Abstract: A printing system that comprises a host computer 50 and a printer 10 in combination. As the printer 10, is used one that can process a first class print request including a control program and print data and a second class print request including only print data, and, when an ID output request is received, sends a control program ID as identification information of a control program stored inside the printer 10 at that point of time. Printer control software 20a is installed on the host computer 50 to put the computer 50 in a state that, when a print request is to be outputted to the printer 10, the computer 50 verifies whether a required control program is stored within the printer 10, and the computer 50 sends a second class print request to the printer 10, when storing of the control program is verified, and sends a first class print request to the printer 10, when storing of the control program is not verified.

Abstract: A general-purpose system for enabling the user to easily enter characters whose contents are hard to understand at a glance, such as bar codes, by using a general-purpose application program such as a wordprocessor is provided. For this purpose, a printer driver comprising a font file storing a display font and a bar code record font corresponding to the display font and a conversion function of converting display font codes into record font codes is provided. When a bar code is entered in an application program, a legible display font corresponding to the bar code can be used. On the other hand, when the bar code is printed, the printer driver compatible with a given printer converts the display font into a bar code record font and supplies the bar code record font. Thus, a high-accuracy bar code is printed in accordance with the standard.

Abstract: A printing system that comprises a host computer 50 and a printer 10 in combination. As the printer 10, is used one that can process a first class print request including a control program and print data and a second class print request including only print data, and, when an ID output request is received, sends a control program ID as identification information of a control program stored inside the printer 10 at that point of time. Printer control software 20a is installed on the host computer 50 to put the computer 50 in a state that, when a print request is to be outputted to the printer 10, the computer 50 verifies whether a required control program is stored within the printer 10, and the computer 50 sends a second class print request to the printer 10, when storing of the control program is verified, and sends a first class print request to the printer 10, when storing of the control program is not verified.

Abstract: A general-purpose system for enabling the user to easily enter characters whose contensts are hard to understand at a glance, such as bar codes, by using a general-purpose application program such as a wordprocessor is provided. For this purpose, a printer driver comprising a font file storing a display font and a bar code record font corresponding to the display font and a conversion function of converting display font codes into record font codes is provided. When a bar code is entered in an application program, a legible display font corresonding to the bar code can be used. On the other hand, when the bar code is printed, the priner driver compatible with a given printer converts the display font into a bar code record font and supplies the bar code record font. Thus, a high-accuracy bar code is printed in accordance with the standard.