JPH0632973B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printer capable of controlling a print start position.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, a printer is provided with a reference position for inserting a sheet, and this reference position is closely related to the position of a left margin in printing, horizontal tab control, and a mechanism for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet.

Then, the left margin control data input from the application software corresponding to the host device is input so as to print from a position that matches the size of the paper with the paper insertion set reference position of the printer as a reference.

The paper insertion set reference position is often set in the following two ways.

One is to provide the paper insertion set reference position on the left side of the platen when viewed from the print head side, and the other is to provide the paper insertion set reference position at the center of the platen.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the printer having the former paper insertion set reference position, and FIG. 6 is a side view of its essential part.

In the figure, reference numerals 1 and 2 denote left and right side plates that hold a platen 3, and a groove 4 is formed on the left side of the platen 3, and a sheet presence / absence detection mechanism located in the rear portion of the platen 3 is provided in the groove 4. The tip of the lever 5 is inserted.

6 is a sensor combined with the lever 5, 7 is a print head,
8 is a sheet.

According to the above configuration, when the sheet 8 is set on the platen 3 so as to cover the groove 4 of the platen 3, the sensor 6 is turned on by the operation of the lever 5, the sheet 8 is detected, and the print head 7 prints. Done.

Printing is started from a position just to the right of the groove 4 provided on the platen 3.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the latter printer having the paper insertion set reference position, and FIG. 8 is a side view of its essential part.

This printer has a sensor 9 for detecting the presence / absence of a reflection type sheet behind the center of the platen 3. When the center of the sheet 8 is set to the sensor 9, printing is started from the left side of the platen 3. However, in this configuration, in order to print on the paper 8 correctly, it is necessary to set the left margin value that matches the size of the paper 8, and the left margin value is preset for the data input from various application software. Has been done.

Incidentally, there is a dial switch as shown in FIG. 9 as an operation unit for adjusting the size of the paper, and by adjusting the dial to the scale indicating each size, the information of the paper size can be selected and input.

As described above, in the printer, one of the two paper insertion reference positions can be provided, but
When controlling the former printer with application software compatible with the latter printer, set the paper on the left side of the platen and fix the left margin to "000", and then perform horizontal control such as left margin sent from various application software. The command must be discarded.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

According to the conventional technique described above, when the former printer corresponds to the latter printer, the horizontal control command that is arbitrarily set is ignored, so that there is a problem that the print start position cannot be freely set.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a printer in which a reference position for paper insertion is provided on the left side of the platen according to data from application software corresponding to a printer in which the reference position for paper insertion is provided in the center of the platen. When printing with, the operation unit that selects and inputs the size of the paper, the first character print position when the paper is inserted to the reference position provided on the left side of the platen, and the center of the platen are the reference positions. A storage unit that stores shift data for each paper size that indicates the difference from the first character print position when the paper is inserted, and application software compatible with a printer that has a reference position in the center of the platen for printing. If horizontal data is not input, it is input by the operation unit. When printing is performed by shifting the first character print position by the shift data amount corresponding to the paper size and horizontal data is input, the shift data corresponding to the paper size input by the operation unit is input to the horizontal data. It is characterized in that it has a control unit that obtains the first character print position by subtracting from the data and controls to print from the first character print position.

[Work]

The present invention having such a configuration, when printing on a sheet inserted according to the reference position provided on the left side of the platen,
The control unit determines whether or not the horizontal data is input from the application software corresponding to the printer having the reference position in the center of the platen. If the horizontal data is not input, the paper size input by the operation unit is input. Printing is performed by shifting the first character print position by the shift data amount corresponding to.

When horizontal data is input, the control unit subtracts the shift data corresponding to the paper size input by the operation unit from the horizontal data to obtain the first character print position, and the first character print position Print from.

Therefore, according to this, when printing is performed by the printer having the reference position for inserting the paper on the left side of the platen according to the data from the application software corresponding to the printer having the reference position for inserting the paper at the center of the platen, Not only from the first character print position of, but also when the first character print position is specified by the horizontal data, the print control should be performed in the same way as the printer in which the reference position when inserting paper is in the center of the platen. Will be possible.

