JPH04301845A - Layout simulation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the operation for color display on a monitor by using even color characters, which are displayed on the monitor, in the later plate- making process. CONSTITUTION:In a layout simulation device, a correspondence table (character code information and color code information to be added) or the like is preliminarily stored with respect to color character data. Color character data out of inputted character data is extracted from the correspondence table, and color code information is added to this color character data. Composition information is extracted also with respect to this color character data. This color character data is displayed in color on the monitor screen by a character data display means 700 based on character code information, color code information and composition information. Layout simulation is performed on the monitor screen by this color display. At the time of this layout simulation, character code information and form information of color character data are stored and will be used in the later character plate making process.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a layout simulation device that is used in the design stage of the planning and editing process to simulate the layout of catalogs, etc. on a monitor screen. The present invention relates to a layout simulation device that allows character data to be used in a character platemaking process.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in the design stage of the planning process, designers manually design the layout of printed materials such as catalogs on paper based on photo manuscripts, text manuscripts, and basic layout plans (line drawings, number of divisions, etc.). was going on. However, when producing a catalog or the like with a large number of pages, determining the layout of the printed matter using the method described above requires an enormous amount of effort and time.

[0003]Recently, therefore, a technique has been proposed in which a layout design at the design stage is simulated on a monitor. For example, JP-A-61-148
This is shown in Publication No. 574.

[0004] In this simulation system, a layout pattern of a catalog is displayed on a CRT based on composition information stored in advance, and the image data is processed by scaling, rotating, cropping, etc. to a desired size. Thereafter, the layout is simulated by displaying the text along with character data at a desired location on the CRT. In this case, if the basic layout pattern needs to be changed, the change is made. In this way, the final layout of characters, photographs, etc. is determined on the CRT. Further, according to an output command, the image data after layout is output to, for example, a printer.

[0005] Once the layout design is determined at this planning stage, the next step is the plate-making process. This plate-making process requires data regarding layout design. Therefore, conventionally, character data and layout data (composition information) required in the plate-making process were generated based on the layout design created in the planning process using a digitizer, keyboard, etc. using a computer typesetting machine (CTS device) for character plate-making. and was input separately into a scanner device for photolithography.

However, if the layout data and the like are inputted by a worker in this way, the work efficiency is poor. In order to improve this workability, a layout simulation device has already been disclosed that outputs character data and layout data separately from the data obtained by the layout simulation and reuses the data in the next plate-making process. (Refer to Kaihei 2-72354).

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in this conventional layout simulation device, characters are
When displaying on T, colored characters (for example, in YMCK display, colored characters having any of YMC components) are treated as image data. In other words, the color characters printed on the original are read as a binary image by a scanner, displayed on a CRT (without coloring), and the image (characters) is manually colored by an operator using a simulation function and input means such as a mouse. was specified. In other words, color characters are not handled as character code data in this layout simulation device.

[0008] As a result, there is a problem that the manual coloring is troublesome, and furthermore, since the characters are handled as images, the data of the colored characters in the CTS in the later character plate-making process is not processed by the layout simulation device. A serious problem arose in that it was not possible to use the

[0009] Accordingly, the present invention provides a layout simulation device that eliminates the need for manual coloring for displaying colored characters on a monitor screen and that can also utilize data regarding colored characters for subsequent CTS. That is its purpose.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention simulates the layout of character data displayed on a monitor screen using at least character code information and typesetting information, thereby creating a desired layout. In a layout simulation device for determining a design, a character code information input means 100 for inputting the above-mentioned character code information, a typesetting information inputting means 200 for inputting the above-mentioned typesetting information, a specific character code information and a color for this character code information. A specifying means 300 for specifying code information, a character code information extraction means 400 for extracting the specified specific character code information from the input character code information, and color code information for the extracted character code information. color code information adding means 500 for adding;
Formatting information extraction means 600 extracts formatting information regarding the extracted character code information from the inputted formatting information, and a formatting information extracting means 600 extracts formatting information about the extracted character code information from the inputted formatting information, and displays characters on a monitor screen using color code information and formatting information regarding the extracted character code information. This layout simulation device includes character data display means 700 for displaying data, and character data holding means 800 for holding character code information and typesetting information for the character data displayed on the monitor screen.

The present invention also provides a layout simulation device comprising a storage means for storing a correspondence table in which character code information and color code information specified by the above-mentioned specifying means correspond to each other.

0012

[Operation] In the layout simulation device according to the present invention, character data, image data, etc. are displayed on a monitor screen, the layout design is simulated, and a desired layout design is determined. In this case, character data is controlled and displayed on the monitor screen using character code information and typesetting information (layout information, character font information, character series information, etc.).

