Printing instruction program, image forming apparatus and method for displaying preview

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a print function setting section to display a print preview image of a document, serving as a printing object, onto a display screen;
• and
• a print processing section to print an image in conformity with the print preview image onto a paper sheet;
• wherein the print function setting section is provided with:
• a first designating section to accept a designation of a display magnification factor which is inputted by sliding a pointer movable on a slider indicating a plurality of display magnification factors allotted thereon, and which is to be employed for displaying the print preview image, wherein a position of the pointer indicates a current magnification factor;
• a second designating section to accept a designation of a display mode which is inputted by depressing one of the at least one button, and in which the print preview image is to be displayed, wherein the at least one button is displayed while correlating with a respective position on the slider corresponding to the display magnification factor of the display mode, wherein the at least one button includes a button of a display mode in which an overall content included in one page of a document is displayed onto the display screen;
• an image creating section to create the print preview image, based on either the display magnification factor designated by the first designating section, or a display magnification factor which is calculated based on the display mode designated by the second designating section;
• a display controlling section to create the print preview image;
• wherein the display controlling section creates the print preview image, in such a manner that either lines or arrow symbols are employed for connecting the at least one button to positions on the slider corresponding to the display magnification factors of the display modes, so as to correlate the at least one button with a position on the slider corresponding to the display magnification factor of the display mode.

A print preview displaying method, which is to be employed in either a computer device that instructs a printing operation or an image forming apparatus that implements the printing operation, for displaying a print preview image of a document, serving as a printing object, onto a display screen, the print preview displaying method comprising:

• displaying the print preview image, a slider that accepts a designation of a display magnification factor for the print preview image, and at least one button that accepts a designation of a display mode for the print preview image, onto the display screen, wherein the display magnification factor is inputted by sliding a pointer movable on the slider indicating a plurality of display magnification factors allotted thereon, wherein a position of the pointer indicates a current magnification factor, wherein the at least one button is displayed while correlating with a respective position on the slider corresponding to the display magnification factor of the display mode, wherein the at least one button includes a button of a display mode in which an overall content included in one page of a document is displayed onto the display screen;
• wherein the slider and the at least one button are displayed onto the display screen, in such a manner that either lines or arrow symbols are employed for connecting the at least one button to positions on the slider corresponding to the display magnification factors of the display modes, so as to correlate the at least one button with a position on the slider corresponding to the display magnification factor of the display mode.