JP7585381B2 - Information processing device, control method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device, a control method, and a program.

Conventionally, there exists a printing environment in which a personal computer (hereafter referred to as a PC) and a printer are connected. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for printing in this printing environment using a printing function (hereafter referred to as an OS standard printing function) that is standardly provided by an operating system (hereafter referred to as an OS), without requiring printer-specific software provided by the printer vendor. The printer-specific software is sometimes referred to as a printer driver.

Special table 2015-508921

However, Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration information management when a printer that cannot interpret print data in a specific format that corresponds to the OS's standard print function is connected to a PC. As a result, there is a risk that operability will decrease when a user prints using a printer that cannot interpret print data in a specific format that corresponds to the OS's standard print function.

In order to solve the above problem, an information processing device of the present application is an information processing device capable of executing operating system (OS) standard printing software that generates print data in a predetermined format in response to an instruction from an application, and includes a management means for managing a printing device that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format as a management target, a receiving means for receiving first print data in the predetermined format via the OS standard printing software when an instruction is given to execute printing using a printing device that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format, a generating means for generating second print data based on the first print data that can be interpreted by a printing device that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format, and a printing device that generates the second print data in the predetermined format. The present invention is characterized in that the device has a sending means for sending data to a printing device that cannot interpret the print data of the specified format, and a control means for executing a process to register information about a printing device that cannot interpret the print data of the specified format in the OS standard printing software when a printing device that cannot interpret the print data of the specified format and is managed as a managed item is not displayed as a selection candidate for a printing device on a screen displayed in response to an instruction from the application, and the control means executes a process to register a print queue of a printing device that cannot interpret the print data of the specified format in the OS standard printing software as a process to register information about a printing device that cannot interpret the print data of the specified format in the OS standard printing software .

This invention makes it possible to improve the operability of printing operations using a printer that cannot interpret print data in a specific format that corresponds to the OS's standard printing functions.

1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a screen of a print conversion utility. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a screen of the OS printing system. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a print setting screen of the OS printing system. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a startup process flow of the print conversion utility. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a guide dialog provided by the print conversion utility. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a startup process flow of the print conversion utility. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a guide dialog provided by the print conversion utility. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a guide dialog provided by the print conversion utility. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a guide dialog provided by the print conversion utility. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a startup process flow of the print conversion utility. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a guide dialog provided by the print conversion utility. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a startup process flow of the print conversion utility. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a startup process flow of the uninstaller. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an information processing device.

Below, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached images. Note that the following embodiment does not limit the scope of the present invention as claimed, and not all of the combinations of features described in the present embodiment are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention.

<Embodiment 1>
1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a printing system according to this embodiment. PC01, printer 20, printer 30, and printer 40 are connected via a network 12 and can communicate with each other. In this embodiment, the network is assumed to be a LAN (Local Area Network), but it may also be a WAN (Wide Area Network). The network connection may be either wired or wireless, or a mixture of both. PC01 controls printers 20-40 connected via the network 12.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, an operating system (OS) is built into PC01, and each block within PC01 is managed by the OS. Here, PC01 has a hardware configuration (FIG. 15) that is included in a general information processing device.

Figure 15 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of PC (information processing device) 01. CPU 301 is a central processing unit for controlling the following components. Disk device 302 stores various files, as well as application programs 312, databases 313, and OS read by CPU 301. External disk reader 303 is a device for reading information such as files stored in an external storage medium such as an SD card. Memory 304 is composed of RAM, etc., and CPU 301 temporarily stores and buffers data as necessary. Display unit 305 is composed of, for example, an LCD, and displays various information. Operation unit 306 is composed of a keyboard, mouse, etc., for the user to perform various input operations. Network communication unit 307 is connected to a network such as the Internet via network connection unit 308, and performs various communications. The network communication unit 307 supports wired LAN and wireless LAN. When the network connection unit 308 supports wired LAN, it is a connector for connecting a wired LAN cable, and when the network connection unit 308 supports wireless LAN, it is an antenna. The network connection unit 308 may have both wired LAN and wireless LAN functions. The USB communication unit 310 is connected to various peripheral devices via the USB connection unit 311 and performs various communications. The above-mentioned units are connected to each other by a bus 309. In this embodiment, the OS installed in the PC01 is assumed to be macOS (registered trademark).

