JPH11165455A - Print control method by computer and computer readable recording medium recorded with print control program and print control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To process sort, stable, print of both surfaces properly at a partial unit by making print data outputted as data of one job by permitting one data to be continued plurally into a plurality of jobs through division of every part. SOLUTION: When print is designated (S2) by an application software for conducting (S1) of purposed document production and edition through operation of a client computer, print is made for a plurality of copies, or print setting is made as to whether it is every copy or not. Also, detail setting is carried out (S11) by energizing a printer driver through print designation and displaying a detail setting image plane through user designation and a plurality of setting values are sent to the printer driver; subsequently, a process is conducted (S12) so as to make print data from a software into one job every part through designation for implement of a plurality of prints every copy, and job division is done in only the case where there is a print designation for a plurality of copies from a registered application software.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print control method by a computer, a computer-readable recording medium storing a print control program, and a print control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the performance of printers has been remarkably improved, and image quality has been satisfactory for most users. In color printers, so-called gravure printing or images close to photographic quality can be obtained. Up to. Therefore, at present, in order to improve the function of the printer, a processing function after printing, for example, printing of a plurality of copies is executed, and this is divided into sets (called sort processing). Staple paper, print on both sides, print two or four pages of image on one sheet of paper (Nin1
The functions of convenience are improved.

A typical example of such a high-performance printer is a copier, a facsimile, and a multifunction machine integrating the functions of the printer.
In the printer unit, double-sided printing or Nin1
A post-processing device capable of performing printing and performing a sort process or a stapling process called a sorter or a finisher is provided to perform the above-described high-performance processing.

[0004]

However, while the functions of the printer have been improved in this way, the processing of application software installed in a personal computer that executes printing using such a printer is as described above. May not be compatible with various functions. For example, as one set of document data, there are data consisting of three pages 1-2-3, and when printing three copies, a high-performance printer as described above sorts and staples each copy. Is a normal function. However, some application software executed on a personal computer outputs data of a plurality of copies as one job. In the case of the above example, 1-2-3-1-2
Assuming that the data consisting of nine pages of 3-1-2-3 is one copy, the data of nine pages is output as one job. When such data is sent to the printer, it is impossible for the printer to recognize the breaks for each copy, so that it is impossible to perform the sort process for each copy, and when performing the stapling process, This results in stapling of 9 pages of output paper.

[0005] Further, such a problem caused by continuous output data of a set also occurs in double-sided printing or Nin1 printing. For example, as described above, one set of document data has an odd number of sheets of 1-2-3. In this case, the last page of the first copy and the first page of the second copy are printed on both sides of one sheet or, in the case of 2 in 1, on one page. Thus, a print result for each copy is not obtained.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to sort and staple, double-sided printing, and Nin1 printing even when using application software that outputs print data of a plurality of copies as one job without being separated for each copy. It is an object of the present invention to provide a print control method by a computer capable of appropriately processing such as a copy unit, a computer-readable recording medium storing a print control program for the method, and a print control apparatus for executing such processing. .

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in order to execute a plurality of copies of printing, a plurality of copies of one copy are continuously output as data of one job. A print control method by a computer, wherein the print data is divided into a plurality of jobs for each copy.

According to the present invention, print data collected in one job is divided for each copy as data for printing a plurality of copies, so that a printer that executes processing on a copy basis can recognize a separation between copies. This is a print control method.

In order to achieve the above object, a second aspect of the present invention is provided.
The described invention provides one way to perform multi-copy printing.
This is a computer-readable recording medium storing a print control program, wherein print data output as data of one job in which a plurality of data of a set are continuously output is divided into a plurality of jobs. .

According to the present invention, as data for printing a plurality of copies, print data compiled into one job is divided for each copy, so that a printer that executes processing on a copy basis can recognize a separation between copies. Is a computer-readable recording medium that stores a print control program for performing the following.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in order to execute printing of a plurality of copies, print data output as data of one job is obtained by making a plurality of sets of data continuous. , A print control apparatus including a job dividing unit that divides each set into a plurality of jobs.

According to the present invention, a job dividing unit divides print data collected in one job into sets as data for printing a plurality of sets, so that the job is divided by a set. This is a print control device that enables recognition of a break.

[0013]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a network computer system to which the present invention is applied. In this network computer system, a plurality of client computers 10, a printer server computer 20, and a digital copier 30
0, which is a system based on a general LAN environment.

