JPH09319860A - Map information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it easy to display and edit data stored in an external data base by associating a map information processing system and the external data base with each other by a dynamic data exchange(DDE). SOLUTION: A controller 10 and the external data base 50 transfer data to each other through a DDE interface 22. Map information on housing maps, etc., and symbol information of building exterior drawings, symbol figures, etc., are stored in an image file 32. This map and image information are displayed on a display device 4. When a desired symbol on a map is selected, a related macro list and/or a related file list which is made to correspond to the symbol is extracted through a management table 40 and a macrofile storage part 38 and displayed. The controller 10 reads record information, corresponding to the symbol out of the external data base 50 and displays it.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a map information processing method for inputting map information and performing data processing in cooperation with an external database, and particularly to easy inputting of raster map information and cooperation with an external database. Map information processing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a map information processing system, since one system and one data are basic, generally, a built-in simple database dedicated to map information processing is prepared in advance,
Only the necessary information is extracted from the external database in use and transferred to the built-in simple database, and the built-in database and the map information are linked and displayed / edited.

[0003]

However, according to such a conventional method, the contents of the external database cannot be directly updated / changed from the map information processing system, there is a time delay in data input from the database to the map information processing system, and real time The operation method of an external database that cannot operate the database information and map information processing
There is a problem that the user has to learn the operation method of the map information processing system and the two kinds of operation methods separately, which increases the burden on the user to learn the operation. By the way, a feature recently added to some general purpose computer programs is interprocess communication. By interprocess communication,
Computer programs are able to transfer data to each other via a communication channel. Interprocess communication is commonly used to synchronize programs, request data from programs, and transfer data to programs. Microsoft Corporation has developed a standard interprocess communication mechanism for application programs. This mechanism is called Dynamic Data Exchange (hereinafter abbreviated as DDE) or Object Linking and Embedding (hereinafter abbreviated as OLE). With this DDE
An interprocess communication means is provided for programs developed for the window environment of s). Windows DD
The features of E are described in the Microsoft System Journal, November 1987, "Microsoft Windows Programmer's Reference." DDE
Is performed by message passing. DDE
Is commonly used to allow two application programs to share data. A specific example of this use is introduced in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-208459. Thus, DDE provides a mechanism for one program to share and update data with another program. In general, developers of application programs that use DDE publish their DDE interface. For example, a developer of a spreadsheet program might list the messages that this program identifies,
It publishes how this program responds to these messages. In some generic application programs, these messages are defined so that each function that can be performed on the application program via the user interface can be performed via the DDE. Because of the use of these sophisticated general purpose programs, it is preferable to have methods and systems that are easy to use. The present invention has been made under the circumstances as described above, and an object of the present invention is to link a map information processing system and an external database with DDE or OLE so that data stored in the external database can be used as map information. It is to provide a map information processing method which can be shared by the processing systems and can easily display / edit the data accumulated in the database.

[0004]

The present invention relates to a map information processing method for inputting map information and processing the data in cooperation with an external database. The above object of the present invention is to provide the map information processing method as described above. Displaying map information and predetermined symbol information based on the displayed map information; selecting a desired symbol from the displayed plurality of symbol information; and associating with the selected symbol. Presenting related information, selecting desired related information from the presented related information, and transferring the selected related information to the external database via an inter-process communication interface. Is provided and the external database information can be displayed and edited in cooperation with the map information.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a main part of the map information processing system of the present invention, and the outline of the present invention will be described with reference to the same figure. In the same figure, map information such as a 1/1500 residential map, external views, symbol information such as symbol graphics are stored in the image file 32. This map / image information is displayed on the display device 4, and the user uses the input device 2 having operation means such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a light pen to symbolize a desired position on the map image surrounding the area. Draw and specify. The drawn symbol information is used for the control device 10
By the symbol information registration means 16 in the storage means 30
It is registered in the symbol information storage unit 34 therein. The user is
Character information, which is a key for managing the place drawn and drawn, is input from the input device 2 such as a keyboard. The character information input to the control unit 10 via the input device 2 is registered in the character information storage unit 36 in the storage unit 30 by the character information registration unit 14. The correspondence between the registered symbol information and character information is registered and managed in the management table 40 in the storage means 30. A plurality of the above-mentioned character information can be registered in one place, and the same character information can be registered in a plurality of places. Further, the above-mentioned character information registered by the user can be used as a search key to search for a corresponding position on the image. When a search instruction is issued, the image position searching means in the control device 10 can be searched. The symbol information registered corresponding to the search key information is searched by 18 and the position on the image is calculated based on the symbol information. Then, the display control means 12 in the control device 10 displays the map image including the position on the display device 4. As described above, the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 has a search function for obtaining a position on the image by using the registered character information as a search key, in addition to the function of adding the related information. Furthermore, the control device 10 and the external database 50 are connected to each other by an interprocess communication mechanism DD.
It is possible to transfer data to each other via E22, and the control device 10 side starts communication with the external database 50 independently of the above-mentioned key information corresponding to each symbol, and cooperates with each other. A macro file registering means 20 for performing the above is provided, and a macro file edited by an ordinary editor or the like is associated with each symbol via the macro file registering means 20 and stored in the macro file storing section 38 in the storing means 30. It is supposed to be registered.

