JP2828078B2 - Form creation support system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a form creation support system that edits data using a fixed format and outputs the data in a book format.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of form creation support system, it is general that data is poured into a fixed format in which the correspondence with a display area is defined and output in a book table format. The means for editing is limited to the functions provided by the system. For example, in the "document creation method" disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 01-243170, an operator who creates a document by presenting a menu of entry options for an entry frame on a standard document according to a previous entry history at the time of document creation. We support for.

[0003] Commercially available word processor software having a standard document creation function different from the above system can create a standard format having an advanced editing function by using a macro language or the like. However, in this case, the information on the form frame and the edit definition in the standard format is stored together with the data edited to be actually described on the form. Means for creating information in a fixed format and means for editing data described on a form are equally given to all users.

[0004]

The first problem is that the conventional form creation support system has no means for defining various functions required at the time of data editing. The point is that an optimal editing function is not provided to the user who performs the editing for each form and content of each item.

[0005] The second problem is that, when a form is created using a standard document creation function of commercially available word processor software, the information in the standard format itself is stored along with the created form data. The point is that the size of the data file when saving the created data increases.

A third problem is that, when a form is created by using a standard document creation function of commercially available word processor software, as in the case of the second problem, the information in the standard format itself is generated by the created form data. When the contents of the form frame or edit definition are changed, it is necessary to modify the form data being created for each data. It is difficult to respond.

[0007] A fourth problem is that even when a department that creates a standard format by defining the contents of a form or lays out a form frame is different from a department that actually creates a form, the standard format is created. Since the means for performing and the means for editing the data described in the form are provided in the same system unit, the user of the department editing the data described in the form can change the standard format. Another problem is that the reliability of the form cannot be maintained.

An object of the present invention is to define various means necessary for data editing on a fixed format, minimize the size of a created data file, flexibly respond to changes in fixed format information, and Another object of the present invention is to provide a form creation support system capable of limiting the change of fixed format information to only a specific department (user).

[0009]

A form creation support system according to the present invention comprises: a form definition creation unit for creating a form definition file in which information of a necessary definition is specified for each item in the form; A form frame creation means for creating a form frame file defining the correspondence between the ID numbers specified for each item in the form definition file and their display areas, and analyzing the contents of the form definition file and performing processing based on the specified processing. Form data editing means for performing data editing, synthesizing with a form frame file, and outputting in the form of a spreadsheet, wherein the form definition creating means includes an item definition for defining an output ID number and an item name of each item Means, data extraction definition means for defining information about what type of data is to be extracted from what type of file for an item, and data input format and default character input. Edit definition means for defining options when inputting in mode and menu selection type, and condition specification for each case where items are required input or not to be entered, and when data is intentionally rewritten Check definition means for specifying items to be marked with a mark indicating that data has been changed on the output information, items for checking data inconsistency between related data and rules, and a form for defining the contents Means for outputting to a definition file, a form data editing means, a definition file analysis means for reading a form definition file of a form type to be created, a definition content storage means for storing the definition contents of the form definition file, Read the created form data file or external data file according to the data extraction definition stored in the definition content storage means, A data file analysis unit to be stored in the data content storage unit; an item editing unit that edits data in the data content storage unit by an editing method based on the specification of the edit definition of the definition content storage unit; and further edited data. For the item, a data check based on the specification of the check definition in the definition content storage means, a process for prompting the display of warnings and prompting re-input, and a data file output for outputting the edited data to a form data file Means and an image output means for synthesizing with a form frame file and outputting an image to a display or a printer.

Therefore, it is possible to provide an environment in which a user can define processing means (function) when editing data described on a form.

[0011] Further, there is provided means for separately managing fixed format information comprising a form definition file and a form frame file, and description data information which is data described in each item of the form data file. Means for outputting fixed format information from the form definition file and the form frame file when editing, thereby outputting only the written data information to the form data file; Means for automatically changing the image output information from the data described in the form data file without changing the contents of the form data file by acquiring the changed standard format information from the form definition file and the form frame file. May be provided.

Therefore, by separately managing the standard format information including the form definition file and the form frame file and the data described in the form data file, the data file size of the form to be saved can be minimized, and the form data can be minimized. It is possible to provide a system that can cope with a change in the format information without changing the data file being created.

[0013] Further, there is provided means for registering and managing the fixed format information created by the fixed format information creating means comprising the form definition creating means and the form frame creating means in the fixed format information database, and comprising the form data editing means. The description data creating means may include means for downloading the fixed format information from the fixed format information database from the client via the fixed format information server, and creating the written data information.

