JPH0464315B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Summary] There is a demand for printing on paper larger than the width of a dot printer. By using a display buffer that is not used during printing, the present invention develops an output pattern to a dot printer in the display buffer, and when actually outputting it, characters and lines are oriented rightward with respect to this display development pattern. By generating a pattern rotated by 90 degrees and printing it out, it is possible to print in a width that is not limited by the printer.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 5 shows an example of a system configuration related to the present invention, and FIG. 6 shows an explanatory diagram of an example of conventional print control.

The present invention relates to print control in a system such as a Japanese word processor, as shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, 16 is a display, 17 is a display buffer in which pattern data displayed on the display 16 is stored, 22 is a dot printer, 50 is a CPU, and 51
52 is a ROM, 52 is a RAM, 53 is an external storage device such as a floppy disk, and 54 is a keyboard.

FIG. 6 shows a conventional print control method in such a system. Numbers 16 and 22 in the figure
corresponds to that shown in FIG. 5, 11 is a document data storage device in which data to be printed is stored;
3 is a one-line code buffer in which one line of code string to be printed, such as JIS code, is stored, and 15 is a one-line code buffer.
A pattern table that stores patterns prepared in advance for each code in a ROM or an external storage device, 19 a one-line pattern buffer that stores one line of patterns to be printed on the dot printer 22, and 30 a document a print processing unit 35 that reads data from the data storage device 11 and issues a print request;
Reference numeral 42 represents a print control unit that controls printing output to the dot printer 22 in response to a print request from the print processing unit 30, and 42 represents a print result.

When the print processing unit 30 reads one line of data from the document data storage device 11, the print processing unit 30 converts the data into one line.
Assemble it into the row code buffer 13 and issue the WRITE command. The print control unit 35 is activated by a WRITE command. The print control unit 35 is
A one-line code buffer 13 is scanned to extract a code, and a pattern corresponding to the code is obtained from a pattern table 15. That pattern is 1
The pattern is set in the row pattern buffer 19 and pattern development is repeated in the same manner. When the pattern development for one line is completed, the pattern data is output to the dot printer 22 by DMA transfer.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] For example, when the paper size set in a dot printer is the maximum horizontal size of B4 size, A3
There is a user request to print in the horizontal size of the plate. In this case, in the conventional method, it was necessary to print twice for the left half and right half of the A4 size paper, and then perform trimming later.

By the way, if a dot printer can print a B4 size horizontally, it can also print an A3 size vertically. Therefore, the horizontal image of the A3 version
If it can be rotated 90 degrees and printed in the A3 portrait format, it is considered that it is practically possible to print in the A3 landscape format. However, in the case of dot printers used in relatively small data processing devices such as Japanese word processors, there is a strong demand for cost reduction, and therefore dot printers do not have a large capacity per screen buffer like laser printers. Therefore, there was a problem in that it was not possible to create an overall horizontal pattern.

In particular, when using so-called equal layout, double height, and extended ruled lines in Japanese word processors, there is a problem that it is difficult to guarantee the same level of output results as conventional printing for landscape printing. It was hot.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration diagram of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, symbols 11, 13, 15, 1
6, 17, 19, and 22 correspond to those shown in FIG. 5 or 6. Reference numeral 12 sets the data read from the document data storage device 11 in the one-line code buffer 13 for each line and issues an output request, and the reference numeral 14 reads out the code set in the one-line code buffer 13 and outputs it to the pattern table. 1
5, a pattern development section 18 develops a pattern in the display buffer 17, and a pattern development section 18 develops a pattern for one page developed in the display buffer 17 in a direction perpendicular to the pattern development direction for each row. A pattern row cutting section 20 is a pattern row cutting section 18 that executes the cutting process.
The print pattern generation unit 21 rotates the pattern row cut out by 90 degrees clockwise and sets it in the one-row pattern buffer 19 as pattern data for one line. It represents a print output unit that sends a horizontal pattern to the dot printer 22 by DMA transfer and performs horizontal print output.

