INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS WITH PRINT PREVIEW FUNCTION

Abstract

In a print system of this invention, upon issuance of a preview instruction from an application (201), print data is spooled in a spool file (303). A printer driver (203) despools the spooled data and transmits the despooled data to a printer (2000) as a preview job together with job setting information. The printer (2000) generates preview information for each physical page in accordance with the job setting information, and sends it to a host computer (3000). A previewer (306) receives the preview information, reads out data from a spooler, and displays a preview image in accordance with the received preview information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the arrangement of a print control apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a typical print system of a host computer to which a printer is connected;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a print system which temporarily spools an intermediate code before it converts print instructions from an application into printer control commands;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view for explaining a printer according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing in a spooler 302;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the print control in a spool file manager 304;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing in a despooler 305;

FIG. 8 shows an example of a print setting window of a printer driver;

FIG. 9 shows an example of a list display window of a spool file;

FIG. 10 shows an example of preview information (JDFP);

FIG. 11 shows an example of a preview window;

FIG. 12 shows an example of a preview job;

FIG. 13 shows an example of a preview job;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining the preview processing of a previewer;

FIGS. 15A and 15B are flowcharts for explaining the preview processing and print processing of a printer;

FIG. 16 is a chart showing the flow of the overall conventional preview processing system;

FIG. 17 is a chart showing the flow of the overall preview processing system according to the present invention;

FIG. 18 shows an example of a print instruction job; and

FIG. 19 shows an example of a print cancel job.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus connected to a printer which generates preview information that indicates layouts and finishing processing for respective physical pages in accordance with received printer control commands, comprising: a print instruction transmission unit adapted to generate, when a preview instruction of data is issued, printer control commands according to print data together with a job type indicating preview, and transmit the generated printer control commands to the printer; anda preview unit adapted to generate and display a preview image based on preview information which is generated by the printer in accordance with the printer control commands and indicates layouts and finishing processing for respective physical pages.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a spooler adapted to store contents of respective logical pages included in the print data, wherein said preview unit generates and displays the preview image in accordance with the preview information and the contents of the logical pages stored in said spooler.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the job type corresponding to the received printer control commands is preview, the printer stores the print data included in the printer control commands, said preview unit accepts changes of print settings of a job corresponding to the displayed preview image,said information processing apparatus further comprises a setting change unit adapted to generate, when the print settings are changed, print instructions associated with a changed part, andsaid print instruction transmission unit generates printer control commands according to the print instructions generated by said setting change unit, and transmits the generated printer control commands to the printer.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the job type corresponding to the received printer control commands is preview, the printer stores the print data included in the printer control commands, said preview unit accepts input of a print instruction of a job corresponding to the displayed preview image, andwhen said preview unit accepts the print instruction, said print instruction transmission unit generates an identifier of the job and printer control commands that designate to print the job, and transmits the identifier and the printer control commands to the printer.

5. A preview method executed by an information processing apparatus connected to a printer which generates preview information that indicates layouts and finishing processing for respective physical pages in accordance with received printer control commands, comprising: a print instruction transmission step of generating, when a preview designation of data is issued, printer control commands according to print data together with a job type indicating preview, and transmit the generated printer control commands to the printer; anda preview step of generating and displaying a preview image based on preview information which is generated by the printer in accordance with the printer control commands and indicates layouts and finishing processing for respective physical pages.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising a spool step of storing, in a spool file, contents of respective logical pages included in the print data, wherein the preview step, the preview image is generated and displayed in accordance with the preview information and the contents of the logical pages stored in the spool file.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein when the job type corresponding to the received printer control commands is preview, the printer stores the print data included in the printer control commands, in the preview step, changes of print settings of a job corresponding to the displayed preview image are accepted,said method further comprises a setting change step of generating, when the print settings are changed, print instructions associated with a changed part, andin the print instruction transmission step, printer control commands according to the print instructions generated in the setting change step are generated, and transmitting the generated printer control commands are transmitted to the printer.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein when the job type corresponding to the received printer control commands is preview, the printer stores the print data included in the printer control commands, in the preview step, input of a print instruction of a job corresponding to the displayed preview image is accepted, andin the print instruction transmission step, when the print instruction is input in the preview step, an identifier of the job and printer control commands that designate to print the job are generated, and the identifier and the printer control commands are transmitted to the printer.

