PRINT INSTRUCTING APPARATUS

Abstract

A print instruction apparatus includes a selecting unit which selects an attached file to be printed on a sheet together with a base file designated in advance as a print target. The print instructing apparatus includes a generating unit which generates code information for the selected attached file, and a transmitting unit which transmits a print instruction of the base file and the code information of the attached file to the printing apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagram showing the generation concept of a data sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a use example of the data sheet according to the embodiment;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing an example of the internal arrangement of an multi-function peripheral (MFP) according to the embodiment;

FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing an example of the internal arrangement of a network device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of print instructing processing according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows an example of an operation dialog of a printer driver according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows an example of a file selection dialog according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows an example of a dialog used to designate a code method according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows an example of a dialog used to set file information according to the embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows an example of a dialog used to set a resolution according to the embodiment;

FIGS. 9A and 9B show examples of a dialog used to designate a layout according to the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of layout selection processing according to the embodiment;

FIG. 11 shows an example of a table used to select a layout according to the embodiment;

FIG. 12 shows a user interface of a layout tool used to freely set or change a layout;

FIG. 13 is a view for explaining the concept of layout setting or changing processing according to the embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of print instructing processing according to the embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a view for explaining an example of file selection processing according to the embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a view for explaining another example of the file selection processing according to the embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of a control method of a printing apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a view for explaining the relationship between the sizes of sheets and n-dimensional codes that can be printed on the sheets;

FIG. 19A shows print results obtained upon execution of a common print mode according to the embodiment;

FIG. 19B shows print results obtained upon execution of a code print mode according to the embodiment;

FIG. 19C shows a print result obtained upon execution of a list print mode according to the embodiment; and

FIG. 19D2 shows print results obtained upon execution of an attachment print mode according to the embodiment.

Claims

1. A print instructing apparatus which issues a print instruction to a printing apparatus, comprising: a file selecting unit which selects an attached file to be printed together with a base file designated in advance as a print target;a generating unit which generates code information for the selected attached file; anda transmitting unit which transmits a print instruction of the base file and the code information of the attached file to the printing apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a printing purpose selecting unit which selects a purpose of printing of the attached file; anda layout selecting unit which selects a print layout of the base file and the attached file in accordance with the selected purpose of printing.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said layout selecting unit selects the print layout in accordance with the purpose of printing and a size of the attached file.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the print layout includes a first print layout which prints the base file and the attached file on a single page, and a second print layout which prints the base file and the attached file on different pages.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a designating unit which designates, as a print setting, at least one of a code method of the code information, a printing resolution of the code information, printing/non-printing of attribute information associated with the attached file, and a print position of the attached file in a page.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said designating unit designates the print setting in accordance with a size of the attached file.

7. A print instructing apparatus which transmits a print instruction to a printing apparatus, comprising: a selecting unit which selects, as a print mode, one ofa first print mode which prints a base file,a second print mode which prints code information generated from the base file,a third print mode which prints a list including attribute information for at least one base file, anda fourth print mode which lays out and prints at least one of the code information, the attribute information, and another file, and the base file; anda transmitting unit which transmits a print instruction according to the selected print mode to the printing apparatus.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting unit transmits print data described in a page description language or print data in a raster format to the printing apparatus so as to print the base file upon selection of the first print mode, and transmits raw data of the base file to the printing apparatus upon selection of the print mode other than the first print mode.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said selecting unit selects the third print mode when printing of the code information is designated in advance and a size of the code information exceeds a threshold.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the attribute information includes path information indicating a storage location of the base file.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the threshold is a value determined with reference to code information with a maximum size, which can be printed on a sheet to be printed.

12. A print instructing apparatus which issues a print instruction to a printing apparatus, comprising: a printing purpose selecting unit which selects a purpose of printing for a designated file or data;a layout selecting unit which selects a print layout of code information generated from the file or data in accordance with the purpose of printing; anda transmitting unit which transmits a print instruction according to the selected print layout to the printing apparatus.

13. A printing system comprising: a print instructing apparatus according to claim 1; anda printing apparatus which executes printing by receiving a print instruction from said print instructing apparatus.

14. A print instructing method which issues a print instruction to a printing apparatus, comprising: a file selecting step of selecting an attached file to be printed together with a base file designated in advance as a print target;a generating step of generating code information for the selected attached file; anda transmitting step of transmitting a print instruction of the base file and the code information of the attached file to the printing apparatus.

15. A print instructing method which transmits a print instruction to a printing apparatus, comprising: a selecting step of selecting, as a print mode, one ofa first print mode which prints a base file,a second print mode which prints code information generated from the base file,a third print mode which prints a list including attribute information for at least one base file, anda fourth print mode which lays out and prints at least one of the code information, the attribute information, and another file, and the base file; anda transmitting step of transmitting a print instruction according to the selected print mode to the printing apparatus.

16. A print instructing method which issues a print instruction to a printing apparatus, comprising: a printing purpose selecting step of selecting a purpose of printing for a designated file or data;a layout selecting step of selecting a print layout of code information generated from the file or data in accordance with the purpose of printing; anda transmitting step of transmitting a print instruction according to the selected print layout to the printing apparatus.

17. A computer program stored in a storage medium, said program making a computer execute: a file selecting step of selecting an attached file to be printed together with a base file designated in advance as a print target;a generating step of generating code information for the selected attached file; anda transmitting step of transmitting a print instruction of the base file and the code information of the attached file to a printing apparatus.

18. A computer program stored in a storage medium, said program making a computer execute: a selecting step of selecting, as a print mode, one ofa first print mode which prints a base file,a second print mode which prints code information generated from the base file,a third print mode which prints a list including attribute information for at least one base file, anda fourth print mode which lays out and prints at least one of the code information, the attribute information, and another file, and the base file; anda transmitting step of transmitting a print instruction according to the selected print mode to a printing apparatus.

19. A computer program stored in a storage medium, said program making a computer execute: a printing purpose selecting step of selecting a purpose of printing for a designated file or data;a layout selecting step of selecting a print layout of code information generated from the file or data in accordance with the purpose of printing; anda transmitting step of transmitting a print instruction according to the selected print layout to a printing apparatus.