the display device when the display data is displayed. 7. A printing apparatus comprising: a display device for combining a form data for printing, which is a preset form image with a control code depending on the printing device, and data instructed to be printed by the printing device, and printing the combined image. A storage medium storing a program for performing a preview display in a system, wherein display form data indicating the form image by a control code independent of the printing apparatus is generated, and the display form data and the display form data are generated. A recording medium storing a program for generating preview data by synthesizing data instructed to print in response to a preview request to generate a preview data and displaying the preview data on the display device. 8. The preview data is stored in a storage device in association with the display form data and the data for which printing has been instructed, and there is a request for a preview again for the display form data and the data for which printing has been instructed. 8. The recording medium according to claim 7, wherein a program that causes a computer to display the corresponding preview data stored in said storage device on said display device when said storage device is stored.