JP2004151835A - Method of editing business form - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently carry out editing work by making it possible to do the editing work while easily verifying the set state of each field when editing business forms. <P>SOLUTION: An edit mode for each field is determined, and when a cursor that moves when operated by the user overlaps either of the plurality of fields, it is determined whether or not the field is editable in the edit mode; if it is determined to be editable, the shape of the cursor overlapping the field is changed into a shape indicating that it is editable. When the user directs the field overlapping the reshaped cursor to be edited in the edit mode, the field is edited. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a form editing method for editing a form.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when a form is output, as shown in FIG. 4, an output form can be obtained by pouring data of a data file into a predetermined location (field) of a form file (form template) indicating the layout of the form. I was In this specification, a figure indicating a place (field) into which data is to be poured is called a field figure, and a data file is called field data.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
On the other hand, when there are a plurality of field figures in a form file, and when editing the form file, it is difficult for the user to recognize the settings that have already been made for each field figure. It also takes time to check the settings that have been made.
[0004]
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to perform an editing operation while easily checking the setting state of each field figure when editing a form.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problem, a form editing method of the present invention is a form editing method for performing an editing operation on a plurality of fields included in a form, wherein a mode determining step for determining an edit mode for the field, An overlap determination step of determining whether the cursor moved by the operation of the operation overlaps any of the plurality of fields; and an edit mode determined in the mode determination step for the field determined to overlap in the overlap determination step. An executable determination step of determining whether the editing of the field is executable, and if it is determined that the edit is executable, the display shape of the cursor overlapping the field is changed to a display shape indicating that the edit is executable. A cursor change step to be changed, and the display shape is changed in the cursor change step For fields that overlaps the Cursor, when the execution of the editing of the editing mode is instructed by the user, and having an execution step of executing the editing with respect to the field.
[0006]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a form creation and editing system according to the present embodiment. This system includes a central processing unit including a CPU 10, a main storage unit including a ROM 11 / RAM 12, an external storage unit including an FD drive 13 and an HD drive 15, a pointing device such as a mouse 18, and the like. This is a computer system including an instruction input device including a coordinate indicating unit) and a keyboard 16, a display device including a CRT display 17, a printing device 19 including a printer and a plotter, and a system bus 20 connecting them. Shall be. It is also assumed that this system is connected to another computer system via a communication line such as a network.
[0007]
This system operates when the CPU executes a basic I / O program, an OS, and a form creation / editing program. The basic I / O program is written in the ROM 11, and the OS is written in the HD 15. Then, when the power of the present system is turned on, the OS is read from the HD 15 into the RAM 12 by the IPL (initial program loading) function in the basic I / O program, and the operation of the OS is started.
[0008]
Further, a control program (form creation / editing program) and related data for realizing the present embodiment are recorded in the FD 14, and the configuration of the recorded contents is shown in FIG. The control program and related data recorded on the FD 14 can be loaded into the computer system through the FD drive 13 as shown in FIG. When the FD is set in the FD drive 13, the control program and related data are read out from the FD 14 under the control of the OS and the basic I / O program, loaded into the RAM 12, and become operable. FIG. 3 shows a memory map in a state where the control program is loaded into the RAM and becomes executable.
[0009]
In the present embodiment, an example is described in which the control program and related data are directly loaded from the FD 14 to the RAM 12 and executed, but the control program and related data are stored (installed) in the HD 15 in advance, and the program May be loaded from the HD 15 to the RAM 12 at the stage of operating. As a medium for recording the control program, other removable storage media such as a CD-ROM and an IC memory card can be used in addition to the FD. Further, it is also possible to record this program in the ROM 11, configure the program as a part of a memory map, and directly execute the program by the CPU 10. The control program may be read from another device via a network and executed.
