Abstract: A printing apparatus which enables a user to verify a tape information at any selected time, including immediately before printing, thereby optimizing printing processes, and also prevents performing printing contrary to the intentions of the user, caused by, for example, cartridge mounting mistakes. Further, a technology for controlling the printing apparatus is also provided. A printing apparatus 1 for printing a printing data on a tape is provided with a tape identification sensor 142 for detecting the width of a tape mounted in the printing apparatus 1, an operating portion 11 for setting a tape width setting value that is reflected in the printing data, and a display 306 that outputs the tape width information in a state that is recognizable to a user before printing commences, and after the tape width information is output, the operating portion 11 accepts a user's operation for designating execution of printing that reflects the tape width setting value or cancellation of the printing designation.

Abstract: There are provided a tape printing apparatus that is capable of enhancing the operability thereof in inputting text data by providing an edit area aside from a text data input area where text data can be input, on a display screen, and a data input processing method therefor. The inputted data is recognized in a manner distinguishing between data within the maximum printable number of lines and data in excess of the maximum printable number of lines. Of the inputted data, there are displayed not only the data recognized to be within the maximum printable number of lines but also data of a predetermined number of lines in excess of the maximum printable number of lines.

Abstract: In a method of processing a character in a tape printer, the tape printer has an editing storage area including an editing operation sub-area for editing an inputted character string and a registration sub-area for registering and saving a character string to be used later. The method is made up of a first step of securing a temporary area for temporarily storing a character string outside the editing storage area, a second step of storing a character string stored in the editing operation sub-area into the temporary area after the first step, a third step of storing a character string stored in the registration sub-area into the editing operation sub-area after the second step, a fourth step of storing the character string stored in the temporary area into the registration sub-area after the third step, and a fifth step of releasing the temporary area after the fourth step.

Abstract: A printing apparatus which enables a user to verify a tape information at any selected time, including immediately before printing, thereby optimizing printing processes, and also prevents performing printing contrary to the intentions of the user, caused by, for example, cartridge mounting mistakes. Further, a technology for controlling the printing apparatus is also provided. A printing apparatus 1 for printing a printing data on a tape is provided with a tape identification sensor 142 for detecting the width of a tape mounted in the printing apparatus 1, an operating portion 11 for setting a tape width setting value that is reflected in the printing data, and a display 306 that outputs the tape width information in a state that is recognizable to a user before printing commences, and after the tape width information is output, the operating portion 11 accepts a user's operation for designating execution of printing that reflects the tape width setting value or cancellation of the printing designation.

Abstract: A main image and a background image are formed using colors each defined by a set of n-valued basic color gradation values each having any one of n possible values (n is an integer equal to or larger than 3) and defining a gradation value of a corresponding one of a predetermined set of basic colors. Different data items representative of candidates for the background image are stored as background image data candidates. Different sets of the basic gradation values corresponding respectively to the background image data candidates are stored as candidates for a main image gradation value set commonly applied to all valid pixels of the main image. One of the background image data candidates is arbitrarily set to a background image data item representative of the background image.

Abstract: A label to be attached to a linear or bar-shaped object is created by printing on a translucent printing tape and cutting off a printed tape part in a width direction of the printing tape. For creating the label, the printed tape part is divided parallel to its longitudinal direction and a print region where printing is performed is set. Printing is performed in the print region and the printed tape part is cut off. This region setting is performed in such a manner that the print region is overlaid with a non-print region, i.e., a non-print part in attaching the label around the object from an edge portion of the printed tape part in its width direction.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing characters on a printing tape for use as a label to be adhered to an article for adhesion has a display for displaying characters inputted into the printing apparatus, a printer for printing the inputted characters on the printing tape, an automatic setting device for automatically setting a print size of the characters according to a tape width of a loaded printing tape, and selection setting device for selectively setting the print size of the characters from among a plurality of print sizes determined in stages. The selection setting device has a fixed-size setting device capable of selectively setting a specific print size corresponding to a selected concrete article for adhesion.

Abstract: In a character information processor adapted to print an input character string in accordance with a designated printing attribute on a print medium which is limited in at least one of the transversal or longitudinal directions, the type of currently loaded print medium is detected; a fixed phrase is selected by a user from a plurality of stored fixed phrases; and the selected fixed phrase is printed in accordance with a printing attribute determined by the detected type of the print medium and stored fixed phrase information.

