JP2001306286A - Print job management system and method on network - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a print job management system on a network by which management functionability can be enhanced comprehensively. SOLUTION: This system is provided with a client 3, a print monitoring terminal 6, and plural print servers 7 and printers 8 connected to a network 10. The system is provided with at least two print servers 7 existing on the prescribed network 10 which prepares a job information merge file 14 of spooled jobs 1 and synthetic key defined in the prepared job information merge file 14 so that the jobs 1 can be uniquely divided and constituted so as to be manageable in a batch on one screen. Thus even print job information for plural printers registered in the print queue of all the print servers existing on the network can be displayed collectively on one screen, and then a print starting instruction, a print interrupting instruction, a print job erasing instruction, and a print designation printer changing instruction or the like can be managed centralizedly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a print job management system and a print job management method for managing print jobs on a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a print job management system and a print job management method on a network generally include:
Each print server is configured as a function for managing jobs in the server print queue. In the print job management system on the network having this configuration, management of a plurality of print jobs scattered on the network is performed using one screen for each print server.

[0003] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000 similar to the technical field of the present invention.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 35869 discloses a technique capable of efficiently performing a print job distribution service adapted to a work environment even under a work environment in which a requester of a print job frequently moves on a network.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, a plurality of print jobs scattered on a network are managed using one screen for each print server, so that specific jobs are collected. Cannot be searched and managed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a print job management system and a print job management method on a network, which have improved overall management functionality.

More specifically, according to the present invention, print job information for a plurality of printers registered in print queues of all print servers existing on a network is collectively displayed on one screen, and a print start instruction is issued. The present invention provides a system and method capable of centrally managing a print interruption instruction, a print job deletion instruction, and a print destination printer change instruction.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a print job management system on a network according to the first aspect of the present invention exists on a predetermined network in which a job information merge file of a spooled job is created. It has at least two print servers and a composite key defined in the created job information merge file, so that jobs can be uniquely identified and collectively managed on one screen.

The composite key includes a computer name and a job sequence number. The print job management system on the network includes a client-side terminal device connected to a predetermined network, and a print monitoring terminal. It is preferable to further include a device and a printer connected to the print server.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print job management method on a network, comprising: creating a job information merge file of jobs spooled in at least two print servers existing on a predetermined network; It is characterized in that a predetermined synthetic key is defined in a file, and jobs can be uniquely identified and collectively managed on one screen.

The composite key includes a computer name and a job sequence number. The job is registered in a client print queue by a job creation function, extracted from the client print queue by a job transmission function, and printed. It may be sent to the server print queue of the server.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of a print job management system and a print job management method on a network according to the present invention will be described in detail. 1 to 9, there is shown an embodiment of a print job management system and a print job management method on a network according to the present invention.

An example of the configuration of a print job management system on a network according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The print job management system on the network according to the present embodiment includes a client (terminal device) 3 connected to the network 10, a print monitoring terminal (device) 6, and a plurality of print servers 7 and printers 8. Be composed.

The client 3 has a client print queue 2, a job creation function 4, and a job transmission function 5.

The print monitoring terminal 6 has a print server management file 11, a job management request function 12, a job information inquiry function 13, a job information merge file 14, and a job information file 15.

The print server 7 includes a printer type management file 16, a paper management file 17, and a job reception function 1.
8, a job management function 19, a job information extraction function 20, and a server print queue 21. It is assumed that the server print queue 21 holds (print) job 1. The print server 7 is connected to a printer 8.

In the print job management system on the network according to the present embodiment composed of the above-described units, the job creation function 4 has a function of creating image data to be printed by the printer 8 and header information thereof. Here, the job data is defined as a job 1 by combining both the image data for printing created by the job creating function 4 and its header information.

The job 1 is created by using the job creating function 4 on the client 3. The client 3 refers to a computer that creates the job 1, and includes a print start instruction,
A computer that executes a print interruption instruction, a print job deletion instruction, and a print destination printer change instruction is defined as a print monitoring terminal 6. The job 1 is registered in the client print queue 2 by the job creation function 4. The job 1 is extracted from the client print queue 2 by the job transmission function 5 and transmitted to the server print queue 21 of the print server 7.

The job transmission function 5 transmits the job 1 registered in the client print queue 2 to the job reception function 18
It has the function of sending to The job receiving function 18 has a function of receiving the job 1 from the job transmitting function 5 and registering the job 1 in the server print queue 21. The job information file 15 includes the server print queue 21
The result of the search for the job 1 is written. Job 1
The job information file 15 is created for each print server 7 so as to be able to manage each job. Therefore, the job information file 15
It is created for the number of print servers 7.

