IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a controller that is operable to: access files that is created by an external device and stored in the external storage device, the files containing images that are to be formed on the sheet by the image forming unit; generate auxiliary identification information including character string that is uniquely assigned for each of the files and for each of folders containing the files by using character information stored in a storage; control at least one of the display and the image forming unit to display file specifying information including filenames of each of the files and the auxiliary identification information so as that the auxiliary identification information is displayed preferentially from the filenames; and allow a user to select a target file that contains an image to be formed on the sheet based on the file specifying information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a printer as an example of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows examples of programs stored in a ROM;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first example of direct printing;

FIG. 4 shows an example of panel display in the first example;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a second example of direct printing;

FIG. 6 shows an example of index printing in the second example;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a third example of direct printing;

FIG. 8 shows an example of panel display in the third example;

FIG. 9 shows an example of index printing in the third example;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a fourth example of direct printing; and

FIG. 11 shows an example of panel display in the fourth example.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet;a display;a storage that stores character information that defines shapes of characters to form image of characters;a device interface that is connectable with an external storage device; anda controller that is operable to:access files that is created by an external device and stored in the external storage device, the files containing images that are to be formed on the sheet by the image forming unit;generate auxiliary identification information including character string that is uniquely assigned for each of the files and for each of folders containing the files by using the character information stored in the storage;control at least one of the display and the image forming unit to display file specifying information including filenames of each of the files and the auxiliary identification information so as that the auxiliary identification information is displayed preferentially from the filenames; andallow a user to select a target file that contains an image to be formed on the sheet based on the file specifying information.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the character string has a length shorter than a length of a filename displayable for each of the files.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to control at least one of the display and the image forming unit to display an image contained in each of the files in association with the file specifying information.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller controls the image forming unit to display the image in association with the file specifying information.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller controls the image forming unit to display the image in association with the file specifying information for each of the files as a list.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to allow the user to select a target folder from among the folders, and wherein the controller controls the image forming unit to form images contained in files contained in the target folder.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to allow the user to select one of modes of a list display mode for displaying the file specifying information for each of the files without displaying images contained in the files and an image display mode for displaying the file specifying information for each of the files in association with images contained in the files.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to extract filenames or folder names of the files and the folders, which includes characters that the shape is not defined in the character information, as an unspecific names, and wherein the controller adds the auxiliary identification information to the unspecific names.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller controls at least one of the display and the image forming unit to preferentially display the file specifying information for the files and the folders having the unspecific names.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller performs not to add the auxiliary identification to the filenames or the folder names of the files and the folders, which are not extracted as the unspecific names.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to extract filenames or folder names of the files and the folders, which have names matches with one another at a head part thereof having a length that is displayable for each of the files and the folders on the display or by the image forming unit.