JP2016134045A - Print control device - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a print control apparatus capable of realizing high-quality output in a V4 printer driver incorporating an XPS (XML Paper Specification) standard filter. By transmitting extended print information from a pre-process filter 403 to a post-process filter 405 without going through an XPS standard filter 404, a command whose specification is extended by a printer vendor is generated and transmitted. [Selection] Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a PDL generation method in a printer driver.

  Conventionally, a method for developing a V4 printer driver using a standard XPS filter has been disclosed (Non-Patent Document 1). Microsoft (registered trademark) Windows (registered trademark) 8 has made it possible to develop a printer driver based on a new architecture called a V4 printer driver. Further, Windows 8 is provided with a standard XPS filter (MSxpsPCL6.dll) manufactured by Microsoft Corporation that supports PCL (registered trademark) as a PDL (Page Description Language).

  XPS (XML Paper Specification) is a document format defined by Microsoft, and is used as printing data for the V4 printer driver.

  The standard XPS filter is a module that converts the input XPS into PCL and outputs it, and printer vendors can easily develop PCL V4 printer drivers by incorporating these modules into the printer driver. It is.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/jj218733(v=vs.85).aspx

  However, in Non-Patent Document 1 described above, a method for generating a job with a higher printing style is not considered. For example, it was not possible to output a double-sided and unit-by-part format by a blank page command, or to output a multi-booklet format.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a print control apparatus capable of realizing a high-quality output in a V4 printer driver incorporating an XPS standard filter.

In order to achieve the above object, the printing control apparatus of the present invention provides:
Consists of pre-process filter, XPS standard filter, post-process filter,
The preprocess filter includes page information transmission means for transmitting page information to the XPS standard filter;
Extended print information transmission means for transmitting extended print information related to a print job,
The XPS standard filter includes XPSPDL conversion means for converting XPS to PDL,
PDL transmission means for transmitting the PDL to the post-process filter,
The post-process filter includes PDL receiving means for receiving the PDL;
Extended print information receiving means for receiving the extended print information;
Extended PDL generation means for generating extended PDL expressing advanced print appearance from the previous period PDL and the previous period extended print information;
Command transmitting means for transmitting the extended PDL;
It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a print control apparatus capable of realizing high-quality output in a V4 printer driver incorporating an XPS standard filter.

Apparatus configuration example to which the printing system of the present invention can be applied 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration related to a printing system of the present invention. The figure which shows the static package structure of the software module and data file regarding the printing system of this invention The figure which shows arrangement | positioning of a dynamic program object when the software module regarding the printing process of this invention is performed. Print output example according to the first embodiment of the present invention The flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the pre process filter in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the XPS standard filter in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the post process filter in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. XPS example The flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the pre process filter in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the post process filter in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a device configuration to which the printing system of the present invention can be applied. This printing system includes a PC (10) and a printer (20). The PC (10) and the printer (20) are connected via the LAN (1). LAN (1) corresponds to an Ethernet communication method. The LAN (1) may be another connection form such as a wired LAN, a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, or USB.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration applicable to each device. First, the PC (10) will be described. The CPU (101) comprehensively controls each device connected to the system bus (104) according to a program stored in the RAM (102). The RAM (102) also functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU (101). The ROM (103) stores various programs and data. The font ROM (103a) stores various fonts, the program ROM (103b) stores boot programs, BIOS, and the like, and the data ROM (103 ROM) stores various data. 103c).

  The network I / F (105) is connected to the LAN (1) and performs communication processing. A keyboard controller I / F (106) controls key input from a keyboard (109) or a pointing device (mouse) (not shown). The display I / F (107) controls display processing on the display (110). The external memory I / F (108) controls access to the external memory (111) such as a hard disk (HD). The external memory (111) is a storage medium for storing an operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) (112) and various software (113) responsible for the printing system of the present invention, and various data (114) such as user files and editing files. Function as. Note that the OS (112) uses Microsoft Windows 8 in this embodiment.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a static package configuration of software modules and data files related to the printing system of the present invention in the PC (10). All the software modules and data shown in FIG. 3 are stored in the external memory (111), and are loaded into the RAM (102) at the time of execution and executed or read by the CPU (101).

