KR20040003728A - Method to print labels on user's computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for printing a label on a user computer is provided to easily input or select a text or an image printed on a label sheet by being executed on the user computer, and to correctly print the printing information on each label. CONSTITUTION: A user edits the image of various kinds of labels or selects a label image while outputting the stored label image to a screen(S21). The user individually inputs or selects the text and the image printed on the label image, or edits or selects a database storing the information to be printed(S22). The inputted or selected printing information is displayed on the screen as a state printed on the selected label image, and edits a printing state of the displayed label(S23). The printing information is printed on the label sheet by outputting the printing information to a printer(S24).

Description

How to print labels on user's computer}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a label printing method, and in particular, is performed on a user computer such as a personal computer (PC) to generate various forms of identification labels (map, media, bar code, address, sticker, computer, etc.). And a method for enabling printing.

Currently, various forms of labels are used for titles of various office documents or for attaching specific images to personal items. These labels can be easily purchased at stationery or office supply stores, and the back side has an adhesive to make it easy to attach to the object.

These labels may be printed with specific information in advance, but a blank label may be purchased to write or print the contents desired by the user. However, it is not easy to cleanly write or print specific text or images desired by the user.

To this end, a user may print a desired text or image with a printer provided in his computer, cut it into an appropriate size, attach it to a label, or print a specific text or image on a label sheet by inserting the label sheet itself into a printer. However, even in this case, it is not easy to accurately match the printing position of the label sheet, and there is an inconvenience in that a program for processing text and images to be printed on the label sheet must be managed by itself.

Accordingly, the present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and can be easily entered or selected to be performed on the user's computer to print a specific text or image to be printed on the actual label paper, and the corresponding print information is correctly printed on each label. The goal is to provide a way to make it work.

In order to achieve the above object, the label printing method according to the present invention enables the user to select a specific label image while editing the image of various labels, or outputting the pre-stored label image on the screen. The first procedure to ensure that; A second procedure for allowing the user to separately input or select text and images to be printed on the label image, or to edit or select a database having collectively information to be printed; A process of displaying on the screen a state in which information to be printed or inputted or selected in the second process is printed on the label image selected in the first process, and processing to edit the printed state for each displayed label; 3 procedures; And a fourth procedure of outputting the information to be edited in the third procedure to a printing apparatus and processing the printed information to be printed on the actual label sheet.

1 is a block diagram of a label processing program for printing a label according to the present invention;

2 is a flowchart of a label printing method according to the present invention;

3 to 27 show respective embodiments related to screen processing of a label processing program.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: label processing program 11: label image database

12: print information database

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of a label processing program for processing a label according to the present invention, wherein the label processing program 10 is installed in a user's computer to display various types of labels (mapping, media, barcode, address) , Stickers, computing, etc.) can be created and printed. To this end, the label processing program 10 manages a label image database 11 storing various label images, and a print information database 12 storing various characters and images to be printed on the label.

The label processing program 10 executes the file module 10-1, the editing module 10-2, the input module 10-3, the form module 10-4, and the DB management module 10 to perform its functions. -5), viewing module (10-6), and help module (10-7) can be composed of a variety of modules, each module performs the function of the program menu from the user's point of view, each module function Same as

The file module 10-1 performs various functions such as loading, saving, and saving a file under a different name, as well as creating a new label, terminating a program, and printing.

The editing module 10-2 assists in editing by selecting and deleting work contents, canceling executed work, and copying and pasting objects.

The input module 10-3 performs a function of inputting a string, importing a picture image, generating a drawing object such as a line / ellipse / square / circle, generating a barcode object, and generating a serial number object.

The formatting module 10-4 performs functions such as changing a font, left / right / center alignment of selected objects, rotating objects, and moving ranks between nested objects.

The DB management module 10-5 performs functions such as creating a database form and editing a database.

The view module 10-6 performs a function such as showing at a real size, zooming in and out, and the like.

The help module 10-7 performs a function of providing various kinds of help.

Since the functions of each module are the same as or similar to those performed by a general computer program, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. However, the functions of the modules specific to the present invention will be described in detail.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a label printing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. A function performed by the label processing program 10 will be described in detail with reference to the label printing method.

First, the label processing program 10 may edit a label image or process a user to select a specific label image while outputting a pre-stored label image on the screen (first process: S21). The first procedure is to select a label to be used from the user's point of view.

An embodiment of performing the first procedure will be described in detail.

