JPH0749229B2 - Form output device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a form output device for outputting data on a form based on an arbitrarily set format.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when a printer is to print predetermined print data on a form, a form output device which gives a print data format on the form, that is, a format by a format module, and prints the print data on the form in a predetermined format is known. Are known.

A system configuration diagram of this type of form output device is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, a format module storage area 101 stores a format module that defines the format of the form, that is, the format. In this device, the format module is composed only of format data such as the number of print digits, the type of data, and the print position, and does not include print data to be actually printed on the form. The format module is stored in the format module storage area 101 by the format overlay generator 102.

On the other hand, all the print data actually printed on the form by the printer 106 are created in advance in the print data storage area 103. Here, as print data created in the print data storage area 103, print fixed data (ruled line data, slip name data, etc.) determined by one type of form and print variation data (date, There is numerical data such as amount). The print program means 104 takes out print data from the print data storage area 103 and stores the print data in the image RAM 105 as an image actually printed on the form according to the format module in the format module storage area 101.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

By the way, when changing the format of the form, that is, the format, it is necessary to change the print position, the number of digits, and other format data, and at the same time, change the fixed print data defined in the form to be changed.

Therefore, when trying to change the format of the form in the above-described conventional form output device, at the same time as giving the control information regarding the change of the form data to the form module storage area 101 by the form overlay generator 102, the fixed print data Is stored in the print data storage area 103, the format data must be changed, and the print program means 104 must be changed and reconfigured.

In addition, in the conventional form output device, it is necessary to set the format data individually for a plurality of print variation data, and when the print variation data spans multiple lines on the form, it is difficult to set the format data. there were.

An object of the present invention is to simplify setting of output positions of variable data for a plurality of lines together with setting of fixed data and its output position.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The means of the present invention are as follows.

A variable data storage unit (corresponding to the print data storage unit 12 of the embodiment) that stores variable data for a plurality of lines, fixed data to be fixedly output on a form, and an output position on the form of the fixed data are displayed. Setting means for arbitrarily setting the page control information shown and the line control information indicating the output position on the form of the variation data for the first line of the variation data (the format control device 13 of the embodiment, the step of FIG. 3). S2 or S4), format storage means (corresponding to the format module storage section 11 of the embodiment) for storing the page control information and line control information set by this setting means, and this format storage means. Based on the page control information of No. 1, first output means for outputting the set fixed data to the corresponding output position on the form (the format control device 13 of the embodiment, step S6 of FIG. 3).
Corresponding to the process) and output the variation data of the first row stored in the variation data storage means based on the row control information of the format storage means to the output position on the form determined by the row control information, Second output means for outputting the variation data of the second and subsequent rows stored in the variation data storage means to the output position on the form determined by the output position where the Y coordinate component of the row control information is updated (the format of the embodiment). The controller 13 corresponds to the process of step S10 in FIG. 3).

[Work]

 The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows.

First, it is necessary to set the form format on one page before outputting the form. In this case, the output position of the fixed data on one page and the output position of the first line of the variable data on the form are determined, and the setting means sets the page control information indicating the fixed data and the output position thereof. Further, the row control information indicating the output position of the first row of the variation data is set. The page control information and line control information set by the setting means are stored in the format storage means.

After such setting, when outputting the variation data stored in the variation data storage means based on the page control information and the line control information stored in the format storage means, first the first output means operates. Based on the page control information, preset fixed data is output to the corresponding output position on the form. Then, the second output means operates to output the variation data of the first row stored in the variation data storage means on the basis of the row control information to the output position on the form determined by the row control information. The variation data after the line is output to the position on the form determined by the output position where the Y coordinate component of the line control information is updated.

Therefore, by setting the page control information that outputs fixed data on one page of the form and the line control information that determines the output position of the first line of the first variable data on one page of the form, one page of the form can be set. The desired fixed data can be output to the desired output position above, and the variable data over a plurality of lines can be output to the desired position on one page of the form.