  The printer driver package (30) is a package including software modules and data files developed and provided by a printer vendor. The printer driver package (30) can be operated as a printer driver by being set up in the OS (112) by the user. The OS driver package (31) is a software package used by the printer driver package (30), and is developed and provided by Microsoft.

  The setup file (301) is a data file read by the OS (112) at the time of setup, and includes information on the configuration of the printer driver package (30) itself and the dependent OS driver package (31). The manifest file (302) is a data file describing printer driver initialization information.

  The GPD file (303) is a data file that defines function information of the printer driver. Specifically, information about functions such as available paper size, double-sided, and staples is described. The GPD file (303) is read by the OS configuration module (311) included in the OS driver package (31).

  The OS configuration module (311) displays the user interface of the printer driver based on the information defined in the GPD file (303), and generates PrintTicket which is print setting data included in XPS. The pipeline configuration file (304) is a data file that defines how to configure the order of print processing. The vendor filter module (305) incorporates a printing process developed by a printer vendor. On the other hand, the OS filter module (312) incorporates a printing process developed by Microsoft.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a dynamic arrangement of program objects when a software module related to the printing process of the present invention is loaded into the RAM (102) and executed by the CPU (101). An application (401) is software for creating a document and giving a print instruction. When the print instruction is given by the user, the application (401) converts the document into XPS, and transmits the XPS to the filter pipeline manager (402) through the print API provided by the OS (112). In the V4 printer driver, print processing is executed according to a programming model called XPS print filter pipeline.

  The unit of printing processing in the XPS print filter pipeline is called a filter, and a plurality of filters are linked and executed in order by the filter pipeline manager (402). In other words, the output of a certain filter becomes the input of the next connected filter, and each filter sequentially executes processing to generate a PDL to be transmitted to the printer (20). When receiving the XPS, the filter pipeline manager (402) reads the pipeline configuration file (304), loads the filter according to the described filter configuration information, and connects the input / output interfaces to each other.

  The pre-process filter (403), the XPS standard filter (404), and the post-process filter (405) are filters loaded by the filter pipeline manager (402). The pre-process filter (403) and the post-process filter (405) are filters incorporated in the vendor filter module (305). On the other hand, the XPS standard filter (404) is a filter incorporated in the OS filter module (312). The PCL output by the filter is scheduled by the spooler (406) and transmitted to the printer (20) by the port monitor (407).

  The pipeline property bag (408) is an object for shared data management that can be accessed by all filters. XPS standard filter that exists between pre-process filter (403) and post-process filter (405) because data can be registered and acquired even with filters that do not have input / output interfaces connected to each other. It is also possible to transmit information without going through.

  The bypass object (409) is an object that provides a transmission / reception function of the extended page information (410) in the pipeline property bag (408). Extended page information (410) is a data object in units of pages including information necessary for generating a PCL command uniquely extended by the printer vendor. The bypass object (409) internally manages the extended page information (410) in a queue structure list, and includes a transmission request (addition to the list) from the preprocess filter (403) and a post process filter (404). ) To receive a reception request (removal from the list).

  FIG. 5 is an output example of the print format realized in the first embodiment. In order to realize various printing styles, a printer driver often inserts a command uniquely extended by a printer vendor called a blank page command into a job. For example, when outputting a duplex + copy format, if the number of pages is an odd number, the printer driver will insert a blank between the parts so that the front of the next part does not wrap around the back of the previous part. A page command is inserted as “123 [B] 123...” (A blank page command is expressed by [B]). The blank page command needs to be processed by the printer as a page having an attribute different from a page including normal drawing input from an application or a blank page including no drawing.

  However, since the XPS standard filter does not support generation of a command whose specifications are expanded, there is a problem that it is not possible to realize a printing style such as double-sided + copy unit only by incorporating the XPS standard filter into a printer driver.

  Therefore, hereinafter, a process for generating a blank page command by transmitting extended print information from the preprocess filter to the postprocess filter using the bypass object will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the printing process of the preprocess filter (403) in the first embodiment.

  First, when loaded by the filter pipeline manager (402), the preprocess filter (403) generates a bypass object (409) and registers it in the pipeline property bag (408) (S101).

