JP2002215348A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the latest printing option available, without reviewing old applications. SOLUTION: A client 16 transmits printing data and printing designation data created with an application 18 to a print server 12 with attaching a header according to a printing option to be used. When the print server 12 detects the header at a header detection part 32, the printer server 12 extracts the header and the printing designation data and designates a conversion table stored in a conversion dictionary part 38, according to the header and replaces the printing designation data with a printing option, based on the conversion table. The printing data are converted to data in general-purpose language by a data conversion part 34. A printing job process part 30 executes printing process for the printing data converted by the data conversion part, based on the set printing option.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing system for executing print processing on print data created by various applications provided in a client.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Large-scale software used in core systems such as personnel systems and payroll systems is used for a long time while being modified. In such a core system, printing processing is performed using a printing system provided separately from the core system.

[0003] In this printing system, an application capable of intensively handling a huge amount of data is used.
It responds to print requests from clients such as mission-critical systems.

[0004] On the other hand, with the tremendous technological progress in recent years,
High-performance hardware is being offered at low prices. For this reason, in the printing system, the sophistication of the printer device, the distributed printing environment, etc. are changing rapidly. Pressed by.

[0005]

However, in the core system, since the technology which is now old, such as COBOL, is used, the basic print designation such as the paper size and the number of prints is possible and suitable. However, it has been delayed to respond to changes in the functions of the printer device and changes in the printing environment, and it has been difficult to respond to such changes, and it has been becoming difficult to fully utilize the functions of the printing system.

For this reason, when the basic design of the backbone system is changed to the latest one, a large-scale review of the entire application is required, which causes a problem that an enormous investment cost is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and proposes a printing system capable of performing printing processing using the functions of a printing apparatus even if data is generated by a conventional application. With the goal.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method of printing out print data by a printing apparatus using print data and basic designation data created by an application provided in a client. A print job processing unit that executes print processing based on the print function specified from among the plurality of print functions and the print data, and performs each of the plurality of print functions from the basic specification data. A storage unit for storing a conversion table associated with an identifier added to the print data transmitted from the client; and designating conversion data stored in the storage unit based on the identifier added to the print data. Processing the print data by the print job processing unit based on the conversion data and the basic designation data. Characterized in that it comprises a setting means for setting the printing function at the time of.

According to the present invention, the client requests printing by attaching an identifier to the print data created by the application and the basic designation data such as the paper size and the number of copies that can be designated by the application.

The setting means designates a conversion table from the identifier using the identifier, and replaces the basic designation data with a print function usable by the print job processing unit using the conversion table.

Basic printing designations such as the number of copies and paper size can be made by any application.
By using the identifier and the conversion table to make the basic specification data correspond to the printing function, the printing function that cannot be specified by the application can be made arbitrary.

Therefore, by using the conversion table and the identifier, the client can designate various printing functions available in the print job processing unit even if the application cannot be designated.

Thus, when the print function of the print job processing unit is improved, the client can use the improved print function without reviewing or modifying the application.

According to the present invention, it is preferable that the printing apparatus further includes a conversion unit that converts the print data of the application into print data that can be processed by the print job processing unit.

Depending on the application used by the client, for example, the language used is old and the print job processing unit cannot process the application properly. In this case, by converting the print data created by the application into print data using a general-purpose language, it is possible to print data created or created and stored by the application.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a printing system 10 applied to the present embodiment. The printing system 10 includes a print server 12 and a printer 14. The printing system 10 is connected to a client 16 of an arbitrary system including a core system such as a personnel system or a payroll system via a network or the like.
6 is transmitted to a printer 1 as a printing device.
4 to perform the printing process.

A plurality of printers 14 are connected to the print server 12 to form a distributed printing system 10. The printing system 10
Any configuration for printing data of a document or the like can be applied, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted in the present embodiment.

The client 16 can perform processing such as data generation, editing, and management by an arbitrary application 18. In addition, this application 18
Requests the printing process by transmitting the managed data (application data) to the printing system 10. At this time, the application 18 executes a preset JCL (Job Control Language).
The application data for which data processing is performed according to e) is transmitted as print data.

