JPH08263232A - Device and method for printing - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To unnecessitate a tranforming work of a host device by executing one application program, transforming dedicated data in a format for transforming the application program read out of a floppy disk to data for printing, and printing those data. CONSTITUTION: An operator inserts the floppy disk to an FDD part 1 and selects one of application programs stored in a storage part 3 by using an operator panel part 4. Based on the information on the operator panel part 4, an alaytic part 2 reads out the dedicated data file recorded in the floppy disk inserted to the FDD part 1 and displays its list on the operator panel part 4 and the operator selects the desired dedicated data file to be printed out of that list. Next, the analytic part 2 reads dedicated data 7 of the selected dedicated data file from the FDD part 1 and the application program is activated, analyzed, transformed to data 8 for printing to be recognized by a printing part 5, and printed by the printing part 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method, and more particularly to a printing apparatus and a printing method having a floppy disk drive section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printers of this type have been disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 4-320519 and 3-264383.
As disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1-263064 or Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1-263064, the printing apparatus alone reads and prints low-level printing data stored in a floppy disk and is printed by a printing apparatus. It is not a device that reads dedicated data that can be converted by an application program such as a program from a floppy disk and prints it.

[0003]

This conventional printing apparatus records low-level printing data, which is converted by an application program such as a word processor program in a host apparatus, on a floppy disk. , You can only print the print data. Therefore, it is necessary for the host device to convert the print data and record it on the floppy disk. While this work is being performed, the operator cannot perform other work or the processing speed of the work is slowed down, resulting in poor work efficiency.

An object of the present invention is to execute, in a printing device, a process for recording low-level printing data on a floppy disk, which is recognized by the printing device and converted by an application program executed in the host device. Accordingly, it is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method with good work efficiency.

[0005]

A printer according to the present invention is one of rewritable storage means for storing various application programs, floppy disk reading means, and one of the application programs stored in the storage means. And an analysis unit that converts dedicated data in a format that can be converted by the application program read by the reading unit into printing data, a printing unit that prints the printing data, and an operation and a display necessary for the operation. And an operation display means for performing the operation.

Further, the storage means of the printing apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the application program recorded on a floppy disk is stored via the reading means and the analyzing means.

Further, the storage means of the printing apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the application program is stored from a higher-level device via the analysis means.

Further, the printing method of the present invention stores various application programs, and executes one of the application programs to convert dedicated data in a format that can be converted by the application program read from the floppy disk into printing data. Then, the printing data is printed.

[0009]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1 which is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, a printing apparatus 10 of this embodiment includes a rewritable storage unit 3 for storing various application programs such as a word processor program, and a floppy disk reading unit. And an analysis unit that executes one of the application programs stored in the storage unit 3 and converts dedicated data 7 in a format that can be converted by the application program read from the FDD unit 1 into printing data 8. 2, a printing unit 5 that prints the print data 8, and an operator panel unit 4 that performs operations and displays necessary for the operations. The storage unit 3 can also store the application program recorded on the floppy disk via the FDD unit 1 and the analysis unit 2. Further, the storage unit 3 can also store an application program from the higher-level device 6 via the analysis unit 2.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The operator uses the operator panel unit 4 to select either a mode in which data is received from the higher-level device 6 or a mode in which printing can be performed by the printing device 10 alone. When the printing mode of the printing apparatus 10 alone is selected, the operator inserts the floppy disk into the FDD unit 1 and selects one of the application programs stored in the storage unit 3 by the operator panel unit 4. . Based on the information of the operator panel unit 4, the analysis unit 2 selects a dedicated data file that can be analyzed by the selected application program and is recorded in the floppy disk inserted in the FDD unit 1. Next, the analysis unit 2 displays a list of the selected dedicated data files on the operator panel unit 4, and the operator selects the dedicated data files to be printed from the operator panel unit 4
Select with. The analyzing unit 2 reads the dedicated data 7 of the selected dedicated data file from the FDD unit 1, activates and analyzes the application program in the analyzing unit 2, and converts it into low-level printing data 8 which the printing unit 5 understands. Then, it is transferred to the printing unit 5. The printing unit 5 prints based on the print data 8.

Since the application program is stored in the rewritable storage unit 3, the application program can be written as needed. To newly register an application program, the operator first inserts the floppy disk of the application program to be registered in the FDD unit 1. Next, the operator panel unit 4 selects a rewriting execution mode from among several modes to rewrite.

There is also a method of transferring the application program file online from the host device 6 instead of the floppy disk for registering the application program described above. Even when the application program in the storage unit 3 is added, deleted, or changed, the host device 6
It is possible to change the application program in the storage unit 3 by transferring the application program used in the above to the printing apparatus 10 online.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By storing various application programs, executing one of the application programs, converting dedicated data in a format that can be converted by the application program read from the floppy disk into print data, and printing the print data, The device does not need to perform the conversion work and is released in a short time so that the next process can be started, thus improving work efficiency.

Further, although there are various kinds of commercially available application programs, since the storage means can be rewritten, the application program used by the user can be surely rewritten.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 FDD section 2 Analysis section 3 Storage section 4 Operator panel section 5 Printing section 6 Upper device 7 Exclusive data 8 Printing data 10 Printing apparatus

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A rewritable storage means for storing various application programs, a reading means for a floppy disk, and one of the application programs stored in the storage means for executing and reading from the reading means. An analysis unit for converting dedicated data in a format convertible by an application program into printing data; a printing unit for printing the printing data; and an operation display unit for performing an operation and a display necessary for the operation. Printing device. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores the application program recorded on a floppy disk via the reading unit and the analyzing unit. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores the application program from a higher-level device via the analysis unit. 4. Various kinds of application programs are stored, exclusive data of a format which can be converted by the application programs read from a floppy disk by executing one of the application programs is converted into print data, and the print data is converted into the print data. A printing method characterized by printing.