Information processing apparatus, printer driver, print setting method and data structure

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage section for storing function information on a function provided in a printing device; and

a creating section for creating a data structure based on the function information, the data structure including:

a data section for storing actual data of a setting value for the function; and

an index section for storing information for accessing the actual data of the setting value,

wherein in addition to the setting value for a printer driver which gives a printing instruction to the printing device, the creating section allows the data section to store the setting value which can be used by at least one of a printer driver which gives the printing instruction to the printing device of a different model and the printer driver of a different version.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the creating section allows the data section to store the setting value for the function provided in the printing device and the setting value for the function of an old version.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a reading section for reading the setting value stored in the data structure;

a judgment section which determines whether the setting value for each of the function has compatibility enabling the setting value to be taken over to the printer driver of the information processing apparatus;

a converting section for converting the setting value into the setting value which can be used by the printer driver of the information processing apparatus when the conversion is determined to be necessary by the judgment section; and

a writing section for writing the converted setting value in the data structure.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the data structure is a DEVMODE structure.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a printer driver operated in an apparatus which gives a printing instruction to a printing device, the printer driver allowing the apparatus to function as a creating section which creates a data structure based on function information on a function provided in the printing device, the function information having been stored in advance and the data structure comprising:

a data section which stores actual data of a setting value for the function; and

an index section whit stores information for accessing the actual data of the setting value,

wherein in addition to the setting value for the printer driver, the creating section allows the data section to store the setting value which carne used by at least one of a printer driver which gives the printing instruction to the printing device of a different model and the printer driver of a different version.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 5 ,

wherein the creating section allows the data section to store the setting value for the function provided in the printing device and the setting value for the function of an old version.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 5 , the printer driver further allowing the apparatus to function as:

a reading section for reading the setting value stored in the data structure;

a judgment section which determines whether the setting value for each of the function has compatibility enabling the setting value to be taken over to the printer driver;

a converting section for converting the setting value into the setting value which can be used by the printer driver when the conversion is determined to be necessary by the judgment section; and

a writing section for writing the converted setting value in the data structure.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 5 ,

wherein the data structure is a DEVMODE structure.

9. A print setting method in an apparatus which gives a printing instruction to a printing device, the print setting method comprising:

creating a data structure based on function information on a function provided in the printing device, the function information having been stored in advance and the data structure including:

a data section which stores actual data of a setting value for the function; and

an index section which stores information for accessing the actual data of the setting value,

wherein, in the creating step, in addition to the setting value fix a printer driver for giving the printing instruction to the printing device, the setting value which can be used by at least one of a printer driver which gives the printing instruction to the printing device of a different model and the printer driver of a different version is stored in the data section.

10. The print setting method of claim 9 ,

wherein in the creating step, the setting value for the function provided in the printing device and the setting value for the function of art old version are stored in the data section.

11. The print setting method of claim 9 , further comprising:

reading the setting value stored in the data structure;

determining whether the setting value for each of the function has compatibility enabling the setting value to be taken over to the printer driver of the apparatus;

converting the setting value into the setting value which can be used by the printer driver of the apparatus when the conversion is determined to be necessary in the determining step; and

writing the converted setting value in the data structure.

12. The print setting method of claim 9 ,

wherein the data structure is a DEVMODE structure.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a data structure created by an apparatus which gives a printing instruction to a printing device, the data structure comprising:

a data section which stores actual data of a setting value for a function provided in the printing device; and

an index section which stores information for accessing the actual data of the setting value,

wherein in addition to the setting value for the printer driver for giving the printing instruction to the printing device, the data section stores the setting value which can be used by at least one of a printer driver which gives the printing instruction to the printing device of a different model and the printer driver of a different version.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 13 ,

wherein the data section has the setting value for the function provided in the printing device and the setting value for the function of an old version.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 13 ,

wherein the data structure is a DEVMODE structure.