JPH0573232A - Multi-print control method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To print a large amount of data in a short time using existing networks and shared resources. [Configuration] In order to print using multiple printers connected to the network at the same time, a large amount of data is divided into pages by the number of available printers, and the divided data is sent to each available printer. , The printers simultaneously print in parallel. As a result, printing is performed in a time that is one-tenth of the number of used printers as compared to when printing is performed by one printer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer print control method, and more particularly to a multi-print control method suitable for printing a large amount of data in a short time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a data processing device connected to a network prints print data by a shared printer under the server, the print data is sent to a hard disk of the server and the shared printer is used under the control of the server. Printing.

Incidentally, one related to the prior art is, for example, JP-A-55-3098.

[0004]

When the amount of print data is enormous, the printer currently printing is occupied for a long time for the printing, and the person waiting for the printing is left for a long time until the printing is completed. Will be. As in recent years, networks such as LAN have become widespread, and more and more cases have been provided in which a plurality of servers equipped with printers as shared resources are provided in the network. Therefore, even if one printer is occupied for a long time, there is no inconvenience to other users. However, when it is necessary to print a large amount of data before the meeting that starts in the afternoon, for example, no consideration has been given to shortening the printing time.

An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-printing control method capable of printing a large amount of data in a short time when a plurality of printers are connected to a network.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above object is to provide a printer connected to a network in a print control method in which a data processing device connected to the network sends print data to a printer connected to the network to perform printing. By determining the number of printers to be used for printing, dividing the print data into the number of printers in page units, sending the divided print data to each printer, and causing each printer to print in parallel, To be achieved.

[0007]