〔Example〕

 Examples of the present invention will be described below.

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

In the figure, 10 is a microprocessor and 11 is a ROM. This ROM 11 stores various control programs such as print control and line feed control.

12 is a RAM for writing and reading various data,
Reference numeral 13 denotes an I / O port for controlling input / output from the outside, and these ROM 11, RAM 12, and I / O port 13 are connected to the microprocessor by a bus.

The I / O port 13 has an I / O bus for transmitting and receiving address data from the host device 14, a drive circuit 16 for controlling the print head 15, a drive circuit 18 for controlling the space motor 17, and a line feed motor. A drive circuit 20 for controlling 19 and a switch 21 as an operation unit for selectively inputting the size of the paper 8 are connected.

The first embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2 and the configuration diagram of FIG.

<S1> Turn on the power.

<S2> The shift data α stored in advance in the ROM 11 is stored as a data table in the shift data table area of the RM 12 by the processing of the microprocessor 10.

Here, the shift data α is a printer having the first character printing position when the paper 8 is inserted with the groove 4 on the left side of the platen 3 as the paper insertion set reference position and the paper insertion set reference position at the center of the platen 3. Paper 8 in the center of the platen
Is the amount of data representing the difference from the first character print position when the is inserted, and the amount of data differs depending on the size of the paper 8 set by the switch 21.

<S3> It is determined whether or not the print command data is input from the application software corresponding to the printer having the paper insertion set reference position at the center of the platen. If NO, wait for the print command data, and if YES, proceed to the next step. Go to step.

<S4> The microprocessor 10 reads the set value of the switch 21 via the I / O port 13.

<S5> The microprocessor 10 reads out the shift data α based on the set value of the switch 21 from the table area of the RAM 12 and temporarily holds it in the microprocessor 10.

<S6> Left margin control data LM1 from the application software corresponding to the printer having the paper insertion set reference position at the central portion of the platen 3 (this left margin control data LM1 indicates that the paper 8 is designated at the central portion of the platen). It is determined whether or not the horizontal data used as the premise) has been input, and if the result is NO, the shift data α temporarily stored in the microprocessor 10 is set in the column pointer register 22 of the microprocessor 10.
If YES, the process proceeds to <S7>.

<S7> When the left margin control data LM1 is input, the shift data α temporarily stored in the microprocessor 10 is subtracted from the left margin control data LM1 input from the application software, and the difference data LM is obtained.
2 is set in the column pointer register 22 of the microprocessor 10.

The above flow will be described with reference to the configuration diagram of FIG. 3. When print command data is input from the application software corresponding to the printer having the sheet insertion set reference position at the center of the platen 3 (YES in S3), The microprocessor 10 reads the set value of the switch 21 (S4), reads the shift data α corresponding to the set value from the tabel area of the RAM 12, and temporarily holds it in the microprocessor 10 (S5).

When the left margin control data LM1 is input from the application software (YES in S6), the microprocessor 10 performs the subtraction process of "LM1-α", and as a result, sets LM2 in X of the column pointer register 22.

<S8> It is determined whether or not the print data is input from the application software. If NO, the print data is held and YE
If S, move to S9.

<S9> Column pointer register 2 in the microprocessor 10
Printing is started from the column pointer position X set to 2.

<S10> It is confirmed whether or not the printing is completed. If NO, the printing is continued, and if YES, the printing is completed.

When the setting of the switch 21 is "free", control is performed as a printer having the paper insertion set reference position in the groove on the left side of the platen, and printing can be started from the arbitrarily set left margin position.

In the above description, the setting of the left margin position has been described. Next, as a second embodiment, an embodiment in which the paper width data is also input so that the blank printing is not performed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4 and the flowchart of FIG. This will be described with reference to the configuration diagram.

In the flowchart of FIG. 4, description of the same steps as those in the flowchart of FIG. 2 will be omitted, and only different S2, S5, S7, and S9 will be S2 ′, S2.
5 ', S7', and S9 'will be described.

<S2 ′> The shift data α and the paper width data β stored in advance in the ROM 11 are processed by the microprocessor 10 to RA.
The data table is stored in the shift data table area and the paper width data table area of M12.