[0010]
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 4 is an example showing a form in which field data is supplied to a field of a form file to generate an output form. In the present embodiment, it is possible to specify the output form of the input field data (output format specification) for a field graphic, and characters for specifying the output format are called output pictures. For example, in FIG. 4, if the output picture "K" is a picture character defined to output only one character, only characters rather than numerical values are output from the filled-in field data. If there are five "K" s, it can be controlled so that up to five characters of field data can be output in the field graphic.
[0011]
Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, by linking a plurality of field figures, one field data can be flowed over a plurality of field figures. In FIG. 5, the links are indicated by arrows so that the order of the linked field graphics can be easily understood. In the present embodiment, a linked field graphic is called a link graphic. The link graphic is created by selecting a linkable field graphic and giving a link instruction. However, when creating this link figure, it is difficult to know which field figures can be linked and which of the already linked field figures can be deleted, so that the efficiency of the editing operation is reduced. . Therefore, in the present embodiment, when editing a form, the editing operation can be performed while easily checking the setting state of each field graphic.
[0012]
The detailed operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[0013]
First, at the time of creating / editing a form file, it is determined whether or not a mode for creating a link graphic has been set by a user's input operation (step S1).
[0014]
If it is determined in step S1 that the mode is a mode for creating a link graphic, it is determined in step S2 whether a cursor is on the field graphic.
[0015]
If it is determined in step S2 that the cursor is on the field graphic, it is determined in step S3 whether the field graphic can be linked.
[0016]
If it is determined in step S3 that the field graphic overlapping the cursor is a graphic that can be linked, in step S4, it is determined whether there is a field graphic already selected.
[0017]
If it is determined in step S4 that there is no field graphic already selected, in step S5, the display of the cursor can be designated as the link graphic to be linked first with the field graphic overlapping the cursor. Display to indicate that FIG. 7 shows an example. By changing the display of the cursor, it is possible to see at a glance whether linking is possible and whether or not another field graphic to be linked is selected, thereby increasing the efficiency of link graphic creation.
[0018]
If it is determined in step S4 that there is a field graphic already selected, in step S6, the display of the cursor indicates that the field graphic overlapping the cursor can be added to the already selected link graphic. Change to the display shown. FIG. 8 shows an example. By changing the display of the cursor, it is possible to determine at a glance whether linking is possible and whether to add to a link figure already linked, thereby increasing the efficiency of link figure creation.
[0019]
In step S7, it is determined whether or not the user has performed an instruction operation to link the field graphic overlapping the cursor when the display as shown in FIG. 7 or 8 is made in step S5 or S6. I do.
[0020]
If it is determined in step S7 that a linking instruction operation has been performed, the field graphic overlapping the cursor is linked. At this time, if the process has passed through step S5, the field graphic is linked as the head of the link. When the process goes through the process of step S6, the field graphic is added to the already selected link graphic.
[0021]
[Second embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the display form of the cursor at the time of linking a field graphic when creating a link graphic has been described. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the display form of the cursor when releasing the already linked field graphic from the link is shown.
[0022]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation in the second embodiment.
[0023]
In step S21, it is determined whether the link release mode has been designated by the user's input operation.
[0024]
If it is determined in step S21 that the mode is the link release mode, it is determined in step S22 whether a cursor is on the link graphic.
[0025]
If it is determined in step S22 that the cursor is on the link graphic, it is determined in step S23 whether the link graphic (field graphic) overlapping the cursor can be released. If it is determined that the field graphic overlapping the cursor cannot be unlinked, the process returns to step S21 without performing any operation.
[0026]
If it is determined in step S23 that the link can be released, the display of the cursor is changed to a display indicating that the link of the field graphic can be released in step S24. FIG. 10 shows an example of changing the cursor display when a field graphic that can be unlinked is pointed. Because the cursor changes, you can see at a glance if you can break the link, which increases the efficiency of form editing.
[0027]
In step S25, it is determined whether or not the user instructs to release the link of the field graphic overlapping the cursor.