It is assumed that it takes an hour to print a large amount of data with one printer. 5 in the network
If three printers are connected and three of them are available in an empty state, if the three printers share the printing, the printing is completed in 20 minutes. In this way, by operating a plurality of printers in parallel, printing can be performed in a short time and effective use of shared resources can be contributed.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing multi-print control. In a computer system that employs the multi-printing control method according to the present invention, when a multi-printing request is issued, it is determined in step 1 whether communication software is installed. If it is not installed, the multi-printing control is ended, but if it is installed, the usable printer check process of step 2 is executed. This is a process of checking the number of usable printers and storing it in a table. Next, in step 3, the number of usable printers is checked, and if there is no printer, the multi-printing control is ended. Next, in step 4, a page number calculation process is executed. This is a process of calculating the number of pages of document data to be printed. Next, in step 5, a page unit document amount calculation process is executed. This is a process of calculating the document amount for each page and storing it in the document information storage table. Next, in step 6, a used printer selection process is executed. This process is a process for establishing a virtual line with a remote printer designated by the user, and is an interface with the user. Next, in step 7, grouping processing is executed. This is a process that allows the user to select whether to perform grouping in the order of pages or to perform grouping so that the document amount of each group becomes even, and then execute the corresponding grouping process. Next, in step 8, document data transfer processing is performed. This is a process of transferring the document data of each group to the printer corresponding to the group.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the usable printer check processing. This process is executed when it is determined that the communication software is installed. First, in step 21, the printer information table is initialized. Next, in step 22, a list of connectable server names is acquired. Next, in step 23, the number of connectable servers is checked. If the number of servers is 0, the available printer check process is terminated. Next, in step 24, a list of server resources is acquired from the connectable servers. Next, in step 25, the printer information in the server resource list is set in the printer information table. Next, in step 26, it is checked whether there is another connectable server. If there is no other connectable server, the available printer check process is terminated.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the page number calculation process. This process is executed when it is determined that there is an available printer. First,
In step 41, the number of pages is calculated from the format information of the document data and the document amount, and the page number is saved in the work area 1 (see FIG. 10). Next, in step 42, the number of page break symbols in the document data is counted and added to the work area 1 to calculate the number of other pages in an accurate document.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the page unit document amount calculation processing. First, in step 51, the page number of the first page and the document amount (byte number) are set in the document information storage table (see FIG. 10). Then step 52
Determines whether there is a next page. If there is a next page, the process proceeds to that page, and the process branches to step 53. If there is no next page, the process branches to step 55. Next, in step 53, the page number of the page and the document amount (byte count)
Is set in the document information storage table. Next step 5
In step 4, the leading address of the page information area is set in the pointer area of the previous page information area in the document information storage table, and the process branches to step 52. Finally, in step 55, the information indicating the last page is set in the pointer area of the relevant page information area in the document information storage table, and the page-unit document amount calculation processing ends.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the used printer selection process. First, in step 61, the contents of the printer information table are displayed to inform the user of available printers. Next, in step 62, the user is made to select the printer to be used from the printers displayed in step 61. Next, in step 63, a virtual line is created with the printer (server) selected in step 62, and the used printer selection processing ends.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the grouping process. First, in step 71, the user is made to select whether to perform grouping in page order or grouping so that the document amount of each group is equal. Next, in step 72, the selection result of the user is determined. If the user's selection is to perform grouping in page order, the process branches to step 73. If the user's selection is to perform grouping so that the document amount of each group becomes equal, the process branches to step 74. If neither of the user's selections has been made, the process branches to step 71 to prompt the user to select again. Next, page order grouping processing in step 73, or step 7
Grouping processing is performed by executing the document amount equal grouping processing of No. 4, and the grouping processing ends.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the page order grouping process. First, in step 731, the number of pages divided by the number of printers used is taken as the number of pages per group, and the group numbers are set in the document information storage table from the first page to perform grouping. Next, in step 732, work area 2 is initialized (maximum value is set). Next, in step 733, the document amount of pages included in each group is totaled to calculate the document amount for each group. Next, in step 734, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the document amount for each group is compared with the work area 2. Next, at step 735, the comparison result at step 734 is determined. As a result, if the work area 2 is larger, the process branches to step 736, and if the work area 2 is smaller, the difference in the document amount between the groups is minimized, and thus step 738.
Branch to. Next, at step 736, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the current document amount for each group is set in the work area 2. Next, in step 737, the group organization is changed by shifting all the boundaries between the groups one page backward, and the process branches to step 733. Finally step 738
Then, the boundary between groups is returned to the previous page, and the page order grouping process ends.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the document amount equal grouping process. First, in step 741, the group numbers are set in the document information storage table in ascending order from the page with the largest document amount. Next, in step 742, it is determined whether or not there are remaining pages (pages that have not been divided into groups), and if there are no remaining pages, the document amount equalization processing ends.
Next, in step 743, the group numbers are set in descending order in the document information storage table from the page with the largest document amount. Next, in step 744, it is determined whether or not there are remaining pages (pages not grouped). If there are remaining pages, the process branches to step 741. If not, the document amount equalizing process ends.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the document data transfer process. First, in step 81, the contents of the work area 3 indicating the group number are initialized (set to 0). Next, in step 82, the contents of the work area 3 are incremented, and in step 83, it is determined whether or not the contents of the work area 3 exceed the maximum group number. If the contents of work area 3 exceed the maximum group number, branch to step 81 and work area 3
The contents of are initialized again. Next, at step 84, among the print waiting document data belonging to the group number indicated by the work area 3, the one with the smallest page number is transferred to the corresponding printer. Next, in step 85, it is determined whether or not the printing of all documents is completed. If not completed, the process branches to step 82 to perform the data transfer process of the next group, and if completed, the document data transfer process is completed.

As is apparent from the above description, according to this embodiment, the multi-printing control method according to the present invention can be applied in an environment in which personal computers are connected by a network. In addition, it is particularly suitable when there are a plurality of servers equipped with printers in the network.
By operating a plurality of printers at the same time, printer resources can be effectively used and printing time can be shortened.

[0018]

According to the present invention, since the existing network system and the shared resources are used as they are, a plurality of printers are operated at the same time and a large amount of data is distributed and printed to each printer, the printing time can be shortened. effective.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of multi-printing control according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of usable printer check processing of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of page number calculation processing of FIG.

4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a page unit document amount calculation processing of FIG. 1. FIG.

5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of available printer selection processing of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of grouping processing of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a detailed procedure of page order grouping processing of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a detailed procedure of a document amount equal grouping process of FIG.

9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the document data transfer processing of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a memory map.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Usable printer check process, 4 ... Page number calculation process, 5 ... Page unit document amount calculation process, 6 ... Used printer selection process, 7 ... Grouping process, 8 ... Document data transfer process.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A print control method in which a data processing device connected to a network sends print data to a printer connected to the network to perform printing, in a printer used for printing among printers connected to the network. A multi-printing control method characterized in that the number of prints is determined, the print data is divided into pages by the number of printers, and the divided print data is sent to each printer to print in parallel in each printer.