Incidentally, the client 16 is provided with a print function setting section 20. Print function setting unit 20
Has a header creation unit 22 and a header addition unit 24.

The header creating unit 22 converts the application data created by the application 18 into double-sided printing, the number of copies specified, whether or not a sort sheet is inserted, and stapling (staple processing) set in the printing system 10.
For example, when a print option such as a print option is to be executed, a header for designating a conversion table (dictionary) set in advance to convert the basic print specification set by the application 18 into a print option to be executed is created. .
Such a conversion table (dictionary) can be designated using a keyboard (not shown) provided in the client 16.

The header adding section 24 adds the header created by the header creating section 22 to the print data of the application 18 and outputs the print data to the print server 12.
As a result, a predetermined header is added to the print data (application data) created by the application 18 from the client 18 and transmitted to the print server 12 of the print system 10.

That is, the print function setting unit 20 adds a header corresponding to a print option to be executed when used by the application 18 according to various print options provided in the print system 10 by an operator by designating the header. I do.

On the other hand, the print server 12 is provided with a print job setting unit 28 and a print job processing unit 30. The print job setting unit 28 includes a header detection unit 32,
A data conversion unit 34, a print option setting unit 36, and a conversion dictionary unit 38 are formed.

The header detection unit 32
When the print data transmitted from the client 14 is received, it is detected whether or not a header is added to the print data. Extract.

The data converter 34 includes a header detector 3
Print data of a document or the like that has passed through 2 is input. The data conversion unit 34 converts print data created in a language dedicated to the application 18 into, for example, a PD
The print data is converted into print data in a general-purpose language such as L (Page Description Language).

When a header added to the print data transmitted from the client 18 is added to the print option setting unit 36, the header and print designation data that can be designated by the application 18 are input. .

The conversion dictionary unit 38 includes the print job processing unit 3
A conversion table is stored that associates each of the various print options that can be executed with “0” with print designation data designated by the application 18 and a header which is an identifier added by the client 16.

Thus, the print option setting section 36 reads out the conversion table specified by the extracted header from the conversion dictionary section 38, and uses this conversion table to convert the print specification data into the print job processing section 30.
Map to print options used in.

That is, the print option setting section 36
Using the conversion table stored in the conversion dictionary unit 38,
The print designation data is replaced with data for a print option used in the print job processing unit 30 (print server 12).

As a result, the print job processing unit 30
Regardless of the language used by the application 18, print data converted into a general-purpose language and print options set according to the functions of the printing system 10 are input.

The print job processing section 30 performs print processing based on the print data and the print options.

Hereinafter, as an operation of the present embodiment, an example of a printing process in the printing system 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 2, the client 12 requests printing of the application data 40 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B) created by the application 18 in the first step 100. ,
Check whether print options are specified.

As shown in FIG. 3A, generally, the application data 40 created by the application 18 includes print data 42 (42A, 42B,. Data 44 (44A, 44B,...) Are provided.

Here, when it is desired to use various printing options of the printing system 10, if an affirmative determination is made in step 100 of the flowchart shown in FIG. Correspondingly, a header 46 (see FIG. 3B) for specifying a print option to be used is created.

Thereafter, in step 104, a header 46 is added to the application data 40, and the application data 40 is transmitted to the print server 12 as print data 48 requesting a print process (step 106).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, the print data 48 with the header 46 added to the application data 40 is transmitted to the print server 12.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, upon receiving the print data 48, the print server 12 detects the header 46 in the first step 120. Here, if the header 46 is added to the transmitted print data 48, an affirmative determination is made in step 122 and the
Move to 4.

In this step 124, the print data 48
From the header 46 and the print designation data 44 (44A, 44
B ..) is extracted. Thereafter, in step 126,
Based on the header 46, a conversion table provided in the replacement dictionary unit 38 is specified.

When the conversion table is designated in this way, in step 128, the print designation data 44 is mapped to the print option based on the designated conversion table. That is, the print designation data 44 designated by the application 18 is replaced with data indicating a print option in the print server 12.

For example, as a conversion table corresponding to the application 18 of the client 14, the dictionary DICTA
Is provided in the substitution dictionary section 38, so that FIG.
As shown in FIG.
By creating “A”, this dictionary DICAT is designated and read as a conversion table.

