JPH11309924A - Print control system and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain correct print results by providing a means for detecting alteration of a set value, and a means for alarming alteration of a set value when it is detected thereby interrupting the printing upon delivery of an alarm and changing the set value to a correct value before restarting the printing. SOLUTION: A print confirmation dialogue 701 is a user interface which checks the print job set value at the time of actual printing by comparing it with a default value and confirm printing and delivering an alarm when a difference is present, i.e., alteration of default value is detected. A message area 702 indicates an alarm that the current set value of an actually printed job is different from a preset value. An area 703 indicates whether printing can be continued as it is or not. Execution or cancel of print job can be confirmed by depressing a YES button 704 or a NO button 705.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a print control apparatus and method, and more particularly to a print control system and method effective when a plurality of users change settings of a printing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When printing from a computer to a printer, there is known a printer driver capable of setting the number of copies, the order of printing, the length and width of the printing direction, and the like.
The printer driver is a print control program that operates on the computer. Some of these printer drivers perform printing on a network printer, and some printer drivers allow various users to change various settings according to the security level.

In most cases, such print settings can be made from applications such as word processing software. Some applications record the setting values for each created document and pass the values to the printer driver, but normally, if the user has not changed the settings from the application, the default setting values are used. There are many things.

[0004]

In the above conventional example,
In particular, if the user does not change the print settings, a problem occurs when an application that performs printing using the setting values of the printer driver is used.

For example, in printing using a network printer, printing is performed without knowing that a user other than the user has changed the default set value of the number of copies, and printing more than the desired number of copies is performed. This causes a problem such as being lost. In addition, since the default setting values of the paper orientation have been changed, it was intended to be printed in portrait orientation but was printed in landscape orientation, and printing had to be performed again. Paper and time wasted. Of course, the same can be said for other settings, for example, sheet rearrangement.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and issues a warning when a default setting value of a printer driver is different from a predetermined value.
Provided is a print control system and method capable of interrupting printing in response to a user input, changing the setting to a correct setting, and then performing printing again to easily obtain a correct print result. With the goal.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to change a set value which defines the contents of print control of a printing apparatus, and the change is not made. In the case, in a print control system that uses a predetermined default value as a set value, a detecting unit that detects the presence or absence of a change in the set value, and when a change in the set value is detected by the detecting unit, Warning means for warning that the set value has been changed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the first aspect, when a warning is issued by the warning means, it is confirmed whether or not printing is performed with the changed set value. It is characterized by further comprising means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the second aspect, there is further provided a display means for displaying information on a display screen, and the warning means provides a warning in the form of a message on the display screen. Is performed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the third aspect, the print control system further includes a position designation unit for designating a position on the display screen, and the setting value changed by the confirmation unit remains unchanged. A first display area for confirming that printing is to be performed and a second display area for confirming whether or not to perform printing are defined on a display screen, and the first display area and the second display area are determined by the position specifying unit. The confirmation means determines which of the two display areas is instructed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the second aspect, there is further provided an instruction means for instructing whether or not the confirmation is performed by the confirmation means. Is performed by the instruction means, the confirmation means is not operated.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the second aspect, when it is confirmed that printing is to be performed, the printing control system instructs the printing apparatus to perform printing based on the changed set values. , When the confirmation is made, the printing instruction is cancelled.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the second aspect, when the printing is confirmed by the confirmation means, the printing based on the changed set value is transmitted to the printing apparatus. If the user instructs the printing apparatus to confirm whether or not the printing apparatus has changed the setting value, the printing apparatus instructs the printing apparatus to perform printing based on the changed setting value.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the print control system according to the first or second aspect, wherein the set value has a plurality of types, and a type to detect whether there is a change in the plurality of types. Is determined in advance.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the eighth aspect, the setting value for detecting the presence or absence of the change includes a value indicating the number of copies to be printed.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the eighth aspect, the set value for detecting the presence or absence of the change includes a value indicating a vertical / horizontal print direction. I do.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the first aspect, the printing device is connectable to a network, and performs printing in accordance with an instruction from another device connected to the network. The printing apparatus is further provided with a detecting unit for detecting whether or not the printing apparatus is connected to the network, and when the detecting unit detects that the printing apparatus is connected to the network, the detecting means Confirmation is performed.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the first aspect, there is further provided a registration means for registering the default value so as to be changeable.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to change a set value that defines the contents of print control of a printing apparatus, and to perform print control using a predetermined default value as a set value if the change is not made. In the printing control method to be performed, a detecting step of detecting whether or not the set value has been changed, and a warning step of warning that the set value has been changed when the detected change of the set value is detected by the detecting step. It is characterized by having.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the printing control method according to the thirteenth aspect, when a warning is issued in the warning step, it is confirmed whether or not printing is performed with the changed set value. It is characterized by further comprising steps.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to the fourteenth aspect, in the warning step, a warning is issued in a message form on a display screen.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to the fifteenth aspect, a first display area for confirming that printing is performed with the changed set value, and a first display area for confirming whether or not to perform printing. A second display area is defined on the display screen,
In the confirming step, it is determined which of the first display area and the second display area is instructed by a pointing device.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the print control system according to the fourteenth aspect, the print control system further comprises an instruction step for instructing whether or not to perform the confirmation in the confirmation step.
When the instruction to perform the confirmation in the confirmation step is issued in the instruction step, the process does not proceed to the confirmation step.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to the fourteenth aspect, when it is confirmed that printing is performed in the confirmation step, printing based on the changed set value is transmitted to the printing apparatus. In this case, the printing instruction is canceled when it is determined that the printing instruction has not been issued.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to the fourteenth aspect, when it is confirmed that printing is performed in the confirmation step, printing based on the changed set value is transmitted to the printing apparatus. In the case where it is instructed and the confirmation is made, after accepting the change of the set value,
The printing device is instructed to perform printing based on the changed setting value.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect, the set value has a plurality of types, and a type to detect whether or not there is a change in the plurality of types. Is determined in advance.

