JP2002117367A - Business form output device, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a business form output device capable of changing an output form corresponding to the data content, and forming a business form easily in a short time, and a storage medium for memorizing its processing program. SOLUTION: In this business form output device 1, a data file 80 and a layout definition information file 81 are combined together, to form an intermediate form information file 82 for memorizing the data content and the arrangement position of the data. The business form in the intermediate form is outputted on a display screen based on the intermediate form information file 82, and a coloring range, a classification condition of the colored data and the kind of the color are set on the display screen. The intermediate form information file 82 is read again, and it is judged whether the read data are included in the coloring range or not. When the data are in the coloring range, the background of a regional coordinate of the data is colored by the designated color and outputted as the business form.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a form output device for defining a form output layout, and a storage medium for storing a processing program for the form output apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a form is created using application software or the like, output positions, font sizes, and the like are set in advance as layout definition information, and data created by an application is displayed according to the layout definition information. Output to device and printing device. In such a form output device, data included in a certain item is
The data can be color-coded for each content to clarify the data division.

[0003] For example, when the test scores are classified, if the score is 80 or more, the background of the data output area is colored as red, 40 to 80 points as yellow, and 40 or less as blue, and the data contents are clearly classified. can do. As described above, when coloring is performed on the background of the data output area in accordance with the data, it is necessary to set in advance the items to be colored, the sorting conditions of the data to be colored, and the types of colors to be colored. Therefore, the item to be colored is defined as coloring range information, the data classification condition to be colored, and the type of color to be colored is defined as color setting information.

In the above example in which the test scores are classified, the items to be colored are regarded as test scores, and the data to be colored are classified into conditions of 80 or more, 40 to 80 points, and 40 points.
It is divided into the following three points. Then, the colors of the background to be colored are set to red, yellow, and blue in descending order of the scores, so that the data is color-coded.

Conventionally, the coloring range information and the color setting information are
It is defined together with other layout definition information such as the output position and font size, and is stored in the same file as these definition information. When outputting a form to a display device or a printing device, the layout definition information and the data file are read, and display and printing are performed according to the layout definition information.

[0006]

However, conventionally, since all the layout definition information is stored in the layout definition information file, even if only the type of the background color to be colored is changed, the coloring range information and It is necessary to reset the layout definition information other than the color setting information, and the resetting operation and the resetting process take a long time, and it is difficult to apply to the business use where the evaluation standard constantly changes.

In addition, when coloring a form from a new different viewpoint, it is necessary to change the layout design and perform data processing again. To change the layout design, layout design software must be used. There is a problem that it is difficult for the business operator because technical knowledge is required.

An object of the present invention is to provide a form output device that changes the output form in accordance with the data content and creates a form easily and in a short time, and a storage medium for storing a processing program therefor.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A form output device that arranges a plurality of data read from the database based on preset form layout definition information, identifies the data in a specified output form, and outputs the data on the form (for example, as shown in FIG. 1). A form output device 1), which determines an arrangement position of each data read from the database based on the layout definition information, and associates each data with the determined arrangement position information in an intermediate format document Data conversion means (for example, CPU 2 for performing an intermediate format conversion process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5) for converting the data into data, and storage means for storing the intermediate format document data converted by the data conversion means (for example, FIG. 1) Storage device 8) and the arrangement stored in the intermediate format document data stored in the storage means. Display control means (for example, CPU 2 for performing an intermediate format display process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6) for arranging each data on the display screen of the display means based on the placement information, and newly displaying the form on the display screen. Area designating means for designating the area for data whose output mode is to be changed (for example, the CPU which performs the processing shown in step S31 of FIG. 7)
2) and based on the arrangement position information stored in the intermediate format document data, recognizes the data selected by the area specification of the area specification means, and converts the recognized data in the new output form. Output control means (for example, CPU 2 for performing a coloring process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7) for outputting on a form.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of data read from a database are arranged based on preset layout definition information of a form, and are identified by a specified output form to form the form. A form output device for outputting the above data, wherein the data conversion means determines an arrangement position of each data read from the database based on the layout definition information, and associates each data with the determined arrangement position information. The document data is converted into the intermediate format document data, the storage device stores the intermediate format document data converted by the data conversion device, and the display control device stores the intermediate format document data stored by the storage device. Based on the arrangement position information, each data is arranged on the display screen of the display means and a form is displayed, The area designating means designates data to be newly changed in the output form on the display screen, and the output control means selects the data by the area designating means based on the arrangement position information stored in the intermediate format document data. Recognize the data and output the recognized data on a report in a new output format.If you want to check the data from various viewpoints while changing the output format of the desired data on the report, There is no need to redo the layout design which is necessary and requires time for correction, and the operation can be performed quickly and easily.

