JPH03191480A - Graphic data storage system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain rapid retrieval by deciding a corresponding block based upon the area index data of input graphic data and storing graphic data inputted to the block. CONSTITUTION:When graphic data are inputted from a coordinate input device 2, the inputted graphic data are displayed on the screen of a display device 3 as a graphic. Then the area to store the inputted graphic area is decided. Area index data corresponding to the decided partial area are retrieved from an area index file 12 in a storage device 4. The graphic data are stored in the corresponding block in a graphic data file 11 stored in the device 4 which corresponds to the area index data. When the partial area including the graphic data to be found out is specified, the graphic data can be retrieved by retrieving only the block of the file 11 relating to the partial area, so that rapid retrieval can be attained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a graphic data storage system, and in particular, to a graphic data storage system that efficiently stores graphic data so that a graphic processing device can perform high-speed searches of various graphic data. This relates to data storage methods.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, in one graphic processing device, various pattern graphics must be stored as graphic data in a graphic data file. In this case, the graphics data is stored by registering the graphics in one graphics data file in the order in which they are defined. Therefore, when performing graphic processing,
Even if the operator tries to take out only a part of the figure,
Each time, all the graphic data in the graphic data file must be called up, making the operation complicated and time consuming, making it inefficient.

On the other hand, as seen in the example of the graphic data storage method described in JP-A No. 64-36377, the area for the graphic data to be processed is divided into appropriate zones, and the entire graphic data is There is a proposal to reduce the number of figures to be processed and speed up the processing by separating the figures by position.

In this case, a zone table having entries corresponding to zones divided at each level is provided, and the zones of each graphic area are managed by the entries of the zone table.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In this way, when graphic data is input to one graphic processing device and stored in one graphic data file, each piece of graphic data is individually stored in the file within the area where the graphic data is defined. Therefore, when calling up graphic data, the entire file must be searched, which takes time.

Furthermore, even in the processing mode of graphic data in which the graphic data is divided into regions by zones, when the graphic data is called, the graphic data must be called in order to determine the region, and in some cases, many The graphic data must be called. This requires one hour.

As described above, in the past, when calling the corresponding graphic data, the entire file had to be searched, and extra graphic data had to be read, which took time.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a graphic data storage method that efficiently stores graphic data so as to enable high-speed retrieval of various graphic data in a graphic processing device.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above objects, the graphic data storage method of the present invention defines graphic data in a graphic processing device comprising a display device for displaying graphic data inputted by a coordinate input device and a storage device for storing the graphic data. an area index file that stores area index data that specifies each of partial areas formed by hierarchically subdividing a graphic area, and a graphic data file that has a plurality of blocks each corresponding to the area index data; Determine area index data from the partial area to which the input graphic data area belongs.

It is characterized in that a corresponding block is determined based on area index data, and input graphic data is stored in the block.

[Effect]

According to the above means, in the graphic processing device, an area index file storing area index data specifying each of partial areas formed by hierarchically subdividing a graphic area defining graphic data; A graphic data file having a plurality of blocks corresponding to the graphic data file is provided. When graphic data is input and stored, area index data is determined from the partial area to which the area of the input graphic data belongs, a corresponding block is determined based on the area index data, and the input graphic data is stored in the block.

As a result, the graphic data existing in a partial area created by hierarchically subdividing the area where graphic data is defined will be grouped into one block, and each block will be stored in the graphic data file. Become. Since each block in which graphic data is stored is directly specified by area index data, when searching for a graphic, it is only necessary to search for the target block, and the speed of calling the graphic data is increased. In this way, in one graphic processing device, it is possible to search for each block of graphic data,
High-speed search becomes possible.

Further, the area in which graphic data is defined is hierarchically subdivided, and the storage location of each area is made clear, and the graphic data can be recalled block by block at high speed using area index data that specifies the area.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of essential parts of a graphic processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the graphic processing device includes a central processing unit 12 that executes various processes, a coordinate input device 22 that inputs graphic data, and a display device 3 that displays graphic data on a screen. and a storage device 4. The storage device 4 includes a graphic data file 11 that stores blocks of graphic data, and an area index file 12 that stores area index data that specifies partial areas obtained by subdividing the area in which graphic data can be defined. It is equipped.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for storing graphic data.

The graphic data storage process will be explained with reference to FIG.

Now, in step 20, when graphic data is input from the coordinate input device 2, the input graphic data is displayed on the screen of the display device 3 as one graphic. Next, in step 21, it is determined in which area the input graphic data will fit. This area is determined in the following manner.

To explain this with reference to FIG. 3, in this region determination, partial regions of divided regions that have been subdivided in one hierarchical order are determined from large to small. First, one divided region (
1) Since 30 is the entire area 1, the data (coordinate data) input this time is definitely included. Next, the input data is divided into two divided areas (2) Partial area 2 of 31. Alternatively, it is determined which of the partial areas 3 it is included in, or which of the partial areas 3 it is included in. Not being included in either means that the input data is applied to both partial area 2 and partial area 3. In this case, the area where the input data exists is determined to be area 1 of divided area (1) 30. If the input data is included in partial area 2, in the 5th-order four-part divided area (4) 32,
It is determined whether it is included in partial area 4 or partial area 5, which are further divided parts of partial area 2, or in neither. If it is included in partial area 3, it is determined in the same way as partial area 2. In this way, the existence area of the input data is determined repeatedly until the predetermined maximum number of divisions (n) 33 is reached, and the existence area of the input data is determined. .