When the user selects "Create new label" in the file menu, a label selection screen as shown in the example shown in FIG. 3 appears. The label selection screen includes a product classification window (3-1), a product number window (3-2), and an image window (3-3), and the product number appearing in the product number window (3-2) is for each product classification. Name of the label image. When the user selects an item to be worked on from the list using the product classification window (3-1) and the product number window (3-2), the type of the selected label is displayed in the image window (3-3) on the right. This label is selected by clicking the confirm button (3-5). The label image corresponding to the product number according to the product classification is an element stored and managed in the label image database 11, and is a process of selecting one of the label images previously stored.

In the label selection screen shown in FIG. 3, a new label making button (3-4) used to generate a label image that is not already registered, a modify button for correcting a previously registered label image, and a previously registered label image are used. And a delete button for deleting a label image, a confirmation button 3-5 for confirming that a specific label image is to be selected, and a cancel button for canceling the current job.

When the user wants to create a new label that is not stored in the label image database 11, he clicks on the Create New Label button 3-4. Then, a user-defined creation screen such as the example shown in FIG. 4 appears. 4 illustrates an embodiment of making an A6 sized rectangular label, and a user checks an A6 sized item, randomly inputs a product number (eg, label square 1), and sets each item in a label position setting item. . Here, the product number (label square 1) is a name designated by the user, which the user can inquire later, and the type and size information of the label currently being worked on is displayed on the upper left. If you click the add button (4-1), the new label format is saved, and if you click the cancel button, the current job is cancelled.

That is, the user creates a new label image or selects a label image registered in the first step S21.

When the user creates or selects a specific label image in the first procedure S21, the user can individually input or select text or an image to be printed on the label image. Or process to edit or select the database containing the information to be printed on the label collectively (second step: S22). This print information is managed through the print information database 12.

An embodiment of performing the second procedure S22 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5. When the user selects a specific product number in the label selection screen as shown in the example shown in FIG. 3, a work screen as shown in the example shown in FIG. 5 appears. At this time, when the user clicks on a certain icon (icon for text input), a box 5-1 for inputting a letter appears, and the cursor blinks in the box 5-1. Then, enter an arbitrary string in the box (e.g., "Sales Department"), click the "Apply" item by clicking the right mouse button, and label the character coverage in the label application window as shown in FIG. Choose whether to make it all or only a portion (selection only). Then, click the Apply button to apply the string to the currently selected range, or click the Cancel button to cancel the current job.

If you want to print an image instead of a string, select the desired image from each image stored in the print information database, specify an individual image file saved by the user, or use the drawing function of the input module. Can be generated.

In addition, if you want to print out the information that the user has already entered (for example, if you want to print the name of each department on each label such as management department, general affairs department, human resources department, planning department), select a database that stores the print information. Can be. Embodiments of creating and managing such databases will be described in detail in the following database-related embodiments.

When the information to be printed on the label is input or selected in the second procedure (S22), the state in which the print information is printed on the label image selected in the first procedure (S21) is displayed on the screen, and printing is performed for each displayed label. Process to edit the state (third procedure: S23).

An example of checking a character application range as a whole in a label application window such as the example shown in FIG. 6 is illustrated in FIG. 7, and the user can individually or collectively change the state displayed on the screen. That is, the text of a certain label can be selected to change the font, color, shape, etc., and the change can be applied only to the corresponding label or the change can be applied to all the labels.

Finally, the printed information edited in the third step S23 is outputted to the printing apparatus, and processed to be printed on the actual label sheet (fourth step: S24).

A label selected by a user is inserted into the printing apparatus 20 (printer), and is printed as it is displayed on the screen as shown in FIG. Here, the label image is not printed, but the label sheet having the label image is inserted into the printing apparatus 20, and print information such as a character string or an image is printed on the label sheet. For this purpose, it is desirable to allow the user to adjust the printing position (eg, left / right margins, top / bottom margins, etc.) of the print information. Since this technique is well known as a printing related technique, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 8 illustrates a state in which a user selects his image and prints it on an actual label sheet.

On the other hand, since a lot of bar codes are currently used for the automation of various data management, it would be more desirable to allow the user to print the information input in the form of a bar code on the label. In this case, the second procedure S22 may further include receiving text information and converting the input text into a barcode image.

To describe in detail an embodiment using a bar code, the user selects a "label for bar code" in the label selection screen as shown in FIG. 9. Then, when a schedule icon (barcode icon) provided on the work screen is clicked, a bar code registration information window as shown in FIG. 10 appears, and the content to be converted into a bar code is input in the input data field 10-1 at the bottom. Then, the barcode is automatically generated and appears in the preview window 10-2. In this case, functions such as the type of bar code to be generated, whether to display the text together with the bar code, the alignment method of the bar code, the font of the text, the X-axis dimension and the margin adjustment can be used.

