JPH04111058A - Document preparing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To parallelly confirm edited results in relative pages by updating the display states of all the display areas including the edited display area itself in a prescribed order when the contents of a document displayed in one of plural display areas are edited. CONSTITUTION:When an operator activates this device, three icons 31-33 are displayed on a screen 24 of a CRT 14 and when clicking a button switch while matching a graphic cursor 34 to the icon 34, a document 1 is selected. In this way, the display means 14 is equipped with the plural display areas for displaying an arbitrary part in the contents of one document, and when various high-function editing operations are executed to one display area, the display states of all the display areas including the display area are updated in the prescribed order. Thus, plural pages are respectively displayed in separate windows, and the various editing operations executed to a certain window can be reflected upon the other window.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses such as word processors and workstations, and more particularly to a document creation apparatus that can simultaneously display the contents of a document in a plurality of windows.

"Prior Art" In recent years, word processors, workstations, and the like have come to be widely used for document creation and high-performance document editing. With such document creation devices, when editing a large area that affects multiple pages, it is usually necessary to scroll the page each time you perform an editing operation to display related pages and check the results. There is. Therefore, when only editing operations are performed continuously, there is a problem in that editing results cannot be checked in parallel.

Many of these high-performance document editing devices perform so-called window-style display, in which a predetermined display area (hereinafter referred to as a window) is secured on the display device. There are also devices that support multiple windows and can display necessary parts of a document at the same time. However, since the plurality of windows supported by such devices each correspond to a different document, it is not possible to display necessary portions of a single document at the same time.

In this case, if you want to display the contents of different parts of one document in two windows at the same time, use the document copy function etc. to create another document with the same contents as that document in advance, and then It is necessary to adopt a method such as displaying the information in a manner that corresponds to each window. In this case, it is of course impossible for editing operations performed on one window to be reflected on the other windows at the same time, so check the results when editing a large range that affects multiple pages. , you still have to scroll to the relevant page.

Further, there is a drawback that the t1 processing procedure becomes complicated because it requires extra work such as copying documents in advance and deleting documents that are no longer needed after editing.

Therefore, conventionally, some types of text editing devices display one file in multiple windows.
There is a system in which an editing operation performed in one of these windows can be simultaneously reflected on other windows.

``Problem to be solved by the invention'' However, since such devices are only intended for simple editing for program development, etc.,
Although it was possible to perform some simple string editing, it was not possible to perform various highly functional editing processes.

Furthermore, in such conventional text editing devices, the order in which editing operations performed in one window are reflected in other windows, that is, the order in which each window's display is updated, is fixed from the time each window is opened. It was a target. In this case, the display of the window currently being edited may be updated later than the display of other windows. For example, when a large number of windows are opened and editing is performed on the window with the latest display update order, the display update in that window becomes considerably slow.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to display multiple pages of one document in separate windows, and to also reflect various editing operations performed on one window on other windows. Our goal is to provide a highly functional document creation device that can.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a document creation device that can arbitrarily change the display update order of a plurality of windows.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a document creation device that can update the display of the edited window first.

"Means for Solving the Problem" The invention as claimed in claim 1 comprises: (1) a display means having a plurality of display areas for displaying an arbitrary part of the contents of one document; an editing means for editing the content of the document displayed on the display means; and (iii) when the editing means edits the content of the document displayed in one of the plurality of display areas, the display area; The document creation device is provided with display updating means for updating the display states of all display areas including the display area in a predetermined order.

In the invention as claimed in claim 1, the display means is provided with a plurality of display areas for displaying arbitrary parts of the contents of one document, and various highly functional editing operations can be performed on one display area. In the invention according to claim 2, the first object is characterized by updating the display states of all display areas including the display area in a predetermined order when the content of one document is updated. (11) an editing means for editing the contents of the document displayed on the display means; and (iii) a display means for editing the contents of the document displayed on the display means; (1) display state updating means for updating the display states of all display areas including that display area in a predetermined order when the content of a document displayed in one of the areas is edited; The document creation apparatus is provided with display update order changing means for arbitrarily changing the order in which the display states of the plurality of display areas are updated by the display state updating means.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the second object is achieved by providing a changing means for arbitrarily changing the order in which the display states of the plurality of display areas are updated by the display state updating means. Here, (i) a display means having a plurality of display areas for displaying any part of the content of one document, and (ii) a display function indicating a display format and display order information indicating a display order. (111) storing display function and display order information from the plurality of display area management records stored in the storage means; and (iv) display instruction means for giving an instruction to the display means to perform display on a plurality of display areas in the format and order indicated by the display function and display order information extracted by the extraction means. and (v) when editing is performed on one of the plurality of display areas, display order information of display management records stored in the storage means corresponding to the display area where this editing has been performed. The document creation device is provided with a display order information rewriting means for rewriting the display order information into content indicating the earliest display order.