Next, a method of using the job information file 15 will be specifically described. To search for job 1,
This is performed from the job information inquiry function 13 of the print monitoring terminal 6 via the job information extraction function 20 of the print server 7.
The job information inquiry function 13 sends a job information extraction function 20 of the print server 7 to the server print queue 21.
It has a function to search all the jobs 1 in it and receive the results. The received job 1 search result creates a new job information file 15 using the file name as the computer name of the print server 7.

When the job information inquiry function 13 is completed for all print servers 7, each created job information file 15 is read, and the combined result is written in the job information merge file 14. With reference to the contents of the job information merge file 14, each job 1 is managed. The execution of a print start command for job 1, a print interrupt command for job 1, a delete command for job 1, and a print destination printer change command for job 1 is defined as "management".

Since each job 1 is managed by looking at the contents of the job information merge file 14, it is not necessary to search for the job 1 in the server print queue 21 each time the management is executed once. In addition, by creating the job information merge file 14, if each item name of the job information merge file 14 is designated on the screen as an extraction condition, only the necessary jobs from all the jobs 1 on the network are displayed on one screen. Then, the management of job 1 can be performed.

Similarly, if each item name of the job information merge file 14 is designated as a sort key, all the jobs 1 on the network can be sorted and displayed on a screen for management. However, the content of the job information merge file 14 is always the latest server print queue 21.
Will no longer match the content of Therefore, when the management is performed for the job 1 that does not already exist, an error is returned. The management is performed from the job management request function 12 of the print monitoring terminal 6 via the job management function 19 of the print server 7.

The job management function 19 has a function of managing the job 1 in the server print queue 21. The job management request function 12 sends a server print queue 21 to the job management function 19 of the print server 7.
It has a function of requesting a print start command, a print stop command, a delete command, or a print destination printer change command for the corresponding job 1 in it. Print server management file 1
Reference numeral 1 denotes a file for storing position information of the print server 7. From the position information, all print servers 7 existing on the network 10 are grasped, and the job management function 19 and the job information extraction function 2 of each print server 7 are determined.
Request processing to 0. Therefore, the server print queue 2 registered in the print server management file 11
Only job 1 in 1 is managed.

With the above configuration, according to the present invention, if the print monitoring terminal 6 is connected to the network 10, it is possible to manage the job 1 in the server print queue 21 under any print server 7. Become. The job creation function 4 writes the print destination printer name, client name, total number of printed pages, paper identification name, and print pattern in the header information of job 1. This header information is passed from the client print queue 2 to the server print queue 21. There are two print patterns.

The first pattern is that if the printer 8 is not used when registered in the server print queue 21,
It is printed from the printer 8 immediately. This is defined as an immediate print pattern. In the second pattern, even when the printer 8 is not used at the time when the printer 8 is registered in the server print queue 21, the printer 8 stays in the server print queue 21 and does not start printing. This is defined as a hold print pattern. In the case of this pattern, printing is not started unless a print start command for job 1 is issued. When the printer 8 issues a suspend command to the job 1 being printed, the job 1 is changed to the same state as the reserved print pattern, and the printing is also suspended.

If the status of job 1 is not printing, an instruction to delete job 1 and an instruction to change the destination printer can be issued. If you want to change the destination printer,
The printer type of the printer before change and the printer type of the printer after change are compared with reference to the printer type management file 16. Here, if the printer type of the printer before change is different from the printer type of the printer after change, the type of image data to be printed on the printer 8 is different.

When executing the print start command, it is determined which sheet is currently set. For this purpose, the paper management file 17 is read, and it is determined whether or not the paper identification name set in the print destination printer 8 is the same as the paper identification name which is an item of the job information merge file 14. Do. The paper management file 17 is a file used for determining which paper was used last time for each printer 8. When executing the print start instruction, if the paper identification name in the paper management file 17 using the printer name as a key does not match the paper identification name set in the job information merge file 14, the print start instruction is issued. At the executed timing, a message prompting the user to change the printer paper is output, and the print start command is temporarily waited without being issued. When the change of the printer paper is actually completed, the execution of the temporarily waited print start command is resumed.

After executing the print start command, the currently set paper identification name in the paper management file 17 is updated to the value of the paper identification name in the job information merge file 14. If the paper identification name in the paper management file 17 matches the paper identification name in the job information merge file 14 when the print start instruction is executed, the print instruction is executed without interruption. No message is output at this time.

(File Layout) FIG. 2 shows a layout of the print server management file 11. The print server management file 11 shown in FIG. 2 includes a computer name of item number 1 and information of item number 2. This computer name is the computer name of the print server 7. The computer name is the key item. The location information indicates a location on the network 10 of the print server 7 from the print monitoring terminal.

