JP3006447B2 - Search device for print data - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used for printing a printing target such as a product from a plurality of printing data such as character data, graphic data and image data to prepare a printed matter such as a catalog or a flyer. It relates to a device for searching for things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when creating a printed matter such as a catalog or a flyer on which a character for explaining a function of a product, a graphic for displaying a dimension, and an image for displaying an external appearance, a plurality of character data are required for each product. A plurality of tabulation data, a plurality of graphic data and a plurality of image data are prepared in advance as digital data, and when the background of the image is variously changed, the mask image data corresponding to the background image corresponds to each image data. The data is prepared in advance, and necessary data is searched for and used according to the purpose of printing. That is, if a catalog is to be printed, character data for the catalog, tabulation data, graphic data, image data, and mask image data are searched, and if a leaflet is to be printed, character data for the leaflet, tabulation data are to be printed. , Graphic data, image data,
Search for mask image data. Searching for such print data may differ from the characters, figures, and images for posting in a catalog and the characters, figures, and images for posting in a leaflet, even for the same product. Because.

[0003] Such retrieved print data is processed by a computer. For example, in the case of character data, character processing such as putting a yen mark in price notation is performed, and further, typesetting processing in which layout information such as a character array is incorporated based on table typesetting data is performed. If it is graphic data, graphic processing such as deletion of unnecessary lines and characters is performed. If it is image data, adjust color and contrast, etc.
Further, image processing such as incorporating a background is performed based on the mask image data. After performing these processes, a layout process for integrating the print data is performed, and a film original or a printing plate for creating a printed matter is created from the integrated print data, and thereafter printing is performed to create a printed matter.

[0004]

Heretofore, there has been no database that integrally handles character data, graphic data, and image data constituting print data. Therefore, a problem has occurred due to a lack of link information for associating print data with each other.

[0005] That is, the process of producing a printed material includes a plate-making process that handles character data, tabulation data, and graphic data; a plate-making process that handles image data and mask image data; The process is divided into a plate collecting process for integrating the film original sent from the process, and each process is independent. Therefore, the lack of link information indicating the connection relationship between the character data, tabulation data, graphic data, image data, and mask image data makes it impossible to accurately search for print data. On the other hand, there has been a problem that images are different. This problem becomes more pronounced as the scale of the print data increases.

Therefore, it is conceivable to use a conventional database that can integrally handle character data, graphic data, and image data used for purposes other than printing as material data for processing print data. However, character data, graphic data, and image data for printing are provided in plural numbers for each printing target, for example, for each product number if the printing target is a product, depending on the purpose of what kind of printed material is used. Be prepared. Therefore, it is necessary to directly associate the print data not only via the product number but also according to the purpose of use. In addition, products of different product numbers share common printing data, and such products may have restrictions such as being posted on the same page. Therefore, it is necessary to associate the products based on the sharing relationship. On the other hand, in a conventional database, character data, graphic data, and image data cannot be directly linked to each other, and can only be linked to each other through a common search item (for example, product number or price). It was not suitable for a database system for printing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a print data search device that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for retrieving data to be used for printing from a plurality of print data, wherein link information for linking print data including tabulation data is provided. Means for storing the print data in association with the print target and storing each print data in association with the link information; means for specifying the print target and link information; and searching for link information corresponding to the specified print target. And a means for searching for print data corresponding to the searched and specified link information, and means for associating the file name of the searched print data with the association by the link information.

A plurality of character data, a plurality of graphic data, and a plurality of image data are prepared for at least one print data to be printed, and a plurality of link information is associated with at least one print object. It is preferable that the association of the plurality of print data by the link information is different from each other.

[0010] It is preferable that a means for creating link information for associating all print data prepared for the same print target with each print target is provided.

It is preferable that the printing apparatus further comprises means for storing each printing object in association with the search condition, means for specifying the search condition, and means for searching for the printing object corresponding to the specified search condition.

[0012]

According to the present invention, link information for associating print data such as character data, graphic data, and image data is treated as a search target material in the same manner as print data. Can be associated not only via search conditions such as part numbers, but also based on link information, and management and search of print data based on the link information can be performed.
In other words, since the print data can be handled in an integrated manner based on the link information, the management becomes easy, the data search based on the link information can be easily performed, and a problem occurs in which the image differs between the character and the graphic in the printed matter. Can be prevented.

In a case where a plurality of character data, a plurality of graphic data, and a plurality of image data are prepared for at least one print data to be printed, a plurality of links different from each other are provided for one print target. Information can be linked, and necessary print data can be searched based on the link. That is, even if there are a plurality of character data, graphic data, image data, and the like for each print target, the data can be directly associated with the data based on the link information and handled. This makes it easy to search for data based on various types of link information.