In addition, since the form can be created based on the already stored intermediate-format document data without re-searching the database or performing arithmetic processing, the processing can be performed quickly.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a form output device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The present invention is applied to, for example, a host computer or a personal computer connected to a plurality of terminals via a communication line or a bus.

First, the configuration will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part configuration of a form output device 1 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the form output device 1 has a CPU (Central Pro
cessing unit) 2, a display unit 3, an input unit 4, a transmission control unit 5, a RAM 6, a printing device 7, a storage device 8, and a storage medium 9. Each unit except the storage medium 9 is connected by a bus 10.

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 2
An application program designated from among the system program stored in the storage device 8 and various application programs corresponding to the system is stored in the R.
The input data input from the input unit 4 is expanded in a program storage area (not shown) in the AM 6 and various processes are performed in accordance with various instructions input from the input unit 4 in accordance with the application programs stored in the storage device 8. And stores the processing result in the RAM 6.
To display. Then, the processing result stored in the RAM 6 is stored in a storage destination in the storage device designated by the input unit 4.

The CPU 2 executes an intermediate format conversion process (see FIG. 5) based on an intermediate format conversion program stored in the storage device 8 as a form output process, and based on an intermediate format display program, which will be described later. An intermediate format display process (see FIG. 6) is executed, and a later-described coloring process (see FIG. 7) is executed based on the coloring program.

First, in the intermediate format conversion processing, the CPU
2 determines the arrangement position of each data read from the database based on the layout definition information. Then, an intermediate format information file 82 for storing the data content and the output position of the data in association with each other is created and stored in the storage device 8. Here, the layout definition information is
This is the layout definition information designed for the data, and is stored in the storage
Is stored in In the present embodiment, the layout definition information file 81 defines a simple table format layout including three columns of “product name”, “sales amount”, and “target achievement rate” as shown in FIG. Details will be described later.

Next, in the intermediate format display processing, the CPU
2 reads the intermediate format information file 82 created in the intermediate format conversion process, arranges the form frame and each data on the display screen of the display unit 3 according to the read intermediate format information file 82, and displays the form. . This form is a form displayed as an intermediate format in which data can be arranged and re-evaluated.

Further, in the coloring process, the CPU 2
On the form displayed on the display screen of the display unit 3 by the intermediate format display processing, a range of data whose output form is to be changed is newly specified, a data sorting condition to be colored, and a type of color to be colored are specified. . Then, the background of the corresponding data is colored and output on the display screen.

The display unit 3 is a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)
And a display screen such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays on the display screen the contents of data transmitted and received via the input unit 4 and the transmission control unit 5 based on display information input from the CPU 2. Let it.

The input unit 4 includes a keyboard provided with a cursor key, numeric input keys, and various function keys, and outputs a pressing signal corresponding to a key pressed on the keyboard to a CP.
Output to U2. The input unit 4 may include a pointing device such as a mouse and a touch panel, and other input devices as necessary.