In such a configuration, the operation is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. Here, 1 /
A procedure for adding the related information related to the place to an arbitrary place on the 1500-raster format residential map will be described. First, FIG. 3 shows a file configuration example of the image file 32 in which the image information of the map is stored,
The displayed image of the house map can display an arbitrary portion by displaying the portion by designating a page, designating a place name, and the like, and then scrolling the image in a designated direction. Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the user uses the map portion including the place P1 to which information is to be added, for example, the image portion 1 of FIG.
(Step S2). Then, the user is shown in FIG.
As shown in (B), the corresponding place P on the displayed image
1 is designated by drawing a symbol G1 surrounding the area (step S4). When the relevant place P1 is designated, the symbol information registration means 16 in the control device 10 stores the coordinate information on the image as symbol information in the symbol information storage unit 34 together with the drawing information of the drawn symbol G1.
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, assuming that the display area of the display device 4 has a width of 400 dots and a height of 200 dots, the coordinate value (180, 110) of the upper left corner of the symbol display area is used as the image file of the display image section. It is stored as the coordinate information of the symbol G1 together with the above position information (step S4). Then, the user gives an instruction to register the search key information corresponding to the location P1. FIG. 6 shows an example of a registration screen when the search key information is directly input from a keyboard or the like. The search key information to be registered (in the present invention, the character information becomes the search key of the corresponding place P1). , Display unit 4
Input in the text box Wa in a. As the search key information, for example, a character string "-machi-chome xxx" indicating the address of the partial place P1 on the map, customer information, or any character string indicating information for managing the place is input. In the figure, the search key KEY for the symbol G1
After inputting G12, when the add button is instructed, the search key KEYG12 is registered and additionally displayed in the display window Wb showing the registered search key information list for the symbol G1 (in the figure, KEYG11 is already registered). (Step S8). Next, the user uses a general editor to create a related macro program for the external database 50 corresponding to the location P1. This related macro program has, for example, a file name: equipment management G1. The following formula is given as mms.

[0007]

[Equation 1] # macro Equipment management report display Ddeconnect (“Microsoft Access”, “sample.mdb”) DdeExecute (“Openform%“ form 1% ”,,%” [Number]
= '0001'% ”]”) DdeDisconnect () #end

