JP5875498B2 - Print data processing apparatus, print data processing method, and print data processing program. - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a print data processing apparatus, a print data processing method, and a print data processing program in a printing system that performs variable printing.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, variable printing for printing different character strings and images for each printing sheet has been performed using a printing system that performs layout work by a computer. In variable printing, a print data file in which character strings such as names and addresses in a data table are embedded in a variable data embedding area (variable area) of design data prepared as a template is created and printed. .

  In variable printing, since the number and size of characters of variable data are different, characters or the like may overflow from a block designated as a variable area in advance. Records that cause such “character overflow” are not printed correctly. For this reason, it is provided with a maximum character number measuring means for measuring the maximum number of characters in the data table, and when the character string of the maximum number of characters does not fit within the character frame designated as the variable area in advance, the character deformation rate is calculated and calculated. There has been proposed a document editing system for printing in which a character string is deformed by a character deformation rate and a character string in a data table is embedded in each variable area (see Patent Document 1).

  In variable printing, all the records in the data table are embedded in the variable area of the design data prepared as a template before printing, and the print data file for all records is displayed as a preview. Measures such as checking are taken. On the other hand, when the number of records is large, it takes a lot of time and labor to preview and check all records. For this reason, the operator calculates the union of the print areas necessary for printing for each item (field) in the data table, and displays the state in which the union is embedded in the variable area of the template file. A data creation system that improves the efficiency of preview checking has been proposed (see Patent Document 2).

JP 2008-152310 A JP 2011-248421 A

  By the way, in the document editing system for printing of Patent Document 1, since it is determined whether or not a character string corresponding to the maximum number of characters for each field of the data table falls within the set variable area, the width of one character differs depending on the character. In the proportional font, the length of the character string obtained from the maximum number of characters is not always the maximum length of the character string to be printed. For this reason, when the character is a proportional font, if the printing is performed as it is, a defective printed matter may be generated due to the cut of the character.

Further, in the data creation system of Patent Document 2, the union for each field of the data table is presented by preview display or trial printing, but the union of print areas necessary for printing for each field is The determination as to whether or not it falls within the preset variable region depends on the visual observation of the operator. For this reason, for example, even if the content of the test print is not printed on the entire data, if the part where the characters are cut is a good place to break, the operator may cause “character overflow”. There is also the problem of overlooking what is happening.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a print data processing apparatus, a print data processing method, and a print data processing program capable of performing data check in variable printing at high speed. To do.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a print data processing apparatus that creates a plurality of print files from a file having a plurality of rectangular object placement areas in which different objects are placed, at least one of the plurality of object placement areas. an object arrangement area length acquisition means for respectively obtaining the length of the side as the object arrangement area length, the length of the plurality of objects of each field of the association is a data table in the plurality of object arrangement region, the object arrangement in region length and the same unit, and a variable object length obtaining means for obtaining for each of the fields, the maximum variable object length extracted from a plurality of variable objects length acquired in the variable object length acquisition means, corresponding to said field o of the object arrangement region By comparing the object arrangement area length, the maximum variable object length a plurality of objects having the, and comparison and determination means for determining whether or not fit to the plurality of object arrangement region, in the comparison and determination means, the maximum a plurality of objects having a variable object length, when it is determined that fits to each of the plurality of object arrangement region, all objects are placed in the plurality of object arrangement region in the data table, wherein the plurality of objects arranged It is characterized by comprising arrangement possibility determining means for determining that each area can be arranged.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, when the plurality of objects are character data, the variable object length acquisition unit acquires the number of characters of the plurality of variable objects, and and ranking the plurality of variable objects in order of the most characters, and converts the plurality of objects is within levels set in advance in the hierarchy to a variable object length of the object arrangement area length and the same unit, the comparison and determination means, the pre by comparing the variable object length of a plurality of objects is within the set rank with each variable object placement area length, the variable object length is more made within ranking preset object, positionable in said object arrangement region Whether the arrangement is possible or not is determined. In means, all of the plurality of objects is within the rank variable object length previously set, when it is judged respectively positionable between the plurality of object arrangement region, disposed in said plurality of object arrangement area in the data table all objects is determined that can be positioned to the plurality of object arrangement region.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the print data processing method for creating a plurality of print files from a file having a plurality of rectangular object placement areas in which different objects are placed, at least one of the plurality of object placement areas. an object arrangement area length acquisition step of acquiring side length as each object arrangement area length, the length of the plurality of objects of each field of the association is a data table in the plurality of object arrangement region, the object arrangement in region length and the same unit, and a variable object length acquisition step of acquiring for each of the fields, the maximum variable object length extracted from a plurality of variable objects length acquired in the variable object length acquiring step corresponds to the field the object By comparing the object arrangement area length of depositing area, a plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length, the comparison determination step of determining whether fit to the plurality of object arrangement region, in the comparison judgment step , a plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length, when it is determined that fits to each of the plurality of object arrangement region, all objects are placed in the plurality of object arrangement region in the data table, said plurality And an arrangement possibility determining step for determining that the object can be arranged in each object arrangement area.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 3, wherein, when the plurality of objects are character data, the variable object length acquisition step acquires the number of characters of the plurality of variable objects, and and ranking the plurality of variable objects in order of the most characters, and converts the plurality of objects is within levels set in advance in the hierarchy to a variable object length of the object arrangement area length and the same unit, the comparison determination step, the previously By comparing the variable object length of a plurality of objects that are within the set order with the object placement area length, a plurality of objects that have a variable object length that is within the preset order is placed in the plurality of object placement areas. It is further determined whether or not it is possible, and the arrangement possible determination step , In the comparison judgment step, all of the variable object length is more made within ranking the preset object, when it is judged respectively positionable between the plurality of object arrangement region, in the data table of the plurality of all of an object placed in the object arrangement area is determined as a positionable respectively in the plurality of object arrangement region.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, print data executed by the CPU of the computer in the memory in order to create a plurality of print files from a file having a plurality of rectangular object placement areas in which different objects are placed. in the processing program, the plurality of object arrangement region and the object arrangement area length acquisition step of acquiring each a length of at least one side as the object arrangement area length of each association is a data table of the plurality of object arrangement region The length of a plurality of objects in the field is extracted from the variable object length acquired in the variable object length acquisition step and the variable object length acquisition step acquired for each field in the same unit as the object placement area length Done A variable object length, by comparing the object arrangement area length of the object arrangement area corresponding to the field, a plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length, whether fit to the plurality of object arrangement region In the comparison determination step and the comparison determination step, when it is determined that the plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length fit in the plurality of object arrangement areas, respectively, the object arrangement area in the data table An arrangement possibility determination step for determining that all the arranged objects can be arranged in the plurality of object arrangement areas, respectively .

