JPS6325364B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to word processing, particularly text data processing.
Relates to automatic tabulation (with pages) of streams.

Features of the Prior Art Most word processing systems currently in use do not allow an operator to perform batch/background output functions such as printing, magnetic card recording, or correspondence without prior page preparation.
Although systems such as the IBM Office System 6 use end-of-paper sensors to print formatted pages, the systems do not follow document boundaries. Furthermore, the office system 6 includes:
Other badges such as magnetic card recording or communications
Do not create fixed-format pages for background processing. Therefore, there is a need for a method to automatically collate a data stream to a batch/background output process.

If you want to automatically cite the data stream,
Consideration must be given to preventing the entire page or the beginning of a created hard copy from being blank, that is, to prevent the creation of useless hard copies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a method of collating for hard copy production a data stream formatted into at least one logical page of a series of lines stored in the memory of a word processing system. , (a) When the first line of said logical page is encountered,
(b) initializing registers in the system for detecting the vertical print position of a hard copy; (b) each time an end-of-line code is encountered in the data stream; (b2) a page overflow that increases the register by a value representing the interval between printing positions in the vertical direction; and (b2) displays a page overflow condition when the register reaches a predetermined value corresponding to the bottom line of the hard copy.・
(c) if it is determined that said page overflow condition has occurred, the character following said line termination code in said data stream; (d) determining whether the character is a predetermined control character until a character other than the predetermined control character is found in the data stream; If found, copy the page end code into the output buffer before the character;
A method for automatically ticking documents that resets the overflow latch and initializes the registers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides magnetic card recording, printing and loading.
Provides a preprocessing program for automatic collation of data streams for batch background processes such as interprocessor communication. Its primary purpose is to give word processors the ability to print data streams that are uncollated, ie, have not been given an end-of-page code. Automatic binding allows the operator to key in logical pages of arbitrary length without printing text beyond the physical boundaries of the paper or beyond the final type line specified by the operator. The present invention prevents the entire page or the beginning of a page of a produced hard copy from being blank when performing auto-ticion.

The automatic tabulation method of the present invention identifies and processes three types of unpaged text in addition to text that is tabulated by inserting end-of-page codes. The first type of text includes text where the logical end of the page occurs before the last type line on the paper.
A logical page is a series of lines of text that the operator has stored on a diskette, terminated by an end-of-page code. A logical page may correspond to the number of lines on a physical sheet of paper, or may have more or fewer lines. When the logical end of page occurs before the last type line, the entire document can be printed without exceeding the physical boundaries of the paper. Therefore, automatic pagination is not required.

The second and third types of text include documents that exceed the final type line when the data stream that makes up the logical page is printed. This causes a page overflow condition. Second
For type of text, the logical page exceeds the final type line, or the next character in the data stream is a control code that creates a blank space.
The control codes are known as "white characters" and include, for example, end-of-line codes, end-of-page codes, paragraph boundaries, tabs, and carrier returns. In the above case, a new page is not created until the first non-white (graphic) character is encountered in the data stream.

In the third type of text, the logical page exceeds the final type line and the next character in the data stream is non-white or a graphic character. This creates an error condition. The reason is data
This is because printing the next character in the stream causes the text to be printed below the last type line. In the above case, the page ends at the point in the data stream where the program finally determines that it has exceeded the last typed line, and a new page begins with the first line containing printable graphics. When the overflow error condition described above occurs, the program returns if the last line is exceeded and inserts an end-of-page code afterward. The data stream modified thereby is collated, and said data stream is subsequently processed.

FIG. 1 shows the individual functional elements of a word processing system with automatic pagination functionality. Single-line arrows represent data flow, and double-line arrows represent control flow. The element is a random access memory 1
0, a common conversion program/preprocessing program (hereinafter referred to as the common conversion program) 12, a storage access method 14, a keyboard access method 16, and a print access method 18.
Diskette storage device 20, keyboard device 2
2, and various peripheral devices such as a printing device 24. Furthermore, random access memory 1
0, a common conversion program 12, and a print controller 26 that interfaces with the print access method 18.

