JPH0711770B2 - Information processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus having a printer / spool function.

2. Description of the Related Art Some information processing apparatuses, such as office computers and personal computers, are designed so that a plurality of terminal devices can simultaneously perform processing. However, in such an information processing device, a plurality of terminal devices form one printer. Conflicts in usage rights when output to.

Therefore, in the conventional information processing apparatus, in order to enable a plurality of terminal devices to simultaneously output to one printer, output data output from a plurality of terminal devices is temporarily stored in an external storage such as a hard disk. A function to store and store in the device, to sequentially read the output data stored in this external storage device and output to the printer (printer / spool function)
Is equipped with.

However, in such a printer / spool function, output data is not output to the printer in real time, and there is a certain amount of time (time lag).

Therefore, for example, when issuing a single form such as a management ledger, if the front inserter device is used to set each single form in the printer, the output data created by the terminal device will be printed. I don't know when to set up the next single vote because I have time.

As described above, in the information processing apparatus having the conventional printer / spool function, the types of printers that can be used are limited, and there is a disadvantage that a printer with a front inserter device or a printer having a print character reading function cannot be used.

Aim The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to enable use of a printer with an insert device.

To achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a plurality of terminal devices, a printer connected to the plurality of terminal devices, and a storage device for storing a plurality of output data output from the plurality of terminal devices. In the information processing apparatus having the above, the printer is provided with an insert device for inserting each sheet for printing output data into the printer,
Of the plurality of output data stored in the storage means, output control means is provided for giving priority to printing output data using the insert device over printing output data not using the insert device.

According to this information processing apparatus, the output data can be preferentially processed in real time to the printer using the insert device, and the loss time from the output of the output data from the terminal device to the printout can be shortened.

Hereinafter, a specific description will be given based on an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The printer output processing unit A is activated by the terminal device T, receives a file name input by the terminal device T, a printer control method (whether real-time output or not), etc., and outputs the file of the file name. An output control file including time information and printer control method information is created in the output control file storage section B of a hard disk device or the like, and after the output control file reading section D is activated, output data is output from the terminal device T based on the printer control method. It takes in and creates an output data file in the output data file storage section C. In addition, here, a plurality of (three) terminal devices T are provided.
It has three printer output processing units A _{1 to} A ₃ corresponding to (for example, user I, user II, user III).

The output control file reading unit D searches the output control files stored in the output control file storage unit B, sequentially reads the output control files, and when the reading is completed, the printer control system-specific signal transmission unit E is displayed. to start.

The printer control method-specific signal transmission section E extracts all information relating to the printer control method in the output control file read by the output control file reading section D, and requests priority output (real-time processing) from this information. If is not included, a signal is sent to the printer output processing unit A that created the output control file, and then the output data printing order control unit F is activated.

The output data print order control section F determines the output order to the printer based on the output time information and the printer control method information in the output control file read by the output control file reading section D and the printer control method-specific signal transmitting section E. After determining and rewriting the name of the output control file (file name) with the output order added, the printer output control unit G is activated. The file portion that stores the rewritten output control file is referred to as an output control file storage portion B '.

The printer output control unit G has an output control file storage unit B '.
Among the output control files stored in, the first one in the order is searched and read, and if the printer control method information of this file is information requiring real-time processing, a signal is sent to the corresponding printer output processing unit A. Thereafter, the output data is read from the output data file portion C based on the output control file and output to the printer H.

Next, the operation of this embodiment thus configured will be described with reference to FIG. 2 and subsequent figures.

First, the processing of the printer output processing unit A will be described with reference to FIG.

When the terminal device T is activated by, for example, the command "Lpr", the printer output process is executed, and the output data is fetched from the file stored in the external storage device such as the keyboard of the terminal device T or the hard disk.

If you start this printer output process with the command "Lpr" and the file name is "file3.dat", you can print on a continuous form with the normal spool function. When printing with single-cut sheets using the front inserter (priority printing), Start with. That is, when giving priority output (real-time processing), "-d" is added to the command. Note that Is a carriage return, Means space.

After that, an output control file of this output data is created and stored in the output control file storage section B.

The format of the output control file is, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the date and time (year, month, day, hour, minute, second), for example, "86.1.24.15.20.30", and the file name of the output data file, for example, the file for file I. Name "File"
Output option B, for example, "B = 1: attach cover page, B = 0:
"No cover" and printer control format d, for example, "d = 1: spool processing, d = 0: real-time processing".

Further, here, the output control files created by the _three printer output processing units A _{1 to} A ₃ are respectively output control files I,
It is assumed that the output control file II and the output control file III are included, and that the output control file III has a real-time processing request (d = 0).

Then, the output control file reading unit D is activated, and the terminal device (user) T displays a standby message, for example, "* Please wait for a while until the printer is released *", and the signal transmission unit for each printer control method is displayed. It stops until it receives a signal from E or the printer output control unit G. As a result, the printer output processing on the user side and the printer output control unit can be synchronized, and real-time processing becomes possible.

Then, when a signal is received from the printer control system-specific signal transmission section E or the printer output control section G, the processing is restarted and an output data file is created from the output data with a format as shown in FIG. The data is stored in the data file storage unit C.

Next, the processing of the output control file reading unit D will be described.
It will be described with reference to the drawings.

The output control file reading unit D, when activated by the printer output processing unit A, searches the output control file stored in the output control file storage unit B, reads the output control file, and outputs the output control file. The process of extracting information is repeatedly executed.