  Next, the pre-process filter (403) accesses the parts constituting the XPS inputted from the application (401) through the API provided by the filter pipeline manager (402), acquires the Job-level PrintTicket, and analyzes it. (S102).

  FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of XPS data. XPS is a document format including data called parts as components, and the parts are associated with each other in XPS. The parts that define the document structure include FixedDocumentSequence, FixedDocument, and FixedPage, which express the hierarchical structure of the document, job, document, and page, respectively. Here, FixedPage is data in XML format in which various drawing commands defined by XPS are described. Further, parts of each document structure are associated with a part called PrintTicket in which print settings are expressed in XML format.

Depending on which document structure part the PrintTicket is associated with, Job-level PrintTicket,
Document-level PrintTicket,
Page-level PrintTicket
Called.
Job-level PrintTicket defines print settings for the entire job,
Page-level PrintTicket defines print settings specific to each page.
Document-level PrintTicket is a print setting for a document that is a collection of pages.

  In the GPD file (303) that defines the functions of the V4 printer driver in this embodiment, function information for designating various print formats such as copy printing and duplex printing is described. Accordingly, in the user interface for performing the print setting displayed by the OS configuration module (311) based on the GPD file (303), the user can selectively input validity or invalidity of various print formats. . When a setting for enabling copy unit and duplex printing is input by this user interface at the time of a print instruction from the application (401), the input result is converted to the PrintTicket format by the OS configuration module (311). The converted PrintTicket is written in the XPS as a Job-level PrintTicket when the application (401) generates the XPS.

  Next, S103 to S108 described below are steps for processing the first copy of the unit printing. The preprocess filter (403) takes out the parts of the FixedPage through the API provided by the filter pipeline manager (402) (S103). When the part can be taken out, the process proceeds to S104. If the next FixedPage cannot be fetched through the API, it means that the filter has finished fetching all the pages included in the job, so the process proceeds to S108.

  Next, the preprocess filter (403) adds the FixedPage extracted to the FP list (S104). The FP list is list data included in the preprocess filter, and is used for processing the second and subsequent copies in S107 and subsequent steps.

  Next, the preprocess filter (403) sets the normal print page attribute in the extended page information and transmits it to the bypass object (S105). The normal print page attribute is a kind of page attribute that can be set in the extended page information, and indicates that the page is normally printed as the name indicates. As will be described later, other page attributes include a blank page attribute and a binder start attribute.

  Next, the preprocess filter (403) transmits the FixedPage to the XPS standard filter (404) (S106). The above is the step for processing the first copy.

  The next S107 to S113 are steps for processing the second and subsequent copies, and S108 to S113 included in the loop of S107 are repeated (N-1) times. Here, N represents the number of copies.

  The preprocess filter (403) acquires the next FixedPage from the FP list (S108). Here, the FP list is list data that is repeatedly referred to in the second and subsequent processing, and the length of the list does not change even after the FixedPage is acquired. When the next FixedPage cannot be extracted through the API, this means that all pages have been extracted, so the reference destination of the FP list is returned to the top of the list, and the process returns to the loop start S107 again.

  Next, the preprocess filter (403) determines whether the condition for issuing a blank page is true (S109). If true, the process proceeds to S110, and if false, the process proceeds to S112. Here, the purpose of issuing a blank page is to prevent the surface of the next part from wrapping around the back of the previous part in the form of double-sided + part-by-part, so the condition for issuing is “Double-sided printing is effective and FP list When the number of pages stored in is an odd number.

  Next, the preprocess filter (403) sets the blank page attribute to the extended page information and transmits it to the bypass object (S110).

  Further, an empty FixedPage is generated as a FixedPage corresponding to the blank page and transmitted to the XPS standard filter (S111). Here, an empty FixedPage refers to a FixedPage that does not include any drawing command, and when converted to PCL, a blank Page that does not include any drawing command. The reason why this blank page can later be handled as a blank page in the post-process filter (405) as a blank page is because the extended page information in which the blank page attribute is set is transmitted at the same time.

  If the condition is false, the preprocess filter (403) sets the normal print page attribute in the extended page information and transmits it to the bypass object (S112).