[Effect]

The present invention focuses on the fact that the display 16 is generally not used when printing document data, etc., and develops the pattern to be printed on the display buffer 17, and uses the developed pattern at the time of development. The print pattern generator 20 generates a horizontal pattern for one line, and outputs it to the dot printer 22. Since the display buffer 17 is used, a large capacity memory is not required for pattern creation, and after the pattern image is developed, the 1
Since line patterns are generated, special printing formats such as equal layout and ruled line extension can be easily processed.

In particular, in the present invention, the display buffer 17
If the working buffer, such as
Since the data for a page is divided into multiple times and output repeatedly, it can be done without using a large buffer.
You can print in landscape orientation.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a processing configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an output mode of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating processing of an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, 30 is a print processing section, 31 is an initial setting section, 32 is a page start processing section, 33 is a 1-line write section, 34 is a page end processing section, and 35 is a print control section composed of, for example, firmware. , 36
is the INIT command processing section, 37 is the PAGE START
The command processing section 38 represents a WRITE command processing section, and 39 represents a PAGE END command processing section.

For example, document content 41 as shown in FIG.
The case of outputting to a dot printer will be explained. The width of one line of the document content 41 is larger than the printing width of the dot printer 22.

The print processing section 30 is configured by the initial setting section 31.
An INIT command is issued to notify the print control unit 35 of printing information such as the vertical and horizontal lengths of the paper, the top margin, the left margin, character spacing, and line spacing. INIT
The command processing unit 36 stores this print information. Next, when the page start processing unit 32 issues a PAGE START command instructing the start of page printing, the PAGE START command processing unit 37
performs processing such as clearing the display buffer 17.

The one-line write 33 sends code data for one line at a time to the print control section 35 in response to a WRITE command, as in the conventional case. WRITE command processing section 3
8, on the other hand, develops the pattern on the display buffer 17, as shown in FIG. In this example, one page's worth of data cannot be stored in the display buffer 17 at once, so the page is divided into two and developed in the display buffer 17. That is, the first
In the second development, the left half is developed as shown in Figure 3 [], and in the second time, the right half is developed as shown in Figure 3 [].

The page end processing unit 34 shown in FIG. 2 issues a PAGE END command to notify the end of a page every time a WRITE command is issued for the number of lines for one page.
As a result, the PAGE END command processing section 39
As shown in FIG. 3 [ ], the contents of the display buffer 17 are cut out in the Y direction, the pattern is rotated 90 degrees to the right, and the dot printer 22 is
Output to. In the next printing process, the contents of the display buffer 17 shown in FIG. 3[] are output in landscape orientation.

Note that the print control unit 35 sends the print processing unit 30 the division position information of the start column position and end column position currently being processed, as well as information such as whether it is the final division or not, as POST information. Be notified.

As a result, the final printing result 4 shown in Fig. 3 is obtained.
2, a pattern that is oriented horizontally with respect to the paper ejection direction is output.

The specific processing contents are as shown in FIG. Processes a to w in the following explanation are the fourth
This corresponds to processes a to w shown in the figure. In addition, the above
It is assumed that the INIT command has already been issued.

(a) When starting printing, the print processing unit 30 performs 1
Save the top state of the page in internal storage.

(b) Issue a PAGE START command to the print control unit 35.

(c) to (f) Next, while determining whether output for one page has been completed, reading one line of data from the document data storage device 11, assembling an output code, and issuing a WRITE command. Repeat issuance.

(g) After issuing the WRITE command for the number of lines for one page, issue the PAGE END command.

(h) Thereafter, based on the POST information from the print control unit 35, it is determined whether one screen has been completed, that is, whether the output of the final divided data has also been completed. If it has not finished, return to process b,
Repeat the process in the same way.

(i) When the output for one screen is finished, it is determined whether the output of one document is finished, and the process returns to process a and the same process is repeated until the output of one document is finished.

(j) The PAGE START command processing unit 37 of the print control unit 35 clears the display buffer 17 when the PAGE START command is issued.

(k) After that, perform processing such as updating the X coordinate, and wait for the next processing request.