〔Example〕

 (1) Configuration One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a form output device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a format module FMT is stored in a format module storage unit 11 (made up of a magnetic disk, RAM, etc.) by a format overlay generator 102 as shown in FIG. 4, for example. FIG. 2 (b) shows an example of the format module FMT thus stored. The format module FMT mainly has format data for controlling print data such as the number of print digits, data type, print position, etc. In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the format module name, for example, "X" is used. "Layout", "Y layout", page control information that controls print data that is not repeatedly printed over several lines on the form, and line control information that controls print data that is repeatedly printed over several lines on the form It consists of In the example of FIG. 2 (b), the page control information has print positions P1 to P8 of the print data that are not printed in repeated lines on the form, and the line control information is repeated on the form for several lines. It has print positions P9 to P13 for print data to be printed. Each print position is composed of an X coordinate position and a Y coordinate position. The print positions P9 to P13 of the line control information are print positions of the first line among the repeated lines, as can be seen from FIG. 2 (c).
As the line control information, only the print position of the first one of the repeated lines is specified. The print position control information for the repeated lines following the first line is created by the format controller 13 of FIG. 1 as described later.

In this embodiment, unlike the conventional form module form,
The print fixed data SD1 to SD7, which are determined by one type of form and do not change from form to form, are further included in the format module. The fixed print data SD1 to SD7 are, for example, "customer ledger", "date", "product code", "product name", "quantity", "unit price", "amount" as shown in FIG. 2 (c). The print data is determined by the form. As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the print fixed data SD1 to SD7 are printed at the print positions P1 and P in the format module FMT.
2, associated with P4 to P8. The fixed print data is treated as page control information and is therefore not included in the line control information.

In FIG. 2 (b), reference characters * correspond to the print position P3 of the page control information and the print positions P9 to P13 of the line control information.
Is printed, the symbol * indicates the print positions P3, P9 to P13.
As will be described later, it means that the print controller 13 associates the print variation data VD1 to VD8 (see FIG. 2 (a)) in the print data storage unit 12 (including a magnetic disk, RAM, etc.) with each other. ing.

In addition, in order to print the form format as shown in FIG. 2C, as the page control information of the format module FMT, the print position of the ruled line and the fixed print data of the ruled line are necessary.
In FIG. 2 (b), format format FMT, information about ruled lines is omitted to simplify the description.

In FIG. 1, the print data storage unit 12 stores format module names, such as “X layout” and “Y layout”, and print variation data VD1 to VD8 different for each form, as shown in FIG. 2A. And are stored. The print variation data VD1 to VD8 are "86.07.10", "001", "shirt", "1", "100", respectively, in the example shown in FIG. 2 (c).
These are 0 "," 1000 "," 002 ", and" seater ", and mainly consist of numerical data that changes for each form.

The form control device 13 forms a form by combining the form module FMT stored in the form module storage unit 11 and the print data (only print variation data in this embodiment) stored in the print data storage unit 12. The image to be printed is output to the processor 14.

Although not shown, the format controller 13 is adapted to be controlled by a microcomputer using a microcomputer.

The form control device 13, when the form name to be output to the printing device 16 is instructed by the operator, for example, searches the form module storage unit 11 for a form module name corresponding to this form name, and the module name, for example, FIG. 2 (a),
When the "X layout" shown in (b) and (c) is detected, the page control information of the "X layout" is extracted, and the print fixed data SD1 to SD7 of the page control information are printed at the print positions P1, P2,
It is edited based on P4 to P8 and sent to the processor 14.
The format control device 13 continues to retrieve the line control information from the format module storage unit 11, searches the print data storage unit 12 for the format module name of "X layout", and print variation data VD1 to VD1 to Take out VD8 sequentially. Then, these print variation data VD1 to VD8 are edited based on the print position P3 of the page control information and the print positions P9 to P13 of the line control information of the format module, and the processor 14
It is designed to be sent to. That is, the print variation data VD1 is edited based on the print position P3 of the page control information,
The print variation data VD2 to VD8 are edited based on the print positions P9 to P13 of the line control information.

Since only the print positions P9 to P13 for the first line are designated in the line control information, the format controller 13 edits the second line and the third line after editing the line control information. The print position is calculated from the print positions P9 to P13 of the first line. That is, since the X coordinate position of the print position of the repeated line is the same as the X coordinate position of the print positions P9 to P13 of the first line, this is used as it is. As the Y coordinate position of the print position of the repeated line, the Y coordinate position of the print position of the first line is sequentially increased.