In the invention as claimed in claim 3, a display area management record is held for each display area, and the display order information of the display area management record corresponding to the edited display area is stored as content indicating the earliest display order. The third objective is achieved by rewriting the

"Example" The present invention will be described in detail with reference to Examples below.

FIG. 1 shows a document creation device in one embodiment of the present invention. This device is provided with a system bus 11 to which the following various device circuits are connected.

(i) CPU (Central Processing Unit) 12: Performs information processing such as document creation and editing, and controls the operation of the entire device.

(ii) Main memory 13: Consists of a random access memory (RAM), in which control programs read from the hard disk 18 and user data such as document files are stored. Also, 1 opened on CRT14
It also stores window management records for managing multiple windows and display functions that indicate the display format for each window.

(iii) CRT 14: A document file read from a hard disk 18 or the like is displayed on one or more windows, and various edits are performed using the keyboard 16 or mouse 17.

In addition, iconographic symbols (hereinafter referred to as icons) indicating objects or items to be processed and messages from the CPU 12 are also displayed.

(]■) Keyboard 15: used to input user data such as commands for executing various processes and document data to the cPU], 2.

(V) Mouse 17: Has multiple button switches, CR
It is used to move the graphic cursor on the T14 screen, select icons, etc. The icon is selected by aligning the graphic cursor with the desired icon and clicking the button switch.

(vi) Hard disk 18: A control program for this document creation device is stored, and this is stored in the main memory 13.
The information is stored in the computer, and each part of the device is controlled. User data such as document files are also stored.

FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of the graphic editing device shown in FIG. As shown in this figure, a CRT 14 is placed on the main body cabinet 19 and connected to the main body cabinet 19 by a dedicated cable 21. This main body cabinet 19 houses device circuits (FIG. 1) such as a CPU 12, a main memory 13, and a hard disk 18.

Further, the keyboard 16 and mouse 17 are connected to the main body cabinet 19 through dedicated cables 22 and 23, respectively.

The operation of the document creation device configured as above will be explained with reference to FIG. Here, we have three windows A, B, and C.
The following explanation assumes that windows C and A are opened in this order, and that windows C and A are to be edited.

First, when the operator starts up the device, three icons 31 to 30 as shown in FIG. 9 appear on the screen 24 of the CRT 14.
33 is displayed (step ■).

These icons represent document files stored on the hard disk 18 that are owned by this operator.

When the mouse 17 (Figures 1 and 2) is operated to move the graphic cursor 34 to the icon 31 and click the button switch, document 1 is selected (step ■).
. As a result, the document file l is transferred to the hard disk 18 (
1) to the main memory 13 (FIG. 1), the first window 8 is opened, and the first page of the document file 1 is displayed (step 2).

FIG. 10 shows a state in which the first page of the document file 1 is displayed in the first window A. In this figure, the upper end area 35 of the first window A has "Document 1".
”, “Close”, and “Open” are displayed. Among these, “Document 1” indicates that this window A displays the contents of document file 1. “
"Open" is the command used to open a new window, "Close" is the command used to open the window currently being edited (
Hereinafter, this will be referred to as the current window. ) is the command used when closing.

In addition, the right end area 36 and bottom end area 37 to this window
, a plus sign “+” and a minus sign “-” are displayed, respectively. If you select the plus sign "+" or the minus sign "-" in the right end area 36 with the graphic cursor 34, the previous page or next page will be displayed, and if you select the plus sign "+" or the minus sign "-" in the bottom area 37, the previous page or next page will be displayed. When selected with the graphic cursor 34, a portion to the left or right of the currently displayed portion is displayed.