Thereafter, in step 128, the print options are mapped using the specified dictionary DICTA, and the print specification data 44 is stored in the print job processing unit 3.
Rewrite with a print option that can be processed with 0.

In step 130, the print data 42 created by the application 18 is
Convert to This data conversion is not limited to PDL,
Any language that can be processed by the print job processing unit 30 can be used. That is, the data conversion unit 3
At 4, the language is rewritten to a language that can be processed by the print job processing unit 30.

When print data and a print option suitable for the print job processing unit 30 have been created in this way, the process proceeds to step 132 to execute print processing.

Here, the application 18 sets the number of copies to “COPIES” as the print designation data 44,
It is assumed that the paper size is designated by “PAPERSIZE”, the paper feed tray is designated by “FEED”, and the dictionary DICTA is defined as shown in Table 1. Table 1 shows an example of a dictionary used as a conversion table, and does not limit the definitions (contents) of the conversion table and the dictionary.

[0046]

[Table 1]

As a result, the print designation data 44A shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is printed three sets at a time using an A4 size paper feed tray. At this time, the printer 14A outputs the first copy, the printer 14B outputs the second copy by the printer 14B, and the print option is set so that the output printed matter is stapled, and the printing is performed based on the print option. The processing is executed.

For print data 44B, B4
A print option is set so that paper of a size is externally fed and output without stapling, and a print process is executed based on the print option.

As described above, in the printing system 10, a number of conversion tables for using the print options by the application 18 of the client 16 are set,
Header 4 for specifying this conversion table in print data
By adding 6, the client 16 can use various printing options of the printing system 10 even if the application 18 cannot directly use the printing options of the printing system 10.

That is, the print options of the printing system 10 can be used without reviewing the application 18 using an old language or a language having no versatility according to the printing system 10.

Thus, even if the printing system 10 to which the client 16 is connected is updated, the printing system 1
By setting a conversion table that can be specified by the client 16 to 0 and storing it in the conversion dictionary unit 38, various print options of the printing system 10 can be used without reviewing or modifying the application 18 of the client 16. It becomes possible.

In other words, by setting a conversion table for designating a print option at the client 16 in the printing system 10 and storing it in the conversion dictionary unit 38,
Even if the client 16 uses the old application 18, the latest print option can be used.

Therefore, there is no need to review or modify the application 18 in order to use the print options of the printing system 10, and there is no cost for reviewing or modifying the application 18.

The above-described embodiment does not limit the configuration of the present invention. The printing system of the present invention can be applied to a printing system having an arbitrary configuration as long as a dictionary that allows a client to specify a printing option is provided.

[0055]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing a conversion table and an identifier for associating a print function with basic designation data of an application, it is possible to establish a print function that cannot be supported by a client application. Becomes This provides an excellent effect that the client can easily use the improved printing function without reviewing the application or the like in accordance with the improvement of the printing function of the print job processing unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a printing system and a main part of a client applied to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing when a client makes a print request.

3A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of print data (application data) created by an application of a client, and FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of print data transmitted from a client and input to a print server; FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of print processing in a print server.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 printing system 12 print server 14 (14A, 14B, 14C) printer (printing device) 16 client 18 application 20 print function setting unit 28 print job setting unit 30 print job processing unit 32 header detection unit 34 data conversion unit 36 print option setting Section (setting means) 38 conversion dictionary section (storage means) 40 application data 42 print data 44 print designation data (basic designation data) 46 header (identifier) 48 print data

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A printing system for printing out print data by a printing device using print data and basic specification data created by an application provided in a client, wherein the print data is designated from among a plurality of print functions. A print job processing unit that executes a print process based on the print function and the print data, and an identifier added to the print data transmitted from the client to each of the plurality of print functions from the basic specification data. A storage unit for storing a conversion table to be associated with, the conversion data stored in the storage unit based on the identifier added to the print data, and the print job based on the conversion data and the basic specification data. Setting means for setting the printing function when processing the print data in the processing unit, Printing system comprising. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising a conversion unit configured to convert print data of the application into print data that can be processed by the print job processing unit.