Random access memory 10 includes an input buffer 30, an output buffer 32, and a page overflow latch 34 (FIG. 2). As shown in FIG.
is common conversion program 12, memory access method 1
4. interfaces with keyboard access method 16, print access method 18, and print controller 26;

The common conversion program 12 is an internal diskette.
It is an interface between the code and the code used in external printers, magnetic card recording and communication access methods. The primary function of the common conversion program 12 is to convert internal diskette code into a printable data stream. This preprocessor function takes the internal EBCDIC code set and generates a simple subset of EBCDIC. Said subsets can be used and/or translated by specific access methods. 1st
As shown in the diagram and in detail in FIG.
0 from input buffer 30 and manipulates the data to provide a modified data stream at output buffer 32. The modified data stream includes an end-of-page code provided by the present invention and is accessed from output buffer 32 by print access method 18. Second
Details of related functions subordinate to the common conversion program 12 shown in the figure will be described next.

In FIG. 1, storage access method 14 is a collection of programs used to interface each component of the system to data diskette storage 20. Each time the common conversion program 12 requests data in the process of obtaining an input data stream, the storage access method 14
requests the data from the diskette and enters the memory of the input buffer 30 (FIG. 2) where it can be accessed and preprocessed by the common conversion program 12.

Keyboard access method 16 is a collection of programs that interface with keyboard device 22 through which an operator keys in primitive inputs. Keyboard device 22 has random access memory 10
indirectly controls the printing process. Once the operator initiates an action via the keyboard device 22, the action is completed under the control of the print controller 26 and requires no further interaction with the operator.

Print access method 18 is a collection of programs that interface with printing device 24. Print access method 18 retrieves the data transformed by common conversion program 12 and returns it to random access memory 10 and sends the data to printing device 24 under the control of print controller 26 .

FIG. 2 shows the dependent functions of the common conversion program 12 that are relevant to the present invention. The functions include a single byte decoder 40, a page end code executor 41, and a row end code executor 4.
2, includes the functions of a next character check subroutine 48, an end of page subroutine 54, and a subroutine that moves input characters to output buffer 32. Third
Details of the functions shown in FIG. 8 will be described next.

Single-byte decoder 40 shown in FIG.
is at the top of the hierarchy in terms of flow of control. Although single-byte decoder 40 decodes all single-byte control codes, only the line end code and page end code will be described here. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the appropriate page or row end code is encountered in the data stream, single-byte decoder 40 decodes either page end code executor 41 or row end code executor 42. Transfer control to one. As shown in FIG. 3, other delinquent exit codes, including graphic character codes, are also decoded by single-byte decoder 40, but these codes are not directly relevant to the present invention. Therefore, the logic for decoding said data into a modified data stream is not shown or described. Single-byte decoder 40 transfers control to other slave functions not shown in FIG.
The normal delinquency exit code is obtained from the ``delinquency termination code'', processed, and copied into the output buffer 32.

Since the page alignment routines do not distinguish between tabulated and uncopied text, they must be able to handle text that encounters end-of-page codes. When single-byte decoder 40 decodes the end-of-page code, auto-page is not required and the auto-page routine is bypassed. Once the page end code is decoded, single byte decoder 40 passes control to page end code executor 41. The logic of the page end code executor 41 is shown in FIG. In step 43, if the page exit code already exists, the page overflow latch 3
4 is reset to eliminate the possibility of a page overflow condition. Control then returns to the higher level program (not shown) at step 44.

When an end-of-line code is encountered in the data stream, single-byte decoder 40 passes control to end-of-line code executor 42, a subroutine of automatic tabulation routine 45 shown in FIG.
Each time an end-of-line code is executed by the executor 42, it causes a vertical displacement of the print position on the page. For example, if a document is single-spaced with a normal line density of 6 lines per 2.54 cm, then execution of the line termination code will cause a vertical displacement of 1/6 of a 2.54 cm in the print position. The current type line is tracked by a vertical tracking register (not shown). Thus, the value in the vertical tracking register is incremented by one-sixth of 2.54 cm in step 46 to always maintain the vertical print position (print position relative to the top and bottom of the hard copy). Generally, the increment value of the vertical tracking register is determined by the row density specified by the operator.

After the vertical tracking register value is incremented at step 46, control is passed to the next character check subroutine 48. FIG. 6 shows the logic of the next character check subroutine 48. The subroutine essentially tests the page overflow latch 34. The latch may have been set when the previous line termination code was encountered. At step 50 of FIG. 6, the next character check subroutine 48 checks for page overflow by interrogating the page overflow latch 34. If latch 34 is not set, a page overflow condition does not exist. Control then returns to the automatic tabling routine 45 (FIG. 5) at step 52. If a page overflow condition exists, decision step 53 determines by examining the next character stored in input buffer 30.
Determine if the overflow is an error condition characterized by the presence of non-white or graphic characters. If white characters are present, no error condition will be detected and there is no need for tabulation at this point in the data stream. Control returns to the automatic tabulation routine 45 at step 52. If the next character is a graphic character, the error condition is detected and appropriate action is taken in the end-of-page subroutine 54.

