JPH0272357A - Layout simulation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily simulate a layout using design characters or a special typeface and to decrease the correction rate of the layout by storing data regarding the design characters or special typeface in a storage means. CONSTITUTION:Image data, character data, and basic layout data which are inputted from a input means 2 and 5 are stored in a storage means, and read and displayed by a display control means 3 to simulate a layout. Namely, the storage means is stored with image data on the design characters that a designer designs or special typeface which is high in frequency of use, so the layout using the design character or special typeface is easily simulated. Consequently, the operation load is reduced and a printing process is rationalized.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is used in the design stage of the printing process,
It relates to a layout simulation device that simulates the layout of catalogs, magazines, etc. on a display screen, etc., and in particular, the data used for simulation,
The present invention relates to a layout simulation device that outputs data that can be used for other printing.

[Conventional technology]

Traditionally, at the design stage of the printing process, designers
was considering a 6-page layout based on a basic layout plan that included information such as the number of columns and divisions of photo manuscripts, single-character manuscripts, line drawings, etc. on layout square paper. As a result of these studies, the final layout was determined and the layout was instructed to the printing company using a layout instruction sheet.

However, when producing printed matter for a catalog with a large number of pages, determining the layout of the printed material using the method described above requires an extremely large amount of labor and time.

Therefore, recently, a technique has been proposed in which the layout and design of printed matter are simulated on a display screen at the design stage.

For example, "Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 148574/1989" discloses the following simulation system.

That is, this type of system causes a display means to display a catalog layout based on composition information stored in advance, and displays the pre-stored images in a desired part of the layout displayed on the display means. Display the data by scaling, moving, and trimming the data to the desired size.
The layout is simulated, and if the basic layout pattern needs to be changed, the layout pattern is changed to determine the final layout of characters and photos.

Furthermore, an output command is inputted from the input means, and an image is outputted from the image output means.

Now, once the layout of the catalog is determined in the simulation system as described above, the printing process moves to the next process, the plate-making process. Here, when character making is performed using a CTS device, the matrix font used in the simulation system is approximately 24×24, whereas the CTS device requires a resolution of approximately 120×120. Additionally, when photoengraving is performed using a layout scanner device, the amount of data required for one A4 size page is approximately 3 MB in a simulation system, whereas the amount of data required for a layout scanner device is approximately 60 MB. shall be.

In this way, the amount of data used in the simulation system and the amount of data used in the plate-making process are completely different, so data such as image data, character data, layout data (described later), etc. obtained by the simulation system are They did not directly use it in the plate-making process.

Conventionally, a worker separately inputs data needed in a later process, such as layout data and character data, from among the data obtained by the simulation system using an input means such as a digitizer or keyboard. Also,
The image data was input again using the plate-making scanner.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, inputting data such as layout data and character data into another device using an input means such as a digitizer has a very high probability of making an input error, and it is also difficult to input data such as layout data and text data into another device using an input means such as a digitizer. When inputting layout information for printed matter, the amount of data to be input is extremely large, making the input process extremely complicated.
This places a heavy burden on the workers.

In addition, the character data handled by the above-mentioned simulation system is limited to data related to normal typefaces such as Mincho or Gothic, so if you want to create a layout using designed characters or special typefaces designed by the designer. In this case, image data of design characters or special fonts must be input manually from an image input means each time, resulting in extremely low workability.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to be able to easily simulate a layout using designed characters or special fonts, and to be able to use various data obtained at the design stage as is for other printing processes, thereby making it possible to Our objective is to provide a layout simulation device that can reduce the workload of inputting data and streamline the printing process.

[Means to solve the problem]

In the present invention, the following measures have been taken to solve the above problems and achieve the objectives. That is, an input means for inputting image data, character data, and basic layout data, a storage means for storing each data inputted by the input means, and a storage means for storing each data inputted by the input means, and a storage means for inputting the basic layout data stored in the storage means. a display means for displaying a layout; and a display means for displaying the scale data and character data stored in the storage means in a desired size at a desired portion of the layout displayed on the display means. a display control means for controlling the display so as to display the image; a display change means for changing the layout of displayed images and characters; and a data output means for outputting desired data after display by the display control means and the display change means. The image data stored in the storage means includes image data related to design characters or special typefaces.