In this way, the print variation data VD2 to VD6 from the print data storage unit 12 are edited based on the print positions P9 to P13 of the first line, and the print variation data VD7 to VD8 are calculated from the print positions P9 to P13. It is edited based on the print position of the second line.

The processor 14 transfers the print fixed data and print variation data edited in the format control device 13 to the image RAM 15, and after all the print data for one form is stored in the image RAM 15, the print data is printed from the image RAM 15. This is taken out and transferred to the printing position 16.

If the format module storage unit 11 and the print data storage unit 12 store the format module and print variation data as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively, the processor
The print data stored in the image RAM 15 by 14 is as shown in FIG. 2 (c).

In Fig. 2 (c), the print fixed data SD is shown in the shaded area.
1 to SD7 are stored, and print variation data VD1 to VD8 are stored in areas other than the shaded area. Image RA like this
The print data in M15 is stored as an image already printed on the printer 16.

(2) Operation The operation of the form output device having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In FIG. 3, in step S1, it is determined whether or not a form format is newly created. When a new format is created, the process proceeds to step S2. In step S2, a format module is created by a format overlay generator (not shown) and stored in the format module storage unit 11. At this time, the format module created by the format overlay generator includes format module names "X layout" and "Y layout", page control information, and line control information, as shown in FIG. 2 (b). . Also,
In addition to the format data of print positions P1 to P8, page control information
The fixed print data SD1 to SD7, which are determined by one type of form, are included. Further, the print positions P3 and P9 to P13 of the page control information and the line control information are marked with a symbol *, and the print variation data VD1 to VD8 in the print data storage unit 11 are actually printed on the printing device 16 when they are actually printed. It is designed to be assigned to each position.

As described above, in the conventional device, the fixed print data stored in the print data storage unit is included in the format module, and only the print variation data is stored in the print data storage unit 12. There is an advantage that it is not necessary to consider the format of the form when creating the data storage unit 12.

When the format module is created in step S2, the form format creation process ends.

If it is determined that the format is not created in step S1, the process proceeds to step S3, and it is determined whether or not the format of the form is changed. When changing the format, the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, the format module already created and stored in the format module storage unit 11 is changed by the format overlay generator (not shown). The format overlay generator first changes the format data such as the print positions P1 to P13 in the format module.
Further, in this embodiment, since the print fixed data SD1 to SD7 defined in one type of form are included in the format module, the print fixed data SD1 to SD7 associated with the change of the format data such as the print positions P1 to P13. Modifications are made only within the form module, thus eliminating the need to modify print program means and the like as in conventional devices.

In step S4, after changing the format module by the format overlay generator, the format changing process ends.

In step S3, if it is determined that the format is not changed, the print data is edited by the format controller 13 and stored in the image RAM 15, and the print data in the image RAM 15 is output to the printer. Go to. At this time, it is assumed that the printing of the format module name "X module" is designated.

In step S5, the format control device 13 first searches the format module storage unit 11 for a predetermined format module name "X module" and reads the page control information of "X module". The page control information is printed at the print position P1 as shown in FIG. 2 (b).
To P8 and fixed print data SD1 to SD7. In step S6, the format control device 13 determines the print fixed data SD1 to SD7.
Are edited to be printed at the printing positions P1, P2, P4 to P8 and sent to the processor 14, and the processor 14 prints these edited print fixed data SD1 to SD7.
The image printed by 16 is stored in the image RAM 15. In this way, the print fixed data in the page control information
SD1 to SD7 are stored in the image RAM 15 as shown by the hatched portions in FIG. By the way, the print position of the page control information may be associated with print variation data as indicated by a symbol *. In the example of FIG. 2B, print variation data must be associated with the print position P3. Therefore, in step S7, the format control device 13
Retrieves the format module name "X layout" from the print data storage area 12 and prints the print variation data of "X layout".
VD1 to VD8 are sequentially read. Next, at step S8, the print variation data corresponding to the print position marked with * in the page control information is assigned in the order read out at step S7. Accordingly, the print position P3 is associated with the first read print variation data VD1, and the format controller 13 edits the print variation data VD1 to print at the print position P3 and sends it to the processor 14, The processor 14 stores the edited print variation data VD1 in the image RAM 15 as an image printed by the printing device 16.