FIG. 3 shows a layout of the job information file 15. The job information file 15 shown in FIG. 3 includes the sequence number of the job of item No. 1, the printer name of item No. 2, the client name of item No. 3, the total number of pages of item No. 4, and the paper identification of item No. 5. It is composed of a name, a print pattern of item No. 6, and a print history of item No. 7.

The printing destination printer name is the printer 8 to be printed when a print start command is issued. The client name is the client 3 that created the job. The total number of printed pages is the total number of pages when the image data is printed on the printer 8. The paper identification name is a paper name that must be set in the printer 8 when the image data is printed on the printer 8. As the print pattern, either an immediate print turn or a hold print pattern is set. The print history determines whether the job 1 has been printed at least once. The initial state is that printing has not been performed, and is updated to printing completed at the time of printing.

FIG. 4 shows a layout of the job information merge file 14. The job information merge file 14 shown in FIG. , A paper identification name of item No. 6, a print pattern of item No. 7, and a print history of item No. 8.

This file refers to all the job information files 15 and writes the contents with the computer name added thereto. The description of each item is as follows. The computer name is the computer name of the print server 7. The job sequence number refers to each job 1 in the server print queue 21.
It is a number uniquely assigned to. Since this is a sequence number in the server print queue 21 of each print server 7, it is not unique in the job information merge file 14. However, by using “computer name + sequence number of job 1” as the composite key, all the jobs 1 existing on the network 10 can be uniquely distinguished. Destination printer name,
The client name, the total number of printed pages, the paper identification name, the print pattern, and the print history are stored in the job information file 1 shown in FIG.
Item 5 and the contents are the same.

FIG. 5 shows items registered as job header information. The job header information shown in FIG. 5 includes the print destination printer name of item No. 1, the client name of item No. 2, the total number of pages printed of item No. 3, the paper identification name of item No. 4, the print pattern of item No. 5, And the print history of item No. 6. Based on the header information of this configuration, the job creation function 4 registers the header information in the job 1. The print destination printer name, client name, total number of printed pages, paper identification name, print pattern, and print history are stored in the job information file 15 shown in FIG.
The items and contents are the same.

FIG. 6 shows a layout of the printer type management file 16. The printer type management file 16 shown in FIG. 6 includes a printer name of item No. 1 and a printer type of item No. 2. The printer name of the item number 1 is the name of the printer 8. The printer name becomes the key item. The printer type is the type of the printer 8. A printer change command can be issued between printers of the same printer type. While the printer types are different, it is not possible to execute a print printer change command between printers.

FIG. 7 shows a layout of the paper management file 17. The paper management file 17 shown in FIG.
And the paper identification name of item No. 2. The printer name of the item number 1 is the name of the printer 8. The printer name becomes the key item. The paper identification name is set to the paper identification name of job 1 for which the previous print start command was issued. When the print start command is issued, the paper management file 1
If the paper identification name of the job information merge file 14 is the same as the paper identification name of the job information merge file 14, printing can be continued continuously.

If the paper identification name in the paper management file 17 is different from the paper identification name in the job information merge file 14, a paper change message is output and the processing is temporarily suspended.

(Operation) Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 8, job 1 registered in server print queue 21 of all print servers 7 existing on the network according to the present invention is displayed in a single screen. The operation will be described. The variable i is used to determine the number of the record in the print server management file 11 that is being referred to. "1" is set as an initial value (S1). The i-th record of the print server management file 11 is read (S
2). If the last record of the print server management file 11 has been read, it is determined that there is no print server 7 to be searched, and the process proceeds to step S7 (S3 / YES). Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S4 (S3 / NO). The position information of the print server management file 11 is read using the computer name read in step S2 as a key. Since the position information of the print server 7 is known, the job information inquiry function 13 is used to search for the job 1 in the server print queue 21 (S4).

For the information on the searched job 1, a new job information file 15 is created using the computer name of the print server 7 as a file name and the search result is written (S
5). The variable i is counted up by one in order to search for the next job 1 of the print server 7, and the process returns to step S2 (S6). When the search for all the print servers 7 is completed, all the created job information files 15 are read and combined into one file to newly create a job information merge file 14 (S7).

The contents of the job information merge file are read. If the extraction conditions are set, records that do not satisfy the extraction conditions are ignored and displayed on one screen.
If a sort key has been designated, after sorting by each item of the job information merge file, only records matching the extraction conditions are displayed on one screen (S8).

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 9, for a job 1 registered in server print queue 21 of all print servers 7 existing on the network according to the present invention, a print start command, a print interrupt command, a print job The operation until a delete instruction and a print destination printer change instruction are issued will be described. The job information merge file 14 is read (S9). Job 1 can be uniquely identified by using “computer name + sequence number of job 1” as a composite key.
It is also possible to manage the job 1 in the server print queue 21.