(l) to (n) The WRITE command processing unit 38
When a WRITE command is issued, it is determined whether pattern expansion for one line is completed, and
According to the code set in the line code buffer 13, the pattern is read out character by character and the pattern is created.

(o) After creating a pattern for one line, write it into the display buffer 17. After that, it waits for the next processing request.

(p) The PAGE END command processing unit 39
When the END command is issued, the following process is repeated until pattern extraction from the display buffer 17 is completed.

(q) From the display buffer 17, cut out a physical pattern of one row corresponding to the width of the head for columns in the Y direction as shown in FIG.

(r) Then, the cut out patterns are rearranged horizontally and set in the one-row pattern buffer 19.

(s)～(t) Contents of 1-line pattern buffer 19
Send by DMA transfer, issue AVT (Address Vertical Tab), and output the pattern. After that, control is returned to process p.

(u) When cutting out the pattern from the display buffer 17 is completed, determine whether the X coordinate has reached the width of the paper.
Determine whether the screen's worth of output has finished.

(v) When the output for one screen up to the final division is completed, the end of one screen is notified to the print processing unit 30 using the final division flag of the POST information.

(w) If it is not the final division, turn off the final division flag in the POST information and notify that one screen is not the end. Then, it waits for the PAGE START command, WRITE command, and PAGE END command to be issued for the next divided portion of the same page.

Through the above processing, horizontal printout as shown in FIG. 3 is produced. In addition, above 1
When rearranging line patterns or printing out, if the print pattern is all zeros,
It is also possible to increase the processing speed by simply feeding the paper.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to print on paper that is larger than the width of the printer (for example, A3 size horizontal, B3 size horizontal, etc.) without being subject to printer limitations. In normal dot printers, large capacity printers such as laser printers
Characters and lines can be printed rightward without using a screen pattern buffer. Furthermore, even when printing with equal layout, double height, ruled line extension processing, etc., the entire page can be printed rightward in the same manner as normal printing. Also,
The character spacing and line spacing can also be freely set at the same level as in the past, and there is no pattern shift in the graphic pattern.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a processing block diagram of an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of output mode of an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 is an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 shows an example of a system configuration related to the present invention, and FIG. 6 shows an example of conventional printing control. In the figure, 11 is a document data storage device, 12 is a one-line assembly processing unit, 13 is a one-line code buffer, and 14
is a pattern development section, 15 is a pattern table, 1
6 is a display, 17 is a display buffer, 18 is a pattern column cutting section, 19 is a one-row pattern buffer, 20 is a print pattern generating section, 2
1 represents a print output unit, and 22 represents a dot printer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A dot printer 22 is provided, and a working buffer is provided for developing the dot pattern output to the dot printer 22, and the horizontal pattern is rotated by 90 degrees as a whole, resulting in a horizontal shape. In a data processing device that performs horizontal printing control, the data processing device includes means 12 for assembling an output code to the dot printer 22 for each line, and means for developing a dot pattern corresponding to the output code into the buffer for the work. When the size of the working buffer is smaller than the size required to develop all the patterns for one page related to the print request, the pattern in each row is divided and only a part of the pattern in each row is applied. A means 14 for developing a working buffer, and a pattern column in a direction perpendicular to the row direction for the pattern developed in the working buffer,
Pattern row cutting means 18 which cuts out a pattern row even in a printing width in which the head of the dot printer 22 moves.
and means 20 for generating a print pattern by rotating the entire pattern sequence cut out by the pattern sequence cutting means 18 clockwise by 90 degrees to form a pattern sequence in the row direction; means 21 for printing out the pattern to the dot printer 22; assembling the output code, developing the pattern, cutting out the pattern sequence, generating the print pattern, and processing the print output for one page related to the print request; What is claimed is: 1. A data processing device that performs landscape printing control, characterized by comprising a control unit that repeats printing until the end of printing. 2 The work buffer in which the dot pattern is developed is the display buffer 17 in which the dot pattern displayed on the display screen is developed.
A data processing device for controlling landscape printing according to claim 1.