When the user clicks the confirmation button 10-3, the label image with the bar code input for each label is displayed as shown in the example shown in FIG. 11, and the user positions the bar code through the third procedure S23. After editing, print it on the actual label sheet through the fourth step (S24).

In addition, the present invention may be implemented such that the serial number is printed on each label in sequence, including the step of inputting a start number and an end number to designate that the serial number is to be printed. In other words, when you want to output the numbers from 1 to 100, you do not have to enter all the numbers individually.

Referring to FIG. 12, when a corresponding product number is selected on a label selection screen and a specific icon (serial number icon) is clicked on a work screen, a serial number registration window as shown in FIG. 13 is displayed. appear. Now enter the start and end numbers, enter the increment / decrement values for your selections, set the font and alignment, and click the Yes button. Then, as shown in the example shown in FIG. 14, labels with serial numbers are sequentially generated.

An embodiment using a database will now be described.

It is assumed that the user has selected a label such as the example shown in FIG. 15 on the label selection screen. If you do not have a database to print on the current label, you should create one. To create a database, first create a form. That is, when "Create DB Form" is selected from the "DB Management" menu of the work screen shown in FIG. 15, the database creation window as shown in FIG. 16 is opened. The user enters information such as database type, various personal information fields, destination fields, name and field structure of the user-defined field, and clicks the Create button. Then, a Save As window appears as shown in the example shown in FIG. 17, and a file name and a file type are input to store the database file in the corresponding directory.

At this time, the add button and the delete button are buttons for creating and deleting a user-defined field, and the cancel button cancels the current job.

Now, as shown in the example shown in FIG. 18, the DB editing window of the newly created database file is opened, and the user selects an “input” menu and inputs necessary information in the data input window as shown in the example shown in FIG. These include the Add button to add the currently entered data, the OK button to terminate the data entry normally, the Cancel button to cancel the current operation, the Copy button to copy the currently entered data, and the Paste button to paste the copied data. It is provided.

After entering all the data and clicking the OK button, the data is stored as in the example shown in FIG. 20, and the print information stored in this database is reflected in each label in order. 21 shows how the contents of the database are reflected in order on each label.

As another embodiment using a database, an embodiment of creating a label for an address will be described.

The user selects a product number as in the example shown in FIG. 22 on the label selection screen and first forms a format to create a database. That is, "Create DB Form" is selected from the "DB Management" menu of the work screen shown in FIG. 22, and the items constituting the address information are checked in the Create Database window as shown in FIG.

Then, click the Create button, input the file name in the Save As window as shown in FIG. 24, click the Save button, and input address information using the data input window shown in FIG. At this time, it is preferable to automatically input the postal code when the user inputs only the same in the "Address 1" column and clicks the find button. After entering all the data and clicking the OK button, each input data is stored as shown in FIG. Of course, the data in each of these databases can be modified or deleted. A screen of the example shown in FIG. 27 is now displayed in which each address information is printed on the label image.

The generation and function of each component (each button, check item, icon, etc.) of FIG. 3 to FIG. 27 described above are obvious to those skilled in the relevant field, and the technology can be easily implemented. It will be omitted.

In addition, the shape and content of each screen shown in FIGS. 3 to 27 are only an embodiment for implementing the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention to such a form. That is, the core of the present invention resides in a method for generating and printing a label according to the procedure described in each claim, and a recording medium for recording a computer program installed in the user's computer and performing the present invention according to the method.

Using the present invention, users can easily print their desired information on each label sheet. In particular, the serial number, barcode, address book, etc. are automatically processed, and the form to be printed on each label on the screen can be easily edited, thus creating and managing labels is very convenient.

Claims (5)

In a label printing method performed on a computer system to print specific text and images on an actual label sheet through a printing device, A first step of allowing an image of various labels to be edited or processing for allowing a user to select a specific label image while outputting previously stored label images on a screen; A second procedure for allowing the user to separately input or select text and images to be printed on the label image, or to edit or select a database having collectively information to be printed; A process of displaying on the screen a state in which information to be printed or inputted or selected in the second process is printed on the label image selected in the first process, and processing to edit the printed state for each displayed label; 3 procedures; And And a fourth procedure of outputting the information to be printed edited in the third procedure to a printing apparatus and processing it to be printed on an actual label sheet. The method of claim 1, The second procedure includes receiving text information and converting the input text into a barcode image. The method of claim 1, The second procedure includes a step of inputting a start number and an end number to indicate that a serial number is to be printed, and processing the serial number as information to be printed; And the third procedure includes displaying on the screen a state in which the serial number is printed in order on each label. The method of claim 1, And the third procedure is configured to output an entire view of the label sheet to be actually printed on the screen through a printing apparatus. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for performing each step according to any one of claims 1 to 4.