[Effect]

Therefore, the present invention exhibits the following effects by implementing the above-mentioned means. In other words, image data and text data imported from manual means.

The basic layout data is stored in the storage means, and the basic layout data is called up by the display control means. A basic layout corresponding to the retrieved basic layout data is displayed on the display means, and then the display control means simulates the layout using the image data and character data stored in the storage means.

If the layout pattern needs to be changed, change the layout pattern. At this time, since the storage means stores image data regarding design characters designed by the designer or special typefaces that are frequently used, the design characters or special typefaces can be displayed on the display means in the same manner as the character data. This makes it easy to simulate layouts using design characters or special typefaces. When the layout of the printed matter is determined by the above simulation, desired data from among the data inputted by the input means, for example, at least one of character data or layout data, is outputted from the data output means. The character data output from the data output means is used, for example, as data for a CTS device, and the layout data is used, for example, as data for a layout scanner device.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a layout simulation device according to the present invention. The layout simulation device 1 according to the present embodiment includes an image input means 2 consisting of a flatbed scanner, etc., a calculation section,
A layout simulation device main body 3 consisting of a main memory section, an external storage device such as a hard disk (hereinafter referred to as a memory section), an image display means 4 consisting of a color display, a frame memory, etc., a tablet, a digitizer,
It consists of a human interaction means 5 consisting of a mouse, a keyboard, etc., a data output means 6 connected to a data communication means, and an image output means 7 consisting of a hard copy device such as a color printer.

Here, the image input means 2 has a function of inputting image data such as photo design characters, and the dialogue human power means 5
has the function of inputting character data, graphic data, and basic layout data, and these image input means 2
and the human interaction means 5 constitute an input means. However, as for character data, data inputted using a communication device such as a word processor may be inputted using a floppy disk, a mailbox, or the like. On the other hand, the storage section of the layout simulation device main body 3 stores each data inputted from the image human power means 2 and the dialogue human power means 5. The arithmetic unit also stores a memory, a memory, a
Image data stored in storage means such as a hard disk.

It has a display control function to control the display of character data and graphic data. Furthermore, the image display means 4 as a display means is a layout simulation device main body 3.
It has a function of displaying a U book layout pattern according to the basic layout data stored in the storage section. Further, the layout pattern of one character and one figure of the displayed image can be changed by a layout changing means. Furthermore, the data output means 6 has a function of outputting desired data, such as layout data or character data, from among the data after the surface water control by the arithmetic unit of the layout simulation apparatus main body 3. Furthermore, a hard copy output means may be added.

In the layout simulation device 1 configured as described above, image data taken in from the image input means 2 is transferred to the layout simulation device main body 3,
It is stored in a storage section within the layout simulation device main body 3. The image data inputted from the image input means 2 includes design characters designed as necessary, and characters such as Naar (quotient is a name) and Subo (quotient is a name) as shown in FIGS. 2(a) and (b). This includes special typefaces such as (trademark names). These buzzer characters or special typefaces are captured as image data, such as the original typeface.
It is registered as a print in characters. The design characters or special fonts to be registered are determined by the request of the buzzer 1' or the degree of use.

Character data, graphic data, and basic layout data input from the human interaction means 5 are transferred to the layout simulation device body 3 in the same way as the image data described above, and are stored in a storage section within the layout simulation device body 3. Then, in response to a command signal from the human interaction means 5, basic layout data is called from among the data temporarily stored in the storage section in the simulation device main body 3, and a basic layout pattern corresponding to this called basic layout data is created. The image is displayed on the image display means 4.

Then, based on the displayed basic layout pattern, the interactive human power means 5 performs a layout simulation using the image data and character data. At this time, image data related to design characters or special typefaces stored in the storage section of the layout simulation device main body 3 is displayed on the image display means 4 in the same manner as the character data, and used for layout simulation.

In the layout simulation apparatus 1 described above, various data inputted for performing blemish and odor removal on the layout are stored in a storage section of the layout simulation apparatus main body 3.

Then, from among the data stored in the storage section of the layout simulation device main body 3, for example, layout data or character data is outputted from the data output means 6 and transmitted to the layout scanner device or C through the data communication stage L.
Send to a device such as a TS device. Note that, if necessary, the layout displayed on the image display means 4 is output as an image from the image output means 7 to check the appearance of the layout.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of application of the layout simulation device 1. In this example, a layout simulation device 1 is linked with a layout scanner device 21 and a CTS device 22 used in the plate-making process. Note that among the data obtained in the layout simulation device 1, the layout data that can be used in the layout scanner device 21 includes the photo number and the magnification rate.