The transmission control unit 5 includes a modem (MODEM: MOdulato).
r / DEModulator), terminal adapter (TA: Terminal)
Adapter) for controlling communication with an external device via a communication line such as a telephone line or an ISDN line. A modem is used to communicate with an external device such as a personal computer via a telephone line.
2 is a device that modulates the digital data processed by 2 into an analog signal in the frequency band of the telephone line and demodulates the analog signal input via the telephone line into a digital signal. The terminal adapter is an ISDN line. This is a device for converting an existing interface into an interface corresponding to ISDN in order to perform communication with an external device such as a personal computer via the Internet, and performs communication control for performing communication.

The printing device 7 prints the print data input from the CPU 2 on a printing paper or the like. The printing device 7
Prints a form on printing paper or the like according to form print data input from the CPU 2.

A RAM (Random Access Memory) 6 forms a program storage area for expanding various programs when a designated application program is executed, and the CPU 2 performs an intermediate format conversion process, an intermediate format display process, and a coloring process. A data storage area for storing input instructions, input data, processing results, and the like, which are acquired when performing the operation, is formed.

The storage device 8 has a storage medium 9 in which programs, data and the like are stored in advance, and this storage medium 9 is constituted by a magnetic or optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory. The storage medium 9 is fixedly provided in the storage device 8 or is removably mounted. The storage medium 9 includes various application programs corresponding to the CPU 2 and data processed by each processing program. Is stored.

The program, data, and the like stored in the storage medium 9 are partially or wholly received from the transmission control unit 5 from another device such as a server or a client via a transmission medium such as a network line. The storage medium may be configured to be stored, and the storage medium 9 may be a storage medium of a server constructed on a network. Furthermore, the program may be configured to be transmitted to a server or a client via a transmission medium such as a network line and installed in these devices.

FIG. 2 is an example of a data file 80 stored in an external database (not shown). The data file 80 is a tabular data file, and includes an item portion including a plurality of items and a data portion included in the item. In the present embodiment, the data file 80 includes “item name”, “sales amount”,
The corresponding data is stored as the “target achievement rate”. Note that the data file 80 may have a configuration stored in the storage device 8. In the present embodiment, the data file 80 is configured so that the data file 80 is transmitted from the server or the client via the transmission control unit 5.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the layout definition information file 81 stored in the storage device 8. In this embodiment, the layout definition information file 81 has three columns of "product name", "sales amount", and "target achievement rate". A simple tabular layout is defined. Here, one item surrounded by a dotted line is defined as an item, and one line surrounded by a dashed line, in which the items are grouped as one set of one row, is defined as a record. The items and records are similarly defined for other table formats.

This layout information definition file 81
It is divided into an item part indicating the contents of the data structure and a data part to which data is output. In the item part, the number of items,
An item name, column arrangement information, and the like are defined, and an area for outputting data associated with this item from the data file 80 read from the database is defined in the data portion.

For example, a product name output area is defined for each item at the bottom of the item "product name", and a sales amount output area is defined for each item at the bottom of the item "sales amount". , The target achievement rate output area is defined for each item in the lower row of the “target achievement rate” item.

FIG. 4 shows the result of the intermediate format conversion process shown in FIG.
4 is an example of an intermediate format information file 82 created by associating the data file 80 with the layout definition information file 81 in FIG. In the intermediate format information file 82, data read from the data file 80 is stored in the leftmost column, and the area coordinate information and format read from the layout definition information file 81 are stored in each row corresponding to the data item. Information is stored.

The area coordinate information is information relating to the arrangement position of each item shown in FIG. 3. The area coordinate of each item is the left end, the upper end, the right end, and the lower end. is there. The format information is information that defines the format of the characters of the items and data to be output on the form, where the font, size, and modification are defined.

To explain by taking the "product name" of the item shown in FIG. 4 as an example, the item of "product name" is at the left end:
"1", upper end: "1", right end: "15", lower end: "2"
The format is defined as font: “Gothic”, size: “10P”, and modification: “shading”.