9. A computer readable recording medium which records a program for implementing a preview method executed by an information processing apparatus connected to a printer which generates preview information that indicates layouts and finishing processing for respective physical pages in accordance with received printer control commands, said method comprising: a print instruction transmission step of generating, when a preview designation of data is issued, printer control commands according to print data together with a job type indicating preview, and transmit the generated printer control commands to the printer; anda preview step of generating and displaying a preview image based on preview information which is generated by the printer in accordance with the printer control commands and indicates layouts and finishing processing for respective physical pages.

10. The medium according to claim 9, wherein said method further comprises a spool step of storing, in a spool file, contents of respective logical pages included in the print data, and in the preview step includes, the preview image is generated and displayed in accordance with the preview information and the contents of the logical pages stored in the spool file.

11. The medium according to claim 9, wherein when the job type corresponding to the received printer control commands is preview, the printer stores the print data included in the printer control commands, in the preview step, changes of print settings of a job corresponding to the displayed preview image are accepted,said method further comprises a setting change step of generating, when the print settings are changed, print instructions associated with a changed part, andin the print instruction transmission step printer control commands according to the print instructions generated in the setting change step are generated, and the generated printer control commands are transmitted to the printer.

12. The medium according to claim 9, wherein when the job type corresponding to the received printer control commands is preview, the printer stores the print data included in the printer control commands, in the preview step, input of a print instruction of a job corresponding to the displayed preview image is accepted, andin the print instruction transmission step, when the print instruction is input in the preview step, an identifier of the job and printer control commands that designate to print the job are generated, and the identifier and the printer control commands are transmitted to the printer.

13. A printer system formed by connecting an information processing apparatus and a printer which generates preview information indicating layouts and finishing processing for respective physical pages in accordance with received printer control commands, said information processing apparatus comprisinga print instruction transmission unit adapted to generate, when a preview designation of data is issued, printer control commands according to print data together with a job type indicating preview, and transmit the generated printer control commands to said printer, anda preview unit adapted to generate and display a preview image based on preview information which is generated by said printer in accordance with the printer control commands and indicates layouts and finishing processing for respective physical pages; andsaid printer comprisinga reception unit adapted to receive the printer control commands from said information processing apparatus,a preview information generation unit adapted to generate, when the job type corresponding to the printer control commands is preview, preview information which indicates layouts of logical pages and finishing processing for respective physical pages to be printed in accordance with job control information and print data included in the printer control commands, anda transmission unit adapted to transmit the preview information to said information processing apparatus.

14. A control method in a printer system formed by connecting an information processing apparatus and a printer which generates preview information indicating layouts and finishing processing for respective physical pages in accordance with received printer control commands, comprising: a print instruction transmission step of generating, when said information processing apparatus issues a preview designation of data, printer control commands according to print data together with a job type indicating preview, and transmitting the generated printer control commands to said printer;a reception step of receiving the printer control commands from said information processing apparatus by said printer;a preview information generation step of generating by said printer, when the job type corresponding to the printer control commands is preview, preview information which indicates layouts of logical pages and finishing processing for respective physical pages to be printed in accordance with job control information and print data included in the printer control commands;a transmission step of transmitting the preview information from said printer to said information processing apparatus; anda preview step of generating and displaying by said information processing apparatus a preview image based on the preview information which is transmitted in the transmission step in accordance with the printer control commands.

15. An information processing apparatus comprising: a print instruction transmission unit adapted to generate, when a preview designation is issued, printer control commands according to print data together with a job type indicating preview, and transmit the generated printer control commands to a printer; anda preview unit adapted to generate and display a preview image based on preview information which is generated by the printer in accordance with the printer control commands and indicates sizes, orientations, and scaling information of pages to be laid out.

16. An information processing method comprising: a print instruction transmission step of generating, when a preview designation is issued, printer control commands according to print data together with a job type indicating preview, and transmit the generated printer control commands to a printer; anda preview step of generating and displaying a preview image based on preview information which is generated by the printer in accordance with the printer control commands and indicates sizes, orientations, and scaling information of pages to be laid out.

17. A computer readable recording medium which records a program for making a computer function as: a print instruction transmission unit adapted to generate, when a preview designation is issued, printer control commands according to print data together with a job type indicating preview, and transmit the generated printer control commands to a printer; anda preview unit adapted to generate and display a preview image based on preview information which is generated by the printer in accordance with the printer control commands and indicates sizes, orientations, and scaling information of pages to be laid out.