Next, the software configuration of the PC01 will be described. The PC01 includes an application 02, an OS printing system 03, a network (NW) communication control unit 06, a print conversion utility 08, and an uninstaller 11 for the print conversion utility 08, and is capable of executing these. The uninstaller 11 may be incorporated into the print conversion utility 08. The OS printing system 03 including the OS standard print control unit 04 is a module that the OS includes as standard. In other words, the user does not need to install the OS printing system 03 and the OS standard print control unit 04 separately, and the OS printing system 03 and the OS standard print control unit 04 are installed together with the installation of the OS. Therefore, the OS printing system 03 including the OS standard print control unit 04 is sometimes called the OS standard print software. The print queue 05 and the OS standard print control unit 04 of the printer 30 are managed by the OS printing system 03. The print conversion utility 08 including the vendor driver 09 is used to print with a printer that cannot interpret print data in a predetermined format conforming to the OS standard print function, and is installed in the PC 01 by a user's instruction. The OS print system 03 sequentially processes print requests from the application 02 as jobs. When a user requests printing of application data created by the application 02, the request is input to the OS print system 03 as a print job. When the OS print system 03 receives a print job, the OS standard print control unit 04 generates print data in a format conforming to the OS standard print function. When a printer that can interpret print data in a format conforming to the OS standard print function is selected at the time of a print request from the application 02, the OS print system 03 transmits the print data generated by the OS standard print control unit 04 to the printer. Therefore, for example, the system can operate on the PC 01 without an installation process by a user's instruction. In this embodiment, the OS standard print function may also be called a predetermined print function. In this embodiment, a printer that cannot interpret print data in a format conforming to the OS standard print function may also be called a non-supported printer. Additionally, printers that can interpret print data in a format that conforms to the OS's standard printing functions are sometimes called supported printers.

Next, we will explain the process when the printer selected when a print request is made from an application is an unsupported printer. After print data in a format conforming to the OS standard print function is generated by the OS standard print control unit 04, the OS print system 03 sends the print data to the print conversion utility 08. The print conversion utility 08 then converts it into print data in a vendor-specific format and sends it to the printer via the NW communication control unit 06. In other words, the print data generated by the OS standard print control unit 04 and the print data generated by the print conversion utility 08 are different.

In addition to the above, the print conversion utility 08 can also convert image data 07 specified using the file print screen 70 described later in FIG. 2 into print data in a vendor-specific format and send it to the printer via the network communication control unit 06.

Printer 20, printer 30, and printer 40 are composed of a NW communication control unit 21, a print control unit 22, and a print unit 23. The print control unit 22 receives print data from PC01 via the NW communication control unit 21, and controls the print unit 23 based on the print data to execute printing. Note that in this embodiment, printing is assumed to be performed using an inkjet method, but other methods such as electrophotography may also be used.

When a supported printer is selected, the user can print easily without using the print conversion utility 08. On the other hand, when an unsupported printer is selected, the print process is realized using the print conversion utility 08.

In order to use the print conversion utility 08 from application 02, two print queues must be registered: print queue 05 of the OS's standard printing function to receive print requests from application 02, and print queue 10 of the print conversion utility. If these two print queues are not registered, it is not possible to print from application 02 using the print conversion utility 08.

The print conversion utility 08 can also generate print data for image data 07 specified using the file print screen 70 in FIG. 2. When printing image data specified using the file print screen 70, it is necessary to register the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility, but it is not necessary to register the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function.

When the print conversion utility 08 is installed, the print conversion utility uninstaller 11 is also installed at the same time. To uninstall the print conversion utility 08, start the uninstaller 11 and perform the uninstallation process.

In this embodiment, printer 20 is a supported printer, and printers 30 and 40 are unsupported printers. That is, printer 20 can interpret print data generated by the OS standard print control unit 04. Therefore, when printing from application 02 to printer 30, both the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function and the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility must be registered. That is, when instructing printer 30 to print using application 02, print data is sent to printer 30 via the OS print system 03 and print conversion utility 08. That is, printers 30 and 40 can interpret print data generated by the print conversion utility 08.