Further, link information for associating all print data prepared for the same print target can be automatically created, for example, in association with a common product number or the like for each data.
The labor required for inputting link information can be reduced.

By storing each print target in association with the search condition and searching for the print target corresponding to the designated search condition, a search item other than the identification code of the print target can be set.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A printing data retrieval apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a digital data processing computer 2 which comprises a central processing unit 2a and a main storage 2b.
, A buffer storage device 2c, and an input / output interface 2d. A mouse 3, a keyboard 4, a display device 5, a printer 6, a floppy disk device 7, and a magneto-optical disk device 8 are connected to the computer 2 via an input / output interface 2d.

FIG. 2 shows a table for explaining the structure of the relational database program stored in the main storage device 2b. The search table 11 includes search conditions as data items, a part number as an identification code to be printed, and link information. A search link table 12 including, as data items, a link ID, which is an identification code of the above, and a link table including, as data items, a link ID, an object category, which is a category of print data, and an object ID, which is an identification code of print data. 13, an image table 14 including, as data items, an ID of image data as one of the objects, an actual file name, an input file name, and an icon image; an ID of graphic data as one of the objects, an actual file name; Include input file name and icon image as data items A shape table 15; a character table 16 including, as data items, an ID of character data as one of the objects, an actual file name, an input file name, and an icon image; A table format table 17 including a file name, an input file name, and an icon image as data items, an image ID corresponding to an ID of mask image data, which is one of the objects, an actual file name, an input file name, and an icon image. And a mask table 18 included as data items.

Note that the above search condition is an example, and the large classification in the figure indicates, when the print data relates to, for example, interior goods, the classification of a lighting fixture, a chair, a desk, or the like. If it is a lighting device, it indicates whether it is for living room, entrance, bedroom etc., the product number indicates the number which is the identification code of the product such as lighting device, chair, desk, etc. to be printed, and the price is the product The price indicates the size, the size indicates, for example, width × height × depth, and the functions 1, 2, and 3 indicate, for example, whether or not a remote control switch is provided for lighting. The input file name is given a name including a product number and an object category, that is, an image, a graphic, a character, a table composition, or a mask image. The icon image is an image attached to the product number displayed on the display device 5 at the time of searching for print data, and indicates what the displayed product number relates to. If there is, the form of the desk is displayed to prevent a search error.

FIG. 3 and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining print data prepared in advance for two products A and B. As shown in FIG. 3, one of the products more character data relates to A ^A T ^{1, A} T ^{2, A} T ^3, a plurality of tables typesetting data ^A C ^{1, A} C ^{2, A} C ^3, a plurality of graphic data ^{A F 1, a F 2, a} F 3, a plurality of image data ^a P
^{1, A, B P 2,} A P 3 are prepared, each image a plurality of mask images for each data data ^A M ^{1,1, A} M ^{1,2,
A, B} M ^2,1 , ^{A, B} M ^2,2 , ^A M ^3,1 , ^A M ^3,2 are prepared. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, another one of the items a plurality of character data relates to ^{B B T 1, B T 2} , B T 3, a plurality of tables typesetting data ^{B C 1, B C 2,} B C 3, a plurality Figure data
^{B F 1, B F 2,} B F 3, a plurality of image data ^B P ^{1,
A, B P 2, B P} 3 are prepared, each image a plurality of mask images for each data data ^{B M 1,1, B M 1,2,} A, B M 2,1,
^{A, B M 2,2, B M} 3,1, B M 3,1 is prepared. In this embodiment, one image data ^A, and ^B P ^2, the mask image data ^A corresponding to the image ^{data, B} M ^{2,1, A, B} M
^2,2 are shared by two products A and B. For example, when one product A is a desk and another product B is a chair, image data obtained by combining the desk and the chair is shared. The number of products to be printed and the number of print data are not particularly limited, and a part of print data such as graphic data may not be prepared.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams of link information indicating a connection relationship of print data. As shown in FIG. 5, four pieces of link information ^A R ¹ , ^A R ² , and ^A
R ^{3, A} R ⁴ illustrate, also, as shown in FIG. 6 relates another one of items B multiple four link information ^B R ^{1, B}
Illustrate ^{R 2, B R 3, B} R 4.