  Further, the FixedPage is acquired from the FP list and transmitted to the XPS standard filter (404) (S113). Even when the condition is true and a blank page is generated, S112 to S113 are executed because the FixedPage is extracted from the FP list.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the printing process of the XPS standard filter (404) in the first embodiment. The XPS standard filter (404) receives XPS from the pre-process filter (403) at the previous stage as an input, and transmits PCL as an output to the post-process filter (405). FIG. 10A schematically shows an example of PCL data. Similarly to XPS, the PCL data structure has a hierarchy representing the document structure, and is PJL, Session, and Page in order from the top.

  The Page is composed of print setting commands such as Orientation and MediaSize, and various drawing commands such as Text, Graphics, and Image.

  First, the XPS standard filter (404) analyzes the Job-level PrintTicket (S201), generates the PJL and Session in the PCL based on the analysis result (S202), and transmits it to the post-process filter (405) (S203). .

  Next, the XPS standard filter (404) acquires the FixedPage (S204), converts the FixedPage to a PCL page (S205), and transmits it to the post-process filter (405) (S206). When the next FixedPage cannot be taken out, that is, when all pages have been processed, the filter processing ends. Note that although the FixedPage acquired in S204 includes one sent as a blank page, the XPS standard filter (404) treats it as a FixedPage without any drawing, and generates a blank Page command. .

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the printing process of the post-process filter (405) in the first embodiment.

  First, the post-process filter (405) acquires the bypass object (409) from the pipeline property bag (408) (S301).

  Next, the print setting described in the Job-level PrintTicket is analyzed (S302).

  Next, processing for each page is performed in S303 to S311. In step S303, it is determined whether the PCL data, which is the output from the XPS standard filter (404), is still input. If there is, PCL data is acquired (S304), and if not, the process is terminated.

  Next, the acquired PCL is analyzed, an operator which is the minimum instruction unit in the PCL is acquired, and further stored (S305). Operators include BeginPage, which is a page start command, EndPage, which is a page end command, LinePath, which is a path drawing command, and BeginImage, which is an image drawing command. Among these, a series of operators (including BeginPage and EndPage) appearing between BeginPage and EndPage are instructions related to page-by-page control. Operators related to this page-by-page control are called page-level operators.

  In the next step S306, it is determined whether or not the operator acquired in S305 is a page level operator. If so, the process proceeds to S306; And return to S303. Therefore, in S306, it is determined whether or not operators from BeginPage to EndPage are stored. If so, the process proceeds to S307, and if not, the process returns to S303.

  In S308, the acquired page level operator is stored and stored.

  Next, it is determined whether operators from BeginPage to EndPage have been accumulated (S309). If so, the process proceeds to S310, and if not, the process returns to S303.

  Next, the post process filter (405) takes out the extended page information (410) from the bypass object (409) (S310). As described above, the extended page information (410) is managed as a queue structure list in the bypass object (409), and the page number of the extended page information (410) extracted in S308 is the Page of the PCL to be output from now on. Matches the command page number.

  Next, the post process filter (405) determines whether the blank page attribute is set in the extended page information (410) (S311).

  If not set, a series of page level commands stored in the filter pipeline manager (402) are transmitted from BeginPage to EndPage (S313), and if set, a blank page command is transmitted (S312).

  In either case of S312 or S313, the process returns to S303 after processing.

  In Windows 8, not only PCL but also a standard XPS filter (MSxpsPS.dll) that supports PS (Post Script) is provided. However, the method described in this embodiment is applicable in the same way as PCL. Needless to say.

  As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, it has been shown that generation of a blank page command can be realized by transmitting the extended page information (410) without passing through the XPS standard filter (404).

[Second form]
Next, a second embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. Another example of the advanced printing style realized by the printer driver is a volume. A booklet is a type of bookbinding printing, and is a print format that prescribes and outputs the maximum number of sheets used in one booklet. For example, if a document consisting of 20 pages is separated, the first booklet has pages 1-8, the second booklet has pages 9-16, and the last booklet has pages 17-20. Imposition with bookbinding printing layout.