The digital copying machine 30 used here
Is a multifunction peripheral having a function as a printer for performing printing in accordance with an instruction from the client computer 10 and a function as a facsimile connected to an external telephone line (not shown), in addition to the function as a copying machine.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the digital copying machine 30.
Is shown in the block diagram of FIG. The digital copier 30 includes an image reader unit (IR) 35 for reading a document image used in a copier or facsimile transmission, a document image read by the image reader unit 35, an image received by facsimile, and a printer server computer. 2
0, a printer unit (PRT) 36 for printing out document data transmitted from the printer 0 by electrophotography.
A post-processing device 38 having a plurality of trays for stacking the printed sheets for each set and a stapling device for stapling for each set, controlling these units and enlarging an image to be printed out -CPU 31 for executing reduction, Nin1 printing, other image processing, etc., memory 32 for temporarily storing image data for processing by CPU 31, operation panel 37, and transfer of data to and from printer server computer 20 Interface unit (I
U) 33.

The digital copier 30 is equipped with a hard disk drive (HDD) 34, which stores programs necessary for image processing and printout processing.
By reading this program as appropriate, processes necessary for image processing and printout are executed. When receiving a large amount of image data or document data, the hard disk drive 34 stores the image data or document data.

The client computer 10 and the printer server computer 20 are so-called personal computers, UN
This is a computer called an IX system or the like.
Since the client computer 10 and the printer server computer 20 are already widely used, a detailed description thereof will be omitted, and the schematic configuration in the case where a personal computer is used as the client computer 10 is shown in FIG. This will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG.

An ordinary personal computer has a CPU for executing processing.
11, a RAM 12 used for expanding data when executing a program, a ROM 13 storing a boot system required when starting up a personal computer, and a display 19
VRA that expands image data to display an image on top
M14, a hard disk drive (HDD) 15 storing programs and various data, a display device 19 for performing various displays, a keyboard 22 and a mouse 21 for inputting characters and instructions, and a network 50 for transmitting and receiving data. Interface circuit (I / F) 16 and the like. In many cases, such a personal computer reads and writes a recording medium such as a floppy disk or a CD-ROM (C).
A floppy disk drive (FDD) 17 and a CD-ROM drive (CDROMD) 18 for reading only the D-ROM) are provided.

The difference when such a personal computer is used for the client computer 10 and the printer server computer 20 is the function of the application software executed on the personal computer.
The basic configuration is almost the same, except for the processing speed of the PU and the storage capacity of the hard disk. In some cases, the exact same thing is used. When such a personal computer is used as the client computer 10, only the network line 50 is connected to the interface circuit 16.
When used as an interface, an interface circuit for transferring data to and from the digital copying machine 30 is provided in addition to the network line.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a print sequence. Here, the procedure from when the user instructs printing on the client computer 10 until the digital copier 30 prints out will be described.

First, a user creates and edits a target document using document creation application software operating on the client computer 10 (S1). The document creation application software is usually stored on a hard disk in the client computer 10 and is loaded into the RAM 13 when the user needs it.
It is executed under the control of the CPU 11. At this time, the document layout, print instruction information, and the like are displayed on the display 19. The user can input characters, edit documents and images, print instructions, and the like using the keyboard 20.
And the mouse 21, and the information is notified to the CPU 11 and processed.

When a print instruction is issued by such document creation application software (S2),
The print mode normal setting screen is displayed on the display 19. From the normal setting screen, print designation of a plurality of copies, setting of whether or not to perform printing for each copy, and the like are performed (S4).

Further, the printer driver is activated by the print instruction (S2), and acquires the mechanical status of the digital copying machine 30 and the status of the registered job by communicating with the printer server computer 20. Here, the mechanical status of the digital copying machine 30 is, for example, “standby”, “printing”, “preheating”, and the like. The registered job status is “job presence / absence”. , "Printing job", "waiting for job", and the like.

In response to the status request from the printer driver, the printer server computer 20 communicates with the digital copier 30 to obtain the status of the digital copier,
0 and the state of the job spooled on the hard disk.
Notify 0.

In the normal printing operation, the setting of the print mode may be ended only by the setting on the normal setting screen. However, when setting the function specific to the printer, it is necessary to perform more detailed print mode setting. According to the user's instruction, a detailed setting screen is displayed to perform detailed setting for using a function unique to the printer (S11). At this time,
The printer driver temporarily stores the instruction for performing the detailed setting, that is, what the document creation application software to which the print instruction has been applied when displaying the detailed setting screen. Here, the name of the document creation application software to which the print instruction was issued is temporarily stored, including the version thereof.

The displayed detailed setting screen is displayed by the printer driver upon request of the user, for example, as shown in FIG.
Digital copier 30 such as double-sided printing, Nin1 printing, sorting, stapling, image size (enlargement / reduction)
A detailed setting screen for using a specific function is displayed on the display 19.