When the creation of the related macro program is completed in this way, the user selects and clicks the "Edit Related Macro" command from the main menu of the Windows environment of the present invention. Then, the related macro addition / deletion menu screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed, and the file name: equipment management G1. After keying in mms, the add button is clicked (step S8). By this additional registration processing, a macro program for the external database 50 is registered corresponding to the symbol G1 (step S10). Similarly, when the search key information is input and the user instructs registration, the character information registration means 14 associates the corresponding symbol information with the search key information, and stores the search key information in the character information storage unit. 36 (step S10). Here, a specific example of the method of associating the symbol information and the related information will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, first, the symbol information registration means 16 sets the symbol information G1, G2, ... GN to the symbol information. When registering in the storage unit 34, management information K1, K2, ... K
N is given and the storage address G of the management information and the symbol information G
1a, G2a, G3a are registered in the management table 40.
Then, the character information registration means 14 causes the search key information KEYG1.
When registering 1 to KEYG 32, the search key information is registered in the character information storage unit 36 together with the management information corresponding to the corresponding symbol information. In the example of FIG. 8, the search key information corresponding to the symbol information G1 is KEYG11 and KEYG12, the search key information corresponding to the symbol information G2 is KEYG12, and the search key information corresponding to the symbol information Gn is KEYGn1. In this way, a plurality of search key information may be designated for one symbol information, and the correspondence between the symbol information and the search key information is arbitrary, such as the same search key information for a plurality of symbol information. Can be designated and registered (step S10). Further, the macro file registration means 20 generates symbol related information: LNK_LST in association with each symbol information. As shown in FIG. 9, this symbol related information is formed in the form of a related macro information list or a related file information list, and the external database 5 to be executed when the symbol on the map is clicked.
The equipment management information, the sales performance management information, the replacement part management information, the maintenance management information, the quotation, the external view, the floor plan, etc. of 0 are sequentially connected and registered. For example, when it is desired to display / update the sales status and maintenance status of the store G1 via the external database 50 in association with the symbol information G1, first, an operation of displaying the external database (eg, Access) is performed. Macro file: Sales management G1. mms is input as the related macro file name, and subsequently, as the equipment management related information, the related macro file name: equipment management G1. 9 mms data is input, and thereafter, similarly, macro commands to be displayed and operated in association with the symbol information G1 are sequentially input.
In the example, finally, maintenance management G1. The mms file is associated and data is input. The related information thus input is stored in the macro file storage unit 38 by the macro file registration means 20 (step S10). In the example of FIG. 9, a plurality of related macro information is registered for one symbol information, and the file type is an external database including DDE communication means such as Excel, Infomix, and dBase. Any external database can be used if it exists. In addition, if external views, floor plans, floor plans, etc. are created in advance as bitmap image data and registered, the external view file names and floor plans will be added to the related file information list that has the same data structure as the related macro information list described above. By registering the drawing file name, it is possible to select symbols on the map and display these bitmap image data.

Next, the map information processing system 1 of the present invention
00 and the external database 50 will be described with reference to FIG. 10 to FIG. In such a cooperative processing operation, the map information processing system 100 is activated first, the external database 50 is in a waiting state, and the external database 50 is activated via the DDE communication channel. There are two types of cooperative operations when activating the standby map information processing system 100, but the flowchart of FIG. 10 describes the operation of activating the external database 50 from the map information processing system 100 and executing the cooperative processing. To do. First, the user activates the map information processing system 100, and the pre-registered 1/1500
The raster map image file in which the raster-format residential map or the like is stored is selected (step S100). Then, the map image file selected by the map information processing system 100 is called, and, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, a raster format residential map is displayed on the display device 4. Therefore,
Users are provided on the right and bottom sides of the screen,
The display position of the map is moved so as to obtain a desired display range by operating the lower, left, and right movement buttons. Alternatively, the display location is specified by the search key, or the screen is enlarged / reduced and converted to the desired location (step S102).
Subsequently, when the user moves to a desired place on the map, he or she operates a mouse or the like to click a desired section on the map (section G1 in the example of FIG. 11) and selects a desired symbol (step S104). ). Thus, when the desired symbol G1 is selected, the related macro list and / or the related file list associated with this symbol are extracted via the management table 40 and the macro file storage unit 38,
It is displayed as shown in FIG. 12 (step S10). Therefore, the user selects a related macro / file to be executed from the presented related macro / file list (step S108). In the example of FIG. 12, when the equipment management form is selected and the OK button on the right side of the same figure is clicked, the selected related macro command is executed (step S11).
0). By the way, when a macro command file such as Formula 1 is stored as the equipment management report in association with the symbol G1, the control device 10 first opens the DDE communication channel designating the external database 50 (step (S112), and subsequently, the DdeExecute () command is transferred from the control device 10 to the external database 50 by designating the display form name, the record condition corresponding to the symbol G1, and the like (step S114). Thus, when the external database 50 is activated, the external database 50 reads the record information corresponding to the symbol G1 and displays the record information of the symbol G1 as shown in FIG. 13 according to the display form condition (step S152). That is, in the example of FIG. 13, the external database 50 is activated in the front with the operation screen of the map information processing system 100 as the background, and the user sets the facility management status for the house of the symbol G1 on the map screen to the corresponding facility. You can easily read from the database and display it just by clicking the installation location. Further, since the data stored in the external database 50 can be updated directly from the display screen of the external database 50, it is possible to prevent erroneous operations on other data input records that should not be erroneously input. Thus, when the display / update processing of the data of the external database 50 is completed, the DDE channel is disconnected (step S116), and the execution step S1 of the related macro is executed.
10 ends. Next, if there is a data display / update process for another symbol (step S1).
20) Return to step S102 or S104 to select a symbol at another place on the map or move the displayed map image vertically or horizontally to select another symbol, and then perform steps S104 to S116. The operation of is repeated. Next, an example of activating the map information processing system 100 from the external database 50 and executing the cooperative processing operation will be described. In this example, a start button 300 of the map information processing system 100 is provided in advance in the operation menu screen of the external database 50 as shown in FIG. 14, and the following command file is executed corresponding to this start button 300. To be prepared.