The management is performed through the job management request function 12 to the job management function 19. When the print start command for the job 1 is issued, it is checked whether the same as the paper identification name of the job information merge file 14 using the printer name of the paper management file 17 on the print server 7 where the job 1 exists as a key. If the paper identification names are the same, printing can be performed from the printer 8. If the paper identifiers are different, a prompt message for changing paper is output and the processing is interrupted. When the paper changing operation is completed, the interrupted processing is resumed. Here, it is not possible to check what type of paper is physically loaded, so even if you are not actually performing the paper change work, if you instruct to restart the processing, even if the wrong paper is Printing will start.

Next, the print history of the header information of job 1 is updated to the print execution completed, and at the same time, the print history of the job information merge file 14 is updated to the print execution completed. By referring to this print history, it is possible to distinguish between job 1 that has never performed printing and job 1 that has not performed printing. Even after the printing is completed, the job 1 remains in the server print queue 21 and can be reprinted. When the print interruption instruction of job 1 is issued, the header information of job 1 is updated to the reserved print pattern, and the printing is interrupted. At the same time, the print pattern of the job information merge file 14 is also updated to the hold print pattern. When the job 1 deletion command is issued, the job 1 itself in the server print queue 21 is deleted unless the job 1 is being printed. At the same time, job information merge file 1
The record is also deleted from No. 4.

When executing the print destination printer change command of job 1, the printer type is read using the printer name as a key to determine whether the printer type differs between the printer before and after the print destination change. To check. Here, if the printer types are different, an error is output. If the printer types are the same, the job 1
Of the print destination printer in the header information of the job information and the print destination printer in the job information merge file 14 are updated (S1).
0).

Since the job information merge file has been updated, the job information merge file is read again, and
It is displayed again on the screen (S11).

(Effect) For a plurality of jobs 1 registered in the server print queue 21 of each print server 7,
After specifying the extraction conditions and the sort key, it is easy to see only the jobs 1 that are determined to be necessary, and by displaying them collectively on one screen instead of a plurality of screens, a print start instruction can be issued for all jobs 1 on the network. It is possible to easily perform a print interruption instruction, a print job deletion instruction, and a print destination printer change instruction.

The print job information for a plurality of printers registered in the print queues of all the print servers existing on the network are also displayed collectively on one screen, and a print start command, a print stop command, and a print job deletion are performed. Commands and print destination printer change commands can be centrally managed.

By designating the extraction conditions and the sort key, it is possible to display only the print job information determined to be necessary on one screen. Therefore, all print job information on the network can be easily managed.

The above embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, it is not limited to this.
Various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0050]

As is apparent from the above description, the print job management system and print job management method on a network according to the present invention provide a job for a job spooled to at least two print servers existing on a predetermined network. Create an information merge file, define a composite key in the created job information merge file,
Jobs can be uniquely identified and managed collectively on one screen. Therefore, if each item name of the job information merge file is designated on the screen as an extraction condition, only the necessary jobs from all the jobs on the network are displayed on one screen, and job management can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of a print job management system on a network according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a layout of a print server management file 11;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a layout of a job information file 15;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a layout of a job information merge file 14;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing items to be registered in header information.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a layout of a printer type management file 16;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a layout of a paper management file 17;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart 1 showing an operation example.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart 2 showing an operation example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 job 2 client print queue 3 client 4 job creation function 5 job transmission function 6 print monitoring terminal 7 print server 8 printer 10 network 11 print server management file 12 job management request function 13 job information inquiry function 14 job information merge file 15 job Information file 16 Printer type management file 17 Paper management file 18 Job reception function 19 Job management function 20 Job information extraction function 21 Server print queue

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A printer comprising: at least two print servers existing on a predetermined network for creating a job information merge file of a spooled job; and a composite key defined in the created job information merge file. A print job management system on a network, wherein the jobs can be uniquely identified and collectively managed on one screen. 2. The print job management system over a network according to claim 1, wherein the composite key includes a computer name and a job sequence number. 3. The print job management system on the network further includes a client-side terminal device connected to a predetermined network, a print monitoring terminal device, and a printer connected to the print server. The print job management system on a network according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured. 4. A job information merge file of a job spooled to at least two print servers existing on a predetermined network is created, and a predetermined combination key is defined in the created job information merge file. A print job management method on a network, wherein jobs can be uniquely identified and collectively managed on one screen. 5. The print job management method on a network according to claim 4, wherein the composite key includes a computer name and a job sequence number. 6. The job is registered in a client print queue by a job creation function, extracted from the client print queue by a job transmission function,
6. The print job management method on a network according to claim 4, wherein the print job is transmitted to a server print queue of a print server.