Further, on this detailed setting screen, the number of print copies can be set. This is because, depending on the document creation application software, the set values of a plurality of copies on the normal setting screen are only used as numerical values for creating print data for one job in the document creation application software. Since the setting values of a plurality of copies on the normal setting screen are not passed to the printer driver thereafter, the setting values can be set again on the detailed setting screen output by the printer driver. Therefore, when the set values of a plurality of copies on the normal setting screen are passed as setting information to the printer driver, the number of copies set on the normal setting screen is displayed in the print copy setting input frame shown in FIG. That is, when the set values of a plurality of copies are not passed, a display may be performed to prompt the user to input the number of copies again. Also,
Similarly, when the page information is required and the page information is not passed from the document creation application software to the printer driver, the page information may be input on the detailed setting screen.

After the setting of the print mode is completed, when a user gives a print execution instruction (S5), the document data created by the document creation application software and the print mode data set on the normal setting screen are transferred to the printer. It is passed to the driver (however, as described above, depending on the document creation application software, the setting value on the normal setting screen may not be passed).

At this time, when an instruction to print a plurality of copies for each copy is given, in the present embodiment,
The printer driver performs processing for converting print data of a plurality of copies sent from the document creation application software into one job for each copy (hereinafter, referred to as job division, S12). If the information on the normal setting screen is not passed to the printer driver, the information from the detailed setting screen, that is, sort, staple, or Nin1
If a setting to execute print or double-sided printing has been made, it is determined that print processing is to be performed for each copy, or a screen display is displayed to ask the user whether to execute the print processing for each copy again. The user may input the information.

In this job division, for example, depending on the document creation application software, when a plurality of copies of print processing are performed, data of a plurality of copies are collectively transmitted as one job as data to be transmitted to a printer driver. In such a case, since the cut of the set cannot be recognized on the side of the digital copying machine 30 which performs printing as it is, the dividing process is performed in which one job is set for each set. Such document creation application software that collectively transmits data of a plurality of copies into one job includes, for example, “W
ord ".

On the other hand, depending on the application software, when a plurality of copies are instructed, a job is transmitted in units of jobs for each copy, for example, when three copies are printed, three jobs are transmitted. There is also.
In the case of print data from application software that is transmitted in job units for each copy, inconvenience occurs when the job division is executed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as will be described later, application software that transmits a plurality of copies as one job in advance, that is, application software that requires job division is registered in advance, and a plurality of copies are registered from the registered application software. Job division is executed only when a print instruction is issued.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in such job division. First, the document creation application software that issued the print instruction,
That is, it is checked whether the application software for transmitting the print data is the application software registered in advance by comparing it with the application software (name including the version) temporarily stored in step S11 (S13). Here, the application software registered in advance is
As described above, when performing print processing of a plurality of copies, application software for collectively transmitting data of a plurality of copies into one job and transmitting the data to a printer driver is registered in advance.

If the pre-registered application software is the same as the application software temporarily stored in step S11, processing for dividing the job is executed (job division processing, S14).

This job division processing is performed, for example, by dividing the total number of pages of print data, in which a plurality of copies are passed as one job from the document creation application software, by the number of copies data input on the setting screen. And divide one copy into one job. As a more specific example, one copy of data is 1-
When three pages of 2-3 are instructed and three copies are to be printed, the document creation application software designates 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3 as one job. 9 pages of data to be transferred to the printer driver, the number of pages for this one job is “9”.
Is divided by the number-of-copies data "3" instructed to print, so that the number of pages per job is three. Therefore, the data of one job is divided into three pages by these nine pages, and then 1-2. 3 is one job, and this is data for three jobs.

The job division processing is performed by dividing the total number of pages of print data, which is a plurality of copies, which is passed from the document creation application software into one job, by the number of copies data as described above. The number of pages per copy, in the above example, is obtained by dividing by "3". Even if the print data of a plurality of copies passed from the document creation application software as one job is divided by 3, the number of copies is similarly obtained. Each job can be divided into one job. Further, the first page of the data to be printed is stored in the memory, the stored first page is compared with the sequentially sent print data, and the same data is recognized as the beginning of the next copy and divided. May be performed.

Thereafter, the printer driver converts the document data sent from the document creation application software into a page description language for each of the divided jobs, and sends it to the printer server computer 20 together with the set print mode. (S15).

When it is determined in step S13 that the application software registered in advance is not the same as the application software temporarily stored in step S11, the document data sent from the document creation application software is divided into jobs. Without executing the processing, it is converted into the page description language as it is and transmitted to the printer server computer 20 together with the print mode set on the detailed setting screen (S15).