[0010]

[Equation 2] Function OpenMapFix () Chan = DDEInitiate (“MAPIN”, “System”) DDEExecute Chan, “[open (“ “mapin0.miv” ”)]” DDEExecute Chan, “Search” DDETerminate Chan End Function

Then, the user first activates the external database 50, and from the database operation screen as shown in FIG. 14, the activation button 3 of the map information processing system 100.
When 00 is clicked, the command file as shown in the above equation 2 is executed. That is, in the above-mentioned command file, first, the DDEInitiate () command is used to transfer between the external database 50 and the map information processing system 100.
The DDE channel is opened (step S20 in FIG. 15).
0, S202). Next, from the external database 50, DDEE
Transfer the xecute (Open) command to the desired map file (Equation 2)
In this example, the map information processing system 10 is instructed to display the mapin0.miv file (step S204).
0 is activated, and the operation screen as shown in FIG. 11 is displayed in a superimposed manner (step S206). Next, external database 5
DDEExecute (Searc with search key entered separately from 0
h) When the command is transferred to the map information processing system 100 (step S208), the map information processing system 100 sequentially refers to the search keys stored in the management table 40 and executes a search for a desired symbol (this operation is
For example, it is described in Japanese Patent Application No. 7-30273 by the present applicant) (step S210). Then, when the symbol searched by the search key can be detected, the coordinate data is adjusted so that the symbol is displayed near the center of the display screen and the residential map is displayed on the display device 4 as shown in FIG. 11 (step S212). ). When the desired symbol, for example, the symbol G1 is clicked on the house map thus displayed (step S104), the related macro / file list corresponding to the selected symbol is displayed as shown in FIG. 12 in the same manner as the flowchart of FIG. Then, when one of the related macros / files to be executed is selected from this list and the OK button is clicked (step S106), the selected related macro / file is executed (step S110). Therefore, the external database 50 and the map information processing system 100 can be repeatedly activated / executed with each other, and the map information processing system 100 can share the storage data of the external database 50 and operate cooperatively.

[0012]

As described above, in the map information processing system of the present invention, it becomes possible to perform interprocess communication between the map information processing system and an external database by the DDE interface means, and the external database can be used. Since the stored data can be shared by the map information processing system, erroneous operations can be reduced in the data input / update processing of the external database, and it becomes easy to display sales record data for each house on the map. The information processing system has an advantage that data such as customer distribution, population distribution, and market analysis can be easily displayed as a graph from an external database.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a map information processing system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining a symbol information registration operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of an image file used in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of an image position specifying method according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of an image position storing method according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of a search key information registration method of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an edit work screen of a related macro related to the symbol of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a data structure of symbol information of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of symbol related information of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an example of a flowchart for explaining a linking operation between the system of the present invention and an external database.

FIG. 11 is an example of an operation screen of the map information processing system of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an example of a related macro / file execution menu selection screen of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an example of a screen in which an external database is activated by the linking operation of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an example of a menu screen for activating the system of the present invention from an external database.

FIG. 15 is an example of a flowchart for explaining the operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 input device 4 display device 10 control device 12 display control means 14 character information registration means 16 symbol information registration means 18 image position search means 20 macro file registration means 22 DDE interface means 30 storage means 50 external database 100 map information processing system

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A map information processing method for inputting map information and processing data in cooperation with an external database,
The map information processing method includes a step of displaying map information and predetermined symbol information based on the input map information; a step of selecting a desired symbol from the displayed plurality of symbol information; Presenting related information associated with the selected symbol, selecting desired related information from the presented related information, and selecting the selected related information via an inter-process communication interface. And a step of transferring the external database information to the external database so that the external database information can be displayed and edited in cooperation with the map information. 2. The map information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the inter-process communication interface is a dynamic data exchange executed in a Windows environment. 3. The map information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the map information is raster map information.