Printing controller, printing control method, printing program, medium on which printing control program is recorded, image processor, and image processing computer

A print control apparatus comprising:

• a printer capability data storage unit for storing printer capability data based on each printer model, wherein printer capability data indicates capability of said printer in terms of a print condition configurable on said printer;
• a formatted print data storage unit for storing formatted print data indicative of a formatted print candidate provided as a formatted print option;
• a formatted print specification acceptance unit for referencing said printer capability data, extracting and providing a formatted print candidate selectable for a model of printer to perform printing out of said stored formatted print data, and accepting specified formatted print;
• a print condition setup unit for referencing said printer capability data and configuring a combination of print conditions needed for said specified formatted print within a range of print conditions specifiable for said model of printer to perform printing;
• and
• a print execution control unit for allowing said printer to perform printing under said configured print condition.

A print control method of allowing a printer to perform printing in accordance with a print execution instruction issued from an application program, said method comprising:

• extracting and providing a formatted print candidate selectable for a model of printer to perform printing out of formatted print data and accepting specified formatted print, wherein formatted print data is stored in a specified storage medium and indicates a formatted print candidate provided as a formatted print option;
• referencing printer capability data and configuring a combination of print conditions needed for said specified formatted print within a range of print conditions specifiable for said model of printer to perform printing, wherein printer capability data is stored in a specified storage for each printer model and indicates a print condition specifiable for a printer;
• and
• allowing said printer to perform printing under said configured print condition.

An image processing apparatus having a display apparatus to display contents and an input operation device capable of selection operations corresponding to displayed contents, said image processing apparatus characterized by:

• being able to display a print menu and accept a print instruction corresponding to a selection operation;
• accepting said print instruction and displaying a formatted print candidate capable of being printed on a specified printer;
• accepting any specified formatted print corresponding to a selection operation associated with said displayed candidate;
• generating a print condition for said printer corresponding to said specified formatted print;
• and
• generating print data for performing printing under a print condition.

An image processing apparatus having a display apparatus to display contents and an input operation device capable of selection operations corresponding to displayed contents, said image processing apparatus characterized by:

• determining whether or not there are available a plurality of printers capable of printing and, when they are available, determining a printer to be used based on print quality;
• being able to display a print menu and accept a print instruction corresponding to a selection operation;
• accepting said print instruction and displaying a formatted print candidate capable of being printed on said determined printer;
• accepting any specified formatted print corresponding to a selection operation associated with said displayed candidate;
• generating a print condition for said printer corresponding to said determined formatted print;
• and
• generating print data for performing printing under a print condition.

An image processing computer which has an input operation device and a display for displaying data and can perform a print instruction in accordance with operations of said input operation device under control of an application program, said computer comprising:

• a formatted print list creation module to provide formatted print candidates when a print instruction is issued;
• a print condition setup module to set a print condition for performing a specified formatted print;
• an available printer acquisition module to acquire a printer for performing printing;
• and a printer driver to output conditions of performing printing and print data,
• wherein said formatted print list creation module acquires a model of printer used for printing from said available printer acquisition module, references formatted print data indicating formatted print candidates provided as formatted print options, and creates a list of formatted print candidates selectable on said model of printer;
• wherein, when allowing said display to display a created list and accepting an operation to specify said list from said input operation device, said print condition setup module references formatted print data for said specified formatted print and sets a print condition for performing said specified formatted print;
• and
• wherein said printer driver configures a condition for a printer so as to perform printing according to a proper print condition based on said print condition and image data for an image corresponding to print execution specified by said application program and outputs print data.