Although various patterns can be set for the method of dividing the divided regions in FIG. 3 depending on the purpose and usage of the graphic data to be processed, here, a method of dividing only in the horizontal direction is used.

Continuing the explanation of the storage process for one figure data with reference to FIG. 2 again, next, the area index data corresponding to the partial area determined as 1 in step 22 is searched from the area index file, and then, In step 23, the graphic data is stored in the corresponding block in the graphic data file corresponding to the area index data, and the process ends.

Specifically, the processing in steps 22 and 23 consists of searching for a group of corresponding blocks of the graphic data file being used from among the area index data of the area index file, and then searching for a block corresponding to the partial area found therein. This process searches for area index data that indicates a number, searches for a block with that block number in a graphic data file, and additionally stores input data there.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the graphic data file and the area index file.

Referring to FIG. 4, the processing of steps 22 and 23 will be specifically described. Searching the area index file 12 for a block 41 of area index data corresponding to the graphic data file 11 being used, The area index data 42 indicating the block number corresponding to the partial area found therein is searched.

Next, the area index data (block number)
This is done by searching for a block 44 corresponding to one of the graphic data files 11, and additionally storing the input graphic data 45 therein.

In this way, a series of graphic data storage processes are performed.

Next, the process of calling up the graphic data stored in this way will be explained.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for calling graphic data within a specified area. Referring to FIG. 5, first, in step 51, on the screen of 1 display device 13,
Specifying the area for which graphic data is to be called Next, in step 52, a partial area related to the area is searched from the area index file. That is, the area index file 12 is searched for area index data indicating a block corresponding to the graphic data file 11 in use.

Next, in step 53, the graphic data of the searched partial area is sequentially called from the graphic data file. It calls from the file 11, sends all the graphic data existing in the specified area to the display device, and then selects the specified area and the partial area 3 included in the 1 divided area (2) 31. Graphic data file 11 corresponding to areas with common parts
0 partial area 2, which is a process of sending all the graphic data existing in the designated area from the inner block 44 to the display device 3.
When both subareas 3 and 3 have a common portion with the specified area, the above-described operation is performed for both, and this is repeated until the maximum number of divisions is reached.

FIGS. 6a and 6b are diagrams illustrating an example of the structure of a graphic data file when the graphic data storage method of this embodiment is applied to a printed circuit board CAD system.

As shown in FIG. 6a, the wiring pattern of the printed circuit board has a wiring pattern 61 on the front layer and a wiring pattern 62 on the back layer, with the wiring directions being vertical and horizontal, respectively.
They are in different directions. For this reason, in a CAD system for designing printed circuit boards, the graphic data file that stores the graphic data of the wiring pattern is divided into the graphic data file for the front layer and the graphic data file for the back layer. A graphic data file is provided to perform wiring pattern design processing. In response to such a case, when applying the graphic data storage method of this embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 6b, the wiring pattern 63 of the front layer is
In the shape data file.

The divided areas are set to be horizontally divided, and in the graphic data file of the wiring pattern 64 on the back layer, one divided area is set to be vertically divided, and the graphic data file storing the graphic data is configured. Thereby, the graphic data of each part can be directly designated by the area index data indicating the partial area, and it is possible to perform a search at high speed and to store each graphic data efficiently.

The present invention has been specifically described above based on examples.
It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit thereof.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when searching for graphic data, by specifying a partial area in which the desired graphic data exists, only the blocks of the graphic data file related to that partial area are searched. This allows for high-speed searching. Furthermore, by realizing a high-speed search for graphic data, it becomes possible to enlarge and display a specified area at high speed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of essential parts of a graphic processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for storing graphic data. Figure 4 is a diagram explaining the relationship between a graphic data file and an area index file, and Figure 5 is a diagram explaining divided areas created by hierarchically subdividing an area that can define Flowchart showing the procedure for calling graphic data in the area, No. 6
FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a graphic file when applied to a printed circuit board CAD system. In the figure, 1... central processing unit, 2... coordinate input device,
3...Display device, 4...Storage device, 11...Graphic data file, 12...Area index file.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a graphic processing device consisting of a display device that displays graphic data input by a coordinate input device and a storage device that stores the graphic data, a portion formed by hierarchically subdividing a graphic area that defines graphic data It includes an area index file that stores area index data that specifies each area, and a graphic data file that has a plurality of blocks each corresponding to the area index data, and calculates the area index from the partial area to which the input graphic data area belongs. A graphic data storage method characterized by determining data, determining a corresponding block based on area index data, and storing input graphic data in the block.