Next, as shown in FIG.
When you select the "Open" command in the top area 35 of window A, the second window B opens as shown in Figure 12, and the first page, which is the same as window 8, is displayed (
Step ■). Here, when the plus sign "+" is selected with the graphic cursor 34 as shown in FIG. 13 (step ■), the second page is displayed in window B as shown in FIG. 14 (step ■).

Then, the third window C is opened by the same procedure (steps ① to 0) and the third page is displayed.

FIG. 15 shows a state in which the first to third pages of the document file 1 are displayed in three windows A, B, and C, respectively. As shown in this figure, the newly opened window is displayed at the top. In this state,
The current window is window C1. The order in which the display states of each window are updated (hereinafter simply referred to as display update order) is C, B, and A. Information indicating these display update orders is stored as a window management record in a window management table in the main memory 13 (FIG. 1).

FIG. 6 shows the window management table in the main memory 13. Addresses of this window management table “○○○○”, “××××”, and “△△
△△'' stores window management records 41 to 43 corresponding to each of the three created windows C and ASB.

Each of these records includes a next record storage address 45, window identification information (hereinafter referred to as window ID) 46, and an output function storage address 47.

Among these, the next record storage address 45 indicates the address where the next record to be referenced is stored. Here, the next record storage addresses 45 of the window management records 41 to 43 are "△△△△" and "0000," respectively.
”, and “XXXX” are stored.

The window ID 46 is logical identification information added to each window when the window is opened, and is associated with the physical window position on the screen. These are stored in a record format for each window in the window registration area secured in the main memory 13, and the CPU 1
2 is directly managed.

Here, the window ID 46 of the window management records 41 to 43 is "ID".

”, “IDA”, and “ID,” are stored. These are the window IDs corresponding to the window C1Δ, respectively.

The display function storage address 47 indicates an address in the main memory 13 where a display function to be used is stored. This display function describes the display format used when actually displaying, and various types are prepared in advance in the main memory 13.

FIG. 8 shows the contents of the display function storage area of the main memory 13. In this figure, the address “○○××”
A display function for displaying the document contents in a draft format in a corresponding window of the CRT 14 is stored in an area 51 starting from .

Draft display here means, for example, when multiple character fonts are used in a document, instead of actually displaying each character font, it is displayed in one of these fonts. It is a form. This is effective when you want to speed up the display, such as when you only want to check the content.

In the area 52 starting from the address “○○△△”, the document contents are displayed in the corresponding window of the CRT 14 using WYSWYG.
Contains display functions for displaying in format. This WY S WY G format is a format that displays what is called "as you see it," and displays the document data exactly as it is displayed. For example, if a plurality of character fonts are used in the document data, the display is performed using the actual character fonts, unlike the draft format described above.

The area 53 starting from the address "XXXX" stores t display functions for displaying the document contents in the corresponding window of the CRT 14 in the form of a table of contents. This table of contents format is a format in which the contents of a document are displayed, for example, in a chapter-by-chapter table of contents format, and is effective when editing, such as copying or moving, on a chapter-by-chapter basis.

In this case, by copying or moving only the table of contents portion, the corresponding text content itself will be copied or moved.

An output function for outputting the document contents to a printer (not shown) is stored in the area 54 starting from the address "○△○△". In this case, for example, if the editing results are set to be output to the printer each time editing is performed or each time editing is performed a predetermined number of times, a history of editing can be kept.

The area 55 starting from the address “○×ΔO” stores an output function for outputting the document contents to the hard disk 18. In this case, for example, if you set the editing results to be stored in the hard disk 18 each time you edit or every time you edit a predetermined number of times, even if the power is unexpectedly cut off, the previously edited parts can be saved. becomes valid.

Here, the display function storage address 43 of the window management records 41 to 43 contains the address “○○△△”.
” is set. This causes WY S WY G format display to be performed for all windows.

The explanation now returns to FIG. 3. If you want to end the editing process when windows A to C are opened (step ■: Y)
, select the "Close" command in the top area of each window. This results in the state of the initial screen (FIG. 9).

