JPS6365975B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a print scrambling method, in particular a print scrambling method for printing from multiple workstations to a common printing device.
The present invention relates to a print scrambling method that enables print output to be performed one after another and reduces key input waiting time for an operator during print output.

Conventionally, when performing a business such as issuing sales slips using a plurality of workstations, print data for issuing slips has been edited for each workstation and output directly to a printing device that issues slips. Therefore, in a processing system in which a single printing device is shared by multiple workstations, for example, when one workstation is in the process of issuing a slip, it may monopolize the printing device that outputs the slip. , other workstations could not begin the process of issuing a voucher until the voucher had been completely output. In other words, since the workstation and the printing device were always in a one-to-one relationship at one point in time to avoid conflicts in output to the printing device, when many requests for issuing slips occurred The disadvantage was that the printing equipment became a network, resulting in extremely low processing efficiency, and that each workstation had to wait for a long time. Furthermore, even when only one workstation is using a printing device, if data is processed directly by key input, the output processing speed of the printing device is extremely slow compared to the operator's key input time. However, the disadvantage was that the operator had to wait for the next key input until the print output was finished.

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and enables each workstation to apparently simultaneously occupy a printing device and perform output processing, and also to enable high-speed key input from an operator. It is an object. Therefore, in a processing system in which at least one printing device is shared by a plurality of workstations, the print scrambling method of the present invention creates a scramble file that stores print data from each of the workstations on a mass storage device. At the same time, a scramble writer is provided which is activated by an instruction from the center and sequentially reads out the print data from the scramble file one record at a time and outputs it to the printing device according to the format of a predetermined screen definition program. Alternatively, the print data output processing section provided in each of the workstations is configured to output print data with a message header as the print data to the scramble file. This will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an explanatory diagram of the contents of a print data record. In the figure, 1 is a printing device, 2 is a slip issuing business processing device, 3 is a scramble writer, 4 is a screen definition program, 5 is a scramble file allocation section, 6 to 8 are slip issuing sections compatible with each workstation, and 9 is a magnetic 10 is a scramble file, 11 is a center workstation, and 12 to 14 are workstations.

For example, three workstations 12, 13,
14 and one printing device 1 to issue a sales slip under the control of the slip issuing business processing device 2, first, the scramble file 10 is secured and allocated on the magnetic disk device 9. This scramble file 10 is sent to the workstation 12,1.
This is a file for accumulating print data generated by the slip issuing units 6, 7, and 8 upon activation of the invoices 3 and 14, and is configured, for example, as a sequential file. In order to allocate the scramble file 10, the scramble file allocation unit 5 magnetically allocates an area of a specified size according to an instruction such as an alloc command input from the system utility or the center work station 11. This is done by cutting it out from the disk device 9. This process of allocating the scramble file 10 only needs to be performed once at the start of business, as long as a sufficient area for storing print data can be secured, unless an abnormality such as a file failure occurs.

On the other hand, the operator starts the scramble writer 3 from the center workstation 11, for example, by using a START command. This scramble writer 3 has scramble file 10.
The print data stored in the print data are sequentially read out and printed out to the printing device 1 according to the format of a predetermined screen definition body 4. In a state where no final slip has been issued or all print data stored in the scramble file 10 has been output, the scramble writer 3 is in a waiting state until new print data is stored in the scramble file 10. to go into. The attributes of the scramble writer 3 activated by the start command can be specified by the parameters of the start command. Examples of this parameter include the name of the scramble writer 3 to be started,
The name of the screen definition used for message editing, the workstation number for print output, the start value of the form serial number when adding sequential numbers to forms, or the page number at which to start outputting the scramble file 10 are required. You may also be able to specify it accordingly.

When issuing and outputting sales slips to the printing device 1 by inputting slip data from each workstation 12, 13, and 14, each workstation 1
The slip issuing sections 6, 7, and 8, which are provided and activated corresponding to the workstations 12, 13, and 14, independently input the slip data from the respective workstations 12, 13, and 14, and output the slip data with a message header as shown in FIG. Instead of editing the print data and directly outputting it as print data to the printing device 1, the magnetic disk device 9
Output to scramble file 10 above. This scramble file 10 includes each slip issuing unit 6,
7 and 8, and since it is installed on the magnetic disk device 9, the time required for input/output is short, so the operators at each workstation 12, 13, and 14 do not have to wait for key input as in the past. It won't happen. The print data created from the slip data is output to the scramble file 10 as a variable length record of 32 bytes to 1020 bytes per slip, for example.
As shown in FIG. 2, a message header is added to the beginning. This message header is used for interfacing with the scramble writer 3 under predetermined rules, and, for example, print data length, workstation number, etc. are set as necessary. The operator at each workstation 12, 13, 14 key-inputs the slip data, and when the slip data is written out as print data to the scramble file 10 by the slip issuing section 6, 7, 8, the slip is issued. It can be assumed that this has been done. This is because the scramble writer 3 automatically extracts the print data from the scramble file 10 and outputs it to the printing device 1. Scramble writer 3
monitors whether there is print data in the scramble file 10, and if there is print data from any slip issuing unit, it reads it record by record. Then, the message is edited in accordance with a predetermined screen definition 4 specified, for example, when the scramble writer 3 is activated, and is output to the printing device 1. The screen definition 4 defines the output format for print data, such as whether or not to output standard character patterns and form serial numbers, and the scramble writer 3 uniformly outputs the print data based on the screen definition 4. By performing editing processing, each slip issuing section 6, 7, and 8 only needs to perform the minimum amount of data processing necessary. In addition, the printing device 1
or due to changes in the printing paper set on it, etc.
For example, even if it is necessary to modify the output format such as changing the line break position, it is only necessary to change and modify the screen definition body 4, and in most cases, it is not necessary to modify each slip issuing unit 6, 7, and 8. .