There are data related to angle, trimming, position coordinates, one-color band or gradation, graphic data, layout information indicating ff1 order, and five-color code. Also, the CTS device 22
The character data that can be used for is character type 1 series 1
There are character codes, coordinate codes, transformation codes, color codes, etc.

The data obtained by the layout simulation device 1 is sent to the layout scanner device 21 and C as follows.
The data is used as data for the TS device 22. That is, a command signal is inputted from the human power means 23, the layout data stored in the storage section in the layout simulation apparatus main body 3 shown in FIG. The layout data outputted from the data output means 6 is input to the layout scanner device 21 and used as data for laying out a plurality of color separation films at desired positions. Similarly, a command (No. 5) is input manually from the input means 23 to call up the character data stored in the storage section in the layout simulation device main body 3 and output it from the data output means 6. The output character data is sent to the CTS device 22.
and used as data for character printing. ′
Furthermore, the simple typesetting device 24 is added to 01, and this simple typesetting device 2 is
4, manually input the data obtained in step 4 to the CTS device 22 via the layout simulation device 1 or directly,
It may also be used as data for character typesetting in the CTS device 22.

As described above, according to the layout simulation device 1 of this embodiment, since the conventional simulation device is equipped with the data output means 6 for outputting layout data and character data, the layout data obtained by the layout simulation device 1 can be , can be used as data for the layout scanner device 21 for photoengraving,
Also, a CTS device 2 for character making from character data.
2 data, there is no need to double input layout data and character data in the printing process, which reduces the burden of manual labor and significantly reduces the occurrence of input errors. It becomes possible to rationalize the process. Furthermore, since the printing process is simplified, it is possible to shorten the delivery time of the product. Furthermore, since image data related to design characters or special fonts are registered as characters in the storage section of the layout simulation device main body 3, design characters or special fonts that cannot be handled as character data on the image display means 4 are converted into character data. This makes it possible to perform simulations using designed characters or special antiques extremely easily, and improves work efficiency.

Although the data output means 6 of the layout simulation device 1 outputs layout data and character data, it may be configured to output only either the layout data or the character data. Furthermore, the data output means 6 may be configured to output data such as screen data, photo number, etc. Further, in the above embodiment, data such as character data and layout data inputted to the layout simulation device 1 is provided from the data output means 6 to other devices via the data communication means. A portable storage medium such as a floppy disk may be used as the storage medium.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the layout simulation device of the present invention, data regarding design characters or special fonts is stored in the storage means, so it is possible to easily simulate a layout using design characters or special fonts. Moreover, since the final layout of the printed matter can be confirmed by simulating the layout, the correction rate for the layout can be reduced, and manufacturing costs can be reduced. In addition, since it is equipped with a data output means, the data obtained by the layout simulation device can be used as data for other printing processes, eliminating double input of data and burdening workers with manual work. In addition, it is possible to reliably prevent input errors caused by double input of data. As a result, the printing process can be streamlined and product delivery times can be shortened.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a layout simulation device which is an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2(a)
(b) is a diagram showing an example of a special typeface, (a) is a diagram showing a naar typeface, (b) is a diagram showing a subo typeface, and FIG. and C
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example applied to a TS device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Layout simulation device, 2... Image input means, 3... Layout simulation device main body, 4... Image display means, 5... Human interaction means,
6... Data output means, 7... Image output means, 21
... layout scanner device, 22 ... CTS device, 23 ... input means, 24 ... simple typesetting device. <Naru> (a) <Suho゛′> (b)

Claims (1)

[Claims] An input means for inputting image data, character data, and basic layout data, a storage means for storing each data inputted by the input means, and a layout according to the basic layout data stored in the storage means. a display means for displaying the image data and character data stored in the storage means in a desired portion of the layout displayed on the display means so as to be scaled to a desired size and displayed; A display control means for performing control, a display change means for changing the layout of displayed images and characters, and a data output means for outputting desired data after display by the display control means and the display change means, A layout simulation device characterized in that the image data stored in the storage means includes image data related to design characters or special typefaces.