  According to the first, third, and fifth aspects of the present invention, the object having the maximum variable object length among the variable objects embedded in the object arrangement area is stored in the object arrangement area for each field of the data table. It is possible to determine whether or not all variable objects in the data table can be arranged in the object arrangement area based on the result, so that the print data before printing can be checked at high speed. Become.

  According to the invention described in claim 2 and claim 4, for each field of the data table, the variable objects embedded in the object placement area are arranged in the order of the longest object length, and a plurality of objects that are within a preset order. Since it is determined whether or not the object can be arranged in the object arrangement area, it is possible to check the print data before printing with higher accuracy and to improve the correction efficiency of the print data. .

1 is a schematic diagram of a printing system that performs variable printing. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the print data processing apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration realized in the print data processing apparatus 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a data processing procedure performed by the print data processing apparatus 1; It is a figure which shows an example of a template file. It is a figure which shows an example of the data table of the variable object embedded in the template file of FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a data processing procedure performed by the print data processing apparatus 1;

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printing system that performs variable printing.

  This printing system is configured to perform variable printing. Objects from a data table are placed in a variable area of a template file that forms a fixed area in which the same object is embedded and a variable area in which a different object is embedded. Pours for each record, creates a plurality of print data files, and executes printing. The printing system is configured by connecting a print data processing apparatus 1, a server apparatus 4, and a printing apparatus 3 via an Internet line 2.

  The print data processing apparatus 1 edits and creates print data. The print data processing apparatus 1 edits characters and patterns constituting a printed matter and creates print data. The server device 4 stores a part object embedded in the fixed area of the file, a design file in which the design of the fixed area is determined, and a data table of variable objects embedded in the object placement area which is a variable area.

  The printing apparatus 3 is an output device that outputs the print data from the print data processing apparatus 1 to a recording medium such as printing paper. The printing method of the printing apparatus 3 may be either an electrophotographic method or an inkjet method.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the print data processing apparatus 1.