According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to the twentieth aspect, the set value for detecting the presence or absence of the change includes a value indicating the number of copies to be printed.

According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to the twentieth aspect, the set value for detecting the presence or absence of the change includes a value indicating a portrait / landscape print direction. I do.

According to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to the thirteenth aspect, the printing device is connectable to a network, and performs printing in accordance with an instruction from another device connected to the network. The printing apparatus is further provided with a detecting step of detecting whether the printing apparatus is connected to the network, and when the printing apparatus detects that the printing apparatus is connected to the network in the detecting step, the checking step is performed. Confirmation is performed.

According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, in the print control method according to the thirteenth aspect, there is further provided a registration step of registering the default value so as to be changeable.

[0031]

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

(First Embodiment) Before describing the present embodiment, the configurations of a laser beam printer and an ink jet printer suitable for applying the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

The printer to which this embodiment is applied is not limited to a laser beam printer and an ink jet printer, and it goes without saying that a printer of another printing method may be used.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional structure of a laser beam printer. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a laser beam printer (LBP) main body, which forms an image of print data developed and supplied by a host computer connected to an external device on a recording medium such as recording paper.

Reference numeral 112 denotes a switch and an LE for operation.
An operation panel on which a D display and the like are arranged, 101 is an LBP
This is a control unit for the entire main body 100. The printer control unit 101 mainly converts print information into a video signal and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 102. The laser driver 102 switches on and off the laser light 104 emitted from the semiconductor laser 103.

The laser light 104 is swung right and left by the rotary polygon mirror 105, and an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 106. This electrostatic latent image is stored in the electrostatic drum 1
After the image is developed by the developing unit 107 disposed around the periphery of the recording paper 06, the image is transferred to a recording sheet. A cut sheet is used as the recording paper, and the cut sheet recording paper is stored in a paper cassette 108 mounted on the LBP main body 100. The paper is taken into the apparatus by the paper feed roller 109, the conveyance roller 110 and the conveyance roller 111, and is supplied to the electrostatic drum 106.