Here, we will explain an example of the process that a user can use to register a print queue 10 for the print conversion utility 08.

Figure 2 shows an example of a screen provided by the print conversion utility 08. The printer list screen 50 displays the name 51 of the printer registered in the print conversion utility 08, a "File Print" button 52 for directly printing the image data 07, and a "Settings" button 53 for setting the printer. The printer list screen 50 also displays an "Add" button 54 for registering a printer and a "Delete" button 55 for deleting a printer. When the user presses the "File Print" button 52, the file print screen 70 is displayed. The user presses the "Browse" button 71 to specify the image data 07 to be printed. Then, when the user presses the "Print" button 73, the print conversion utility 08 converts the image data 07 into print data in a vendor-specific format and sends it to the printer 30. When the "Cancel" button 72 is pressed, the file print screen 70 is closed without printing.

When the "Settings" button 53 on the printer list screen 50 is pressed, the print conversion utility 08 opens the printer settings screen 80. When the "Add" button 54 is pressed, the print conversion utility 08 displays the printer registration screen 60.

The printer registration screen 60 has a printer list 61, and displays information about unsupported printers connected to PC01 in the printer list 61. In this embodiment, printer 30 and printer 40 are displayed. The print conversion utility 08 stores printer information about unsupported printers in advance. Among the printers included in the printer information, unsupported printers connected to PC01 are displayed in the printer list 61. The print conversion utility 08 may also obtain capability information about printers connected to PC01 and determine which printers are unsupported from the capability information.

When the user presses the "Register" button 63, the selected printer is registered in the print conversion utility 08. In this embodiment, the printer 30 is already registered in the print conversion utility 08. When a printer is registered in the print conversion utility 08, the print conversion utility 08 acquires capability information from the printer that is the target of operation. When the OS print system 03 sends a capability information acquisition request to the print conversion utility 08, the print conversion utility 08 receives the capability information acquisition request. Therefore, the print conversion utility 08 adds support information (support information) for the OS standard print function that is generated internally based on the capability information acquired from the printer to the capability information that is responded to the OS print system 03, and responds to the OS print system 03. At this point, the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility 08 is registered.

In addition, the print conversion utility 08 can also register the print queue 05 of the OS standard printing function in the OS printing system, but in this embodiment, the print conversion utility 08 does not register the print queue 05 in the OS printing system 03. The OS printing system 03 registers the print queue 05. This will be described in detail later. When the "Delete" button 55 is pressed, the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility for the selected printer is deleted from the print conversion utility 08. The printer name, etc. are also deleted from the printer list.

Next, the process of registering the print queue 05 by the OS printing system 03 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a printer list screen 90 provided by the OS printing system 03. The OS printing system 03 has a printer list 91 for adding and deleting printers that can be printed. The OS printing system 03 displays all printers that can be selected when printing in the printer list 91. When the user selects a printer in the printer list 91 and presses the "Delete" button 93, the OS printing system 03 deletes the print queue of the selected printer and also deletes the name of the selected printer from the printer list 91. When the user presses the "Add" button 92, the OS printing system 03 displays a printer registration screen 95. The OS printing system 03 displays the supported printers connected to the PC 01 via the network in the registered printer list 96. The OS printing system 03 obtains capability information including the printer name and information on compatibility with the OS standard printing function from the connected printers 20-40 or print conversion utility 08. Then, the OS printing system 03 displays the names and connection methods of the supported printers in the registered printer list 96. In this embodiment, the printer 30 is the target of the print conversion utility 08, and the print conversion utility 08 responds to the OS printing system 03 with capability information in which "print conversion utility" has been added to the name acquired from the printer 30. Note that, although "print conversion utility" has been described as the added identification information in this embodiment, other information may be added. Note that by the print conversion utility 08 responding with capability information about the printer 30, which is an unsupported printer, the OS printing system 03 identifies the printer 30 as a display target in the registered printer list 96, which will be described later.

