JPS617923A - Printing system in terminal system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To output a printing request from a work station to which no printer is connected, as well, and to execute appropriate printing by deciding the printing request in the work station by a station controller. CONSTITUTION:When a printing request is outputted by executing an application program 22 from a work station 13 to which no printer is connected, a macro of ''1'' is given to the application program 22. It is sent to an RMOC program 35 through a signal line 40, from which it is transmitted to a circuit program 34 through a signal line 42, and also sent to a station controller STC11 through a circuit. In the STC11, the printing request is sent to a work station printer program 32 from a circuit program 31, and a printer corresponding to this printing request is retrieved in accordance with a table 33. According to this table, the printing request from the work station 13 is set so as to be printed by a printer 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of Industrial Application - The present invention relates to a printing method in a terminal system, and in particular, when a print request occurs at a workstation that does not have a printer, the print request is sent via a station controller to a workstation that has a printer. communicate to other workstations,
This relates to a remote print method that allows printing with that printer.

Generally, when a print request occurs during the operation of an application program at a plurality of workstations connected via one line, each workstation prints out a printout using its own printer connected to it.

However, print requests can occur at all workstations, and it is not always possible to satisfy print requests at workstations that are not equipped with a printer. Also, even if the workstation has a printer,
Sometimes the best printer to print to is not your own printer, but a printer connected to another workstation.

The present invention focuses on such a situation.

(2) Conventional technology Figure 1 shows terminal devices, each with its own functions.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a conventional example of connected terminal systems.

In this tooth, 1 is the station controller <5T
C), 2 is a work station with a built-in application program 3 and a printer 4; 5 is a work station with an application program 6 and no printer connected; station controller 1, work station 2 and 3 are connected to each other via a signal line 7. In a terminal system having such a configuration, the work station 2 or 5 executes an application program in response to commands from the station controller 1 to the roller 1, or the work station 2
Now, the application program 3 is executed and the results obtained are outputted from the printer 4.

(3) Problems that the invention seeks to solve However,
Such conventional terminal systems have a problem in that a workstation 5 that does not have a printer cannot print out its own data even if it attempts to do so. Furthermore, even if the workstation 2 has a printer 4, there is a problem that the printer 4 may not be optimal for the print requests issued by the workstation 2. .

(4) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made by focusing on the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to issue a print request even if a workstation is not connected to a printer. The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems by providing a remote printing method that enables printing.

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides a terminal system having a plurality of workstations connected to a line, in response to a print request from a workstation.
A station controller is provided with a print operation control program, and a print request from the works station is transmitted via the station controller to the works station connected to the printer, so that the printer can print. This is a summary of the following. Work 3, which generates print requests, is configured so that C can respond to print requests from any workstation, regardless of whether a printer is connected or not.

(5) Function Printing from a workstation without a printer connected 1~
The request is sent via the station-1 controller to a workstation connected to a printer, decoded and printed within this workstation. Such print requests are also sent when a printer is connected, but this printer does not completely satisfy its own print requests. In response to a print request, the stage controller searches for an optimal printer, inputs the print request to the optimal printer, and prints the print.

(6) Embodiment FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams showing a terminal system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a station controller (STC) for controlling the terminal system according to the above embodiment, 12 is a workstation incorporating an application program 22 and equipped with a printer 16, and 13 is an application program 22. Workstation 14 has a built-in application program 22 and is not connected to a printer 17.
15 indicates a workstation to which a printer 18 having a built-in application program 22 is connected. Works Stishicon 1
2 is connected to the station controller 1 to the roller 11 by a signal vA23, and is also connected to the signal line 24 of the workstation 13 by the operation of the station controller 11. The workstation 14 has a signal line 25 for sending a print request and a signal line 25a for receiving a print command, and allows the workstation 14 to print the blend request generated by itself on its own printer 17 through the operation of the station controller 11. I have to. Furthermore,
The workstation 15 is connected and controlled by the station controller 11 through a signal line 26 like the workstation 2 described in the prior art example, but print requests can be processed directly within the device itself. The station controller 11 is connected to the station controller 11 and the workstation 12.1.
．． : 5, 14. A line program 31 for connecting and disconnecting with 15, and workstations 12 to 15.
The workstation printer program 32 includes a workstation printer program 32 that decodes a print request from a printer, and a table 33 that determines the most suitable printer for the print request. For example, as shown in the table below, the table 33 is assigned in a one-to-one relationship between the workstation that sent the print request and the most suitable printer that corresponds to that request, and can be rewritten as necessary. can.