  In order to realize the appearance of a separate volume, it is necessary to transmit a binder command so that the printer can recognize the start and end of one booklet between the PCL page commands transmitted continuously. However, since the binder command is a command whose specification has been independently expanded by the printer vendor, there is a problem that the volume cannot be realized simply by incorporating the XPS standard filter into the printer driver.

  Therefore, in the second embodiment of the present invention, processing for generating a binder command by transmitting the extended page information (410) to the post-process filter (405) using the bypass object (409) will be described. To do. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the preprocess filter (403) in the second embodiment.

  First, when loaded by the filter pipeline manager (402), the preprocess filter (403) generates a bypass object (409) and registers it in the pipeline property bag (408) (S401).

  Next, the pre-process filter (403) accesses the parts constituting the XPS inputted from the application (401) through the API provided by the filter pipeline manager (402), acquires the Job-level PrintTicket, and analyzes it. (S402).

  Next, the preprocess filter (403) takes out the parts of the FixedPage through the API provided by the filter pipeline manager (402) (S403). When the parts can be taken out, the process proceeds to S404. When the next FixedPage cannot be fetched through the API, it means that the filter has finished fetching all the pages included in the job, and thus the process ends.

  Next, the preprocess filter (403) determines whether or not the volume list is empty. If it is empty, the process proceeds to S405, and if not, the process proceeds to S406 (S404).

  In S405, the binder start attribute is set in the extended page information (410) and transmitted to the bypass object (409).

  On the other hand, in S406, the normal page attribute is set in the extended page information (410) and transmitted to the bypass object (409).

  Here, the separate volume list is an object for rearranging and storing FixedPages in order to realize a layout as a booklet. For example, in the case of composing a maximum of 2 booklets with 20 pages of document data, first, the FixedPages of the first to eighth pages are rearranged and stored in the booklet page appearance order. Each time a new booklet is constructed, it is necessary to send a PCL binder command to instruct the printer on the separation position between the booklets. When the booklet list is empty, that is, when the booklet generation starts, the binder start attribute is set in the extended page information (410) because the start of the booklet can be detected in the post-process filter (405) described later. It is for doing so.

  Next, the preprocess filter (403) adds the FixedPage extracted to the volume list (S407).

  Next, the preprocess filter (403) determines whether or not the booklet has been completed in S408, that is, whether or not the maximum number of pages has been stored in the volume list. Return to.

  In step S409, the preprocess filter (403) transmits the FixedPage included in the separate volume list to the XPS standard filter (404). In addition, since the separation process is once completed, the data included in the separation list is cleared. The processing of the XPS standard filter (404) in the second embodiment is the same as the processing in the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the post process filter (405) in the second embodiment. The processes of S501 to S510 are the same as the processes S301 to S310 of the post process filter (405) in the first embodiment.

In S511, it is determined whether or not the extended page information (410) acquired in S510 is a binder start attribute. If it is a binder start attribute, a binder command, which is an instruction for instructing the printer to start the booklet, is sent to the filter pipeline manager (402) (S512), and a series of page level operators BeginPage to EndPage are sent. (S513).
If it is not the binder start attribute, it means that it is not the beginning of the booklet, so only the page level operator is sent.

  As described above, in the second embodiment of the present invention, it has been shown that the print appearance of the separate volume can be realized by transmitting the extended page information (410) without passing through the XPS standard filter (404).

1 LAN, 10 PC, 20 printer

Claims (3)

A printing device comprising a pre-process filter, an XPS standard filter, and a post-process filter,
The preprocess filter includes page information transmission means for transmitting page information to the XPS standard filter;
Extended print information transmission means for transmitting extended print information related to a print job,
The XPS standard filter includes XPSPDL conversion means for converting XPS to PDL,
PDL transmission means for transmitting the PDL to the post-process filter,
The post-process filter includes PDL receiving means for receiving the PDL;
Extended print information receiving means for receiving the extended print information;
Extended PDL generation means for generating extended PDL expressing advanced print appearance from the previous period PDL and the previous period extended print information;
Command transmitting means for transmitting the extended PDL;
A printing control apparatus comprising: The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extended print information has a blank page attribute for prompting generation of a blank page command. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extended print information is a binder start attribute for realizing the appearance of a separate volume.