A printer driver that performs such an operation is usually specific to the printer being used.
Also in the present embodiment, a dedicated device for executing the printer function of the digital copying machine 30 is used.
It is provided by a computer-readable storage medium such as a ROM or a floppy disk, and is installed on the hard disk of the client computer 10 so that it is resident and stored in the RAM simultaneously with a print instruction.
12 is executed by the CPU 11. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the client computer 10 functions as the print control device of the present invention.

Next, in the printer server computer 20, the print data received from the printer driver,
That is, in the case of a print instruction for a plurality of copies, the print data of a plurality of jobs, one job for each copy, is analyzed and rasterized for each job.
0 is developed into bitmap data that can be printed as a printer function (S21). However, Nin
When one function is instructed, only one page is rasterized, and one page for printing N pages of data on one page is composed of Ni of the digital copying machine.
This is executed by the n1 function. Also, when there is an instruction for enlargement / reduction, only the rasterization for each page is performed in order to use the enlargement / reduction function of the digital copying machine.

The jobs for which rasterization has been completed are spooled on a hard disk in the printer server computer 20 for each job (S22). Therefore, in the above example, three jobs with three pages as one job are spooled. As a result, even when the digital copier 30 is executing another job (such as executing a print job from another client computer, copying or receiving a facsimile by the digital copier), printing from the client computer 10 is possible. Jobs can be accepted.

Each spooled job is transferred to the digital copying machine 30 for each job and printed out (S31).

As a result, a print mode that requires processing for each copy, for example, sorting and stapling processing for each copy, double-sided printing, Nin1 printing, and the like are executed for each job divided for each copy. Sorting, stapling, double-sided printing, and Nin1 printing are performed correctly.

In the above-described embodiment, the job division processing is executed by the printer driver. However, the present invention is not limited to such a form. For example, the job division processing is performed by the printer server computer 20 or the digital camera. It may be executed by the copying machine 30.

When the print job is executed by the printer server computer 20, the print server computer 20 receives the print data of a plurality of copies as one job, and then executes the process of the received one job in the same manner as when the print data is executed by the printer driver. The print data is divided into one job for each copy, rasterized for each job, and bitmap data is transferred to the digital copier 30 for each job. In the case of execution in the digital copier 30, a similar division process is performed on the rasterized bitmap data transferred by a plurality of copies as one job, and then printout is performed for each job. become.

When the printer server computer 20 performs the job dividing process, the program for the job dividing process is stored in a floppy disk or a CD-RO.
M, etc., and are usually installed on a hard disk in the printer server computer 20 from these storage media to be stored in the printer server computer 20 and executed. Therefore, when the printer server computer 20 performs the job division processing as described above, the printer server computer 20 becomes the print control device in the present invention. On the other hand, when the digital copier 30 performs the division processing of a plurality of print jobs,
A program for performing the job division processing is stored in a ROM or another nonvolatile memory (for example, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, or the like) in a control device in the digital copying machine, and the program is stored in the C of the control device.
The processing is performed by the PU appropriately executing the processing. Therefore, when the digital copying machine 30 performs the job division processing as described above, the digital copying machine 30 becomes a print control device.

[0047]

According to the present invention described above, the following effects can be obtained for each claim.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the print data outputted as a plurality of copies as one job is divided into a plurality of jobs, so that a break between copies becomes a break between jobs. It becomes possible to execute processing in units of copies.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a program for dividing print data output as a plurality of jobs into one job into a plurality of jobs to store the plurality of jobs is stored in a storage medium. Thus, by reading the program by a computer, a division process is performed in which a break of a copy is set as a break of a job, and the printer can execute a process for each copy.

According to the present invention, the job dividing means of the print control device divides print data output as a plurality of jobs into one job into a plurality of jobs to form a plurality of jobs. When a job break occurs, the printer executes various processes in units of divided jobs, so that processing in units of copies can be appropriately executed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a network computer system according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital copying machine used in the network computer system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a personal computer used as a client computer in the network computer system.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a status flow in the network computer system.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a print mode detailed setting screen.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing job division processing in the drawing showing the status flow shown in FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 client computer, 20 printer server computer, 30 digital copier.

Claims (3)

[Claims] A print data output as data of one job in which a plurality of data of one copy is made continuous to execute printing of a plurality of copies is divided into a plurality of jobs for each copy. Computer-based print control method. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of copies of the print data output as one job data by executing a plurality of copies of the data in order to execute a plurality of copies are divided into a plurality of jobs. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a print control program to be executed. 3. A job dividing unit that divides print data output as data of one job by successively performing a plurality of data of one copy in order to execute printing of a plurality of copies into a plurality of jobs. A print control device, comprising: