Patent Application
20120268753
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus for instructing printing, a print setting method, and a computer-readable medium and, more particularly, to a method of setting paper to be used in a printing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a printer driver installed in a client computer or the like, the setting items of media (paper and the like) to be used in printing conventionally include a paper size representing a size and a paper type representing a property.
On the other hand, certain combinations of a printer engine, options, and wide-ranging functions to be used in printing may yield a disadvantageous printing result for a user. Hence, the printer driver grays out or hides setting items that cannot be used simultaneously in combination from the viewpoint of a mechanism, thereby preventing the user from selecting them (this will be referred to as conflict processing hereinafter).
Some printer drivers allow selecting both a paper size (to be referred to as a “page size” hereinafter) representing the paper size of an original generated by the user and a paper size (to be referred to as an “output size” hereinafter) representing the size of a physical paper sheet to be actually output by a printer.
The user can arbitrarily select paper supported by the printer to be used by him/her and print not only a document generated by himself/herself but also an electronically distributed material or a document acquired from the Internet. For example, although the initial settings of the printer driver include the output size “A4” and the paper type “index paper”, the document to be printed may be generated in a paper size (for example, A3 or 11×17) that does not support the index paper. When printing this document, the user normally executes printing without opening the setting screen of the printer driver. However, the printer driver executes conflict processing as internal processing. For example, the printer driver often executes rounding processing to the initial settings. Especially in conflict processing, the set contents of paper size are often stricter than the setting of paper type, and the paper type is rounded to general plain paper or the like.
For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-137923, the configuration information of a printer main body is acquired, and printing is performed for only user-designated paper using the information of paper in each paper feed stage represented by the configuration information, thereby preventing unintended wasteful output.
That is, the paper size designated on the document side cannot be used in the paper type designated by the printer driver. Additionally, to change the settings, the user cumbersomely needs to open the setting screen of the printer driver and change the output size to “A4” or the like.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus comprising: a holding unit configured to hold an output size and a paper type to be used by a printing apparatus when printing original data; a conflict processing unit configured to determine, based on a predetermined conflict condition, a conflict relationship representing an unselectable combination of a size and a type of paper; and a priority setting reception unit configured to receive a priority setting for one of the paper type held by the holding unit and a page size designated by the original data under the predetermined conflict condition, wherein when the priority setting is done for the paper type, and the paper type and the page size satisfy the conflict relationship, the conflict processing unit changes the output size so as not to satisfy the conflict relationship to the paper type while keeping setting of the page size unchanged.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus comprising: a holding unit configured to hold an output size and a paper type to be used by a printing apparatus when printing original data; a conflict processing unit configured to determine, based on a predetermined conflict condition, a conflict relationship representing an unselectable combination of a size and a type of paper; a setting change reception unit configured to display an output image of the original data and to receive a setting change for the original data; and a priority setting reception unit configured to receive a priority setting for one of the paper type held by the holding unit and a page size designated by the original data under the predetermined conflict condition, wherein when the priority setting is done for the paper type, and the paper type and the page size satisfy the conflict relationship, the conflict processing unit changes the output size so as not to satisfy the conflict relationship to the paper type while keeping setting of the page size unchanged, and the setting change reception unit displays the output image and receives a change of the output size from a user.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print setting method comprising: a holding step of holding, in a storage unit in advance, an output size and a paper type to be used by a printing apparatus when printing original data; a conflict processing step of determining, based on a predetermined conflict condition, a conflict relationship representing an unselectable combination of a size and a type of paper; and a priority setting reception step of receiving a priority setting for one of the paper type held in the storage unit and a page size designated by the original data under the predetermined conflict condition, wherein when the priority setting is done for the paper type, and the paper type and the page size satisfy the conflict relationship, in the conflict processing step, the output size is changed so as not to satisfy the conflict relationship to the paper type while keeping setting of the page size unchanged.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print setting method comprising: a holding step of holding, in a storage unit in advance, an output size and a paper type to be used by a printing apparatus when printing original data; a conflict processing step of determining, based on a predetermined conflict condition, a conflict relationship representing an unselectable combination of a size and a type of paper; a setting change reception step of displaying an output image of the original data and receiving a setting change for the original data; and a priority setting reception step of receiving a priority setting for one of the paper type held in the storage unit and a page size designated by the original data under the predetermined conflict condition, wherein when the priority setting is done for the paper type, and the paper type and the page size satisfy the conflict relationship, in the conflict processing step, the output size is changed so as not to satisfy the conflict relationship to the paper type while keeping setting of the page size unchanged, and in the setting change reception step, the output image is displayed, and a change of the output size from a user is received.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable medium storing a program that causes a computer to function as: holding unit configured to hold an output size and a paper type to be used by a printing apparatus when printing original data; conflict processing unit configured to determine, based on a predetermined conflict condition, a conflict relationship representing an unselectable combination of a size and a type of paper; and priority setting reception unit configured to receive a priority setting for one of the paper type held by the holding unit and a page size designated by the original data under the predetermined conflict condition, wherein when the priority setting is done for the paper type, and the paper type and the page size satisfy the conflict relationship, the conflict processing unit changes the output size so as not to satisfy the conflict relationship to the paper type while keeping setting of the page size unchanged.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable medium storing a program that causes a computer to function as: a holding unit configured to hold an output size and a paper type to be used by a printing apparatus when printing original data; a conflict processing unit configured to determine, based on a predetermined conflict condition, a conflict relationship representing an unselectable combination of a size and a type of paper; a setting change reception unit configured to display an output image of the original data and to receive a setting change for the original data; and a priority setting reception unit configured to receive a priority setting for one of the paper type held by the holding unit and a page size designated by the original data under the predetermined conflict condition, wherein when the priority setting is done for the paper type, and the paper type and the page size satisfy the conflict relationship, the conflict processing unit changes the output size so as not to satisfy the conflict relationship to the paper type while keeping setting of the page size unchanged, and the setting change reception unit displays the output image and receives a change of the output size from a user.
According to the present invention, it is possible to print various kinds of documents on desired paper by a simple operation.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings).
The first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
[System Configuration]
An operating system (to be referred to as an OS hereinafter), various kinds of applications, and printer drivers are installed in the client computer 101. The user can send various kinds of print data from the client computer 101 to the network printers 102 and 103 and cause them to print. The network printers 102 and 103 print various kinds of received print data. Note that each of the network printers 102 and 103 can be either a printing apparatus having only a printing function or an MFP (MultiFunction Peripheral) having other functions as well.
A keyboard 212 and a mouse 213, which are used by the user to operate the client computer 101, are connected to the keyboard controller 206 and the mouse controller 207, respectively. A display device 214 is connected to the video controller 208. A nonvolatile external storage device 215 to store an enormous amount of data is connected to the external storage device controller 209 to read or write applications and data. The external media device controller 210 controls an external media control device 216. When an application or driver software is provided by an external medium (CD-ROM or DVD-ROM), the user can set the medium such as a CD-ROM in the external media control device 216 so as to read the program. The client computer 101 is connected to the computer network 104 described with reference to
The initial program to activate the client computer 101 and basic programs to control the modules of the client computer 101 are normally stored in the ROM 205. The OS, applications, and printer drivers are stored in the external storage device 215. When the client computer 101 is powered on, a program (boot loader) stored in the ROM 205 to activate the computer is executed first. This program loads the OS stored in the external storage device 215 to the RAM 204 and then transfers the control to the OS. The OS further loads necessary modules and drivers from the external storage device 215 to the RAM 204. The OS also loads necessary applications from the external storage device 215 to the RAM 204 and executes them in accordance with user instructions.
The printer driver and a printer driver installer to be described in this embodiment are supplied from an external medium such as a CD-ROM. In this case, the user sets the CD-ROM in the external media control device 216. The CPU 203 loads the driver and the printer driver installer to the RAM 204 or stores them in the external storage device 215 as needed.
Note that the configuration of the client computer 101 is not limited to the above-described configuration and may include any other constituent elements.
[Printer Driver Installation]
The printer driver will be explained next. In this embodiment, the printer driver installed in the client computer 101 includes modules shown in
The printer driver 301 can further include several components based on the above-described configuration. For example, to cause one printer driver to support a plurality of printers, the graphic rendering module 302 and the UI control module 303 may be generated to support a plurality of printers. As for the printer specification description file 304, files as many as the supported printers may be packed together with the printer driver 301.
A procedure of installing the printer driver 301 having the above-described configuration in the client computer 101 will be described next.
