JP2002169800A - Document managing device and document managing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically rewrite a reference path when a document file is transferred to a different work environment and to make a system smoothly move to document editing in a different work environment. SOLUTION: In a document processing terminal 20, a storage medium 40 is set in a media driver 26. When an instruction for down-loading editing information under an offline environment to the storage medium 40 is given from an input operation part 22, a link information conversion part 253 of a control part 25 reads the document file from a database(DB) which is online-connected through I/F 21, rewrites link information (reference path) to a picture file to be inserted in the document of the document file based on a definition file 241 which is previously prepared in a storage part 24 and copies it into the storage medium 40.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a document management apparatus and method for editing a document file while separately managing a document file and another file embedded in the document of the document file. In addition, the present invention relates to an improvement for making it possible to smoothly edit a document file even when a work environment is different between an online environment and an offline environment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when creating a large-scale service manual for a motorcycle or the like, a DTP (DeskTop Publishin) that can easily realize a unified layout and logical configuration is used.
g) Software (editor) is often used.

[0003] In these DTP software, in order not to create a large-capacity file, the image data is not taken in the document, but by referring to the file path to the image data linked to the document, the file is stored in the document. The image data of the link destination is arranged in the.

A service manual is stored in a database (D
In the case of the management in B), storage and retrieval of a large amount of image data are slow. However, as described above, the document file (text) and the image data to be embedded in the document of the document file are separately managed using the reference path. By applying the method, storing and retrieving of the document file is quickened, and the editing operation can be smoothly performed.

As described above, when a document file and another file (image data) to be embedded in the document of the document file are separately managed using the reference path (link information), a work for editing the document file is performed. When the environment changes, the reference path from the document file to the image file generally changes.

For example, when creating a large-scale service manual, not only do editing work at a terminal in an environment connected online with a database storing document files, but also go to the original maker and look at the actual product. Editing work is often performed on terminals installed in the office.

In this case, since the terminal of the original maker is in an offline environment that cannot be connected to the DB, the work environment is different from the terminal in the online environment, and the reference path from the document file to the image file is different from that in the online environment. Is different.

Conventionally, a document file created in an online environment can be stored in a DB from an MO disk (Magnet Optical disk).
When downloading to a storage medium such as k) and bringing it into an offline environment to read out the document file and continue editing, each user must specify the reference path from the document file to the image data in the online environment. The task of rewriting the content to match the offline environment had to be performed one by one.

[0009]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional method, when a user tries to edit a document file in a different work environment, each time the user needs to edit another file (image file) to be embedded in the document file. There has been a problem that the rewriting operation of the reference path has to be performed, and it is not possible to smoothly shift to document editing in a different working environment.

[0010] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and can automatically rewrite a reference path when a document file is transferred to a different work environment, so that a document which can be smoothly shifted to document editing in a different work environment. It is an object to provide a management device and a document management method.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a document file and another file embedded in the document of the document file are separately managed by linking them with link information. Document management device,
Definition information holding means for holding definition information regarding rewriting of link information between different work environments; and, when a document file is to be transferred to a different work environment, another document embedded in the document of the document file. Link information converting means for rewriting the link information to the file with the definition information and copying the rewritten information.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a document management apparatus which separately manages a document file by linking another file to be embedded in the document of the document file with a management means for managing a storage time of a linked file. When opening the link source document file, if the storage time of the link destination file has been updated since the previous opening of the link source document file, there is provided notification means for notifying that the storage time has been updated. It is characterized by doing.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a document file and another file embedded in the document of the document file are linked by link information and managed separately, and the link information between different work environments is managed. When retaining the definition information regarding rewriting and passing the document file to a different work environment, it is necessary to copy the document file by rewriting the link information to another file embedded in the document of the document file by the definition information. Features.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a document file is linked to another file to be embedded in the document of the document file, and is separately managed, the storage time of a linked file is managed, and the link source document is managed. When opening a file,
If the storage time of the link destination file has been updated since the last time the link source document file was opened, the fact that the update has been performed is reported.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of a service manual creation system according to the present invention.

This system comprises a database (DB) 11 for storing existing manuals, a server 10 comprising clients operating the DB 11, and a plurality of document processing terminals (hereinafter abbreviated as online terminals) 20a connected online to the DB 11. , 20b, and 20c, and a document processing terminal (hereinafter, abbreviated as an offline terminal) 30 in an environment where the DB 11 cannot be connected online.

The online terminal 20 (20a, 20b, 2)
0c) has an ODMA (Open Document Management API) client and a dedicated client for manual management as clients that can access the DB11.

