JP3675244B2 - Document editing apparatus and editing method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a document editing apparatus and editing method for composing a document from a plurality of electronic layer data, and in particular, for a newly added layer in the document editing process, a screen that enables grasping the intention of adding the layer later The present invention relates to a document editing apparatus and an editing method to be displayed.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A document editing device that creates and edits a document from electronic data composes an integrated document by displaying multiple transparent layers containing the description on the screen, and adds a layer to the base description. There is something that adds description contents by doing.
[0003]
5 and 6 show the concept of document editing processing in such a document editing apparatus.
That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the document is composed of a plurality of transparent layers, and the user can perform arbitrary writing on each layer. By displaying these plural layers in a superimposed manner, the description content of each layer can be displayed in a superimposed manner and displayed on the screen as a single document.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, when a user adds new description contents such as a comment to a document, a new layer (working layer) is temporarily created and a comment is written in this, and the new layer is confirmed. By adding to the document by operation, new description content is added to the document.
[0004]
According to the document editing apparatus as described above, a user can freely add a description content of a document by adding a layer including a new description content to the document, and delete an existing layer. By doing so, the description contents of the document can be freely deleted.
For such convenience, the document editing apparatus as described above is a work system in which a single document is shared by a plurality of users, and each user edits the shared document to complete the document. Are also used.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional document editing apparatus, if the next layer is added and the description content of the document is edited from the next, when the document is viewed later, the editing is performed in any context. There was a problem that it was difficult to grasp what was done, and it was difficult to grasp the intention of the edited user (editor).
For example, when a certain comment is added to a document, it will not be clear what description contents were added to the document later. In some cases, it was impossible to grasp.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and it is possible to grasp the intention of the editor by reproducing what the editor added to the document while viewing the description contents. An object of the present invention is to provide a document editing apparatus and an editing method .
It is another object of the present invention to provide a document editing apparatus and an editing method suitable for a system in which a shared document is edited together by a client server system.
Further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention displays a document composed of the contents described in the plurality of layers by displaying a plurality of transparent layers including the description contents on the screen, and edits the description contents of the document by adding the layers. The contents of the document added to the document (that is, the corresponding layer) can be used to understand the intention of the editor by reproducing the state of the document when the layer is added. .
[0008]
Specifically, in the present invention, the document composition unit displays the layer set for display based on the display or non-display setting included in the data of each layer, and the document editing unit displays the screen. A new layer is created and added to the document composed of the layers based on the user operation, and information about the layer displayed on the screen at the time of the addition operation is created as the added layer display state information.
[0009]
Then, the layer state management means manages the layer display state information at the time of addition in association with the added new layer. For example, the content additionally described in the document (that is, the corresponding layer) is specified. When the display instruction is received from the user by the display receiving means, the layer state reproducing means causes the document composition means to display the layer displayed on the screen when the specified layer is added based on the added layer display state information.
Here, the layer data and the layer display state information at the time of addition may be created and managed as separate data units, or may be created and managed as a single data unit in which these are combined. Data and layer display state information at the time of addition can be stored and managed separately in separate storage units, and in the latter case, they are stored and managed in the same storage unit as a single piece of data, and screen display when adding layers When reproducing the state, an added layer display state information portion in the data may be used.
[0010]
Further, the document editing apparatus according to the present invention is suitable for use in a system for jointly editing a shared document by a client server system including a client apparatus and a server apparatus connected via a communication line. The apparatus includes a document composition unit, a document editing unit, a display reception unit, and a layer state reproduction unit. The server device includes a layer state management unit and a document management unit that exclusively controls and manages data of each layer. And are provided.
[0011]
Further, when the document editing apparatus according to the present invention is applied to such a client-server system, the client apparatus stores the layer display state information at the time of addition for each of a plurality of layers added by the document editing means in a layer state temporary storage means. When the added plurality of layer data is transmitted to the document management unit and reflected in the document, the layer state management unit stores the added layer display state information temporarily stored by the layer state temporary storage unit. Send to and manage. Thus, even when a plurality of layers are created on the client device side and these layers are collectively reflected in the document managed on the server device side, the layer display state information at the time of addition for each layer is added to the layer state management means. The frequency of communication between the client device and the server device can be suppressed.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be specifically described with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a document editing apparatus according to the present embodiment. In this example, the document editing apparatus includes a plurality of layers by a client server system in which a client apparatus 1 and a server apparatus 2 are connected via a communication line. This is a system that allows users to share and edit documents.