  The print data processing apparatus 1 is realized using a computer, and includes a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, a LAN interface 104, a display device 105 such as a liquid crystal display, an input device 106 such as a keyboard and a mouse, an HDD (hard disk) 107, A recording medium reading device 109 composed of a disk drive or the like is provided, and these are connected to each other via a bus 108. The HDD 107 stores various data and programs. The function of the program stored in the HDD 107 is realized by using the CPU 101, the ROM 102, and the RAM 103. The LAN interface 104 connects the print data processing apparatus 1 to a LAN (Local Area Network) and enables communication with the server apparatus 4 and the printing apparatus 3 via the Internet line 2. The display device 105 displays various kinds of information such as the layout state of characters and pictures constituting the printed material, and the input device 106 is used for various input operations by the operator.

  Note that the print data processing program of the present invention may be recorded on a portable recording medium 110 such as a CD-ROM. When the print data processing program of the present invention is recorded on the recording medium 110, the print data processing apparatus 1 reads the program from the recording medium 110 using the recording medium reader 109 and records the program on the HDD 107. To do.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a main functional configuration realized in the print data processing apparatus 1.

In the print data processing apparatus 1, the variable assigned to the template file is allocated to the template file in the memory composed of the ROM 102 and the RAM 103 by the CPU 101 based on an instruction of a program P 1 (print data processing program) for performing print data processing stored in the HDD 107. An object placement area length acquisition means 31 for obtaining the length of at least one side of the object placement area, which is an area, and a variable object length acquisition means 32 for obtaining the length of a variable object to be embedded in the object placement area of the data table; a comparison determination unit 33 determines the variable object whether fits in object placement area by comparing the object placement region length and a variable object length, all objects in the data table from the result of the comparison determination unit 33 There and determining positionable determining means 34 can be arranged on the object arrangement area, realized as a function.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a data processing procedure performed by the print data processing apparatus 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a template file. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a variable object data table embedded in the template file of FIG. 5. FIG. 6A is a data table read by the print data processing apparatus 1, and FIG. Is a table obtained by extracting character data that is the maximum number of characters in each field of the data table 44 of FIG.

First, a variable object data table is read into the print data processing apparatus 1 from the server apparatus 4 (step S11). The length of at least one side of the rectangular object placement area is obtained for the template file in which the object placement area for embedding the variable object is assigned to the design file obtained from the server device 4 (step S12). When there are a plurality of object placement areas, the length of at least one side of each object placement area is acquired. Sides to get the length of the object placement area, if the variable object that is embedded in the object arrangement area is character data may be any one side in the same direction as the character string direction. Further, when the variable object embedded in the object arrangement area is image data, the side for obtaining the length of the object arrangement area is 2 in the X direction and the Y direction starting from one vertex of the rectangular range of the graphic data. Become an edge.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the template file is for direct mail printing in which fixed areas 42 for embedding common information such as product advertisements and object arrangement areas 41a, 41b, 41c for embedding individual information such as addresses and names are allocated. It is a file. The object placement area 41a corresponds to the PostCode field of the data table 44 shown in FIG. 6A, the object placement area 41b corresponds to the Address field, and the object placement area 41c corresponds to the Name field. . Since all the objects in each field of the data table 44 shown in FIG. 6A are character data, in step S11 shown in FIG. 4, rectangular objects of the same object arrangement areas 41a, 41b, and 41c in the character string direction are used. Get the length of each long side.

  Next, the variable object length is acquired for each field of the data table 44 (step S13). Then, the maximum variable object length with the longest object length is extracted in each field (step S14). In the example shown in FIG. 6, the maximum variable object length is extracted by extracting data of the maximum number of characters for each field. That is, as shown in FIG. 6B, in the PostCode field, the first record has the maximum number of characters, in the Address field, the third record has the maximum number of characters, and in the Name field, the second record has the maximum number of characters. Is created. The table 45 associates the contents of the character string having the maximum number of characters in each field with the record number.

  The data of the maximum number of characters extracted in step S14 is the same unit as the object placement area length by using the font type and font size information set as variable attributes in each object placement area 41a, 41b, 41c ( For example, the object length is converted to mm). Further, if necessary, the information is converted into an object length which is the same unit as the object arrangement area length using the information of the composition rule. This object length is the maximum variable object length of each field, and is compared with the variable object arrangement area length corresponding to each field (step S15).

  In this embodiment, an example in which the variable object is character data has been described. However, when the variable object is graphic data, the X direction or the Y direction extends in the same direction as the side where the length of the object placement area is acquired. The length of one of the sides in both the X direction and the Y direction is the variable object length as it is, and the longest variable object length among them is the maximum variable object length. The maximum variable object length at this time is compared with the variable object arrangement area length corresponding to each field. When there are two object placement area lengths, the maximum variable object length and the variable object placement area length are compared for each side.