FIG. 2 shows a control structure of the laser beam printer (FIG. 1). In FIG. 2, reference numeral 3000 denotes a host computer connected to a printer. Document processing in which graphics, images, characters, tables (including spreadsheets, etc.) are mixed based on a document processing program or the like stored in a program memory of a ROM 3 is shown. The CPU 1 controls the devices connected to the system bus 4. Reference numeral 2 denotes a RAM, which functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like of the CPU 1. A keyboard controller (KBC) 5 controls a key input from a keyboard 9 or a pointing device (not shown).

Reference numeral 6 denotes a CRT controller (CRTC), which controls display on the CRT display 10. Reference numeral 7 denotes a disk controller (DKC), which is a hard disk (HDD) 21 for storing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, editing files, etc., a floppy disk (FD), and a CD-R.
The access to the external memory 11 such as the OM is controlled. Reference numeral 8 denotes a printer controller (PRTC), a predetermined bidirectional parallel interface (bidirectional interface) 1
2 connected to the printer 1500 via the printer 1
A communication control process with the communication 500 is executed.

The CPU 1 executes, for example, a process of developing (rasterizing) the outline font in the display information RAM set on the RAM 2, and executes the processing on the CRT 10.
YSIWYG (print the same content as the display content)
Is possible. Further, the CPU 1 opens various registered windows based on commands specified by a mouse cursor or the like (not shown) on the CRT 10 and executes various data processing. The print data is sent to the LBP 1500 via the bidirectional interface 12. Next, the configuration of the laser beam printer (LBP) 1500 will be described. The print data received by the interface (I / F) unit 16 is sequentially sent to the RAM 19 according to the control processes of the CPU 13 and the control unit 14. 13 is a CPU and a ROM 15
The entire printer is controlled by a control program stored in the printer. A RAM 19 is used as a work area of the CPU 13 and a rasterizing area of print data. A control unit 14 controls a memory, a bus arbitration, and data compression / decompression. Reference numeral 17 denotes a printing unit I / F unit.
The compressed data stored in the AM 19 is expanded and image-processed by the control unit 14, and is sequentially printed I / F units 17 and 18.
Is output to the printing unit 20 as print data via the.

FIG. 3 shows an ink jet recording apparatus (IJR).
1 shows the structure of A). In FIG. 3, the drive motor 5013
The driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5011
The carriage HC that engages with the lead screw 5005 and the spiral groove 5004 that rotate via 09 has a pin (not shown), and is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b.
This carriage IJC is mounted. A paper pressing plate 5002 presses the paper against the platen 5000 in the carriage movement direction. 5007, 5008
Is a photocoupler, which functions as a home position detecting means for confirming the presence of the carriage lever 5006 in this area and switching the rotation direction of the motor 5013 and the like.

Reference numeral 5016 denotes a member for designating the cap member 5022 on the entire surface of the recording head. Reference numeral 5015 denotes suction means for absorbing the inside of the cap to perform suction recovery of the recording head through the opening 5023 in the cap. Reference numeral 5017 denotes a cleaning blade which can be moved in the front-rear direction by a member 5019. Reference numeral 5018 denotes a main body support plate.
Indicate 9. Reference numeral 5021 denotes a lever for starting suction recovery. The lever 5021 moves with the movement of the cam 5020 that engages with the carriage, and the driving force of the driving motor is controlled by known transmission means such as clutch switching.

The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured so that desired operations can be performed at the corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 5005 when the carriage comes to the home position side area. May be configured to perform the desired operation.

FIG. 4 shows a control configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 6000 denotes an interface for inputting a print signal, and reference numeral 6011 denotes a control unit which controls supply of print data received via the interface unit as output data to the print head 6008.

Reference numeral 6010 denotes a carrier motor for transporting the recording head 6008, reference numeral 6009 denotes a transport motor for transporting the recording paper, reference numeral 6005 denotes a head driver for driving the recording head, and reference numeral 6006 denotes the transport motor 6009.
And 6007, a motor driver for driving the carrier motor 6010. In the recording apparatus configured as described above, a host computer 30 described below is connected via the interface 6000.
The print data expanded at 00 is input. Then, the motor drivers 6006 and 6007 are driven, and the recording head is driven and executed according to the output information sent to the head driver 6005. The control unit 6011 is capable of performing bidirectional communication processing with a host computer 3000 described below via an interface 6000, and is configured to be able to communicate information about the printing apparatus main body to the host computer 3000 described later.