[0021] One of the link information ^A R ¹ for that one of the products A, the print data ^A T used in the case of posting the item A, for example, in a comprehensive catalog of interior products
^{1, A C 1, A F} 1, A F 2, A P 1, A, B P 2, A M
^1,1 , ^A M ^1,2 object classification T, C, F, P, M
Are related via. Another link information ^A
R ² is, print data ^A T ² used when posting the item A, for example, in quarterly catalog, ^A C ^{2, A} F ^3,
A P ^{3, A} M ^3,1 to object classification T, C, F, P,
It is related through M. Yet another one of the link information ^A R ^3, the print data ^A T ³ used when posting the item A, for example, in flyers, ^A C ^{3,
A F 3, A P 3,} A M 3,1 to object classification T, C,
The association is made via F, P, and M. Yet another other one link information ^A R ⁴ is the product A, all the print data ^A T ¹ to be prepared for that product A,
^{A T 2, A T 3,} A C 1, A C 2, A C 3, A F 1, A
^{F 2, A F 3, A} P 1, A, B P 2, A P 3, A M 1,1,
^A M ^1,2 , ^{A, B} M ^2,1 , ^{A, B} M ^2,2 , ^A M ^3,1 , ^A M
³ , ² are associated with each other through the object sections T, C, F, P, and M.

One piece of link information ^B R ¹ relating to the other product B is printing data used when the product B is placed in, for example, a general catalog of interior products.
^{B T 1, B C 1,} B F 1, B F 2, B P 1, A, B P 2,
Object divisions T, C, F, and ^B M ^1,1 , ^B M ^1,2
The association is made via P and M. One other link information ^B R ^2, the print data ^B T ² used when posting the item B, for example, in quarterly catalog, ^B C ^{2, B
F 3, B P 3, B} M 3,1 to object classification T, C,
The association is made via F, P, and M. Yet another one of the link information ^B R ³ is a printing data ^B T ³ used when posting the item B, for example, in flyers, ^B C ³
Through the object divisions T and C. Yet another other one link information ^B R ⁴ is the product B, all the print data ^B T ¹ to be prepared for that product B, ^{B
T 2, B T 3, B} C 1, B C 2, B C 3, B F 1, B F
^{2, B F 3, B P} 1, A, B P 2, B P 3, B M 1,1, B
M ^1,2 , ^{A, B} M ^2,1 , ^{A, B} M ^2,2 , ^B M ^3,1 , ^B M ^3,1
Through the object divisions T, C, F, P, M.

Each print data is input to the computer 2 via the keyboard 4, the floppy disk device 7, and the magneto-optical disk device 8, and stored as files in the main storage device 2b. At this time, the search condition including the product number, the input file name, and the icon image are also input and stored in association with each print data. When each print data is input to the computer 2, the arithmetic unit 2a is executed based on the relational database program.
Creates an object ID and an actual file name of each print data and stores them in association with each print data. Thus, each print data is registered as an object in the relational database. The actual file name is created by the relational database program to reduce the burden on the operator to avoid duplication of input file names, and is made unique for each file.

Further, the print data (in the above example, the image data ^A, BP ² and the mask image data ^{A, BM 2,1} ,
The product numbers of at least two products (products A and B in the above embodiment) that share ^{A, B} M ^2,2 ) are stored in the main storage device 2b in association with the shared printing data.

[0025] Each link information, except for those that associates all the print data are prepared for each one of the items (except for ^A R ^{4, B} R ⁴ in the above example), the keyboard 4
The floppy disk device 7 specifies the input file name and the product number of the print data to be associated for each object section, and inputs the data to the computer 2 and stores it as a file in the main storage device 2b. When each piece of link information is input to the computer 2, the arithmetic device 2a creates a link ID, which is an identification code of each piece of link information, based on the relational database program, and stores the link ID in association with each piece of link information. This allows
Each link information is registered as an object in the relational database.

When each print data is stored in the main storage device 2b in association with the product number, the arithmetic unit 2a associates all the print data prepared for each product based on the relational database program. create a link information ^(a R ^{4, B} R ⁴ in the above example), the link ID is an identification code of each link information
Is created and stored in association with each piece of link information.
That is, each link information is registered as an object in the relational database without performing data input in a human system, and the labor required for inputting the link information can be reduced.

The procedure for searching for print data in the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, search conditions are displayed on the display device 5, and one of the search conditions is designated by the mouse 3 or the keyboard 4 (step 1). The arithmetic unit 2a searches for the product number that matches the specified search condition, and displays the search result on the display device 5 together with the icon image corresponding to the product number (step 2).

Next, one of the displayed product numbers is designated by the mouse 3 or the keyboard 4 (step 3). The arithmetic unit 2a searches for the link ID stored in association with the specified product number, and displays the search result on the display device 5 (step 4). At this time, the type of the link information corresponding to the link ID may be displayed together to prevent an error in specifying the link ID. For example, if the link information is 199
If the data related to the print data of the product to be published in the 5th edition fall / winter catalog is displayed, the characters of “1995 fall / winter catalog” are also displayed, and the link information is the print data of the product specification published in the 1995 edition general catalog. Is associated, the character string "1995 general catalog product specification" is also displayed.