[0013]
The client device 1 includes a document editing unit 10, a document composition unit 11, a communication unit 12, a layer state reproduction unit 13, and a layer state temporary storage unit 14. The server device 2 includes a communication unit 20, document management. A unit 21, a document storage unit 22, and a layer state storage unit 23 are provided.
Note that these functional units 10 to 14 and 20 to 23 are configured by executing the program according to the present invention using computer hardware resources.
[0014]
The document editing unit 10 has a means for accepting user input such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a screen for displaying a document to be edited. In addition, the document editing unit 10 displays a description content based on a user operation on a document composed of layers displayed on the screen. It also has a function of creating and adding a new layer to be included, and a function of creating information on the layer displayed on the screen during the addition operation as layer display state information at the time of addition.
The document editing unit 10 also functions as a display receiving unit that receives a display instruction designating an arbitrary layer from the user.
In this example, the layer data and the added layer display state information are created as separate data units associated with each other, but the document editing unit 10 includes the added layer display state information in the layer data. You may make it produce as a unitary data unit.
[0015]
Based on the display or non-display setting included in the data of each layer as described later, the document composition unit 11 displays the layer set to be displayed on the screen of the document editing unit 10, thereby Present the document to the user. As will be described later, the document composition unit 11 is supplied with layer data from the document management unit 21 on the server device side.
[0016]
The client device side communication unit 12 and the server device side communication unit 20 have a function of transmitting / receiving layer data and added layer display state information via a communication line such as a local network or the Internet.
In this example, the document editing apparatus is configured in the client server format. However, the document editing apparatus according to the present invention can be configured on a single computer. In this case, such a communication line is provided. The communication units 12 and 20 that perform communication via the communication are omitted.
[0017]
The layer state reproduction unit 13 receives the designation of the layer from the display receiving unit (editing unit 10), and based on the added layer display state information supplied from the document management unit 21 on the server device side, the server It has a function of selecting the layer data displayed on the screen when the specified layer is added from the layer data supplied from the document management unit 21 on the apparatus side and causing the document composition unit 11 to display the screen. .
[0018]
The document storage unit 22 and the layer state storage unit 23 are composed of a readable and writable memory. The document storage unit 22 holds the data of each layer constituting the document in association with each other, and the layer state storage unit 23 corresponds. The layer display state information at the time of addition for each layer is held in association with the layer data.
Here, as described above, when the layer data and the layer display state information at the time of addition are used as a data unit, the document storage unit 22 and the layer state storage unit 23 are configured as one storage unit.
Note that the data of the layers constituting the document of this example and the layer display state information at the time of addition will be described later with reference to FIG.
[0019]
The document management unit 21 has a function of storing the layer data sent from the client device 1 and the added layer display state information in the document storage unit 22 and the layer state storage unit 23 under a predetermined association. The document management unit 21 and the layer state storage unit 23 constitute layer state management means for managing each added layer display state information in association with each layer data. Also, the document management unit 21 sends the layer data stored in the document storage unit 22 and the layer state storage unit 23 and the added layer display state information to the requesting client device 1 in response to a request from the client device 1. It has a function.
In this example in which a plurality of users edit the same document, the document management unit 21 documents the edited contents only to authorized users so that the consistency of the document is not impaired by the editing process. It also has an exclusive control function for performing a confirmation process to be reflected in the data in the storage unit 22.
[0020]
The layer state temporary storage unit 14 provided on the client device side has a function of temporarily storing added layer display state information for each layer when a plurality of layer data is created by the document editing unit 10. When the plurality of layer data created for the addition is transmitted to the document management unit 21 and reflected in the stored document, the layer state temporary storage unit 14 stores the temporarily added layer display state information in the layer state management. It has the function to transmit to the part 23 and to manage.
That is, this example has a function of collectively confirming a plurality of newly created layer data in the document storage unit 22 in consideration of the situation described later, and performing such collective confirmation. In this case, the layer display state information at the time of addition for each layer data is stored in the layer state storage unit 23.
[0021]
In this example, the layer data constituting the document and the added layer display state information have a structure as shown in FIG.