An MPU (microprocessor) in the control unit 6011 controls each of the above units according to a program stored in the ROM 6002. A gate array (GA) 6004 generates a signal for driving a plurality of ink ejection heaters of the recording head based on the print data stored in the DRAM 6003. DRAM 60
03 stores print data for a predetermined line.

The host computer connected to the ink-jet printer can use the host computer described for the laser beam printer, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 shows a graphical user interface of the printer driver of this embodiment. The graphical user interface is displayed on the CRT (10) of the host computer (3000), and is operated by a mouse at a specific position, or by inputting information from a keyboard at a specific position on the display screen, to issue an operation instruction to the CPU 1. This is the interface to perform. FIG.
Reference numeral 501 denotes a print setting dialog of the printer driver, 502 denotes an edit box for setting the number of copies, and 503 denotes a radio button for setting a print direction. Reference numeral 504 denotes an OK button for validating the set value.
Reference numeral 5 denotes a cancel button for invalidating the set value.
Reference numeral 506 denotes a dialog display button for displaying a default value setting dialog. When printing is performed by a printer connected to a server via a network, the settings of the printer are usually security-managed, and only a user who is permitted to change the setting changes a default setting value using a dialog such as 501. be able to.

However, if a plurality of users can change the default value, unless the current default value is checked each time printing is performed, it is difficult to determine whether the current setting value is the value actually desired to be printed. Verification often takes time. For this reason, printing is often executed without confirming the default value of the setting dialog, and it is not uncommon that a mistake is noticed depending on the print result.

FIG. 6 shows a case where the user uses the mouse to change
6 shows a default value (default value) setting interface displayed when the dialog display button 6 is pressed. Reference numeral 601 denotes a default value setting dialogue; 602, an edit box for setting a default value of the number of print copies;
Reference numeral 3 denotes a radio button for setting a default value of the printing direction. Reference numeral 604 denotes an OK button for validating the set value.
Reference numeral 5 denotes a cancel button for invalidating the set value.

Reference numeral 606 denotes a setting value of the actual print job.
This is a check box for defaulting whether or not to display a print confirmation dialog described later when the value differs from the default value set by 602 and 603 and the like. Also, 60
Reference numerals 7 and 608 denote check boxes that specify whether to display a print confirmation dialog only when the checked setting item is different from the default value. 5 and 6 are stored in the HDD 21 in the host computer 3000.

FIG. 7 relates to the present invention, and when printing is actually performed, the difference between the default value (default value) and the set value of the actual print job is checked by comparing both, and there is no difference. In this case, the user interface performs a print confirmation and a warning displayed when it is detected that the default value has been changed. Reference numeral 701 denotes a printing confirmation dialog, and reference numeral 702 denotes a message area for warning that there is a difference between the current setting of the actually printed print job and the default value. Reference numeral 703 denotes an area for displaying a message as to whether or not printing can be performed as it is, and when the YES button 704 or the NO button 705 is pressed, execution or cancellation of the print job is confirmed.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing of this embodiment, and shows the processing when printing is actually performed. A printer driver that defines the processing procedure shown in this flowchart is executed by the host computer 300.
0 is stored in the HDD (hard disk) 21, loaded into the RAM 2 at the time of printing, and executed by the CPU 1.
Hereinafter, the processing will be described according to this flowchart.

First, when printing is instructed, the CPU 1
It is checked whether or not the check items indicated by reference numerals 607 and 608 in FIG.
If any item is checked here 8
Go to 02. In the present embodiment, the check item 60
Since the check of the print direction of No. 8 is specified, 802
Proceed to. Check all setting values (here, 60
If the check of 7,608) is not performed, 80
Proceed to 8 to execute printing as it is. Next, it is checked in 802 whether there is a default setting value different from the default value. In the case of the present embodiment, the print direction is checked at 608 and the default setting value and the default value are different between the horizontal and vertical directions as indicated by 503 and 603.
Proceed to. If there is no difference between the set value and the default value for the items to be compared, the process proceeds to 808 and printing is executed as it is.