Based on the capability information acquired from the print conversion utility 08, the OS print system 03 displays "Printer 30 (print conversion utility 08)" as the name of the printer 30 and "Network" as the connection method in the registered printer list 96. When the user selects a printer in the registered printer list 96 and presses the "Register" button 98, the OS print system 03 creates and registers a print queue 05 of the OS standard print function of the selected printer. The OS print system 03 then displays the selected printer in the printer list 91 and closes the printer registration screen 95. When the user presses the "Cancel" button 97, the OS print system 03 closes the printer registration screen 95 without registering the printer. In this embodiment, the print queue of the supported printer 20 and the print queue 05 of the printer 30 to which print data is sent via the print conversion utility 08 are registered in the OS print system 03.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing the print setting screen of the OS printing system 03. The OS printing system 03 has a print setting screen 100 that is used when printing application data created by the application 02. The user can set the printer to print on the printer selection menu 101. The OS printing system 03 displays printable printers added to the printer list screen 90 in Figure 3 as selectable printers. In this embodiment, printer 20, which is a supported printer, and printer 30 to which print data is sent via the print conversion utility 08 are registered as printable printers, and these are displayed as selection candidates in the printer selection menu 101. The user can set the number of copies to print in the number of copies setting field 102. The user can set the pages to be printed using the page setting radio button 103 and the page designation field 104. The user can set the paper size to be used for printing on the paper size setting menu 105. The user can set one of the paper sizes A4, A5, L size, and postcard that can be used by the printer selected in the printer selection menu 101. When the user presses the print button 107, a print job based on the settings on this screen is submitted to the OS printing system 03 and this screen is closed. When the user presses the cancel button 106, this screen is closed without submitting a print job to the OS printing system 03.

Next, we will explain the process of notifying the user to re-register a print queue when the print queue 05 registered in the OS printing system 03 for the printer 30 to which print data is sent via the print conversion utility 08 is deleted by the user.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of the execution process of the print conversion utility 08. Note that the flowcharts described in this application are realized by the CPU 301 reading out a program related to the flowchart from the memory 304 and executing it. Note that the flowchart in FIG. 5 is started when the user starts the print conversion utility 08. Also, the print conversion utility 08 is started when the user operates the icon of the print conversion utility 08 on the screen of the PC 01.

The print conversion utility 08 obtains the total number (A) of printers registered in the print conversion utility 08 (S01). In S02, the print conversion utility 08 initializes the index number (n=1), and in S03 starts a loop for the total number of printers.

In S04, the print conversion utility 08 determines whether the Device URI of the nth printer is registered in the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function. For example, the print conversion utility 08 obtains the Device URIs of all print queues registered in the OS print system 03 from the OS print system 03. Then, S04 is realized by determining whether the Device URI of the nth printer is included in the Device URI obtained from the OS print system 03. If it is determined that the Device URI of the nth printer is not included in the Device URI obtained from the OS print system 03, the print conversion utility 08 determines that the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function is not registered and proceeds to S05. Note that although the Device URI is described as the information to be used, other identification information may be used. For example, a UUID may be used.

The print conversion utility 08 informs the user that the print queue 05 of the OS's standard print function has not been registered, that printing can only be done from image data 07 specified using the file print screen 70 of FIG. 2, and guides the user through the procedure for registering the print queue 05 of the OS's standard print function (S05). Specifically, the print conversion utility 08 displays the guide dialog 110 of FIG. 6. Note that the information provided in S05 does not need to be all of this information. For example, it is sufficient to provide guidance on at least the operating procedure for registering the print queue 05 of the OS's standard print function. Alternatively, guidance may be provided only on registering the print queue 05 of the OS's standard print function.

When the print conversion utility 08 recognizes that the OK button has been pressed on the screen of FIG. 6 (S06), it increments the index number (S07) and returns the process from S08 to S03.

In addition, when the print queue 05 is not registered in the OS print system 03 in the first place, the process in FIG. 5 may be executed to notify the user that the print queue 05 has been registered.