[0028]
If it is determined in step S25 that link release has been instructed, the link of the link graphic overlapping the cursor is released, and if it is determined in step S25 that link release has not been instructed, the process returns to step S21.
[0029]
[Other embodiments]
In the above-described embodiment, the link is set for the field graphic. However, the link setting may be interpreted as the setting for the field indicated by the field graphic. For example, the configuration value of each field may be configured to include the shape and position of a field graphic, the setting of a link, and the like.
[0030]
[Embodiments for Realizing the Present Invention]
Embodiments for realizing the present invention will be summarized below.
[0031]
[Embodiment 1]
A form editing method for performing an editing operation on a plurality of fields included in a form,
A mode determination step of determining an edit mode for the field;
An overlap determination step of determining whether a cursor moved by a user operation overlaps any of the plurality of fields;
An executable determination step of determining whether the editing of the edit mode determined in the mode determination step is executable for the field determined to overlap in the overlap determination step,
A cursor change step of changing the display shape of the cursor overlapping the field to a display shape indicating that the execution is possible, when it is determined that the execution is possible in the execution determination step;
When a user instructs execution of editing in the edit mode for a field overlapping a cursor whose display shape has been changed in the cursor changing step, an execution step of executing the editing for the field is performed. A form editing method characterized by having a form.
[0032]
[Embodiment 2]
The form editing method according to the first embodiment, wherein the editing mode is creation of a link between the plurality of fields.
[0033]
[Embodiment 3]
The form editing method according to the first embodiment, wherein the editing mode is release of a link between the plurality of fields.
[0034]
[Embodiment 4]
The form editing method according to the second embodiment, wherein a display shape of the cursor changed in the cursor changing step is changed according to a link order of a field overlapping the cursor.
[0035]
[Embodiment 5]
A computer program for causing a computer to execute each step of the form editing method according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments.
[0036]
[Embodiment 6]
A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute each step of the form editing method according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4.
[0037]
[Embodiment 7]
A form editing system for performing an editing operation on a plurality of fields included in a form,
Mode determination means for determining an edit mode for the field;
Overlap determining means for determining whether a cursor moved by a user operation overlaps any of the plurality of fields,
Executability determining means for determining whether editing of the edit mode determined by the mode determining means is executable for the field determined to overlap by the overlap determining means,
A cursor changing unit configured to change a display shape of a cursor overlapping the field to a display shape indicating that the cursor is executable, when the executable determination unit determines that the cursor is executable;
When a user instructs execution of editing in the edit mode for a field overlapping a cursor whose display shape has been changed by the cursor changing unit, an execution unit that executes the editing for the field. Form editing system characterized by having.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the editing operation on the field can be efficiently performed at the time of creating / editing the form.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of a form creation / editing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of contents recorded in an FD 14. FIG. 3 is a state in which the control program is loaded into a RAM and becomes executable. [Figure 4] Example of output form generation [Figure 5] Example of linked form figure [Figure 6] Flow chart showing processing when creating link figure [Figure 7] Field figure can be specified at the beginning of link Cursor display example in case of: [Fig. 8] Cursor display example when field graphic can be added to link [Fig. 9] Flow chart showing processing when link is released [Fig. 10] Cursor display example when link is released

Claims (1)

A form editing method for performing an editing operation on a plurality of fields included in a form,
A mode determination step of determining an edit mode for the field;
An overlap determination step of determining whether a cursor moved by a user operation overlaps any of the plurality of fields;
An executable determination step of determining whether the editing of the edit mode determined in the mode determination step is executable for the field determined to overlap in the overlap determination step,
A cursor change step of changing the display shape of the cursor overlapping the field to a display shape indicating that the execution is possible, when it is determined that the execution is possible in the execution determination step;
When a user instructs execution of editing in the edit mode for a field overlapping a cursor whose display shape has been changed in the cursor changing step, an execution step of executing the editing for the field is performed. A form editing method characterized by having a form.

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