As a result of the comparison in step S15, if it is determined that the variable object does not fit in the object arrangement area because the maximum variable object length is longer than the variable object arrangement area length for any of the fields (step S16), this is the case. The records are listed and displayed as an error record list on the display device 105 and presented to the operator (step S17). The error record list includes, for example, the contents of the character string having the maximum number of characters in the field shown in FIG. 6B when it is determined that the variable object does not fit in the object placement area in the Address field and the Name field. It is created by extracting the information of the second record and the third record from the data table of FIG. 6A from the association with the record number. The operator uses the input device 106 to perform various types of editing such as changing the font type, font size, and object placement area size set as attributes of the variable object placement area according to the listed contents (step S18). . After editing, steps S12 to S16 are repeated again.

In any field, when it is determined that the maximum variable object length is shorter than the variable object arrangement area length and the variable object can be accommodated in the variable object arrangement area (step S16), all objects in the data table 44 are stored. It is determined that the object can be arranged in the object arrangement areas 41a, 41b, 41c corresponding to the field (step S19). Thus, when the data check of the data table 44 is completed, the operator embeds a variable object in the object placement areas 41a, 41b, and 41c, and creates print data for all the records in the data table 44. Can be transferred.

As described above, in the present invention, instead of processing all records in the data table 44, it is only necessary to check data having the maximum variable object length in the corresponding field for each object arrangement area. Data processing can be accelerated. Further, since it is determined whether or not the variable object can be accommodated in the object arrangement area without depending on only the preview display, it is possible to reduce an operator's human error.

  Next, another embodiment of data processing by the print data processing apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the data processing procedure by the print data processing apparatus 1.

  In the data processing procedure shown in FIG. 7, after the variable object length is obtained for each field of the data table 44 (step S23), the variable object length is ordered in the longest order in each field, and within the order set in advance in the order. 4 is different from the data processing procedure shown in FIG. 4 in that variable object lengths of a plurality of objects are extracted (step S24). In this embodiment, the top 10 variable object lengths are extracted, but up to the top number is extracted as appropriate according to the number of records.

  In this step S24, the data is rearranged in the order of the number of characters for each field of the data table 44, and the number-of-characters data is set as a variable attribute in each object arrangement area 41a, 41b, 41c for the top ten cases extracted from the data. The information is converted into an object length having the same unit (for example, mm) as the object arrangement area length by using the font type and font size information.

  Then, each of the top 10 variable object lengths is compared with the object placement area lengths of the object placement areas 41a, 41b, 41c corresponding to the field (step S25). If at least one of the top 10 objects has a variable object length longer than the variable object arrangement area length, it is determined that the variable object exceeds the object arrangement area (step S26). Thereafter, the corresponding records are listed and displayed on the display device 105 as an error record list, and are presented to the operator (step S27).

  However, when the variable object is character data, there is a problem that the character data having the maximum number of characters does not necessarily have the maximum variable object length. That is, character data that contains many characters with a wide width per character in a proportional font, or character data that has many combinations of characters that are widely set according to the typesetting rules, etc. are character data that has a maximum number of characters. However, the variable object length may be longer than the character data having the maximum number of characters.

  In this embodiment, the object placement area length and the variable object length converted so as to be the same unit (for example, mm) as the object placement area length are compared for the top 10 characters having the largest number of characters in each field of the data table 44. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the frequency of “character overflow” caused by differences in fonts and typesetting rules. Further, by checking a plurality of data items in each field of the data table 44, it becomes easier to understand the cause such as “character overflow” and the efficiency of data correction can be improved.

  If the variable object is character data, the object length that is the same unit as the object arrangement area length in consideration of the font and the formatting rule is calculated for all objects in the step of obtaining the variable object length in step S23. The time will be longer. In this embodiment, the print data processing is further speeded up by adopting the procedure of converting the data to the object length which is the same unit as the object arrangement area length after the data is narrowed down by the number of characters in step S23.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Print data processing apparatus 2 Internet line 3 Printing apparatus 4 Server apparatus 31 Object arrangement area length acquisition means 32 Variable object length acquisition means 33 Comparison determination means 34 Arrangement possibility determination means 41a Object arrangement area 41b Object arrangement area 41c Object arrangement area 42 Fixed Area 101 CPU
102 ROM
103 RAM
104 LAN interface 105 Display device 106 Input device 107 HDD
109 Recording medium reader

Claims (5)