The online terminal 20 is installed together with the server 10 in, for example, a company premises of a motorcycle maker, and creates a new motorcycle manual by using the above-mentioned manuals in the DB 11 of the server 10 using both clients.

In preparing the manual, a document file (text) of the manual and another file (image file) to be embedded in the document of the document file are separately managed.

The document file is stored in the DB 11 in a predetermined format using a client dedicated to manual management.

An image file (such as a photograph or illustration data of a digital camera) to be embedded in a document file is converted into a predetermined format and stored in a file system constructed separately from the DB 11.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a hierarchical structure of a document file (the text of a service manual) stored in the DB 11, where a destination (Europe, Japan, the Americas, etc.) and a material number (61HN2O0, 61MCJ00, etc.) are shown. , Chapters, and the file name is given, for example, as 8 digits of material number + 2 digits of chapter (extension is fm).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hierarchical structure of image files stored in the file system. The image files are classified into destinations, material numbers, monochrome / color, and chapters. 8 digits + 2 digits of chapter + 3 digits of identifier (extension is eps) are given.

As described above, a method for creating a new manual by the online terminal 20 in an environment where the document file as the body of the service manual and the image file embedded in the document of the document file are separately managed. There is a method of diverting an existing manual stored in the DB 11.

In this case, the online terminal 20
11, a folder or a chapter-based document file is selected from the file hierarchical structure on the file 11, and the document file is designated to be retrieved, and is retrieved to the local disk of the online terminal 20.

At this time, only the contents are taken out of the document file, and the image file referred to in the document of the document file is referred from the online terminal 20 to the file system.

In order to realize this reference to the file system, among the document files to be edited in the online terminal 20, a document file (link source file) in which an image file needs to be embedded is added to the image file (link destination file). A reference path (link information) to the storage destination (directory) of the file) is provided.

As a result, when the link source document file is opened on the online terminal 20, the image file of the link destination is read from the corresponding directory in the file system according to the link information attached to the document file, The document is embedded and displayed in a predetermined area in the document file.

Thereafter, the online terminal 20 can edit the document of the document file to new contents using the ODMA client while viewing the display screen. After the editing is completed, the document file is edited using the manual management dedicated client. The image file referred to from the document file can be returned to the corresponding storage destination in the DB 11 and the file system, respectively.

In FIG. 1, the online terminals 20a, 20a
Both 0b and 20c can be connected online to the server 10 and use the same DB 11 and file system, so that they are placed under the same working environment (under the online environment), The relationship of the reference path to the image file to be embedded in the file is unified, and any terminal can edit the document under the same environment.

The manual (document file + image file) created in the online environment is downloaded by the online terminal 20 to the storage medium 40 such as an MO as necessary as information to be edited in the offline environment. be able to. In this case, what is downloaded includes not only a document file but also an image file referred to from the document file.

Thereafter, the storage medium 40 is brought to the original maker, information is read from the storage medium 40 by the offline terminal 30 installed in the original maker, and further editing of the manual can be continued.

The original maker is a place where motorcycles sold by the motorcycle maker (subject to the service manual of the present invention) are actually manufactured. In the process of creating a manual, it is very important to go to the original maker and edit the manual in such a way that the contents are boiled down while watching the actual product being produced.

Here, the offline terminal 3 in the original maker
0 is not connected to the DB 11 of the server 10 and is in a different working environment (under an offline environment) than the online terminal 20.

More specifically, the storage destination of the document file differs between the offline terminal 30 and the online terminal 20.
Also, the storage destination of the image file referred from the document file is different.

Therefore, if the information to be edited in the offline environment is simply downloaded to the storage medium 40 at the online terminal 20, the information is read from the storage medium 40 at the offline terminal 30 and the document file therein is read. And the image file referred to from the document file cannot be linked correctly.

Therefore, in the present invention, the online terminal 20
At the time of downloading a predetermined document file to the storage medium 40 for the purpose of editing at the offline terminal 30, the document file is stored in advance with another file embedded in the document of the document file, that is, link information to an image file. A function is provided for copying by rewriting with the prepared definition information.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the online terminal 20 according to the present invention.

The online terminal 20 includes an interface (I / F) unit 21 for controlling an interface for online connection with the DB 11 of the server 10, an input operation unit 22 for inputting various information and instructing various operations, and various information. , A storage unit 24 for storing various information necessary for operation control and the like, and a control unit 2 for controlling the entire terminal.
5, a media driver 26 for driving a storage medium 40 such as an MO.

The storage unit 24 stores a definition file 241 in which definition information for rewriting link information of another file referred to by the document file from a document file between different work environments is described.