Next, in step 803, a check is made on 606 in FIG. 6 to check whether a print confirmation dialog 701 is to be displayed. If 606 is checked and a print confirmation dialog 701 is to be displayed, 804
And a dialog 701 shown in FIG. 7 is displayed. In this dialog 701, a YES button 704 or a NO button 705 can be pressed. Subsequently, the process proceeds to 805, where it is determined whether the YES button 704 has been pressed. If the YES button 704 has been pressed, the process advances to step 808 to execute the printing process as it is. But Y
806 if the ES button 704 has not been pressed
To check if the NO button 705 has been pressed.
If the NO button 705 has not been pressed, the process returns to 805. If the user has pressed the NO button 705, the process advances to step 807 to cancel the printing process.

(Second Embodiment) In the above-described first embodiment, an example is shown in which only one default value can be registered. However, a plurality of default values may be registered. In addition, by registering a plurality of default values in FIG. 5 by setting the user name and the default value as one set, the difference between the default value of the specific user and the current default value is automatically compared. You may do it.

(Third Embodiment) In the first embodiment described above, an example in which only printing can be executed and canceled as shown in FIG. 7 has been described.
8 may be configured to display a dialog for changing the set value and to continue printing after the change of the set value.

(Fourth Embodiment) In the above-described first embodiment, an example has been described in which a confirmation dialog for confirming printing is displayed in any case, depending on the check items. However, it is detected that the printing is performed via the network based on the setting of the network communication, and only when the printing is the network printing, the print confirmation dialog is displayed.
When a printer is directly connected to one host computer, the processing procedure of FIG. 8 can be configured so that the print confirmation dialog is not displayed. When the stand-alone is detected, for example, a connection port of a cable of the printer can be checked. This makes it possible to display the print confirmation dialog only in the case of network printing in which a plurality of users are likely to change the default value.

(Fifth Embodiment) In the first embodiment, an example is shown in which a print confirmation dialog is displayed in any case, depending on the check items. However, when the user changes the setting value from the application, the confirmation dialog may not be displayed. In this case, the confirmation dialog need not be displayed by judging in the processing procedure of FIG. 8 that the default setting value has been changed from the application. In this way, when the user intentionally makes a change, an unnecessary dialog need not be displayed. Conversely, a confirmation dialog will be displayed only when the user tries to print with the default settings as they are, so for the user it is possible to print without confirming the current settings. This makes it possible to save time for printing.

(Other Embodiments) In addition to the above-described embodiments, the following embodiments can be implemented.

1) In the above-described embodiment, the print control apparatus is a software called a printer driver mounted on a host computer and a CP for executing the software.
However, when the printer is connected to another device, for example, a scanner or a digital camera, and prints an image generated by these devices, the software is installed in the printer or a device connected to the printer. I just need. In this case, the CP that executes the software
The instruction to U may be made by using an operation unit installed in the apparatus.

2) The printer driver is recorded on a floppy disk, CDROM, or other recording medium.
Needless to say, it can be implemented (installed) on the host computer. Further, it goes without saying that the printer driver may be downloaded (transferred) to the host computer through personal computer communication or Internet communication.

[0062]

As described above, claims 1 and 13 are as described above.
According to the invention, since a warning is issued when the default value is changed by another user, the conventional problem that the user does not intend to perform the printing without being aware of the change of the default value is solved.

According to the second and 14th aspects of the present invention, after the warning, the printing is confirmed with the changed set values, so that the printing instruction operation can be continued without restarting the printing instruction operation from the beginning. .

In the third and fifteenth aspects of the present invention, the warning is issued in the form of a message, so that the user can easily understand the contents of the warning.

According to the fourth and 16th aspects of the present invention, the user can confirm with the pointing device such as a mouse on the display screen, so that the operation for confirmation is facilitated.