Abstract: A synthesized image is formed by synthesizing a main image and a background mage represented by respective image data items each having n-valued gradation values each having any one of n possible values(n is an integer which is equal to or larger than 3) and defining a density of pixels. A plurality of different data items representative of candidates for the background image are stored as background image data candidates. An arbitrary one of the background image data candidates is set to a background image data item representative of the background image. There is formed a main image data item forming a main image data item representative of the main image, the main image data item having n-valued main image gradation values commonly applied to all valid pixels of the main image, as values of the n-value gradation values.

Abstract: There is provided a color printing apparatus capable of easily and rapidly setting the color for each of edited items relating to color without lowering the degree of freedom of setting even if there are a large number of selectable edited items relating to color. The color printing apparatus has previously stored a plurality of sets of combinations of set values for a plurality of edited items relating to the color of the printed image, allows a user to select any one of the combinations of set values, and stores the set values of the selected combination along with the printed image so that the stored set values are rewritable by separately setting the edited items relating to the color of the printed image.

Abstract: There is provided a tape printing apparatus which is capable of positively discharging a cut-off tape strip of a tape material out of the apparatus by forcibly discharging the same, thereby preventing jamming and double cutting of the tape material. A full-cutting device for cutting a printed strip off the tape material is arranged at a location downstream of a printing section in a tape-feeding direction. A half-cutting device carries out half-cutting of the tape material. A tape discharge device forcibly discharges the cut-off tape strip out of the apparatus via a tape exit.

Abstract: There is provided a tape printing apparatus and method that enables reliable discharge of a cut-off tape strip from the apparatus. Print data to be printed is input, and a tape length tp (tp>0) is calculated based on the input print data. Then, a tape length t is set based on the calculation tape length tp, and a tape is cut to the set tape length t. In the step of setting the tape length, it is determined whether or not the calculation tape length tp is smaller than a length (a+x) obtained by adding a predetermined length x (x≧0) to a length a (a≧0) between a cutting position at which the tape is cut through and a position of an exit via which a cut-off strip of the tape is discharged out of an apparatus. Then, when it is determined that tp<(a+x) holds, the tape length t is set such that t≧(a+x) holds, whereas when it is determined that tp≧(a+x) holds, the tape length t is set such that t=tp holds.

Abstract: The apparatus recognizes line length of character strings and judges if a line is longer than a threshold length. Slewing addition control divides a character string longer than the threshold length into two lines. When the number of inputted characters exceeds that allowed in the line, that part of the character string having the number of characters allowed for the line and that part of the characters overflowing the number of characters allowed in the line are displayed in different manners. The apparatus also calculates a ratio of lengths of a pair of specific lines to one or more other pairs, determines a character-size-type based on the ratios thus obtained, determines basic character sizes of the respective lines based on the character-size-type and then determines a character size for each line based on the length information and the basic character size of each line.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing characters on a printing tape for use as a label to be adhered to an article for adhesion has a display for displaying characters inputted into the printing apparatus, a printer for printing the inputted characters on the printing tape, an automatic setting device for automatically setting a print size of the characters according to a tape width of a loaded printing tape, and selection setting device for selectively setting the print size of the characters from among a plurality of print sizes determined in stages. The selection setting device has a fixed-size setting device capable of selectively setting a specific print size corresponding to a selected concrete article for adhesion.

Abstract: In a method of processing a character in a tape printer, the tape printer has an editing storage area including an editing operation sub-area for editing an inputted character string and a registration sub-area for registering and saving a character string to be used later. The method is made up of a first step of securing a temporary area for temporarily storing a character string outside the editing storage area, a second step of storing a character string stored in the editing operation sub-area into the temporary area after the first step, a third step of storing a character string stored in the registration sub-area into the editing operation sub-area after the second step, a fourth step of storing the character string stored in the temporary area into the registration sub-area after the third step, and a fifth step of releasing the temporary area after the fourth step.

Abstract: A tape printing apparatus is provided which has a high flexibility in the combination of half-cutting and full-cutting, and is capable of cutting a tape material as desired. A tape feeding section feeds a tape material in the form of a laminate of a printing tape and a peel-off paper. A printing section prints on the tape material being fed by the tape feeding means. A full-cutting device is arranged at a location downstream of the printing section in a tape-feeding direction, for cutting off the tape material. A half-cutting device is arranged at a location downstream of the printing device, for carrying out half-cutting to cut off one of the printing tape and the peel-off tape of the tape material. A control section individually and separately controls the tape feeding section, the printing section, the full-cutting device, and the half-cutting device.

Abstract: A monochrome display device easily and clearly distinguishes a multicolored character image from a multicolored background image by employing four gradations of monochrome. First and second monochrome gradations are assigned to any respective non-colored and colored elements of the background image and third and fourth monochrome gradations are assigned to any respective non-colored and colored elements of the character image to display a composite image of the background image and the character image.