Next, one of the displayed link IDs is designated by the mouse 3 or the keyboard 4 (step 5). The arithmetic unit 2a searches for the print data stored in association with the link information corresponding to the specified link ID, and displays the search result on the display unit 5 (step 6). That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the contents of the character data, the graphic data, and the image data themselves are displayed as a search result, and the search conditions are also displayed. On this occasion,
When the displayed print data is shared by other products, the product numbers of the other products are also displayed so that the print data can be searched for other products. In the above example, the search item A, if the image data ^{A, B} P ² is displayed, displays the part of the product B, also searches the print data for the product B in the same manner as in step 3-6 And

Next, necessary data is designated from the displayed print data by using the mouse 3 or the keyboard 4 (step 7). Note that all of the displayed print data may be specified collectively, or may be individually specified. The arithmetic unit 2a stores the designated print data in the buffer storage unit 2c (step 8). As shown in FIG. 9, the buffer storage device 2c
May be displayed on the display device 5. The file of the tabulation data is searched and displayed by designating the file of the character data, and is stored in the buffer storage device 2c by designating from the displayed, and the file of the mask image data is By specifying the file of the image data, the corresponding one is searched for and displayed, and by specifying from the displayed, the corresponding one is stored in the buffer storage device 2c. Further, it is possible to delete the print data once stored in the buffer storage device 2c and cancel the temporary storage.

Steps 1 to 8 are repeated until all necessary print data is stored in the buffer storage device 2c (step 9).

Next, the grouping information of the print data stored in the buffer storage device 2c is input to the computer 2 by the keyboard 4 or the floppy disk device 7 (step 10). For example, to create a catalog, specify the page to which each print data belongs when processing the print data for each page of the catalog, and specify the page to which each print data belongs. The fold to which each print data belongs is specified. Based on the grouping information, the arithmetic unit 2a performs grouping of the print data stored in the buffer storage unit 2c (step 11). At this time, a plurality of print data associated under one product number by the link information is regarded as one set, and even if the grouping information is not input or an input error occurs, the same group is automatically set. Are grouped to belong to Also, in the case of commodities sharing print data, the print data of each product automatically belongs to the same group based on the link information even if there is no input of grouping information or there is an input error. I do.

Next, when an output command is input to the computer 2, the arithmetic unit 2a outputs the print data stored in the buffer storage unit 2c (step 12). In this embodiment, character data, tabulation data, and graphic data are output to a floppy disk via a floppy disk device 7, and image data and mask image data are output to a magneto-optical disk via a magneto-optical disk device 8.

At the time of the output, the arithmetic unit 2a outputs the data via the floppy disk device 7 and the magneto-optical disk device 8,
A directory corresponding to the grouping is created on a floppy disk and a magneto-optical disk as output media, and print data associated by link information is output in the same directory. Save the corresponding print data file. Further, the file name of the print data stored in the output medium is changed from the actual file name to a name corresponding to the association based on the link information and the association based on the shared relationship of the print data.

For example, regarding a product having a product number of A0001,
Two image data associated by link information,
Two mask image data corresponding to each image data;
One graphic data, one character data, and tabulation data corresponding to the character data are grouped so as to correspond to the eleventh page of the catalog.
Regarding the product No. 002, one image data associated with the link information, one mask image data corresponding to the image data, one graphic data, one character data, and tabulation data corresponding to the character data Are grouped so as to correspond to the eleventh page of the catalog, and one image data and one mask image data corresponding to the image data are shared by both products. In this case, each print data is stored as a file in the directory corresponding to the eleventh page, and the file name of one image data of the product having the product number of A0001 is A0001. PIC, and the file name of the image data shared by both products is A0001-B0002.
PIC, and the file name of one graphic data item of the product having the product number of A0001 is A0001-01. It is called FIG,
The file name of the other graphic data of the product having the product number of A0001 is A0001-02. It is assumed to be FIG.
The file name of the character data of the product 001 is A0001.
TXT, and the file name of the graphic data of the product whose product number is B0002 is B0002. The item number is B00.
02 has a file name of character data B0002. T
XT. That is, the file names of the print data for the product A associated with the link information are all A
0001, and the file names of the print data relating to the product B associated with another link information are all B00.
01. The file name of the image data shared by the product A and the product B includes the product number A0001 of the product A and the product name B0002 of the product B, so that the sharing relationship can be recognized. Note that the file of the tabulation data and the file of the mask image data on the output medium are:
The file names are not changed because they correspond to the character data file and the image data file, respectively.