As described above, in this embodiment, the print conversion utility 08 determines whether the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function corresponding to the printer managed by the print conversion utility 08 is registered. If it is determined that the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function corresponding to the printer managed by the print conversion utility 08 is not registered, the print conversion utility 08 guides the user through the procedure for registering the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function. In other words, S07 is executed when a non-supported printer (e.g., printer 30) managed by the print conversion utility 08 is not displayed as a selection candidate in the selection menu 101 of the print setting screen 100 displayed by an instruction from the application 02. The user can easily register the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function by operating according to this guidance. As a result, both the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility 08 and the print queue 05 of the OS print system are registered, and the user can print using the printer 30.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, when the print queue 05 of the printer to which print data is sent via the print conversion utility is not registered in the OS print system 03, the user must manually register the print queue 05 in the OS print system 03 according to the procedure in Fig. 6. In consideration of this point, in the second embodiment, a process for registering the print queue 05 without the user having to perform a manual operation will be described.

Note that in this embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be described. Also, in this embodiment, the print queue 05 for the OS print system 03 of the printer registered using the printer registration screen of the print conversion utility 08 in FIG. 2 can be registered in the OS print system 03 by the print conversion utility 08.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing the startup process flow of the print conversion utility 08 in this embodiment. Note that steps S22 to S25 and S35 to S36 are similar to steps S01 to S04 and S07 to S08 in Figure 5, so their explanation will be omitted.

If the print conversion utility 08 determines in S25 that the Device URI of the nth printer is not registered in the OS printing system 03, the process proceeds to S26. The print conversion utility 08 then informs the user that the print queue 05, which is a standard printing function of the OS, is not registered and asks whether to register the print queue 05 in the OS printing system. Specifically, the print conversion utility 08 displays the information dialog 120 in FIG. 8.

The print conversion utility 08 accepts the user's selection in the guide dialog 120 in FIG. 8 (S27) and determines whether the "OK" button 122 has been pressed (S28). If the "OK" button 122 has been pressed, the print conversion utility 08 registers the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function of the target printer in the OS print system (S29). Specifically, the print conversion utility 08 notifies the OS print system 03 of the Device URI of the nth printer and instructs the OS print system 03 to register the print queue of the nth printer. This process registers the print queue of the nth printer (for example, print queue 05) in the OS print system 03. In other words, the print conversion utility 08 displays a screen for confirming that the nth printer is to be registered in the OS print system 03. If the user instructs on this confirmation screen to register the printer, the print conversion utility 08 issues an instruction to the OS print system 03 to register the print queue of the nth printer in the OS print system 03.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S28 that the cancel button 121 has been pressed (S28-No), in S30 the print conversion utility 08 asks whether to delete the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility of the target printer. Specifically, the print conversion utility 08 displays the guide dialog 130 of FIG. 9.

The print conversion utility 08 accepts a user selection in the guide dialog 130 of FIG. 9 (S31), and determines whether the "OK" button 122 has been pressed (S32). If it is determined that the "OK" button 132 has been pressed, the print conversion utility 08 deletes the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility for the nth printer in S33. In other words, the print conversion utility 08 removes the nth printer, which is managed as a managed printer, from the list of managed printers.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S32 that the "Cancel" button 131 has been pressed, then in S34 the print conversion utility 08 notifies the user that printing is only possible from the image data 07 specified using the file print screen 70 in FIG. 2. Specifically, the print conversion utility 08 displays the information dialog 140 in FIG. 10. When the user presses the "OK" button 141 in the information dialog 140, the process proceeds to S35. Note that a cancel button may also be displayed in FIG. 10. If the cancel button is pressed here, the print conversion utility 08 may execute the process again from S26. After S35 is completed, the process in FIG. 7 returns from S36 to S24, and the above-mentioned process is performed for the next target printer.

As described above, if the print queue 05 of an unsupported printer managed by the print conversion utility 08 is not registered in the OS printing system 03, the print conversion utility automatically registers the print queue 05 in the OS printing system 03. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the convenience of registering the print queue 05 in the OS printing system 03 can be improved. Also, if the user does not select to register the print queue 05, the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility 08 is deleted. If deletion is not performed, a message is displayed indicating that printing will only be possible from image data specified using the file printing screen 70 in FIG. 2. These processes reduce the user's operational burden on the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility 08.