The control unit 25 receives information for offline environment editing from the DB 11 to the storage medium 40 in addition to the ODMA client 251 and the manual management dedicated client 252 which can access the DB 11 online via the I / F unit 21. A link information conversion unit 253 that rewrites link information based on the definition file 241 in the storage unit 24 when downloading or editing edited information in an offline environment from the storage medium 40 into the online terminal 20 is provided. .

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the definition file 241 in the online terminal 20.

In this example, in the online environment, B: FI
Definition for converting the link information so that the root directory (link information) G1 becomes the root directory E: FIG1 when shifting to the offline environment (reverse conversion when shifting from the offline environment to the online environment) Information is described.

Also, in the online environment, the link information is converted so that the root directory B: FIG. 2 becomes the root directory E: FIG. 2 when shifting to the offline environment (when shifting from the offline environment to the online environment). Definition information for performing inverse conversion is described.

Also, in the online environment, the link information is converted so that the root directory C: FIG1 becomes the root directory E: FIG3 when shifting to the offline environment (when shifting from the offline environment to the online environment, the link information is converted). Definition information for performing inverse conversion is described.

In the online terminal 20, the storage medium 40 is set in the media driver 26, and the input operation unit 2
When an instruction to download information for editing in an offline environment is given from the storage medium 2 to the storage medium 40, the link information conversion unit 253 of the control unit 25 reads the corresponding document file from the DB 11, and The link information (reference path) to the image file embedded in the document is rewritten based on the definition file 241 and copied to the storage medium 40.

When the storage medium 40 storing the information edited in the offline environment is set to the media driver 26, and an instruction to take in the information stored in the storage medium 40 is given from the input operation unit 22, The link information conversion unit 253 of the control unit 25 reads the information from the storage medium 40, and rewrites the link information (reference path) to the image file embedded in the document of the document file therein based on the definition file 241. (Conversion reverse to that at the time of downloading to the storage medium 40 described above), the information from the storage medium 40 is fetched.

Next, the link information conversion processing in the online terminal 20 will be described using a specific working environment as an example.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a working environment when a service manual is created in the system according to the present invention (see FIG. 1).

In FIG. 6, the definition file 241 corresponds to FIG.
5 is prepared in the storage unit 24 of the online terminal 20 having the configuration shown in FIG. 5 and has the same contents as those shown in FIG.

With the definition file 241 interposed therebetween, the upper part of FIG. 6 shows an image of a document editing operation in an online environment in FIG. 1, and the lower part of FIG. 6 shows an image of a document editing in an offline environment in FIG. .

In this example, in an online environment,
The document file A, which is the body of the service manual, is read from the DB 11 (eg, directory A) and edited.

In this example, for the sake of simplicity, the document file A is composed of, for example, three pages. On the first page, the image data of the file name: FIG. File name embedded and stored in the image file in directory B on the second page:
It is assumed that the image data of FIG. 2 is embedded and the image data of FIG. 1 is embedded in the image file of the directory C on the third page.

That is, in this example, the link information B: FIG1 is provided on the first page of the document file A,
Link information B: FIG2 is provided on the second page, and link information C: FIG3 is provided on the third page.

Document file A in this online environment
After the completion of the editing, the manual mainly composed of the document file A can be downloaded to the storage medium 40 as information to be edited in an offline environment at an arbitrary online terminal 20.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing operation when the online terminal 20 downloads a document file to be transferred to another work environment to the storage medium 40.

As can be seen from this flowchart,
After the editing of the document file A in the online environment is completed, the storage medium 40 is set in the media driver 26 at an arbitrary online terminal 20, and an operation for downloading a manual mainly based on the document file A to the storage medium 40 is performed. Is performed by the input operation unit 22 (step S7).
01YES), the link information conversion unit 253 of the control unit 25 starts up (step S702), and the corresponding document file A
Is read from the DB 11 (directory A) (step S703).

Next, the link information conversion unit 253 outputs link information (B: FIG. 1, B: FIG. 2) to the image file embedded in the read document file A.
C: FIG. 1) is rewritten according to the definition information of the definition file 241 prepared in advance in the storage unit 24 (step S704), and is copied to the storage medium 40 (step S705).

In the example of FIG. 6, the link information conversion unit 25
3 is (B: FIG. 1, B: FIG. 2, C:
The link information from the document file A to each image file, which was FIG. 1), matches the offline environment (E: F
The document file A is converted into link information IG1, E: FIG2, E: FIG3) and copied to the storage medium 40.

Thereafter, the storage medium 40 is brought to the original maker, the stored contents are read out by the offline terminal 30, and passed to the document editing in an offline environment different from the online environment (see the lower part of FIG. 6). ).