Further, the printer 6 outputs a text file describing the relation of each print data output to the output medium by the link information (step 1).
3). The text file is, for example, the one shown in FIG. 10. In the area divided for each product number of each of the products A and B, the text corresponding to the file name of each print data output to the output medium and the object classification are output. Is described,
Further, a text corresponding to a number (C011) corresponding to the directory and a page which is a reference for creating the directory is described.

According to the above configuration, the link information for associating the print data is treated as a search target material in the same manner as the print data, so that the print data can be associated only through a search condition such as a product number. And can be associated with each other based on link information, and management and search of print data based on the link information can be performed.
In other words, since the print data can be handled in an integrated manner based on the link information, the management becomes easy, the data search based on the link information can be easily performed, and a problem occurs in which the image differs between the character and the graphic in the printed matter. Can be prevented.

In the case where a plurality of character data, a plurality of graphic data, and a plurality of image data are prepared for at least one print target print data, a plurality of links different from each other are provided for one print target. Information can be linked, and necessary print data can be searched based on the link. That is, even if there are a plurality of character data, graphic data, image data, and the like for each print target, the data can be directly associated and handled based on the link information. This makes it easy to search for data based on various types of link information.

When at least two print targets share print data, those print targets are often placed adjacent to each other or on the same page on printed matter. In such a case, it is possible to simultaneously search for print targets in the shared relationship, and furthermore, since the file name of the shared print data corresponds to the association by the shared relationship, it is possible to easily recognize the shared relationship. Recognizable,
It is possible to improve the efficiency of the printing work.

Each print target is stored in association with a search condition, and a search is performed for a print target corresponding to the designated search condition. Can be set.

Further, the input file name of the search data can be changed to a file name corresponding to the association by the link information, and a text file describing the association of the print data by the link information is output. Since the effort to avoid is eliminated and the link information can be confirmed from the output file name of the print data, the effort to associate the input file name with the link information can be eliminated.

A directory is created on the print data output medium in accordance with the grouping of the searched print data, and the searched print data is output in a directory on the output medium in accordance with the grouping. When the processing of print data is shared by multiple workers, print data can be efficiently provided based on link information according to the grouping of pages or folds assigned to each worker. Work efficiency can be improved. In particular, when a plurality of workers share the work of creating a printed material and process data for printing pages and folds assigned using DTP, a small-scale database linked to a layout program of each DTP is used.
When registering the output print data in directory units, conventionally, it was necessary to search for print data corresponding to the directory and provide it in accordance with link information. Becomes unnecessary. In addition, the output file name corresponds to the association based on link information, and the output text file describes the association based on the link information of the print data in directory units, thereby describing the output file name and the text file. Thus, printing data can be accurately assigned to each worker based on the above.

Further, the contents of the plurality of print data selected by the rough search are displayed themselves, and a necessary one is selected from the contents by human judgment, and the operation of temporarily storing the selected one is repeated. Thus, necessary print data can be easily obtained. That is, it is not necessary to attach a very large number of keywords corresponding to all search conditions, and the search operation is simple and flexible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram of a data search device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a table for explaining the structure of a relational database program according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining print data according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining print data according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of link information according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of link information according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a control procedure of the data search device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display image of the data search device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display image of the data search device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a text file output from the data search device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 2 computer 2a central processing unit 2b main storage device 2c buffer storage device 3 mouse 4 keyboard 5 display device 6 printer 7 floppy disk device 8 magneto-optical disk device

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshitaka Sato 5-1-1 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo Inside Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-61-148969 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 17/30 G06T 1/00 JICST file (JOIS)

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] An apparatus for searching a plurality of print data for a print target to be used for printing, wherein link information for associating print data including tabulation data is stored in association with the print target. Means for storing each print data in association with link information; means for specifying a print target and link information; and searching for link information corresponding to the specified print target, and searching and specifying the specified link. An apparatus for retrieving print data, comprising: means for retrieving print data corresponding to information; and means for associating the file name of the retrieved print data with association by link information. 2. A plurality of character data, a plurality of graphic data, and a plurality of image data are prepared for at least one print target print data, and at least one print target is associated with a plurality of link information. 2. The print data search device according to claim 1, wherein the association of a plurality of print data by each link information is different from each other. 3. The print data according to claim 1, further comprising means for creating link information for associating all print data prepared for the same print target in association with each print target. Search device. 4. A printing apparatus comprising: means for storing each print target in association with a search condition; means for specifying a search condition; and means for searching for a print target corresponding to the specified search condition. An apparatus for retrieving print data according to claim 1.