Therefore, by providing a user with a standard format creating means comprising a form definition creating means and a form frame creating means and a description data creating means comprising a form data editing means as an independent system, The authority to change information can be limited to a specific department (user).

[0015]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment of the Present Invention) FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. This system comprises a form definition creating means 1, a form frame creating means 2, and a form data editing means 3.

In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a form definition creating means 1 for creating a form definition file f1 in which information of a definition required for each item in the form is specified,
A form frame creating means 2 for creating a form frame file f2 defining the correspondence between the ID numbers specified for each item in the form definition file f1 and their display areas on the drawing frame data, and the contents of the form definition file f1. Analyzes and edits the data based on the specified processing, and forms frame file f
And a form data editing means 3 for outputting the data in the form of a table by synthesizing the form 2 with the form 2 to provide an environment in which a user can define a processing means (function) for editing data described on the form. .

The form definition creating means 1 extracts what part of data from what kind of file for the item, in addition to the definition such as the output ID number and the item name of each item which is basic in the item definition. The data extraction definition 1c that defines the information that defines the information, the edit definition 1e that defines the data input format, the default character input mode, and the choices when inputting with the menu selection type, and its items are required. Designation of conditions for input and non-entry, specification of items that indicate a mark indicating that data has been changed on output information when data is intentionally rewritten, and related data Check definition 1f for defining items to check for data inconsistency and rules between them, and define the contents of the form definition file. To output to f1.

The form frame creating means 2 creates and outputs a form frame file f2 including a ruled line, a fixed character string, and a display area of each item defined in the form definition file f1.

In the form data editing means 3, the definition file analysis means 3a reads the form definition file f1 of the form to be created, saves the definition contents in the definition contents storage means 3b, and outputs the past contents from the data file analysis means 3c. Form data file f3 and external data file f0 created in
Is read in accordance with the data extraction definition 1c stored in the definition content storage means 3b, and stored in the data content storage means 3d. The data stored in the data content storage means 3d is
Editing is performed by the user via the item editing unit 3e and the item checking unit 3f that perform processing according to the editing definition 1e and the checking definition 1f stored in the definition content storing unit 3b. That is, the item editing means 3e edits the data in the data content storage means 3d by an editing method based on the editing specification of the definition content storage means 3b. Further, with respect to the edited data, the item check unit 3f performs data check based on the check specification of the definition content storage unit 3b, and performs processing such as displaying a warning or prompting re-input.

The edited data is output to the form data file f3 by the data file output means 3g, combined with the form frame file f2 by the image output means 3h, and output to a display or a printer.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows the form data editing means 3 of FIG.
3 is a flowchart of the processing in. The form data editing means 3 selects a form to be created from the form types created in advance (S201), loads the form definition file by the definition file analysis means 3a (S202), and outputs the form to the image output means 3h. Then, the form frame file is loaded (S203), and the definition contents are stored by the definition contents storage means 3b (S204). Then, based on the definition contents, the data file is loaded by the data file analysis means 3c (S205), and the extracted data contents are stored in the data content storage means 3d (S206). When the processing up to this point is completed, the form data editing means 3 waits for an instruction from the user (S207). Thereafter, based on the user's instruction contents and definition contents, the data editing processing by the item editing means 3e and the item checking means Check processing by 3f (S208), data file output by the data file output means 3g (S209), and image output by combining with the form frame file by the image output means 3h are performed (S210).

Next, a specific example of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that this specific example is an LSI
It is an example of an assembly study work request form.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the data extraction definition 1c in FIG. When the data extraction code (C31) of “A1” is specified as an item in the form definition file f1, the definition file analysis unit 3a sets the definition (C3) corresponding to “A1” in the form definition file f1.
The line in which 1 ′) is described is searched, and the extraction source file code (C32) and the extracted data code (C33) are stored in the definition content storage unit 3b. The data file analysis means 3c extracts data for the item of "request date" for which C31 is defined, and stores it in the data content storage means 3d. In the example of FIG. 3, the extraction source file code (C3
2) "SV" indicates that the retrieval result of a certain request ledger is extracted from the file (f0-a), and "1" of the extracted data code (C33) indicates the request date in the file. Points to the data.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the edit definition 1e in FIG. The head code (C41) of each data item definition line in the form definition file fl indicates the type of edited data. When the selection type input code (C42) of “P1” is designated as the item, the definition file analysis means 3a outputs “P1” in the form definition file f1.
Is searched for a line in which the definition (C42 ') corresponding to the description is described, and a list of options (C43) is stored in the definition content storage means 3b.
Is stored. In the item editing means 3e, when editing the data of "request (new / re)" in which C42 is defined, the menu selection type input means (3e-1) selects the data from the menu options created from the selection list of C43. Edit. For other data items, the one-line character data input means (3e-2) and the paragraph character data input means (3e-
Edit the data to be entered in the item via 3).