In a print data processing apparatus for creating a plurality of print files from a file having a plurality of rectangular object arrangement areas in which different objects are arranged,
An object arrangement area length acquisition means for acquiring each a length of at least one side of said plurality of object arrangement region as the object arrangement area length,
A variable object length acquiring means the length of a plurality of objects of each field of the association is a data table in the plurality of object arrangement region is obtained for each said field,
In the variable object length the object arrangement area length and the unit maximum variable object length extracted from a plurality of variable object length acquired at acquisition unit, compared with the object arrangement area length of the object arrangement region corresponding to the field Comparison determination means for determining whether or not the plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length fit in the plurality of object placement areas, respectively ,
In the comparison and determination means, a plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length, when it is determined that fits to each of the plurality of object arrangement region, all disposed in the plurality of object arrangement area in the data table Arrangement determination means for determining that an object can be arranged in each of the plurality of object arrangement areas;
A print data processing apparatus comprising: The print data processing apparatus according to claim 1,
When the plurality of objects are character data, the variable object length acquisition unit acquires the number of characters of the plurality of variable objects, and ranks the plurality of variable objects in descending order of the number of characters, and presets the order in the order. Extract multiple objects within the ranking,
The comparison determination unit, by comparing with each variable object arrangement area length variable object length converted the object arrangement area length and the units from the number of said plurality is within rank previously set object, the variable It is further determined whether or not a plurality of objects whose object length is within a preset order can be placed in the object placement area,
When the comparison determination unit determines that all of the plurality of objects whose variable object lengths are within a preset order are determined to be able to be arranged in the plurality of object arrangement areas, respectively , wherein all objects are arranged in a plurality of object placement area, it determines the print data processing apparatus that can be arranged in the plurality of object arrangement region in. In a print data processing method for creating a plurality of print files from a file having a plurality of rectangular object placement areas in which different objects are placed,
An object placement area length acquisition step for obtaining a length of at least one side of each of the plurality of object placement areas as an object placement area length;
A variable object length acquisition step of acquiring the length of the plurality of objects of each field of the association is a data table in the plurality of object arrangement region for each of the fields,
Comparing the maximum variable object length of the variable object length the object arrangement area length extracted from a plurality of variable object length acquired in acquisition step and the same unit, the object arrangement area length of the object arrangement region corresponding to the field A comparison determination step of determining whether or not the plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length fit in the plurality of object placement areas, respectively ,
In the comparison and determination step, a plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length, when it is determined that fits to each of the plurality of object arrangement region, all disposed in the plurality of object arrangement area in the data table Arrangement determination step for determining that an object can be arranged in each of the plurality of object arrangement areas;
A print data processing method characterized by comprising: The print data processing method according to claim 3.
When the plurality of objects are character data, the variable object length acquisition step acquires the number of characters of the plurality of variable objects, and ranks the plurality of variable objects in descending order of the number of characters. For a plurality of objects that are within the rank, convert them to a variable object length in the same unit as the object placement area length,
The comparison determination step, by comparing with each said object arrangement area length variable object length of a plurality of objects is within the ranking the previously set plurality of objects mutable object length is within levels set in advance, It is further determined whether or not it can be arranged in the plurality of object arrangement areas,
The deployable determining step, in the comparison judgment step, when the variable object length is all of said plurality is within ranking preset object, it is determined respectively positionable between the plurality of object arrangement region, data A print data processing method for determining that all objects arranged in the plurality of object arrangement areas in the table can be arranged in the plurality of object arrangement areas, respectively . In a print data processing program executed by a CPU of a computer in a memory in order to create a plurality of print files from a file having a plurality of rectangular object placement areas in which different objects are placed,
An object arrangement area length acquisition step of acquiring each a length of at least one side of said plurality of object arrangement region as the object arrangement area length,
A variable object length acquisition step of acquiring the length of the plurality of objects of each field of the association is a data table in the plurality of object arrangement region for each of the fields,
Comparing the maximum variable object length of the variable object length the object arrangement area length extracted from a plurality of variable object length acquired in acquisition step and the same unit, the object arrangement area length of the object arrangement region corresponding to the field A comparison determination step of determining whether or not the plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length fit in the plurality of object placement areas, respectively ,
In the comparison and determination step, a plurality of objects having the maximum variable object length, when it is determined that fits to each of the plurality of object arrangement region, all objects that are placed on the object arrangement region in the data table , An arrangement possibility determination step for determining that arrangement is possible in each of the plurality of object arrangement areas;
A print data processing program characterized by comprising:

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