The layer data 30a, 30b,... Are in units of layers, and each layer data includes an ID for uniquely identifying the layer, the name of the creator who created the layer, the creation date and time when the layer was created, Display / non-display setting information indicating whether or not to display the layer (description content) on the screen, content data that is description content on the layer, and confirmation mark information indicating a state in which the description content of the layer is provisionally determined include.
Note that each layer data constituting a document is associated with each other by ID, and by displaying these layers on the screen, one document composed of the description contents of each layer is presented to the user. .
[0022]
40a, 40b, and so on are added layer display state information in units of layers. Each added layer display state information includes an ID for uniquely identifying the information, and a screen display when a corresponding layer is created. The information (for example, layer ID) which specifies the other layer (namely, the layer which existed and was set to display) was included.
These added layer display state information 40a, 40b,... Are created together with new layer data by the document editing unit 10, and are managed by the document management unit 21 in association with the corresponding layer data.
Here, as described above, in the case where the data and data and the layer display state information at the time of addition are created in a unit, the layer data shown in FIG. 2 and the layer display state information at the time of addition associated therewith The data structure is a fusion of
[0023]
Next, editing processing by the document editing apparatus having the above configuration will be described. Reproduction of the layer state can also be used to reproduce the document when the layer is created when another layer is added after the creation of a certain layer. A case where a certain layer is not displayed on the screen at the time of editing due to the setting will be described as an example.
[0024]
First, when editing an existing document, an instruction (document name, document ID, etc.) for specifying an editing target is input from the document editing unit 10. This instruction is transmitted to the document management unit 21 via the communication units 12 and 20 and the communication line, and in response to this, all the layer data constituting the specified document and all the corresponding layer data are specified by the document management unit 21. The added layer display state information is read from the storage units 22 and 23 and transmitted to the client device 1 via the communication line.
[0025]
In the client device 1, the document composition unit 11 aligns and superimposes the layers on the screen based on the received layer data, and displays the document configured thereby on the screen of the document editing unit 10.
At the time of this display, the document composition unit 11 excludes the layer set to be non-displayed from the display target and displays a document including only the layer set to display on the screen. The received addition layer display state information is held in the layer state reproduction unit 13 and used in the layer state reproduction process as described later.
[0026]
Next, when the user performs an operation of adding a comment or the like while viewing the document displayed on the screen, the document editing unit 10 adds a new layer including the description content such as the comment input by the user. Create and add to the document displayed on the screen. At the same time, the document editing unit 10 creates layer display state information at the time of addition corresponding to the newly created layer, and includes information for specifying the layer displayed on the screen at the time of addition.
[0027]
When the user inputs a confirmation instruction from the document editing unit 10, the document to which a new layer is added (that is, a plurality of layer data) and the added layer display state information are transmitted to the document management unit 21 via the communication line. The layer display state information at the time of addition is stored in the layer state storage unit 23, and the document data with the new layer added is stored in the document storage unit 22 to reflect the description contents such as comments added to the common document. Let
[0028]
Here, when adding a new layer as described above, if some of the layers of the document displayed on the screen are hidden, the user adds a comment to the document without the description of the hidden layer. It will be done. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when a new layer d is added to a document composed of layers a, b, and c, if the non-display setting is made for layer b, the user does not have a description content of layer b. , Layer d is added to confirm these layer data.
[0029]
However, although a document with a new layer added in this way is viewed or edited by other users, if the non-display setting set for layer b is canceled for some reason later, the document When viewing the document, the document composed of layers a, b, c, and d is displayed on the screen.
In a state where such a document is displayed, there may be a case where it is impossible to grasp what intention the creator described is based on the comment described by the layer d. That is, although this comment was made without looking at the description of layer b, the comment is described in the document including the description of layer b for other users who later viewed the document. For this reason, it may become unclear what kind of document description the comment is for.
[0030]
Therefore, in the document editing apparatus of this example, as shown in FIG. 4, the layer d in which a user describes a comment from the document editing unit 10 in a state where a document composed of layers a, b, c, and d is displayed on the screen. Is selected, the layer and the state reproduction unit 13 temporarily hide the layer b based on the layer display state information when the layer d is added, and are displayed on the screen when the layer d is added. A document composed of layers a and c and the layer d is displayed on the screen. The selection of the layer d is performed, for example, by recognizing the corresponding layer by the document editing unit 10 by clicking a comment display portion.