According to the fifth and 17th aspects of the present invention, it is possible to instruct whether or not confirmation is necessary, so that the user can, for example, at a necessary time, for example,
When a printing apparatus is used by a large number of people, or under an environment where the printing apparatus is connected to a network, printing can be confirmed.

According to the sixth and eighteenth aspects of the present invention, in the case of confirmation of printing, if no, that is, an instruction not to perform printing is issued, the printing instruction can be canceled.

According to the seventh and nineteenth aspects of the present invention, when the printing is not confirmed, that is, when an instruction not to perform printing is given, the user changes the set value to a desired value, and
Since printing can be instructed, operations for various printing instructions performed so far are not wasted.

According to the eighth to tenth and twenty-second to twenty-second aspects of the present invention, the presence or absence of a change is detected for a specific set value that is frequently changed, such as the number of copies and the vertical / horizontal direction of printing. , Without unnecessarily increasing the number of detection targets,
No burden on the computer.

According to the eleventh and twenty-third aspects, when it is automatically detected that the printing apparatus is connected to the network,
By checking the necessity of printing for the setting value change,
In an environment where the printing apparatus is used by the user alone, confirmation is not performed and the instruction operation relating to printing is simplified.

In the twelfth and twenty-fourth aspects, the default value itself can be changed. Frequently used settings can be changed to default.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a schematic sectional configuration of a laser beam printer to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration related to control of the laser beam printer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of an inkjet printer to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration related to control of the inkjet printer of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a print setting dialog screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a default value setting dialog screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a print confirmation dialog screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the contents of a print control process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 CPU 2 RAM 3 ROM 4 System bus 5 Keyboard controller 6 CRT controller 7 Disk controller 8 Printer controller 9 Keyboard 10 CRT 11 External memory 12 Bidirectional parallel interface 13 CPU 14 Control unit 15 ROM 16 I / F unit 17 Printing unit I / F section 18 Printing section I / F section 19 RAM 20 Printing section 21 HDD 100 Laser beam printer main unit 101 Control unit 102 Laser driver 103 Semiconductor laser 104 Laser beam 105 Rotating polygon mirror 106 Electrostatic drum 107 Developing unit 108 Paper cassette 109 Paper feed Roller 110 Transport roller 111 Transport roller 112 Operation panel 501 Print setting dialog 601 Default setting dialog 701 Print confirmation dialog 100 Printer control unit 1500 Printer main body 3000 Host computer 5000 Platen 5002 Paper holder 5003 Axis 5004 Spiral groove 5005 Lead screw 5006 Lever 5007 Photocoupler 5008 Photocoupler 5009 Driving force transmission gear 5010 Driving force transmission gear 5011 Driving force transmission gear 5013 Driving motor 5015 Means 5016 Recording head support plate 5017 Cleaning blade 5018 Body support plate 5019 Member 5020 Cam 5021 Lever 5022 Cap member 5023 Open in cap 6000 Interface 6001 MPU 6002 ROM 6003 DRAM 6004 Gate array 6005 Head driver 6006 Motor driver 6007 Motor driver 6007 9 Transport motor 6010 Carrier motor

Claims (24)