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the check definition 1f in FIG. When the input target condition code (C51) of “V1” is specified as an item in the form definition file fl, the definition file analysis unit 3a uses the definition (C5) corresponding to “V1” in the form definition file f1.
1 ') is searched, and the conditional expression information (C511) and the target data item I are stored in the definition content storage means 3b.
D (C512) is stored. Also, the form definition file f
In the case where the required item condition code “C1” is specified for the item C52 in No. 1, the definition (C52 ′) corresponding to “C1” in the form definition file f1 is described in the definition file analysis unit 3a. The row is searched, and the conditional expression information (C521) and the target data item ID (C522) are stored in the definition content storage unit 3b.

In the item check means 3f, the data item (C51) corresponding to the target data item ID (C512)
When the data content of 2 ') is changed by the editing means 3e,
In the input target condition check (3f-1), whether or not the item is an input target item is checked based on the conditional expression information (C5ll). In the example of FIG. 5, the item of “request (new / re)” (C
When the data of 512 ′) becomes “re”, the data item of “last request number” in which the input target condition code (C51) of “V1” is defined becomes the input target, and is displayed on the edit screen and in the image To appear on the output (C
The conditional expression 511 indicates that when the data is “re”, it becomes an input target.)

In the item checking means 3f, when checking omission of required items by a user's instruction, first check that the input items are not excluded by the input object condition check (3f-1). For an item for which such a condition required input item code is specified, in the required item condition check (3f-2), whether or not the item is a required item is checked based on the conditional expression information (C521). If the item is an input item, check for omission of entry as in the case of the item for which the essential input code "H" such as C53 is designated (3f-3). In the example of FIG.
When the entry omission check of the required input item is performed, the target data item ID (C52) is specified for the item of “thermal resistance” for which the condition required input item code “C1” (C52) is designated.
The input check (3f-3) is performed only when the data content of "product use" which is the data item (C522 ') corresponding to 2) is "mass production". (The conditional expression of C521 indicates that when the data is "mass production", it becomes an essential input item.)

(Second Embodiment of the Present Invention) FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, fixed format information A including a form definition file f1 and a form frame file f2 and data described in a form data file f3 are separately managed. As a result, it is possible to provide a system capable of minimizing the data file size of a form to be saved and responding to a change in fixed format information without changing the data file being created. .

Next, the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for creating the fixed format information A of FIG. In the section that creates the standard format information A, the form definition creating means 1 creates and outputs a form definition file f1 (S701). Next, the form frame creation means 2 creates and outputs a form frame file f2 including a ruled line, a fixed character string, and a display area of each item of the form definition file f1 (S702).

Next, a specific example of the second embodiment of the present invention relating to file management will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 8 shows an example in which the output file of the created form data is prevented from becoming unnecessarily large. In the form definition file f1, the item ID (T, 1) and the editing method (Yes, No)
Item ID) for question and question (i)
Information such as (T, 2) and an editing method (selected from OK or NG) are defined. In the form frame file f2, information on ruled lines and fixed character strings, and information on a display area of each item are defined. In the form data editing means 3,
Each time editing is performed, this information is stored in the form definition file f
1. By obtaining the form data from the form frame file f2, the form data can be stored only by outputting only the data described in each item to the form data files (f3-1 to f3-3).

FIG. 9 shows an example in which the described data information can flexibly respond to a change in the fixed format information. When the definition information of the form frame file f2 is changed from D1 to D2 due to a change in the form layout, the form data editing means 3 acquires the information of the form frame file f2 after the change to D2. Thus, the image output information can be automatically changed from W1 to W2 without changing the contents of the form data file f3-1.

(Third Embodiment of the Present Invention) FIG. 10 is a system configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG.
By providing a user with a fixed format information creating means A 'comprising a form definition creating means 1 and a form frame creating means 2 and a description data creating means B' comprising a form data editing means 3 as an independent system, The authority to change the information A can be limited to a specific department (user).