In this way, in steps S5 to S8, based on the page control information of the format module, the print fixed data and the print variation data in the print data storage unit 12 are edited to obtain the image RA.
Store in M15.

Next, in steps S9 to S10, the print variation data is edited based on the line control information of the format module so that it can be printed in repeated lines and stored in the image RAM 15.

That is, in step S9, first the format module storage unit 11
Read row control information from. In the example shown in FIG. 2 (b),
The print positions P9 to P13 of the line control information of the format module name "X layout" are read. The print positions P9 to P13 indicate the print positions of the print fluctuation data printed on the first line of the repeated line as described above, and the print positions of the second and subsequent lines are the print positions P9 of the first line. Through P13.
That is, since the X coordinate position of the print positions of the second and subsequent lines is the same as the X coordinate position of the first line, this is used.
In addition, the Y coordinate position of the print positions of the second and subsequent lines is the first
It is calculated by incrementing the Y coordinate position of the line by "+1".
After calculating the print positions of the first line and the second and subsequent lines in this way, the process proceeds to step S10, and the print variation data is sequentially edited based on the print positions of the repeated lines calculated in step S9. To do. At this time, in FIG. 2A, the print variation data VD1 has already been stored in the image RAM 15 as described above, so that the next print variation data VD2 to VD8 are sequentially edited based on the print positions of the repeated lines. That is, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), VD2 to VD8 are set at the printing position P9.
Print position P9 ', P10 of the next line calculated from print positions P9 to P10 are stored in the image RAM 15 through the processor 14 after being edited so as to be printed at positions P9 to P13. It is edited so as to be printed at the position 'and stored in the image RAM 15 via the processor 14. The print fluctuation data in the print data storage unit 12 is VD
When the process ends at 8, the storage process in the image RAM 15 ends. When the print variation data is further present next to VD8, it is stored in a position following the print position P10 '.

In this way, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), the print fixed data SD1 to SD7 and all the print variation data VD1 to VD8 in the print data storage unit 12 are stored in predetermined positions in the image RAM 15, and then the step Proceed to S11. In step S11, the print data stored in the image RAM 15 is transferred to the print device 16 via the processor 14, and the print device 16 can print the print data on a form with an image of a predetermined format.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the format data and the print fixed data are stored in the format module storage unit 11, the format control device 13 can efficiently edit the print fixed data. Since only the print variation data is stored in the print data storage unit 12, the format control device
13 can easily correspond print variation data to format data. As a result, the format control device 13 can edit the print data extremely quickly and can improve the transfer speed to the image RAM 15.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, it is only necessary to set page control information for outputting fixed data on one page of a form and line control information for determining the output position of the first line at the beginning of the variable data on one page of the form. The desired fixed data can be fixedly output at a desired position on one page of the form, and the variable data over a plurality of lines can be output at the desired position on one page of the form.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of a form output device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining how the form format is configured. (A), (b), ( FIG. 3C is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the print data storage unit shown in FIG. 1, an example of the configuration of the format module storage unit, and an example of the configuration of the print data stored in the image RAM, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the form output device of FIG. 4, and FIG. 4 is a system configuration diagram of a conventional form output device. 11 …… Format module storage, 12 …… Print data storage, 13 …… Format control device, 14 …… CPU, 15 …… Image RAM, 16 …… Printing device.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-59-90181 (JP, A) JP-A-59-94139 (JP, A) JP-A-58-92076 (JP, A) JP-A-55- 123731 (JP, A) Actual development Sho 58-69458 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A variable data storage means for storing variable data for a plurality of lines, fixed data to be fixedly output on a form, page control information indicating an output position of the fixed data on the form, and the change. Setting means for arbitrarily setting the line control information indicating the output position on the form of the variation data for the first line of the data, and format storage means for storing the page control information and the line control information set by the setting means. A first output means for outputting the set fixed data to a corresponding output position on the form based on the page control information of the format storage means; The variation data of the first row stored in the variation data storage means is output to the output position on the form determined by the row control information, and the variation data of the second and subsequent rows stored in the variation data storage means is output. A form output device comprising: second output means for outputting the Y coordinate component of the writing control information to an output position on the form determined by the updated output position.