Here, it is assumed that the offline terminal 30 operates in an environment (offline work environment) having a directory D as a storage destination of a document file and a directory E as a storage destination of an image file linked to the document file.

In this offline working environment, the storage medium 4
0, the document file A is stored in the directory D, and the document file A is read.
Are stored in the directory E.

Here, the link information from the document file A to each image file is adapted to the offline environment by rewriting the link information based on the definition file 241 described above.
Then, the editing of the document file A can be continued using the directories D and E in the same state as in the online environment (see the upper part of FIG. 6).

After editing the document file A by rewriting the contents of the document file A while looking at the actual product in the original maker, the document file A is stored in the storage medium 4 again.
0 and passed to the final edit in the online environment.

In the final editing in the online environment, first, the contents of the storage medium 40 are taken in by the online terminal 20.

At this time, the online terminal 20 stores in the storage unit 2
In accordance with the definition file 241 prepared in Step 4, the link information is converted in a manner opposite to the above-described transition from the online environment to the offline environment.

That is, in this example, the link information of the image file to be embedded in the document file A with respect to the document file A is (E: FIG1, E: F
What was IG2, E: FIG. 3 was replaced by (B: FIG.
1, B: FIG. 2, C: FIG. 3).

As a result, the online terminal 20 stores the document file A in which the link information has been converted into the storage medium 40.
, The document file A is managed by the DB 11 (directory A), and among the image files embedded in the document file A, the image file with the file name: FIG1 embedded in the first page is stored in the directory B in the directory B.
In the directory B, the image file of the file name embedded in the page: FIG. 2 is stored in the directory B, and the image file of the file name embedded in the third page: FIG.

As described above, the present invention has a function of copying a document file by rewriting the link information to another file embedded in the document of the document file with the definition information.

According to this configuration, for example, the link information from the document file in the online environment to another file embedded therein is changed to the link information from the document file in the offline environment to another file embedded therein. By preparing the definition information that can be converted in advance, even if you try to pass the document file to different environments between the online environment and the offline environment, the definition file (reference path) according to the work environment of the migration destination Can be automatically converted, and the user does not need to perform the troublesome work of rewriting the reference path, and can concentrate on the editing work.

By the way, in the present system, the link destination to be embedded in the document of the link source document file until the service manual is completed by repeatedly editing the document files under the online environment and the offline environment in FIG. May be rewritten.

In this case, the user proceeds with the editing work without knowing that the contents of the rewritten link destination image file and the contents of the description corresponding to the image file in the link source document file are different. There is a risk.

Therefore, in another embodiment of the present invention, the online terminal 20 (for example, in the control unit 25 shown in FIG. 4)
A file operation timing management function and a link destination file update notification function for notifying the user that the link destination file has been updated according to the management result of the function.

When the contents of the linked image file to be embedded in the link source document file are rewritten, the management function manages the storage time (date and time) of the rewritten linked image file for each image file. I do.

This management function is based on the date and time when the link source document file is opened (that is, when the link source document file is opened and the image data from the linked image file is embedded in the document therein). (Displayed time) is managed for each image file.

The notification function performs the following control based on the management result of the management function. This control will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

As shown in this flowchart, when the operation of opening the document file to be edited is performed (step S801 YES), the notification function is to open the document file (link source file) last time (date and time): a And the storage time of the link destination file: b is checked (step S802), and it is determined whether the storage time of the link destination file: b has been updated since the last time the link source file was opened: a (step S802). S803).

If the document file has not been updated (NO in step S803), the corresponding document file is opened (step S805), and the process proceeds to the next step.

On the other hand, if the storage time of the link destination file: b has been updated since the last time the link source file was opened: a (YES in step S803), the user is notified of the update. (Step S80)
4) Then, the corresponding document file is opened (step S805).

The notification that the file has been updated can be realized by, for example, displaying a message such as “The file has been updated” on the display unit 23 (see FIG. 4).

As described above, when the link source document file is opened, if the storage date and time of the link destination image file has been updated since the last time the link source document file was opened, a function to notify the user of the fact. Is added, the user of the online terminal 20 (the creator of the service manual)
When the link source document file is opened, the user can know that the contents of the link destination drawing file corresponding to the file have been updated.

Further, in the present invention, the following modified examples can be considered.

According to the present invention, the document file A can be created by a plurality of users in the online working environment shown in FIG. Here, for example, consider a case where the user A is in charge of creating the first and second pages of the document file A, and another user B is in charge of creating the third page.

At this time, the user A enters the document file A
In order to embed image data having the file names of FIG1 and FIG2 on the page and the second page, respectively, it is assumed that the storage destinations of these image data (FIG1 and FIG2) are both specified in the image file in the directory B.