<Embodiment 3>
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, a process for not leaving the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function after deleting the print queue 10 from the print conversion utility 08 will be described. Specifically, the print conversion utility 08 guides the user to delete the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function. Note that in this embodiment, differences from the above-mentioned embodiments will be described.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the startup process flow of the print conversion utility 08 in this embodiment. In S41, the print conversion utility 08 displays the printers currently registered in the print conversion utility 08 on the printer list screen 50. When the print conversion utility 08 detects in S42 that the user has pressed the "Delete" button 55 of the printer selected on the printer list screen 50, it displays the guide dialog 130 of FIG. 9 in S43. If the print conversion utility 08 determines that the user has pressed the "OK" button 132 on the guide dialog 130 (S43-Yes), the print conversion utility 08 deletes the print queue 10 of the printer selected on the printer list screen 50 and proceeds to S45. In S45, the print conversion utility 08 determines whether the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function corresponding to the printer deleted in S44 exists in the OS print system 03. For example, the print conversion utility 08 acquires the Device URI of all print queues registered in the OS print system 03 from the OS print system 03. Then, step S45 is realized by determining whether the Device URI of the printer selected to be deleted is included in the Device URI obtained from the OS printing system 03.

If the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function exists in the OS print system 03, in S46 the print conversion utility 08 guides the user to delete the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function. Specifically, the print conversion utility 08 displays the OS standard print function guide dialog 150 of FIG. 12. When the user presses the OK button 151 of the guide dialog 150, the print conversion utility 08 closes the guide dialog 150. In other words, when the print queue 10 of an unsupported printer is deleted (removed from management), the print conversion utility 08 executes processing to remove information about that printer (print queue 05) from the OS print system 03.

As described above, in this embodiment, when a print queue 10 registered in the print conversion utility 08 is deleted by the user, the user is prompted to delete the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function that corresponds to the printer to be deleted. This allows the user to easily delete the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function.

<Embodiment 4>
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the third embodiment, when the print queue 10 is deleted from the print conversion utility, the print queue 10 of the OS standard print function corresponding to the deleted print queue 10 is guided to be deleted. In this embodiment, when the print queue 10 of the print conversion utility 08 is deleted, the print conversion utility 08 automatically deletes the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function corresponding to the deleted print queue 10. In other words, the deletion of the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function is not guided. Note that in this embodiment, differences from the above-mentioned embodiments will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the startup process flow of the print conversion utility 08 in this embodiment. S50 to S55 and S57 are the same as S40 to S45 and S47 in FIG. 11, and therefore description will be omitted.

If the print conversion utility 08 determines in S55 that a print queue 05 of the OS standard print function corresponding to the deleted print queue 10 exists, the process proceeds to S56. In S56, the print conversion utility 08 deletes the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function corresponding to the deleted print queue 10. Specifically, the print conversion utility 08 sends the printer name of the printer to be deleted and an instruction to delete the print queue 05 of the printer to be deleted to the print system. This process deletes the print queue 05 of the printer to be deleted from the OS print system 03. Note that in this embodiment, the process of deleting the print queue 05 has been described, but it is sufficient that the print queue 05 is not managed by the OS printing unit 13. Therefore, the print conversion utility 08 may instruct the OS print system 03 to remove the print queue 05 from the management. In other words, when the print queue 10 of an unsupported printer is deleted (removed from management), the print conversion utility 08 executes a process to remove information about the printer (print queue 05) from the OS print system 03.

As described above, in this embodiment, when a print queue 10 registered in the print conversion utility is deleted by a user, the print queue 05 of the OS standard printing function that corresponds to the deleted print queue 10 is automatically deleted. This reduces the user's operations to delete the print queue 05.

<Embodiment 5>
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, a form in which the print queue 10 of the OS standard print function to which print data is sent via the print conversion utility 08 is deleted when the print conversion utility 08 is uninstalled will be described. Note that in this embodiment, differences from the above-mentioned embodiments will be described.

Figure 14 is a diagram showing the startup process flow of the uninstaller 11 of the print conversion utility 08 in this embodiment. When the user starts the uninstaller 11 of the print conversion utility 08, the process proceeds to S60, where the startup process begins.

