HOST APPARATUS AND IMAGE EDITING METHOD

Abstract

This invention relates to a host apparatus and an image editing method, which can reflect a user's desired layout design. The host apparatus, which is connected to a printing apparatus capable of placing and printing a plurality of images on a printing medium and transfers image data, lays out the plurality of images in the following way. The direction of a printing medium to be used for printing is specified. Then, the length of the printing medium to be used for printing is specified. Selectable placement orders of the plurality of images are determined, based on the specification, and are displayed on the screen. Finally, a desired placement order is selected from the displayed selectable placement orders.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of a printing system according to a typical embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of an inkjet printing apparatus 200;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional arrangement of software executed by a PC 100;

FIG. 4 is a view showing an entire preview window displayed on the preview section of a layout processor;

FIG. 5 is a view showing a paper information setting window;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure up to determination of automatic placement;

FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of a display window to display determined choices;

FIG. 8 is a view showing placement orders in a case where the user selects “a long side direction of paper is defined as a longitudinal direction” in a paper direction setting window and “paper having a long side with a fixed length” in a paper length setting window;

FIG. 9 is a view showing placement orders in a case where the user selects “a long side direction of paper is defined as a lateral direction” in the paper direction setting window and “paper having a long side with a fixed length” in the paper length setting window;

FIG. 10 is a view showing placement orders in a case where the user selects “a long side direction of paper is defined as a longitudinal direction” in the paper direction setting window and “paper having a long side with an undefined length” in the paper length setting window; and

FIG. 11 is a view showing placement orders in a case where the user selects “a long side direction of paper is defined as a lateral direction” in the paper direction setting window and “paper having a long side with an undefined length” in the paper length setting window.

Claims

1. A host apparatus which is connected to a printing apparatus capable of arranging and printing a plurality of images on a printing medium and transfers image data to the printing apparatus, comprising: first specifying means for specifying a direction of a printing medium to be used for printing;second specifying means for specifying a length of the printing medium to be used for printing;decision means for deciding on selectable placement orders of the plurality of images based on specification by said first specifying means and said second specifying means;display means for displaying, on a display screen, the selectable placement orders decided by said decision means; andselection means for selecting a desired placement order from the selectable placement orders displayed by said display means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first specifying means specifies that a long side direction of the printing medium is defined as either a longitudinal direction or a lateral direction.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second specifying means specifies that the printing medium is treated as either a printing medium having a long side with a fixed length or a printing medium having a long side with an undefined length.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the printing medium treated as a printing medium with a fixed length specified in accordance with specification by said second specifying means is a cut-type printing medium, andthe printing medium treated as a printing medium with an undefined length in accordance with the specification by said second specifying means is a roll-type printing medium.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a case where it is specified by said second specifying means that the printing medium is treated as a printing medium with an undefined length, said display means suppresses display of some of the selectable placement orders which are decided by said decision means in a case where said second specifying means specifies that the printing medium is treated as a printing medium with a fixed length.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising determination means for determining the placement order selected by said selection means.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising transmission means for transmitting the image data to the printing apparatus after determination by said determination means.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is capable of using a large-size printing medium.

9. An image editing method in a host apparatus which is connected to a printing apparatus capable of arranging and printing a plurality of images on a printing medium and transfers image data to the printing apparatus, comprising: a first specifying step of specifying a direction of a printing medium to be used for printing;a second specifying step of specifying a length of the printing medium to be used for printing;a decision step of deciding selectable placement orders of the plurality of images, based on specification in the first specifying step and the second specifying step;a display step of displaying, on a display screen, the selectable placement orders decided in the decision step; anda selection step of selecting a desired placement order from the selectable placement orders displayed in the display step.

10. A computer program executed by a computer so as to perform each step in a method according to claim 9.

11. A host apparatus which is connected to a printing apparatus capable of arranging and printing a plurality of images on a roll-type printing medium and transfers image data to the printing apparatus, comprising: specifying means for specifying that the printing medium is treated as either a printing medium having a long side with a fixed length or a printing medium having a long side with an undefined length;decision means for deciding on selectable placement orders of the plurality of images based on specification by said specifying means;display means for displaying, on a display screen, the selectable placement orders decided by said decision means; andselection means for selecting a desired placement order from the selectable placement orders displayed by said display means.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein in a case where it is specified by said specifying means that the printing medium is treated as a printing medium with an undefined length, said display means suppresses display of some of the selectable placement orders which are decided by said decision means in a case where said specifying means specifies that the printing medium is treated as a printing medium with a fixed length.

13. An image editing method in a host apparatus which is connected to a printing apparatus capable of placing and printing a plurality of images on a roll-type printing medium and transfers image data to the printing apparatus, comprising the steps of: specifying that the printing medium is treated as either a printing medium having a long side with a fixed length or a printing medium having a long side with an undefined length;deciding on selectable placement orders of the plurality of images based on specification in the specifying step;displaying, on a display screen, the selectable placement orders decided in the deciding step; andselecting a desired placement order from the selectable placement orders displayed in the display step.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein in a case where it is specified in the specifying step that the printing medium is treated as a printing medium with an undefined length, display of some of the selectable placement orders, which are decided in the deciding step in a case where it is specified in the specifying step that the printing medium is treated as a printing medium with a fixed length, is suppressed in the displaying step.

15. A computer program executed by a computer so as to perform each step in a method according to claim 13.

16. A computer readable medium which stores a computer program executed by a computer so as to perform each step in a method according to claim 13.