Similarly to the area coordinates of “product name”, “sales amount” and “target achievement rate” defined by the upper end: “1” and the lower end: “2” are displayed in the same record in the form. , Left end: “1”, right end: “A” defined by “15”
D1000 "," AD2000 "," AD3000 ",
“AD4000” is displayed in the same column in the form.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First, the intermediate format conversion processing will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the user instructs the data file to be output in step S11, the CPU 2 sends a data transmission command to the external database and requests the data file 80.

In the reception of the data file 80, first, an item portion indicating a data structure such as an item name, the number of items, and column arrangement information is transmitted, and thereafter, each data is transmitted in a record unit. For this reason, reading and writing of tabular data in the present embodiment are all performed in record units.

The CPU 2 proceeds to step S12,
When the item part of the data file 80 is received from the external database, the process proceeds to step S13 to acquire the item part of the layout definition information from the layout definition information file 81.

Then, the CPU 2 moves to step S14, reads the column arrangement information from the item portion of the data file 80, acquires the item name of the item displayed in the leftmost column, and acquires the item name in step S13. Intermediate format conversion is performed in combination with the item part of the layout definition information, and the result is stored in the intermediate format information file 82 of the storage device 8.

Further, the item names of the items displayed in the second column from the left are also subjected to intermediate format conversion in combination with the layout definition information, stored in the intermediate format information file 82, and the items in the third column are also displayed. The same processing is performed.
This process is performed on the fourth column, the fifth column, and so on.
Finally, when this process is completed for all items, the intermediate format conversion process for the item portion ends.

When the intermediate format conversion processing for the item part is completed, the CPU 2 shifts to step S15 to execute the intermediate format conversion processing for the data part. Step S15
, Upon receiving data for one record from the external database, the CPU 2 divides this record for each item. Then, the process proceeds to step S16, one record is read for the layout definition information corresponding to the record received in step S15, and the process proceeds to step S17.

The CPU 2 combines the item displayed in the leftmost column in the record divided in step S15 and the corresponding layout information, executes an intermediate format conversion process, and stores the intermediate format conversion information file 72 in the intermediate format conversion information file 72. I do.

The CPU 2 proceeds to step S18,
It is determined whether there is an item for which the intermediate format conversion process has not been executed among the divided items. If there is an item for which the intermediate format conversion process has not been executed, the process returns to step S16 to execute the process. If there is no item, the process proceeds to step S18.

In step S19, the CPU 2 determines whether or not a record has been transmitted from the external database. If a record has been transmitted, the process returns to step S15 to repeat the execution of the process. The process ends.

As described above, when the intermediate format conversion process is performed on all items and records, all the results are stored in the intermediate format conversion information file 72.

The intermediate format conversion processing will be described in more detail using the respective files shown in FIGS. First, the data file 8 shown in FIG.
When the item portion of 0 is transmitted, the CPU 2 receives this. The information included in the received item portion is the number of items, item names, and column arrangement information. In the data file 80, the number of items is “3”, the item names are “product name”, “sales amount”, and “target achievement rate”, and the arrangement order of each column is “product name” in order from the left, "Sales amount" and "Target achievement rate".

The CPU 2 stores information included in this item portion in a predetermined storage area of the RAM 6. Then, the item name “product name” of the item displayed in the leftmost column is obtained, and further, the item part of the layout definition information is read, and the area coordinates of the item “product name” and “product name”
Gets the character format for. The CPU 2 performs an intermediate format conversion process by combining the item name acquired from the data file 80, the area coordinates acquired from the layout definition information, and the character format. Then, the result is stored in the intermediate format information file 82 shown in FIG.

In the intermediate format information file 82 shown in FIG. 4, the record of “product name” has data: “product name”,
The area coordinates are: left end: “1”, top end: “1”, right end: “1”
5 ", lower end:" 2 ", format: font:" Gothic ", size:" 10P ", decoration:" shading ", and using this information, the arrangement position of data" product name "and character format Can be understood.