One problem that arises with the adoption of the above configuration is how to deal with the case where an error occurs in the input from each workstation or when an error occurs in the printing device 1. be. That is, the operator at each workstation may assume that the slip has been issued when he writes it to the scramble file 10, and leave his seat.When the scramble writer 3 detects the above situation, It is not sufficient to notify the individual workstations 12-14 and request that they take action to address the situation. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to notify each workstation, the functions that the scramble writer 3 should be provided with will become extremely complicated.

For this purpose, the scramble writer 3 displays system messages to the workstation acting as a center workstation and also allows the workstation to accept commands.

If the above input error exists, for example, "DSP/WS001 Parameter No.
Notifications such as "Nia Yamariga Tsuta" should be made. Generally, an operator is always stationed at the center workstation, so it is possible to take measures for this, and it is also possible to avoid complicating the function of the scramble writer 3.

When an error occurs in the printing device 1, the error is displayed on the center workstation, and the operator takes recovery measures. Then, the scramble writer 3 resumes printing in response to a recovery instruction from the operator, but for example, if the error type is not ready, it will continue outputting from the point it was outputting until then, and will continue printing if the error type is not ready. If this is the case, processing such as outputting from the beginning of the page being printed may be performed. There is no print data in scramble file 10,
If there is no workstation that is currently inputting slip data, the scramble writer 3 displays the number of output pages up to that point, and issues instructions such as initializing the scramble file 10 and terminating execution of the scramble writer 3. query the operator's response.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a system configuration to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, 1, 2, 9, 12 to 14 correspond to FIG. 1, 15 is an instruction processor unit, 16 is a system storage controller, 17 is a system storage, 18 is a selector file attachment, and 19 is a disk drive. 20 is a printer attachment, 21 to 23 are workstation attachments, and 24 to 26 are console displays. The center workstation 11 shown in FIG. 1 does not necessarily need to be provided separately from, for example, a workstation 12 for inputting slip data, and may also be used, for example, as the workstation 12. The instruction processor unit 15, the system storage controller 16, and the system storage 17 input and output data to and from the workstations 12, 13, and 14, the magnetic disk device 9, etc., and have an internal control system as shown in FIG. By being equipped with a processing mechanism, processing such as sales slip issuance work can be carried out as a whole. Note that the number of printing apparatuses 1 is not necessarily limited to one, and the present invention also includes a case where there are a plurality of printing apparatuses in the entire system, and a plurality of scramble files 10 or scramble writers 3 may be provided as necessary.

As explained above, according to the present invention, one printing device can be shared and used by multiple workstations at the same time, and since output to, for example, a magnetic disk device is fast, there is no waiting time for the operator to input keys. can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, even in the event that a printing device malfunctions, for example, processing can continue without interrupting key input from each workstation, and operators at each workstation do not need to be aware of the status of the printing device. do not have.
If you need to change the output format,
It is only necessary to change the screen definition, and failure management of printing devices can be performed in a unified manner, resulting in increased flexibility and operability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the contents of a print data record, and FIG. 3 shows an example of a system configuration to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, 1 is a printing device, 2 is a slip issuing business processing device, 3 is a scramble writer, 4 is a screen definition program,
5 is a scramble file allocation section, 6 to 8 are slip issuing sections, 9 is a magnetic disk device, 12 to 14 are work stations, 15 is an instruction processor unit, 16 is a system storage controller, 17 is a system storage, and 18 is a selector flight attachment,
19 is a disk controller, 20 is a printer.
Attachments 21 to 23 represent workstation attachments, and 24 to 26 represent console displays.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 In a processing system in which at least one printing device is shared by multiple workstations, a scramble file is provided on a mass storage device to store print data from each of the workstations, and a scramble file is provided to store print data from each workstation. A scramble writer is provided for each of the workstations or for each of the workstations. A print scrambling method characterized in that the print data output processing section is configured to output print data with a message header attached as the print data to the scramble file.