In step S401, the user activates the acquired printer driver installer. In step S402, the printer driver installer stores the printer driver module in a predetermined location of the external storage device 215. The storage location changes depending on the printing system. In, for example, Windows7®, the printer driver module is stored in a directory
[Method of Holding Printer Driver Set Contents]
The printer driver assigns initial setting information internally held at the time of installation to all setting items. These contents are registered in the following storage unit called a registry, which is managed by the OS. The following are examples of setting item holding destinations in the registry.
Note that the storage destinations are not limited to the following examples.
[Method of Displaying Paper Size and Paper Type]
In this embodiment, the printing apparatus can handle various kinds of paper. Paper size information and paper type information are defined for each paper. The paper sizes include, for example, so-called standard sizes such as A5, A4, B4, letter, postcard, and long form No. 3, and nonstandard sizes that freely combine the vertical and horizontal sizes within the range from the maximum to minimum passable size of the printer engine to be used for printing. On the other hand, the paper types include general paper such as plain paper, thick paper, and thin paper, and specialty paper such as embossed paper, vellum paper, coated paper, and OHP sheet. Each paper type is sometimes subdivided by grammage (weight per unit area).
Display examples of screens provided by a conventional printer driver will be described with reference to
On the other hand, the “output size” is used to print original data generated in, for example, A4 size on another paper size (for example, A3 size) without changing the layout of the original for the paper size. Note that most generally, the “output size” is displayed as “match page size” in the initial settings so that the data is output in the same size as the “page size” of the original generated by the user or application.
For example, in a “page setup” screen 501 shown in
The message 602 shown in
Note that the combinations of paper sizes and paper types supported by the printer engine are defined in the above-described printer specification description file 304. When the user selects the paper size and the paper type using the keyboard 212 or the mouse 213 at the time of printing or the like, the CPU 203 determines whether the combination is possible. The UI control module 303 executes conflict processing based on predefined conflict conditions, and if the combination is impossible, performs processing of, for example, rounding to the initial settings of the printer driver.
When the printer driver 301 is activated at the time of printing execution by the application, the UI control module 303 determines in step S801 whether the check box 702 “prefer setting of paper type” is selected. If the check box 702 is selected (YES in step S801), the UI control module 303 fixes the “paper type” currently selected in the printer driver 301 to prefer it over selection of the paper size in step S802. In this case, the UI control module 303 executes conflict processing by, for example, setting an internal flag (not shown). In step S803, the UI control module 303 stores, in the storage unit (for example, RAM 204) or the like, the information of the “page size” currently selected in the printer driver 301.
In step S804, when the user who is operating the client computer 101 has set or changed a setting item in a display screen 601 of the printer driver 301, the UI control module 303 executes conflict processing. For example, examine a state in which “index paper” is selected as the “paper type” 505 in the “paper source” screen 504 shown in
In the related art, the message 602 shown in
In step S805, the UI control module 303 confirms whether the user has changed the “page size” in the conflict processing of step S804. If the “page size” is changed (YES in step S805), in step S806, the UI control module 303 reflects the information of the “page size” stored in the storage unit in step S803 on the “output size”.
This will be described in more detail using the above example. When “index paper” is selected as the “paper type”, and in this state, “A3” that is not supported for the index paper is selected as the “page size”, the conflict processing is performed at this point of time. As the result of conflict processing, since “A3” cannot be selected as the “page size”, the UI control module 303 switches the display of the “output size” to “A4” stored as the “page size”. For example, when the “output size” is set to “match page size” in the initial settings, the setting of the “page size” is changed to “A4”.
If the check box 702 “prefer setting of paper type” is not selected (NO in step S801), the UI control module 303 performs conflict processing as in the related art in step S807. In step S808, the UI control module 303 generates print data. In step S809, the UI control module 303 sends the generated print data to the network printers 102 and 103 via the network I/F controller 211, the computer network 104, and the like.
[Designation from Application]
Note that printing can also be executed from a document generation application, spreadsheet software, graphics processing software, or the like installed in the client computer 101 without displaying the user interface of the printer driver 301. These pieces of application software have the information of paper sizes. In, for example, the Windows® system, the information is designated in the printer driver 301 via the above-described DEVMODE.
This will be described in detail using the above example. When “index paper” is selected as the “paper type”, and in this state, “A3” that is not supported for the index paper is designated in the printer driver 301 from the application software, the UI control module 303 executes the conflict processing. As the result of conflict processing, since “A3” cannot be selected as the “page size”, print data is generated by setting “A4” stored as the “page size” to the paper size to be used in actual printing.