As described above, when one data is subjected to the intermediate format conversion process and one record is created, the CPU 2 stores the record in the intermediate format information file 82 of the storage device 8. That is, the information included in one item in the data file 80 and the information included in one item of the layout definition information are converted as information included in one record in the intermediate format information file 82.

Next, the CPU 2 performs the same processing for the next item name “sales amount” and the last item name “target achievement rate”, and ends the intermediate format conversion processing of the item part. Then, when the intermediate format conversion processing of the item portion is completed, the CPU
2 performs an intermediate format conversion process on the data portion. When the first record of the data portion is transmitted from the external database, the CPU 2 divides the received record for each item, combines one item of the received data and one item of the corresponding layout definition information, and Perform conversion processing.

In the data file 80, the first data in the first line of the data portion is “AD1000”. When this is combined with the area coordinates obtained from the layout definition information and the character format, the intermediate format information shown in FIG. A record indicated by data “AD1000” on the fourth line of the file 82 is created.

In the intermediate format information file 82, a record having data “AD1000” has a region coordinate of
Left end: “1”, top end: “2”, right end: “15”, bottom end:
"3", format is font: "Mincho", size: "10"
P ", modification:"".

Then, the CPU 2 similarly performs the intermediate format conversion process on all the items of the transmitted record, and further performs the intermediate format conversion process on all the transmitted records. When the intermediate format conversion process is completed for all the records of the data portion, the intermediate format information file 82 is completed, and the CPU 2 executes the intermediate format display process based on the intermediate format information file 82.

The intermediate format display processing will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In step S21, the CPU 2 reads the intermediate format information file 82 and acquires information in record units. Then, the process proceeds to step S22, where the arrangement position of the corresponding item is acquired from the acquired area coordinate information of the record, and the area frame is displayed.

Then, the process shifts to step S23 to acquire the character format from the acquired record format information and display the data in the output area frame of the corresponding item. C
The PU2 proceeds to step S24, and determines whether or not display has been performed on all the records of the intermediate format information file 82. If all the records have not been displayed, the process returns to step S21, and the same process is repeated for the remaining records. If all the records have been displayed, the process ends.

FIG. 8 shows a form in which the data file 80 transmitted from the external database is displayed on the display unit 3 by the above processing. This form is a form displayed as an intermediate format in which data can be arranged and re-evaluated.

Next, the coloring process executed by the CPU 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

At step S31, the CPU 2 performs a colored range receiving process for designating an area for changing the output form. The input of the coloring range is performed on the form displayed on the display unit 3 by the intermediate format display processing. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the user can drag the mouse on the form to select a desired coloring range. it can.

FIG. 8 shows an example in which a portion surrounded by a dotted line by a pointer, in this case, four items indicating data of the target achievement rate are selected as the coloring range. When the coloring range is designated, the area coordinates of the items within the designated coloring range are read by the CPU 2 and stored in the storage device 8 as coloring range information. When the area coordinates selected as the coloring range on the form in FIG. 8 are specifically shown by numerical values, the left end is “22”, the upper end is “2”, and the right end is:
"29", lower end: "6".

When the coloring range is set in step S31, the CPU 2 moves to step S32 and performs a color setting receiving process. The CPU 2 displays a later-described color setting screen (see FIG. 9) on the display unit 3 in a window different from the currently displayed form. Then, on this color setting screen, the classification condition of the data to be colored and the type of the color to be colored are designated.

The table shown in FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the color setting screen. On this color setting screen, the user inputs, via the input unit 4, the classification conditions of the data designated as the coloring range and the type of the color to be colored. The color setting screen is in the form of a table and has a configuration in which one type of classification condition and one type of color can be set in one line. First, as for the setting of the sorting condition, an input box for inputting numerical values with the sorting condition of the data to be colored as a lower limit and an upper limit, and how to process the boundary value of the data sorting condition, and An input frame for inputting with an inequality sign is provided. For setting the type of color, an input frame for inputting the type of color to be colored is provided.

