Print control apparatus, image forming system, print control method, and printed-matter manufacturing method

摘要

A print control apparatus includes a generating unit that generates color image data based on gloss-control image data, the gloss-control image data containing a gloss control value for identifying a type of a surface effect being a visual or a tactile effect applied to the recording medium and for identifying a region to which the surface effect is applied in the recording medium, and generates clear-toner image data based on presence or absence of at least one post processing device connected to the printing device and based on a type of the post processing device; a post-processing control unit that controls the post processing device in accordance with the presence or absence of the post processing device connected to the printing device and the type of the post processing device; and an output unit that outputs the clear-toner image data.

主权项

1. A print control apparatus that controls a printing device, wherein
the printing device is equipped with at least one color toner that is colored and at least one clear toner that is colorless, and forms an image on a recording medium based on clear-toner image data used for attaching the clear toner, the print control apparatus comprising:
a storage that stores therein, for each fixing device that attaches the clear toner to the recording medium, correspondence information indicating a correspondence relation between a type of surface effect and clear-toner image data to be applied by the respective fixing device, the type of surface effect being visual or tactile applied to the recording medium; andcircuitry configured as
a generating unit that, when the type of the surface effect is designated, generates the clear-toner image data, whose type is different in accordance with the fixing device, in accordance with the type of surface effect based on the correspondence information; andan output unit that outputs the generated clear-toner image data,wherein
when a high gloss effect is designated as the type of surface effect, the generating unit generates the clear-toner image data by using a predetermined inverse mask pattern, and when a gloss suppressing effect is designated as the type of surface effect, the generating unit generates the clear-toner image data using a predetermined halftone pattern.