Here, the sheet width data β represents a width amount of the sheet 8 along the longitudinal direction of the platen 3, and is a data amount for controlling so as not to print beyond the sheet width, and is set by the switch 21. The amount of data differs depending on the size.

The shift data α is as described in <S2>.

<S5 ′> The microprocessor 10 reads the shift data α and the paper width data β based on the set value of the switch 21 from each table area of the RAM 12 and temporarily holds them in the microprocessor 10.

<S7 ′> When the left margin control data is input, the shift data α temporarily held in the microprocessor 10 is subtracted from the left margin control data LM1 input from the application software, and the difference data LM2 is obtained. 10 column pointer register 22
Is set together with the data W obtained by subtracting the left margin control data LM1 from the result of adding the shift data α and the paper width data β.

The above flow will be described with reference to the configuration diagram of FIG. 3. When print command data is input from the application software corresponding to the printer having the paper insertion set reference position at the center of the platen (YES in S3), the microprocessor 1
0 reads the set value of the switch 21 and reads the shift data α and the paper width data β that match the set value from each table area and temporarily holds them in the microprocessor 10 (S5 ′).

When the left margin control data LM1 is input from the application software (YES in S6), the microprocessor 10 performs the subtraction process of LM1-α, and as a result L
Set M2 to X of the column pointer 22.

At the same time, the microprocessor 10 calculates the area setting value W that does not exceed the paper width of the paper 8 by "α + β-LM1",
Set to Y of the column pointer 22.

<S9 ′> Column pointer register 2 in the microprocessor 10
Printing is performed in the range between the column pointers X and Y set to 2.

The following steps are the same as in the above embodiment.

In the present embodiment as well, when the setting of the switch 21 is "free", it is the same as the above description, and the paper width data is also set.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when printing is performed on the sheet inserted in accordance with the reference position provided on the left side of the platen, the control unit uses the application software corresponding to the printer in which the reference position is provided at the central part of the platen, from the horizontal direction. When it is determined whether or not the data is input, and the horizontal data is not input, the first character print position is shifted by the shift data amount corresponding to the paper size input by the operation unit to perform printing, When the horizontal data is input, the control unit subtracts the shift data corresponding to the paper size input by the operation unit from the horizontal data to obtain the first character print position,
The printing is controlled to start from the first character printing position.

Therefore, according to this, when printing is performed by the printer having the reference position for inserting the paper on the left side of the platen according to the data from the application software corresponding to the printer having the reference position for inserting the paper at the center of the platen, Not only from the first character print position of, but also when the first character print position is specified by the horizontal data, the print control should be performed in the same way as the printer in which the reference position when inserting paper is in the center of the platen. Since it is possible to improve the function that can support applications compatible with both types of printers, the range of use can be expanded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the operation, and FIG. 4 shows the operation of the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flow chart, FIG. 5 is a front view of the main part of the printer in which the paper insertion set reference position is on the left side of the platen, FIG. 6 is a side view, and FIG.
FIG. 8 is a front view of the main part of the printer in which the paper insertion set reference position is at the center of the platen, FIG. 8 is a side view, and FIG. 9 is a front view of a switch unit for inputting paper size data. 3 ... Platen 4 ... Groove 6 ... Sensor 8 ... Paper 9 ... Sensor 10 ... Microprocessor 11 ... ROM 12 ... RAM 21 ... Switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. When printing is performed by a printer having a reference position for paper insertion on the left side of the platen according to data from an application software corresponding to a printer having a reference position for paper insertion at the center of the platen, Size, the first character print position when the paper is inserted according to the reference position provided on the left side of the platen, and the first character print position when the paper is inserted with the center of the platen as the reference position. Whether horizontal data is input from the storage unit that stores the shift data for each paper size that indicates the difference from the printing position of one character and the application software that corresponds to the printer that has the reference position in the center of the platen when printing. If the horizontal data is not input, it corresponds to the paper size input by the operation unit. When printing is performed by shifting the first character print position by the shift data amount, and horizontal data is input, the shift data corresponding to the paper size input by the operation unit is subtracted from the horizontal data to obtain the first data. A printer having a control unit for determining a one-character print position and controlling printing from the first character print position.