(Left below) In addition to the application program 22, the workstation 12 has a line program 34, an RMoC program 35, an RMIC program 36, and a printer program 37. Command information is sent from the printer program 37 to the printer 16. It looks like this. Workstations 13, 14, and 15 are also configured similarly to workstation 12. However, since no printer is connected to the workstation 13, there is no connection between the printer program 37 and the printer serving as the output device.

In this configuration, a remote printing method shown in pattern 1 in FIG. 2 will be explained. This shows processing of a print request from a workstation 13 to which no printer is connected. In the workstation 13, when a print request is issued on J: to execute the application program 22, this print request is sent to the signal line 4o by giving the application program a macro of ``1''.
It is sent to the RM, O, C program 35 through the signal line 42, and from there to the line program 34 through the signal line 42, and also sent to the station controller 11 through the line. In the station controller 11, a print request is sent from the line program 31 to the workstation printer program 32, and the table 33 searches for a printer corresponding to this print request according to the above table. According to this table, Works Day 13
Since the print request is set to be printed by the printer 16, the print command is transmitted from the station controller 11 to the workstation 12 through the signal line 23. In the workstation 12r, a print command is sent from the line program 34 to the RMIG program 36 through the signal line 43, which in turn is sent to the printer program 37 through the ID line 44, where a program for operating the printer is executed. As a result, the printer program 37 sends an operating signal to the signal B line, 45
is transmitted to the printer 1.6 through the printer 1.6.
will be printed out. The above printing method is applicable not only to print requests from workstations to which no printer is connected, but also to print requests from workstations to which a printer is connected, such as workstation 14, to other workstations. A similar method is used when printing with a printer. This is effective when the printer 17 is not optimal for the print request from the workstation 14.

Next, the remote printing method shown in pattern 2 in FIG. 2 will be explained. In this process, a print request from a workstation 14 to which a printer is connected is once transmitted to the studio controller 11, where the workstation program is executed, and then a print command is sent to the same workstation 14 again. Transmit and own printer 17
niJ: is the way to print. A print request from the workstation 14 is sent through the signal line 25, and a print command from the station controller 11 is sent through the signal line 25a.

'J 43, workstation 14 and stage 3]
The same is true for the pattern. In this way, requests for prints 1 to 1 of the workstation connected to the printer can also be input to the terminal system. '1. s
It has the advantage of being able to unify the structure of the coalfields and making it easier to construct coalfields. .

The method to J printer 1 shown in pattern 3 in Fig. 2 is conventionally
Similar to the 5G-J printing method, this is a method in which a print request from a workstation 15 connected to a printer is directly printed by its own printer 18 without sending it to the station controller 11. In this case, the print request can be sent to the application program 22 by giving the application program 22 a mask [1 of 0'
The printer program 37 is directly executed from the program 22 through the signal line 41, and the printer 18 activation code is sent to the printer 18 through the signal IIA7'I5, so that the printer 18 prints. This is done after the application program 22 issues a print request.
The time it takes for the printer 18 to operate can be shortened, making it suitable for quick print operations.

(7) As described in detail, according to the present invention, a print request at a workstation is judged by the station controller and appropriate printing can be performed, so that a workstation to which a printer is not connected can be used. -B print requests can now be issued from the printer, and the printer 1 operation that is most suitable for the print request can be performed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a method for printing a conventional terminal system, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing method of a terminal system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a station controller and a workstation used in the above embodiment. 1.11...Station: lnt[1-ra2.5.
12, 13.14.15...Works version 3.22...Application program 4.16.
17.18...Printer 31.34...Line program 32...Workstation printer program 13
3...Table 35...RMOC program 36...RMIC program 37...Printer program

Claims (1)

[Claims] A print operation control program that operates in response to print requests from workstations in a terminal system that has a plurality of workstations connected to a station controller and a line, and in which the workstations are controlled by the station controller. is provided in a station controller, and in response to a print request from the workstation, the station controller transmits print data to another workstation and prints it by a printer connected to the workstation. Print method.