Next, a specific example of the third embodiment of the present invention when the authority to change the fixed format information is limited to a specific department will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 11 shows an example in which a client-server type system is constructed between departments.
The fixed format information creating section α registers and manages the fixed format information A created by the fixed format information creating means A ′ in the fixed format information database Z. The description data creating sections β, γ, and δ send the description data creating means B ′ from the client X via the fixed format information server Y in the fixed format information creating section α to the fixed format information database Z.
Thus, the fixed format information A is downloaded.
In the description data information B thus created,
Since the description data creation section (β, γ, δ) cannot change the fixed format information A, the reliability of the fixed format information A is always maintained.

[0041]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

The first effect is that a form definition file that can define a data extraction method, an editing method, a check method, and the like is used for each item in the form, and the contents of the definition are analyzed, The data extraction method, editing method, and checking method that are most suitable for the contents of each form and each item are provided to enable customization of the part that performs the processing of, and the work efficiency when editing the data written on the form Is to improve.

The second effect is that a data file created to manage the definition of processing at the time of editing a form and information on a fixed format such as a layout on a form frame and data to be written on an actual form separately. Is that the size of the is minimized.

The third effect is that information on a fixed format, which is the same as the second effect, and data to be written on an actual form are separately managed, so that it is possible to flexibly cope with a change in the fixed format information. That is.

The fourth effect is that the means for creating the fixed format information and the means for editing the data described in the form are provided separately so that the change of the fixed format information can be changed only by a specific department (user). Therefore, when the created form is handled as electronic data, the reliability of the data can be maintained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow of processing in a form data editing unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a data extraction definition in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an edit definition in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a check definition in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow for creating the fixed format information of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a specific example of a second embodiment of the present invention for file management.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another specific example of the second embodiment of the present invention for file management.

FIG. 10 is a system configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a specific example of the third embodiment of the present invention for fixed format information change authority departments only.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Form definition creating means 1c Data extraction definition (corresponding to 3c) 1e Editing definition (corresponding to 3e) 1f Check definition (corresponding to 3f) 2 Form frame creating means 3 Form data editing means 3a Definition file analyzing means 3b Definition contents storing means 3c Data file analysis means 3d Data content storage means 3e Item editing means 3f Item checking means 3g Data file output means 3h Image output means f0 External data file f1 Form definition file f2 Form frame file f3 Form data file A Standard format information A 'fixed form Format information creation means B Described data information B 'Described data creation means C *** Form definition code D * Form frame information W * Output image information X Client Y Standard format information server Z Standard format information database α Standard form Formatting information creation department β, γ, δ described data created department

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A form definition creating means for creating a form definition file designating necessary definition information for each item in a form, and an ID number designated for each item in the form definition file on drawing frame data. A form frame creating means for creating a form frame file defining the correspondence between the display areas, and analyzing the contents of the form definition file, editing data based on specified processing, and And a form data editing unit that performs output in a form of a table by combining the form definition with the form. The form definition creating unit includes: an item defining unit that defines an output ID number and an item name of each item; Data extraction definition means that defines information about what part of data to extract from various types of files, data input format, default character input mode, menu selection type Edit definition means for defining options when inputting in, and specifying each condition when the item is required input or not to be entered, on output information when data is intentionally rewritten Check definition means for specifying an item for describing a mark indicating that data has been changed, an item for checking data inconsistency between related data and a rule specification, and a definition content in the form definition file. Output means, wherein the form data editing means comprises: a definition file analysis means for reading the form definition file of the form type to be created; a definition content storage means for storing the definition contents of the form definition file; Read the created form data file or external data file according to the data extraction definition stored in the definition content storage means. A data file analyzing means to be stored in the data content storing means; an item editing means for editing the data in the data content storing means by an editing method based on an edit definition specification of the definition content storing means; For the data, an item check means for performing a data check based on the specification of the check definition in the definition content storage means and performing a process of displaying a warning and prompting re-input, and outputting edited data to the form data file A form creation support system, comprising: a data file output unit that performs the above operation; and an image output unit that synthesizes the form frame file and outputs an image to a display or a printer. 2. A means for separately managing fixed format information including the form definition file and the form frame file, and description data information that is data described in each item of the form data file, The form data editing means, when editing, by acquiring the standard format information from the form definition file and the form frame file, to output only the described data information to the form data file, In response to the change of the standard format information, by obtaining the standard format information after the change from the form definition file and the form frame file, the contents of the form data file are not changed, and the description of the form data file is not changed. Means for automatically changing image output information from data information. 2. The form creation support system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A means for registering and managing the fixed form information created by the fixed form information creating means comprising the form definition creating means and the form frame creating means in a fixed form information database, wherein the form data editing means The description data creating means comprises: means for downloading the fixed format information from the fixed format information database from a client via a fixed format information server, and creating the written data information. 3. The form creation support system according to claim 2.