Then, after all the output control files, for example, the output control files I, II, and III are read out and the output control information is taken out, the printer control method-specific signal transmitting section E is activated.

Here, the output control information of the output control files I, II, and III are referred to as file I output control information, file II output control information, and file III output control information, respectively.

Next, the processing of the printer control system-specific signal transmission unit E will be described with reference to FIG.

When the output control file reading section D is activated, the printer control system-specific signal transmitting section E outputs the output control information read by the output control file reading section D, for example, the file I output control information, the file II output control information, and the file. III Real-time processing is required by sequentially extracting printer control method information (d) from the output control information (d = 0)
Or not.

Then, when the real-time processing is not requested, the signal is immediately sent to the printer output processing section A which has created the output control file, so that the printer output processing section A which receives this signal as described above receives the signal. Output data file is created and output data file storage unit C
The output data file is stored in. Here, signals are given to the printer output processing units A ₁ and A ₂ that have created the output control files I and II.

When the printer control method information extraction for all the output control information is completed, the output data printing order control unit F is activated.

Next, the processing of the output data printing order control unit F will be explained.
It will be described with reference to the drawings.

When the output data printing order control unit F is activated by the printer control system-specific signal transmission unit E, the output control information read out by the output control file reading unit D and the printer control system-based signal transmission unit E is selected. From creation time (output time)
Also, the printer control method information is extracted and the output order to the printer is determined.

At this time, usually the order is decided according to the creation time,
When there is a printer control method that requires real-time processing, the file that requests the real-time processing is determined as the highest priority.

Then, the determined order is added to the file name and stored again in the output control file storage B '. For example, in terms of time, the output control file I, the output control file II, and the output control file III are created in this order.
If there is a real-time processing request to the output control file I, "020" indicating the second rank is added to the output control file I, and "030" indicating the third rank is added to the output control file II,
"010" indicating the first rank is added to the output control file III and added.

Then, the printer output control unit G is activated.

Next, the processing of the printer output control unit G will be described with reference to FIG.

The printer output control unit G, when activated by the output data printing order control unit F, retrieves the output control file stored in the output control file storage unit B ′ having the smallest file name. Then, it is determined whether or not the file exists.

If there is an output control file whose file name is the minimum value, the printer control method information in that output control file is retrieved and real-time processing is requested (d =
It is determined whether or not 0).

At this time, if real-time processing is requested, a signal is immediately sent to the printer output processing unit A that created the output control file, and as a result, the printer output processing unit A that has received this signal as described above. Creates an output data file and stores the output data file in the output data file storage unit C.

After that, the file name is extracted from the output control file, the corresponding output data file is read from the output data file storage C, and the output data of the output data file is output to the printer based on the information of the output control file.
The output data file and its output control file are erased.

At this time, even when the printer is used in real time, the terminal device side can be configured by extracting the output data from the output data file storage C even when the corresponding output data file is being created. It is possible to shorten the loss time from when the output data is output to when it is printed out.

Next, these processes will be specifically described. First,
When using the spool function, change the file name to "file
1.dat ", Enter. An example of the contents of the file at this time is shown in FIG.

As a result, the input output data is stored in an external storage device such as a temporary hard disk and sequentially printed out.

When using a printer equipped with a front inserter, for example, if the file name is "file2.dat", Enter. An example of the contents of this file is shown in FIG. In the figure, Means the front inserter start command, Means a paper ejection command.

As a result, until the printer is released, a waiting message "* Please wait for a while until the printer is released *" is displayed, and when the right to use the printer is acquired, "* Report to the front inserter is displayed." Please set * ”is displayed.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, by setting a single slip 3 (sales slip 3a, order slip 3b, work-in-progress slip 3c, etc.) on the front insert device 2 mounted on the printer 1, the output data will be real-time after that. It is output to the printer and the single-cut sheet 3 is ejected.

As described above, in this information processing apparatus, not only spool processing but also real-time processing can be performed. Therefore, a printer with an insert device such as a front inserter is used, and output data utilizing the printer is preferentially printed. be able to.

Effect As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of terminal devices, a printer connected to the plurality of terminal devices, and a storage device for storing a plurality of output data output from the plurality of terminal devices. In the information processing apparatus having the above-mentioned, the printer is provided with an insert device for inserting each sheet for printing output data into the printer, and the insert device is selected from among the plurality of output data stored in the storage means. Since the printing of the output data used is prioritized over the printing of the output data not using the insert device, the output data using the insert device can be printed easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are flow charts showing the processing of the printer output processing section and explanatory diagrams for explaining the same, and FIG. Is a flow chart showing the processing of the output control file reading section, FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the processing of the signal transmitting section for each printer control method, and FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the processing of the output data printing. FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the processing of the printer output control unit, and FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 are explanatory diagrams for the same concrete explanation. A, A _{1 to} A ₃ ...... Printer output processing unit B, B ′ …… Output control file storage unit C …… Output data file storage unit D …… Output control file reading unit E …… Printer control system signal transmission unit F: Output data print order control unit G: Printer output control unit H: Printer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of terminal devices, a printer connected to the plurality of terminal devices, and a storage device for storing a plurality of output data output from the plurality of terminal devices. 1 sheet for printing data
The printer is provided with an insert device that inserts into the printer one by one, and among the plurality of output data stored in the storage means, printing of output data that uses the insert device is used to print output data that does not use the insert device. An information processing apparatus comprising an output control unit that gives priority to printing.