Also, when three windows are opened, window C
is the current window, but if you want to edit the third page displayed in this window C as is (step ■; N, step @; N), move the graphic cursor 34 to the window of Iya. Instead, perform the desired editing operation using the keyboard 16, mouse 17, etc. (step 2). At this time, the display is updated in the order of windows C, B, and A according to the display update order (step 0).

On the other hand, when editing the first page displayed in window 8 (step 0; Y, step @; Y), the 16th
As shown in the figure, move the graphic cursor 34 to the lower left corner area 38 of window A and click the button switch of the mouse 17 (step ■). As a result, window A becomes the current window, and the display update order is changed to window A and CSB (step 0
). In this state, when a desired editing operation is performed on the first page displayed in window A using the keyboard 16 or mouse 17, etc., the display is updated in the order of windows A and C1B according to the display update order. Become (
Step ■).

Next, together with FIG. 4, the display updating operation performed in step (2) in FIG. 3 will be explained in detail.

When windows A, B, and C are opened, the start address pointer 57 and current address pointer 5 of the window management table (FIG. 6) in the main memory 13 are
8 both point to the address “○○○○”. This head address pointer 57 points to the storage address of the window management record corresponding to the window whose display is updated first among the plurality of opened windows, and the current address pointer 58 corresponds to the window currently being displayed. This indicates the storage address of the window management record. These pointers can be easily realized, for example, by providing specific buffers for storing a start address and a current address, respectively, and constantly referring to the contents of these buffers.

When editing is performed on window C, the CPU 12 reads the window management record 41 from the address pointed to by the current address pointer 58 (Step 2), and from this record, it reads 'IDc' as the window ID 46 and the address '○○' as the display function storage address. △△" (step ■). Next, the CPU 12 reads out the display function from the address "○○△△" in the display function storage area of the main memory 13 (step ■), and displays the window according to the procedure indicated by this display function. The display for C is executed (step ■).

Here, the CPU 12 determines whether the value of the next record storage address 45 of the window management record 41 is "0000" (step 2).

As a result, if the value is not "0000" (step 2; N), the display updating operation is continued.

That is, since the value of the next record storage address 45 in this case is "△△△△" (step ■; N), the current address pointer 58 is moved to the address "△△△△" (step ■), and the following steps are performed. Repeat operations from ■ to ■. As a result, the display updates for windows B and A will continue to be performed.

At the time when the display update for window 8 is performed, the current address pointer 57 points to the window management record 42 for window A, but the value of the next record storage address 45 of this record is "0000".
(Step ■; Y). Therefore, this ends the display update operation for all windows.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the operation of changing the display update order performed in step Q of FIG. 3 will be explained in detail.

In step 0 of FIG. 3, when the graphic cursor 34 clicks on the lower left corner area 38 of the window (FIG. 16), the CPU 12 (FIG. 1) detects this and clicks the window corresponding to the selected window A. The ID "Yori A" is extracted from the window registration area in the main memory 13 (step 2). Then, the window corresponding to the extracted window ID "■DA" is changed to the current window (step ■). The current window is changed by setting a bit at a predetermined position of a record in the window registration area to "1", for example.

Next, the CPU 12 sets the current address pointer 57 (Fig. 6) in the window management table to the address indicated by the start address pointer 58 (step ■).
. At this point, the head address pointer 57 points to the address "○○○○", so the current address pointer 58 is also set to this address "○○○○".

The CPU 12 reads the window management record 41 from this address (Step 2), extracts the window ID 46 of this record, and sets it as the current window A.
Step ■> Compare with the window ID “A”
. As a result, if these do not match (step ■; N), the current address pointer 58 is moved to the next record storage address 45 in the window management record 41.
Move to the address “△△△△” indicated by (step ■)
.

Thereafter, in the same way, while sequentially moving the current address pointer 58, a record with the window ID "■DA" is searched for (steps ■ to ■), and when the target window ID "A" is detected (step ;Y)
, the start address pointer 57 is set to the address pointed to by the current address pointer 58 at that point (step 2).

Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the start address blank 57 is set at the address "xxxx" where the window management record 45 is stored.

Furthermore, the CPU 12 stores each window management record 42.
Change the values of the next record storage address 45 in 43 to "○○○○" and "oooo", respectively (step ■)
. As a result, the window display update order is A, CSB
Therefore, each time window A is edited, the display is updated in the order of AlC and B.