At this time, the user B who is in charge of creating the third page of the document file A writes the file name of the image data to be embedded in the third page into the image data that the user A embeds in the first page of the document file A. (FIG. 1) and drawing files having the same file name (FIG. 1) but different contents are stored in different directories B and C, respectively, as long as the storage destination is specified in the directory C, so that no problem occurs. .

That is, in this case, when the first and third pages of the link source file are opened, image data having the same file name (FIG. 1) and different contents is read from different directories, and the respective link source files are read. Can be embedded (displayed) in the document of the file.

However, the user B, who is in charge of the creation of the third page of the document file A, writes the file name of the image data to be embedded in the third page into the file name of the image data that the user A embeds in the first page of the document file A. It may be the same as the file name (FIG. 1), and its storage destination may be directory B.

In this case, files having the same name linked to different documents (the first page and the third page of the document file A) are redundantly linked to the directory B. When the image data to be embedded in the first page is overwritten by the image data to be embedded in the third page, and the document file of the first page which is the link source is opened, the image data to be embedded in the document of the document file is originally embedded in the third page. The image data to be embedded is embedded, so that it will not match the description of the drawing in the document of the first page.

As a countermeasure against this, in the present modification, as described above, a file (FIG. 1) having the same name linked to different document files (the first page and the third page of the document file A) is linked.
When 1) is linked to the same storage destination (when a file with the same name linked to a different document file is about to be stored repeatedly), this is recognized and the user is notified of this. Control to do.

As described above, when a file having the same name that is linked to a different document is likely to be stored in duplicate, a function of notifying the user of the fact is provided, so that the link source file is opened. Sometimes, it is possible to avoid a situation in which image data that should be originally embedded in a document of another document file is embedded in the document of the file, and the image data does not match the description of the drawing in the document file.
It is possible to maintain a favorable working environment when a large-scale service manual is created by a plurality of users.

As still another modification of the present invention, for example, regarding image data to be embedded in the same place in a document of a document file, a plurality of pieces of image data having different contents such as version 1 and version 2 are included in each link information. When the link source document file is opened, a display is made to indicate which version of the image data of the link destination is to be selected, and the image data of the selected version is linked based on this display. It may be embedded in the document in the original document file.

[0093]

As described above, according to the first and third aspects of the present invention, when a document file is transferred to a different work environment, the document file is transferred to another file embedded in the document of the document file. Link information is rewritten according to the definition information and copied, so that the reference path can be automatically rewritten when the document file is passed to a different work environment, and a smooth transition to document editing in a different work environment can be made. Becomes possible.

According to the second and fourth aspects of the present invention, when opening the link source document file, if the storage time of the link destination file has been updated since the last time the link source document file was opened, Since the user is notified that the file has been updated, the user can know that the content of the link destination file corresponding to the file has been updated when the link source document file is opened.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of a service manual creation system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a hierarchical structure of a document file stored in a database.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a hierarchical structure of an image file stored in a file system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an online terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a definition file in an online terminal.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a work environment when a service manual is created in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a link information conversion processing operation in the online terminal.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of a link destination file update notification function according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Server, 11 ... Database (DB), 20 ... Document processing terminal (online terminal), 21 ... Interface (I / F) part, 22 ... Input operation part, 23 ... Display part, 2
4 storage unit, 241 definition file, 25 control unit, 2
51: ODMA client, 252: Manual management dedicated client, 253: Link information converter, 26:
Media driver, 30: Document processing terminal (offline terminal), 40: Storage medium

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A document management apparatus for separately managing a document file and another file embedded in the document of the document file by linking the link information with link information, the definition relating to rewriting of link information between different work environments. When passing a document file to a different work environment, a definition information holding unit for holding information, and copying the document file by rewriting link information to another file embedded in the document of the document file with the definition information A document management device comprising: link information conversion means. 2. A document management apparatus for separately managing a document file by linking another file to be embedded in the document of the document file with management means for managing the storage time of a link destination file; When opening the file, if the storage time of the link destination file has been updated since the previous opening of the link source document file, there is provided a notifying means for notifying that the file has been updated. Document management device. 3. A document file and another file embedded in the document of the document file are linked and managed separately by link information, and definition information relating to rewriting of link information between different work environments is held. And transferring the document file to a different work environment by copying the document file by rewriting link information to another file embedded in the document of the document file with the definition information. . 4. The document file is linked to another file embedded in the document of the document file and managed separately, and the storage time of the link destination file is managed. A document management method characterized in that when the storage time of a destination file has been updated since the last time the link source document file was opened, the user is notified of the update.