FIG. 7 shows the logic of the page end subroutine 54. At step 56, page overflow latch 34 is reset. At step 58, the vertical tracking register is initialized to a value corresponding to the vertical displacement of the first line on which a new page is printed. The values in the first row are specified by the operator.
At step 60, an end-of-page code is copied into the output buffer 32 following the last character that caused the page overflow and error condition.
At step 62, control returns to the automatic tabulation routine 45 (FIG. 5).

Step 64 of FIG. 5 determines whether the value in the vertical tracking register exceeds the final type line value specified by the operator. If the value of the final type line is not exceeded, a subroutine 66 is executed which moves the input characters to the output buffer. If the value of the register exceeds the value of the last type line, an overflow condition exists and step 65 sets and indicates page overflow latch 34. After the latch 34 is set, a subroutine 66 is executed which moves the input character to the output buffer.

FIG. 8 shows the logic of the subroutine 66.
If no overflow condition exists, the subroutine can essentially transfer the input characters to the output buffer 32 (step 69). At decision step 68, page overflow latch 3
Determine whether a page overflow condition exists by examining 4. If overflow has occurred, control returns to the automatic tabulation routine (FIG. 5) at step 70. In an overflow condition, input white characters are discarded by simply not providing the ability to copy the input characters into the output buffer 32. In an error condition due to overflow, the graphic character input representing the first character of a new page ends up in the output buffer 32.
This is done after the latch 34 is reset to end the overflow condition and the end-of-page code is copied into the output buffer 32 before the graphic characters. Thus, during processing, graphic characters are printed on a new page after the end-of-page code is encountered.

Thus, the present invention provides automatic pagination for word processing systems. The automatic tabulation routine has the ability to process data streams that do not have an end-of-page code, as well as tabulated data streams. The modified data stream output that enters the output buffer is processed by printing, magnetic card recording, and communication access methods not possible with prior art systems.

Note that by making modifications to the above example,
Among control characters, those that have a strong connection with the following non-control characters, such as indentation codes, are treated in the same way as the non-white characters (non-control characters) mentioned above in the next character inspection routine. good. That is, when such a character is detected in the check next character routine, control may be passed to the end-of-page subroutine.

As described above, according to the present invention, not only is pagination performed, but the created hardware
To prevent the entire page or the beginning of one page of a copy from being blank. In other words, it is possible to prevent unnecessary creation of hard copies.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the functional units of the word processing system according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the common conversion program/preprocessing program shown in FIG.
3 is a block diagram showing the functional units of the access memory and printer access method; FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing the flow of control from the single byte decoder to the page end code executor and line end code executor; FIG. FIG. 5 is a logic flowchart of the automatic tabulation routine; FIG. 6 is a logic flowchart of the next character check subroutine; FIG. 7 is a logic flowchart of the page end subroutine; FIG. 8 is a logic flow diagram of a subroutine that moves input characters to an output buffer. 10...Random access memory, 12...
...Common conversion program/preprocessing program, 14
...Memory access method, 16...Keyboard access method, 18...Print access method, 20...
...Data diskette storage device, 22...Keyboard device, 24...Printing device, 26...Print controller, 30...Input buffer, 32...Output buffer, 34...Page overflow latch, 40...Single・Byte decoder, 4
1...Page end code executor, 42
...Line end code executor, 45...Automatic tabulation routine, 48...Next character inspection subroutine, 54...End of page subroutine, 66...
A subroutine that moves input characters to the output buffer.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A method for collating for hard copy production a data stream formatted into at least one logical page of a series of lines stored in the memory of a word processing system, comprising: , (a) When the first line of said logical page is encountered,
(b) initializing registers in the system for detecting the vertical print position of a hard copy; (b) each time an end-of-line code is encountered in the data stream; (b2) a page overflow controller for incrementing said register by a value representing the spacing between print positions in the vertical direction; and (b2) indicating a page overflow condition when said register reaches a predetermined value corresponding to the bottom line of said hard copy.
(c) if it is determined that said page overflow condition has occurred, the character following said line termination code in said data stream; (d) determining whether the character is a predetermined control character until a character other than the predetermined control character is found in the data stream; If found, copy the page end code into the output buffer before the character;
A document automatic ticking method for resetting the overflow latch and initializing the registers.