[Claims] 1. A print control system which can change a set value that defines the contents of print control of a printing apparatus, and, if the change is not made, sets a predetermined default value as a set value. Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a change in the value, and warning means for warning that the setting value has changed when the detecting means detects that the setting value has changed. Printing control system. 2. The print control system according to claim 1, further comprising a confirmation unit for confirming whether or not to perform printing with the changed set value when a warning is issued by said warning unit. A print control system, characterized in that: 3. The print control system according to claim 2, further comprising a display unit for displaying information on a display screen, wherein said warning unit issues a warning in a message form on said display screen. And print control system. 4. The print control system according to claim 3, further comprising a position designation unit for designating a position on the display screen, wherein printing is performed with the setting value changed by the confirmation unit. A first display area for confirmation and a second display area for confirmation of non-confirmation are defined on the display screen, and the position designation means is used to display the first display area and the second display area. The print control system, wherein the confirmation unit determines which one has been instructed. 5. The print control system according to claim 2, further comprising instruction means for instructing whether or not to perform confirmation by said confirmation means, wherein the instruction to perform confirmation by said confirmation means is issued by said instruction means. A printing control system, wherein the checking means is not operated when the printing is performed. 6. The printing control system according to claim 2, wherein when printing is confirmed, printing based on the changed setting value is instructed to the printing apparatus,
A print control system, wherein, when the confirmation is made, the print instruction is canceled. 7. The printing control system according to claim 2, wherein when the printing is confirmed by the checking unit, the printing is instructed to the printing apparatus based on the changed setting value, A print control system, wherein, when it is determined that the setting is not accepted, after receiving a change in the set value, the printing apparatus is instructed to perform printing based on the changed set value to the printing apparatus. 8. The print control system according to claim 1, wherein the set value has a plurality of types.
A print control system characterized in that a type for which the presence or absence of a change among the plurality of types is to be detected is determined in advance. 9. The print control system according to claim 8, wherein the set value for detecting the presence or absence of the change includes a value indicating the number of copies to be printed. 10. The print control system according to claim 8, wherein the set value for detecting the presence or absence of the change includes a vertical /
A print control system comprising a value indicating a horizontal print direction. 11. The printing control system according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is connectable to a network, and performs printing in accordance with an instruction from another apparatus connected to the network. The printing apparatus further includes detection means for detecting whether or not the printing apparatus is connected to the network, and when the detection means detects that the printing apparatus is connected to the network, performing the confirmation by the confirmation means. Characterized print control system. 12. The print control system according to claim 1, further comprising a registration unit for registering the default value so as to be changeable. 13. A print control method which can change a set value which defines the contents of print control of a printing apparatus, and performs print control using a predetermined default value as a set value when the change is not made. A detecting step of detecting whether or not the set value has been changed; and a warning step of warning that the set value has been changed when the detected change of the set value is detected by the detecting step. A printing control method characterized by the following. 14. The print control method according to claim 13, further comprising a confirmation step of confirming whether or not to perform printing with the changed set value when a warning is issued in the warning step. A printing control method characterized by the above-mentioned. 15. The print control method according to claim 14, wherein in the warning step, a warning is issued in a message form on a display screen. 16. The print control method according to claim 15, wherein a first display area for confirming that printing is performed with the changed set values and a second display area for confirming whether or not printing is performed. Is defined on a display screen, and in the checking step, it is determined which of the first display area and the second display area is instructed by a pointing device. 17. The print control system according to claim 14, further comprising an instruction step of instructing whether or not to perform the confirmation in the confirmation step, wherein the instruction of performing the confirmation in the confirmation step is performed by the instruction step. The printing control method is characterized by not proceeding to the confirmation step when the printing control is performed. 18. The printing control method according to claim 14, wherein when the printing is confirmed in the confirmation step, printing based on the changed setting value is instructed to the printing apparatus, A print control method characterized by canceling a print instruction when confirmation is made. 19. The printing control method according to claim 14, wherein when the printing is confirmed in the checking step, printing based on the changed set value is instructed to the printing apparatus; A print control method comprising: when the confirmation is made, instructing the printing apparatus to perform printing based on the changed setting value after accepting the change of the setting value. 20. The print control method according to claim 13, wherein the set value has a plurality of types, and a type for which the presence or absence of a change in the plurality of types is to be detected is determined in advance. A printing control method characterized by the above-mentioned. 21. The print control method according to claim 20, wherein the set value for detecting the presence or absence of the change includes a value indicating the number of print copies. 22. The print control method according to claim 20, wherein the set value for detecting the presence / absence of a change includes a value indicating a portrait / landscape print direction. 23. The printing control method according to claim 13, wherein the printing apparatus is connectable to a network, and performs printing according to an instruction from another apparatus connected to the network. A detecting step of detecting whether or not the printing apparatus is connected to the network; and performing the confirmation by the confirming step when the detecting of the connection of the printing apparatus to the network is performed in the detecting step. Characteristic print control method. 24. The print control method according to claim 13, further comprising a registration step of registering the default value so as to be changeable.