[Derivative Example]
When the printer driver 301 is activated at the time of printing execution by the application, the UI control module 303 determines in step S1101 whether the check box 702 “prefer setting of paper type” is selected. If the check box 702 is selected (YES in step S1101), the UI control module 303 fixes the “paper type” currently selected in the printer driver 301 to prefer it over selection of the paper size in step S1102. In this case, the UI control module 303, for example, sets an internal flag (not shown).
In step S1103, when the user who is operating the client computer 101 has set or changed a setting item in the display screen 601 of the printer driver 301, the UI control module 303 executes conflict processing. For example, examine a state in which “index paper” is selected as the “paper type” 505 in the “paper source” screen 504 shown in
In the related art, the message 602 shown in
In step S1104, the UI control module 303 confirms whether the user has changed the “page size” in the conflict processing of step S1103. If the “page size” is changed (YES in step S1104), in step S1105, the UI control module 303 displays the message 1002 to ask the user about switching the “output size”. As the value to be set by switching, a paper size (for example, “A4”) in the initial setting of the printer driver 301, which is stored in the printer specification description file 304 out of in the paper sizes supported for the “index paper”, is used. When the user selects an “OK” button 1003 in the message 1002 displayed in step S1105 (YES in step S1105), the UI control module 303 switches the paper size as the “output size” in accordance with the display contents of the message in step S1106. In the above example, the “output size” is changed from “match page size” to “A4”.
If the check box 702 is not selected (NO in step S1101), the UI control module 303 performs the conventional conflict processing in step S1107. When the user selects a “cancel” button 1004 in the message 1002 displayed in step S1105 (NO in step S1105), the UI control module 303 performs the conventional conflict processing in step S1107. In step S1108, the UI control module 303 generates print data. In step S1109, the UI control module 303 sends the generated print data to the network printers 102 and 103 via the network I/F controller 211, the computer network 104, and the like.
[Designation from Application]
Printing can also be executed from a document generation application, spreadsheet software, graphics processing software, or the like installed in the client computer 101 without displaying the user interface of the printer driver 301. These pieces of application software have the information of paper sizes. In, for example, the Windows® system, the information is designated in the printer driver 301 via the above-described DEVMODE.
This will be described in detail using the above example. When “index paper” is selected as the “paper type”, and in this state, “A3” that is not supported for the index paper is designated in the printer driver 301 from the application software, the UI control module 303 executes the conflict processing. As the result of conflict processing, since “A3” cannot be selected as the “page size”, the message 1002 is displayed to ask for a permission to change the “output size” usable for printing. The subsequent operation is the same as that from step S1105 in
Note that when printing is executed without displaying the user interface of the printer driver 301, the message 1002 to ask for a permission to change the “output size” usable for printing need not always be displayed.
In place of the message 1002 to ask for a permission to change the “output size” usable for printing, as shown in
Only when the paper size has been changed, a message may be displayed to notify. If the user has input a print instruction without intervening the setting screen provided by the device driver, conflict processing and setting change may be done without displaying various messages.
In this embodiment, the initial set value is applied in step S1104. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The paper size may be decided from the paper size candidates corresponding to the paper type using the use frequency or the information of, for example, a usage history of recently used paper.
After execution of print processing, the actually used paper size and paper type may be presented.
This makes it possible to designate paper for printing and prevent print output using unintended paper by a simple operation.
The second embodiment will be described with reference to
Some printer drivers provide a preview screen or a screen that enables to integrate or change at the time of printing for a plurality of original data. The embodiment will be explained in which when changing the output size in accordance with the conflict relationship, a setting screen corresponding to the function is displayed to enable to change the setting.
In a preview screen 1303 shown in
In this embodiment, when a check box 702 shown in
As the result of conflict processing, since “A3” cannot be selected as the “page size”, a UI control module 303 switches the “output size” to “A4” stored as the “page size”. At this point of time, a flag representing the change of the “output size” or the like is stored in the storage unit (for example, RAM 204).
If the UI control module 303 detects the change of the stored “output size” upon executing actual printing, the “edit+preview” function acts to display the preview screen 1303 that allows preview and setting change. This implements a setting change reception unit.
In addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the user of the printer driver 301 can confirm the change of the output size from the displayed preview screen 1303 and further change the output size.
Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out and executes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method, the steps of which are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s). For this purpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via a network or from a recording medium of various types serving as the memory device (for example, computer-readable medium).
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-095282, filed Apr. 21, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-095282 | Apr 2011 | JP | national |