The color setting process will be specifically described with reference to the color setting screen shown in FIG. In the table shown on the color setting screen, the user first inputs the lower limit: “0”, the sorting condition: “≦ value <”, the upper limit: “60”, and the color: “colorless” in the first row. Next, in the second line, the lower limit: “60” and the range: “≦
Value <”, upper limit:“ 90 ”, color:“ dark gray ”. Further, on the third line, the lower limit: “90”, the range: “≦ value <”, the upper limit: “150”, and the color: “light gray” are input. If the content input to the color setting screen is correct, the user clicks the OK button, and the color setting receiving process is received by the CPU 2, and the set data classification condition and color type are set in the color setting screen. The information is stored in the storage device 8.

When the coloring range information and the color setting information are set in the coloring range receiving process and the color setting receiving process, the CP
U2 proceeds to step S33 and reads the intermediate format information file 82. Then, the read intermediate format information is divided and read for each item on the form displayed by the intermediate format display processing, that is, for each record in the intermediate format information file 82.

Then, the CPU 2 shifts to step S34, acquires information on one item in the form from the intermediate format information divided for each record, and shifts to step S35. In step S35, the CPU 2 compares the area coordinate information of the item included in the acquired item information with the coloring range information acquired in step S31, and determines whether the item is included in the coloring range.

If the item is not included in the coloring range, the process proceeds to step S40, and if the item is included in the coloring range, the process proceeds to step S36. In step S36, the CPU 2 acquires the color setting information set in step S32.

The CPU 2 moves to step S37,
The range of the data sorting condition is read from the color setting information acquired in step S36, and it is determined whether or not the item data is within the range of the sorting condition set in the color setting information. If the item data is within the range of the sorting condition, the CPU 2 proceeds to step S39 to perform an item coloring process.

In this item coloring process, the CPU 2
Reads the color type set in the range of the sorting condition corresponding to the item data from the color setting information, and colors the background of the area coordinates of the item with the read color type. When the item coloring process is completed, the CP
U2 moves to step S40.

If it is determined in step S37 that the item data is out of the range of the data division condition of the color setting information, the CPU 2 proceeds to step S38.
It is determined whether to continue the color setting process. If the color setting process is to be continued, the CPU 2 returns to step S36, reacquires color setting information to search for a sorting condition that matches the item data, continues the process, and ends the color setting process. Then, the process proceeds to step S40.

In step S40, the CPU 2 determines whether there is an unprocessed record in the intermediate format information file 82. If there is an unprocessed record, the process proceeds to step S34 to acquire new item information. If there is no unprocessed record, the process is terminated.

By the above-described coloring process, the background of the output area of the item to be colored is colored, and a form which is color-coded for each data as in the display screen example shown in FIG. 10 is output to the printing device or the display unit. You.

The processing in steps S33 to S39 will be described in more detail with reference to the display screen examples of FIGS. 8 to 10 and the intermediate format information file 82 shown in FIG. In step S33, the CPU 2 reads the first line of the intermediate format information file 82 shown in FIG. 4, for example, and stores a record of the data “product name” in the RAM 6. Next, area coordinate information and coloring range information are obtained, and the respective coordinates are compared. The area coordinates of "product name"
The left end is “1”, the upper end is “1”, and the right end is “1”.
5 ", lower end:" 2 ", and the area coordinates of the coloring range are left end:" 22 ", upper end:" 2 ", and right end:" 2 ", respectively.
9 "and lower end:" 6 ", the area coordinates of" product name "are not included in the area coordinates of the coloring range. Therefore, the coloring process of this data is completed.

When the processing of the first record is completed, the CP
U2 reads the item information from the next record and executes the coloring process sequentially. Therefore, a case where the item information of the data “50” is read will be described.