In this way, the display of the current window being edited is always updated first.

Note that in this embodiment, when the original user window is opened, the display is updated in the reverse order of opening the window, but on the other hand, the display is updated in the same order as the window was opened. You can do it like this.

Further, in this embodiment, the display update of the current window is automatically set to be performed first, but the display update order may be arbitrarily set by an operator's instruction or the like. This can be easily achieved by, for example, providing a command called "display update order setting" and clicking on each window in the desired order after selecting this command.

"Effect of the invention" As explained above, according to the invention claimed in claim 1, 1
In addition to displaying multiple pages of a single document in separate windows, various advanced editing operations performed on one window are also reflected in other windows, so you can Even when editing a range, you can check the editing results on related pages in parallel. Therefore, there is no need to scroll the page and check the results each time an editing operation is performed, as in the past, and the user can perform the next editing operation with peace of mind. Therefore, there is an effect that a highly functional and quick document editing operation can be performed efficiently.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the order of display update of a plurality of windows can be changed arbitrarily, there is an effect that a display method can be selected according to the operator's preference.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, since the display of the edited window is updated first, the display of the edited window can be updated first. Therefore, the editing result for the part of interest can be confirmed first, and the editing operation can be performed smoothly and without any discomfort.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings are for explaining one embodiment of the present invention. Among them, Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the document creation device, Fig. 2 is an external view showing the appearance of the document creation device, and Fig. 3 is a document creation device. A flowchart for explaining the operation of the device. Figure 4 is an essential flowchart for explaining in detail the operation of step 2 in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a detailed explanation of the operation of step 2 in Figure 3. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the window management table in the main memory at the time when three windows are opened, and Figure 7 is the contents of the window management table at the time when window A is edited. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the display function storage area in the main memory, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the display function storage area in the main memory.
An explanatory diagram showing the display state of the RT screen. Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the display state of the CRT screen at the time when window A is opened. Fig. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the display state of the CRT screen at the time when window A is opened. Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the display state of the CRT screen when window B is opened, and Fig. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the display state of the CRT screen when window B is opened. An explanatory diagram showing the display state of the CRT screen when performing the CR
An explanatory diagram showing the display state of the T screen. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the display state of the CRT screen when the first to third pages are displayed in three windows. FIG. 16 shows window A as the current window. Explanatory diagram showing the display state of the CRT screen when performing an operation to change to
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the display state of the CRT screen at the time when window 8 is changed to the current window. 11...System bus, 12...CPU. 13...Main memory, 14...CRT. 16...Keyboard, 17...Mouse, 18...Hard disk, 41-43...Window management record, 45
...Next record storage address, 46...
・Window ID. 47...Display function storage address. Applicant Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Umeo Yamauchi Figure 2 Akira 40 Figure 3 Figure 5 Man 6 Figure 7 Figure 10 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Display means having a plurality of display areas for displaying arbitrary parts of the contents of one document; and editing means for editing the contents of the document displayed on the display means. , a display that updates the display states of all display areas including that display area in a predetermined order when the editing means edits the content of the document displayed in one of the plurality of display areas; A document creation device comprising: updating means. 2. A display means having a plurality of display areas for displaying an arbitrary part of the content of the document; an editing means for editing the content of the document displayed on the display means; Display state updating means for updating the display states of all display areas including that display area in a predetermined order when the content of a document displayed in one of the plurality of display areas is edited; A document creation device comprising: display update order changing means for arbitrarily changing the order in which the display states of the plurality of display areas are updated by the display state update means. 3. Display area management consisting of a display means having a plurality of display areas for displaying any part of the content of one document, a display function indicating the display format, display order information indicating the display order, etc. a storage means for storing a record in association with each of the plurality of display areas; an extraction means for extracting a display function and display order information from the plurality of display area management records stored in the storage means; Display instruction means for giving an instruction to the display means to perform display on the plurality of display areas in a format and order indicated by the display function and display order information extracted by the extraction means; and one of the plurality of display areas. When an edit is made to one of the display areas, the display order information of the display management record stored in the storage means corresponding to the display area where the edit was made is changed to content indicating the earliest display order. 1. A document creation device comprising display order information rewriting means for rewriting display order information.