Therefore, another user who has viewed the document later can read the comment in a state where the description content of the document with the comment added is reproduced, and can easily grasp the intention of the comment.
[0031]
Here, in the server client system as in this example, the layer determination operation is in the form of registration of the layer in the server device 2 (or storage of the entire document), which is an operation involving communication. When the communication cost is high or when it is temporarily impossible to connect to the server device (when the line is not connected due to dial-up etc.), it is necessary to create multiple work layers at once and confirm them all at once. . In this case, if the display state at the time of determination is applied to all layers, unique layer display state information at the time of addition cannot be set for each layer.
[0032]
Therefore, although the user does not confirm (cannot), the apparatus of this example can perform provisional confirmation in order to confirm the added layer display state.
In this operation, the layer data is given a confirmed mark as shown in FIG. 2, and the layer display state at the time of addition is temporarily held in the layer state temporary storage unit 14. When the layers are collectively determined after the work is completed, the temporarily determined layers are collectively determined and stored in the document storage unit 22, but the layer display state information at the time of addition is the information at the time of temporary determination as it is, the layer state temporary storage unit 14 is transmitted to the server apparatus 2 and stored in the layer state storage unit 23.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the description state of the document at the time of adding the layer is reproduced, so that the user who performed the editing added a comment or the like to the document while watching what the description contents are. Can be reproduced, and other users who later viewed the document can easily grasp the intention of the editor.
Also, according to the present invention, in a system that collaboratively edits a shared document by a client server system, it is possible to realize the reproduction of the document description state at the time when the layer is added without increasing the communication cost.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a document editing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating layer data and added layer display state information.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating layer addition processing.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a layer display state reproduction process.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a document composed of a plurality of layers.
FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating layer addition processing.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: client device, 2: server device,
10: Document editing section, 11: Document composition section,
12: Communication unit, 13: Layer state reproduction unit,
14: Layer state temporary storage unit, 20: Communication unit,
21 Document management unit, 22: Document storage unit,
23: Layer state storage unit,

Claims (4)

In a document editing apparatus for displaying a document composed of contents described in a plurality of layers on a screen by displaying a plurality of transparent layers including description contents on the screen,
A document composition means for displaying the display-set layer on the screen based on the display or non-display setting included in the data of each layer;
A document that creates and adds a new layer based on a user operation to a document composed of layers displayed on the screen, and creates information about the layer displayed on the screen at the time of the addition operation as added layer display state information Editing means,
A layer state management means for managing the added layer display state information in association with the added new layer;
Display accepting means for accepting a display instruction designating an arbitrary layer from the user;
A layer state reproducing means for causing the document composition means to display the layer displayed on the screen when the designated layer is added based on the added layer display state information in response to receiving the designation of the layer from the display accepting means; ,
A document editing apparatus characterized by comprising: The document editing apparatus according to claim 1,
The document editing device is composed of a client device and a server device connected via a communication line,
The client device includes a document composition unit, a document editing unit, a display receiving unit, and a layer state reproduction unit.
The document editing apparatus, wherein the server device includes a layer state management unit and a document management unit that manages data of each layer. The document editing apparatus according to claim 2,
The client device has a layer state temporary storage unit that temporarily holds added layer display state information for each of the plurality of layers added by the document editing unit,
When the plurality of added layer data is transmitted to the document management means and reflected in the document, the layer state temporary storage means transmits the temporarily stored layer display state information to the layer state management means for management. Document editing apparatus characterized by causing In the document editing method for editing the document displayed on the screen with the contents described in the plurality of layers by displaying a plurality of transparent layers including the description contents on the screen,
  Based on the display or non-display setting included in the data of each layer, the document composition means displays the layer set for display on the screen,
  The document editing means creates and adds a new layer to the document composed of the layers displayed on the screen based on the user operation, and also displays information about the layer displayed on the screen at the time of the addition operation. Created as information,
  The layer state management means manages the layer display state information at the time of addition in association with the new layer added by the document editing means,
  The display receiving means receives a display instruction specifying an arbitrary layer from the user,
  When the layer state reproduction means accepts the designation of the layer from the display accepting means, the layer displayed on the screen when the designated layer is added based on the added layer display state information is displayed on the screen by the document composition means. Document editing method characterized by letting

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