The area coordinates of the data “50” are
The left end is “22”, the upper end is “2”, the right end is “29”, and the lower end is “3”.
Since the left end is “22”, the upper end is “2”, the right end is “29”, and the lower end is “6”, the coordinate area of the data “50” is
It is determined that it is included in the coloring range.

Then, the CPU 2 reads the color setting information set on the setting screen shown in FIG. First, when the color setting information on the first line is read, the range of the sorting condition is “0 ≦ value <
60 ", and the data" 50 "is included in this range. Therefore, the background of the area coordinates of the data “50” (that is, the left end: “22”, the upper end: “2”, the right end:
“29”, lower end: inside “3”) is colored with color: “white”.

When the coloring process is performed for all the items in this manner, the data “50” becomes “white” and the data “80” becomes “dark gray” as shown in the display screen example of FIG. To. A form in which the data “110” is colored “light gray” and the data “140” is colored “light gray” is displayed.

As described above, the form output apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is most characterized in that the layout definition information and the coloring range information and the color setting information are separated from each other. First, the data file 80 and the layout definition information file 81 are combined to create an intermediate format information file 82 for storing data contents and the arrangement position of the data. Then, based on the intermediate format information file 82, an intermediate form is output to a display screen, and on the display screen, a coloring range, a sorting condition of data to be colored, and a color type are set. Then, the intermediate format information file 82 is read again, and it is determined whether or not the read data is included in the coloring range. If the data is within the coloring range, the area of the data is designated by the designated color. Color the background of the coordinates.

As described above, when it is desired to confirm data from various viewpoints while changing the output form of desired data on a form, it is necessary to redo the layout design which requires specialized knowledge and requires time for correction. And can be operated quickly and easily.

Further, since the form can be created based on the already stored intermediate format information without performing the search from the database or the calculation processing again, the processing can be performed quickly.

Alternatively, since the layout definition information is separated from the coloring range information and the color setting information, it is not necessary to change the layout definition information when changing the coloring range, and the setting can be performed quickly. .

Further, since a form is displayed on the display screen and the setting of the coloring range and the setting of the color are performed on the display screen, troublesome conditions in the coloring process can be easily input, and the layout design software can be used. Even those who are not familiar can easily color the form.

Further, since the data whose output form is to be changed can be arbitrarily specified according to the data content, it is possible to easily confirm only necessary data by changing the output form, thereby facilitating data analysis.

As described above, the form output device 1 according to the present embodiment can easily set the coloring processing and can shorten the setting time.

In this embodiment, the data file and the like are transmitted one record at a time. However, the entire file may be divided into several frames and transmitted in frame units.

Alternatively, in the present embodiment, the range of the sorting condition of the data to be colored is specified by a numerical value. However, the range of the sorting condition is also changed by replacing character data with character codes so that the coloring process can be performed. A configuration that can be specified may be used.

For example, by replacing character data with a character code such as “male → 1 (character code)” or “female → 2 (character code)”, the content indicated by the character data can be color-coded. . As a result, the form can be visually evaluated even when the data is other than a numerical value.

In the present embodiment, the intermediate format conversion process and the coloring process are performed by the same CPU 2. However, for example, the intermediate format conversion process is performed by the CPU of the host computer.
And a plurality of Cs such as the CPU of the terminal performs the coloring process.
The configuration may be such that the processing is shared by the PU. As for the storage device, for example, the layout definition information file 81 and the intermediate format information file 82 are stored in the storage device of the host computer, and the coloring range information and the color setting information are stored in the storage device of the terminal. Alternatively, each information may be stored in another storage device.

In this case, the information output as a form is
Since the information is managed by one host computer and the information used by all the terminals is the same, when one terminal is handled by a plurality of terminals, the information is unified.