In S61, the uninstaller 11 obtains the total number (A) of printers registered in the print conversion utility 08, and in S62 starts a loop for the total number of printers. In S63, the uninstaller 11 determines whether the Device URI of the nth printer is registered in the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function. For example, the print conversion utility 08 obtains the Device URIs of all print queues registered in the OS print system 03 from the OS print system 03. Then, S63 is realized by determining whether the Device URI of the nth printer is included in the Device URI obtained from the OS print system 03.

If the uninstaller 11 determines that the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function corresponding to the nth printer is registered (S63-Yes), it deletes the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function of the printer (n) (S64). After S64 is executed, or if the determination is No in S63, the process in FIG. 14 proceeds to S65.

The above process is repeated for the total number of printers obtained. When loop 1 ends, the process proceeds to S67, where the uninstaller 11 uninstalls the print conversion utility 08.

As described above, in this embodiment, when uninstalling the print conversion utility 08, the uninstaller 11 deletes the print queue 05 of the OS standard print function that corresponds to the printer to which print data is sent via the print conversion utility. This process has the effect of reducing the possibility that an unnecessary print queue 05 of the OS standard print function will remain.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention can also be realized by supplying software (programs) that realize the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or various storage media, and having the computer of the system or device read and execute the programs. In this case, the programs and the storage media storing the programs constitute the present invention. The computer of the system or device is, for example, a CPU or MPU.

03 OS Printing System 08 Print Conversion Utility

Claims (4)

An information processing device capable of executing operating system (OS) standard printing software that generates print data in a predetermined format in response to an instruction from an application,
a management means for managing printing devices that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format as management targets;
a receiving means for receiving the first print data in the predetermined format via the OS standard print software when a printing command is issued to execute printing using a printing device that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format;
a generating means for generating second print data based on the first print data, the second print data being interpretable by a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the predetermined format;
a transmitting means for transmitting the second print data to a printing device that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format;
a control means for executing a process for registering information about a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the specified format in the OS standard printing software when the printing device that is managed as a management target and cannot interpret print data in the specified format is not displayed as a selection candidate for a printing device on a screen displayed in response to an instruction from the application,
The information processing device is characterized in that the control means executes a process to register the print queue of a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the specified format into the OS standard printing software as a process for registering information of a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the specified format into the OS standard printing software. The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means executes a process of registering the print queue of a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the specified format to the OS standard print software after displaying a screen for confirming that the printing device that cannot interpret print data in the specified format is to be registered to the OS standard print software. A control method executed in an information processing device capable of executing operating system (OS) standard printing software that generates print data in a predetermined format in response to an instruction from an application, comprising:
a management step of managing printing devices that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format as management targets;
a receiving step of receiving first print data in the predetermined format via the OS standard print software when a printing operation is instructed using a printing device that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format;
a generating step of generating second print data based on the first print data, the second print data being interpretable by a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the predetermined format;
a transmitting step of transmitting the second print data to a printing device that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format;
a control step of executing a process for registering information about a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the specified format managed as a management target in the OS standard printing software when the printing device is not displayed as a selection candidate for a printing device on a screen displayed in response to an instruction from the application;
and an exclusion process for excluding from management a printing device that does not support the specified printing function managed as the management target when a user instructs not to register a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the specified format in the OS standard printing software. An information processing device computer capable of executing standard printing software for an operating system (OS) that receives instructions from an application and generates print data in a predetermined format,
a management means for managing printing devices that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format as management targets;
a receiving means for receiving the first print data in the predetermined format via the OS standard print software when a printing command is issued to execute printing using a printing device that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format;
a generating means for generating second print data based on the first print data, the second print data being interpretable by a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the predetermined format;
a transmitting means for transmitting the second print data to a printing device that cannot interpret the print data in the predetermined format;
a control means for executing a process for registering information about a printing device that cannot interpret print data in the specified format managed as a management target in the OS standard printing software when the printing device is not displayed as a selection candidate for a printing device on a screen displayed in response to an instruction from the application;
A computer-readable program for causing the computer to function as an exclusion means for excluding from management a printing device that does not support a specified printing function managed as the management target when a user instructs not to register a printing device that cannot interpret printing data in the specified format in the OS standard printing software.

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