Iconic printer interface providing document composition features
View Patent ↗A printing interface is provided for a computer system that includes an application program for creating original multi-page electronic documents and a printing device for reproducing those documents. The printing interface has facilities for receiving a copy of the original electronic document and a user interface enabling the computer user to apply formatting changes to a selected page or groups of pages of the copy free from changing the original electronic document and to print the copy with those formatting changes. Provisions are made for automatic disposal of the copy and resetting the formatting options to the default settings when a second document is sent to the printing interface. In an alternative embodiment, the electronic document is printed to an intermediate metafile format in the printing interface and can be stored or printed.
1. A printing interface for a computer system having an application program for creating an original electronic document having a plurality of pages and a printing device for producing printed output, said printing interface comprising:
(a) a receiver receiving a copy of said original electronic document; and
(b) a user interface comprising a graphical display of an image for a plurality of pages of said original document and enabling a user to apply formatting changes to less than all of said plurality of pages of said copy including grouping pages of said copy by manipulating said images of said pages free from changing said original electronic document and to cause said printing device to print said plurality of pages of said copy.
2. A printing interface for a computer system having an application program for creating an original electronic document having a plurality of pages and a printing device for producing printed output, said printing interface comprising:
(a) a receiver receiving a copy of said original electronic document; and
(b) a user interface enabling a user to apply formatting changes to less than all of said plurality of pages of said copy free from changing said original electronic document and to cause said printing device to print said plurality of pages of said copy with said formatting changes, said user interface comprising a graphical display of an icon representing a page of said original document to which a formatting change has been applied through said user interface.
3. A printing interface for a computer system having an application program for creating an original electronic document having a plurality of pages and a printing device for producing printed output, said printing interface comprising:
(a) a receiver receiving a copy of an original electronic document;
(b) a user interface enabling a computer user to apply formatting changes to less than all of said pages of said copy free from changing said original electronic document and to cause said printing device to print at least a portion of said copy with said formatting changes; and
(c) a garbage collector to remove said copy of said original document with said formatting changes from the computer system and reset the options for said formatting changes to their default values.
4. The printing interface of claim 3 wherein said user interface enables said computer user to group a plurality of said pages of said copy of said original electronic document.
5. The printing interface of claim 3 wherein said user interface further comprises a graphical display of an image of each page of said original electronic document.
6. The printing interface of claim 5 wherein said user interface enables said computer user to group pages of said copy of said original electronic document by manipulating said images of said pages of said copy of said electronic document.
7. The printing interface of claim 5 wherein a formatting change applied through said user interface is represented by an icon on said graphical display.
8. A printing interface for a computer system having an application program for creating an original electronic document having a plurality of pages and a printing device for producing printed output, said printing interface comprising:
(a) a receiver receiving a copy of an original electronic document;
(b) a converter to convert said copy of said original document to an intermediate metafile format; and
(c) a user interface comprising a graphical display of an image for a plurality of pages of said original electronic document and enabling a computer user to apply formatting changes to less than all of said pages of said copy free from changing said original electronic document including grouping pages of said copy by manipulating said image and cause said printing device to print at least a portion of said copy with said formatting changes.
9. The printing interface of claim 8 wherein a page to which a formatting change has been applied through said user interface is represented by an icon on said graphical display.
10. A printing interface for a computer system having an application program for creating an original electronic document having a plurality of pages and a printing device for reproducing said electronic document as printed output, said printing interface comprising:
(a) a receiver receiving a copy of said original electronic document; and
(b) a user interface comprising a graphical display of an image for a plurality of pages of said original electronic document and enabling a computer user by manipulation of said image to apply formatting changes to said copy, free from changing said original electronic document, to cause said printing device to insert a blank page between two of said plurality of pages of said printed output.
11. The printing interface of claim 10 wherein a page to which a formatting change has been applied through said user interface is represented by an icon on said graphical display.