Further, in the present embodiment, the data file 80 is stored in the external database, but the storage location of the data file 80 is the form output device 1
There is no particular limitation as long as it is a storage device within the storage device or a storage location where information is transmitted and received via the transmission control unit 5.

The layout definition stored in the layout definition information is not limited to the layout definition stored in the layout definition information of the present embodiment, but is of such a degree that the object of the present invention can be achieved. Modifications, improvements, and the like are included in the present invention.

[0089]

The form output device 1 according to the first aspect of the present invention,
According to the storage medium of the present invention, when it is desired to confirm data from various viewpoints while changing the output form of desired data on a form, a layout requiring specialized knowledge and requiring time for correction is required. There is no need to redo the design and operation is quick and easy. In addition, since the form can be created based on the already stored intermediate-format document data without re-searching the database or performing the arithmetic processing, the processing can be performed quickly. Further, even a person who is not familiar with layout design software can easily output data in various output forms.

According to the form output apparatus 1 of the present invention, the output form is set by the output form setting means in accordance with the data content of the data read from the database, and the output control means is controlled by the area designating means. When outputting the data selected by specifying the area, the output form corresponding to the data content is determined based on the output form determining condition set in the output form setting means and output on a form. Since the data whose output form is to be changed can be arbitrarily specified, only the necessary data can be easily confirmed by changing the output form, and the data analysis becomes easier.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a form output device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a data file 80 transmitted from an external database.

3 is a diagram showing an example of a layout definition information file 81 stored in a storage device 8 of the form output device 1 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an intermediate format information file 82 stored in a storage device 8;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an intermediate format conversion process executed by the CPU 2 of the form output device 1 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an intermediate format display process executed by the CPU 2 of the form output device 1 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a coloring process executed by a CPU 2 of the form output device 1 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a form displayed by the intermediate format display process of the CPU 2.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a color setting screen displayed in a color setting receiving process of the CPU 2;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a form colored by a coloring process of the CPU 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 form output device 2 CPU 3 display unit 4 input unit 5 transmission control unit 6 RAM 7 printing device 8 storage device 9 storage medium 10 bus 80 data file 81 layout information definition file 82 intermediate format information file

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A form output device for arranging a plurality of data read from a database based on preset form layout definition information, and identifying the data in a specified output form and outputting the same on a form. Data conversion means for determining an arrangement position of each data read from the database based on the layout definition information, and converting the data into intermediate document data in which the data and the determined arrangement position information are associated with each other Storage means for storing the intermediate format document data converted by the data conversion means; and display means for displaying each data based on the arrangement position information stored in the intermediate format document data stored in the storage means. Display control means for arranging the form on the display screen and displaying the form; and newly changing the output form on the display screen. Area designating means for designating data to be updated; and, based on the arrangement position information stored in the intermediate format document data, recognizing the data selected by the area designating by the area designating means; And an output control means for outputting the form on the form in the new output form. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: output mode setting means for setting an output mode determination condition for determining an output mode in accordance with data content of data read from said database; When outputting the data selected by the designation, an output mode corresponding to the data content is determined based on the output mode determination condition set in the output mode setting means and output on the form. The form output device according to claim 1. 3. A form output process for arranging a plurality of data read from a database based on preset form layout definition information and identifying and outputting the form on a form in a specified output form. A storage medium storing a computer-executable program for performing a determination of an arrangement position of each data read from the database based on the layout definition information, and determining the respective data and the determined arrangement position information. And a computer-executable program code for converting and storing the intermediate format document data in which the data are associated with each other, based on the arrangement position information stored in the stored intermediate format document data. A computer-executable program for displaying a form arranged on a display screen of a display means. A program code that can be executed by a computer to specify an area for newly changing the output form on the display screen, and an arrangement position information stored in the intermediate format document data. And a computer-executable program code for recognizing the data selected by the area specification of the area specification means and outputting the recognized data on the form in the new output form. A storage medium characterized by the above-mentioned.