[0013] This character code information is input into the layout simulation apparatus by a character code information input means 100, such as a keyboard. Further, the formatting information input means 200 also receives input using a keyboard or the like. For this purpose, information such as character layout, font, series, etc. may be stored in advance as formatting information, and the desired formatting information may be designated and read out. In this case, these character code information and typesetting information include both color character data and other black character data.

Then, specific character code information, ie, character code information of color character data and color code information regarding this character code information, is inputted by the specifying means 300. Based on this specific character code information (color character code information), the character code information extraction means 400 extracts color character code information from the character code information input for monitor display. . Further, based on the extracted character code information of the color characters, the formatting information extraction means 600 extracts the formatting information corresponding to the extracted character code information of the color characters from the inputted formatting information. Further, the color code information adding means 500 adds color code information in percentages of Y, M, C, K, for example, to the character code information of the color character specified by the specifying means 300. Since the characters used as color characters are usually fixed (external characters such as logo marks), there is no need to specify them each time, so there is a correspondence table that correlates the character code information specified by the specifying means 300 with the color code information. Create R
The color code information may be stored as an OM table, read from this ROM table, and added to the character code information. This color code information can also be added by other methods.

[0015] Regarding the color characters extracted from the character code information input in this way, the color character data is It is displayed on the monitor screen by the character data display means 700. After this display, a layout simulation is performed on the monitor screen. Regarding the character data displayed on the monitor screen, the character data holding means 800 holds the character code information and typesetting information. Each piece of information in the held character data is output to the CTS as, for example, character plate-making data. It should be noted that black character data other than the color character data extracted from the above character data is also held and output in the same manner.

[0016]

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this layout simulation apparatus has a main body 21 comprised of a storage device such as a magnetic disk device or a magnetic tape device, and an arithmetic device such as a computer. This layout simulation device also includes a flatbed scanner 22 that inputs image data such as a photographic manuscript, and inputs character data, graphic data, basic layout data, etc. as a means for inputting data to this arithmetic device. It has an interactive input device 23. Furthermore, as an output means of this layout simulation device,
It includes a CRT (monitor) 24 that displays the simulated layout design in color, and a printer 25 that outputs the layout design displayed on the CRT 24 as a color hard copy. This interactive input device 23 includes a tablet 26, a digitizer,
It is composed of a mouse 27, a keyboard 28, etc. These interactive input devices 23 constitute character code information input means for inputting character code information of character data to be displayed on the CRT 24, and formatting information inputting means for inputting formatting information of the character data. Further, the interactive input device 23 can also constitute a specifying means for specifying specific character code information and color code information.

Furthermore, the following means are constituted by a computer, a storage device, etc. built into the main body 21 of the apparatus. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, image data read from the flatbed scanner 22, character data input as described above, etc. can be displayed on the screen of the CRT (monitor) 24, and its layout can be simulated. The layout simulation means 31 is constituted by a computer (including a CPU, RAM, ROM, I/O, etc.) and a storage device. The layout simulation means 31 uses the interactive input device 23 to perform a layout simulation on the CRT 24 screen in an interactive manner. Data resulting from this layout simulation is then stored in a storage device. Note that the screen display of the CRT 24 is controlled using, for example, VRAM, VDP, or the like.

Further, the layout simulation device extracts character code information specified by the specifying means from among the character code information inputted by the keyboard 28 or the like, for example, character code information of color characters. It has extraction means 32. Further, the layout simulation device includes a color code information adding means 33 that adds color code information to the extracted character code information, and a color code information adding means 33 that adds color code information to the extracted character code information, and extracts formatting information about the extracted character code information from the inputted formatting information. Formatting information extraction means 34 and the monitor 24 using color code information and formatting information regarding the extracted character code information.
It is provided with character data display means 35 for displaying character data on the screen, and character data holding means 36 for holding character code information and typesetting information for the character data displayed on the screen of the monitor 24. This character data holding means 36
is mainly composed of storage devices.

Next, the operation will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG.

In this layout simulation apparatus, first, character data is input using the keyboard 28 or the like (step S1). This character data includes character code information and formatting information. In this case, the character code information and typesetting information are input from the keyboard 28, or the layout, font, and series patterns are stored in advance for the typesetting information, and the desired typesetting information is called up and the input character code is typewritten. do it like this. Further, these character code information and formatting information may be created using another formatting system and read by a floppy disk driver or communication. It is also assumed that image data is input into the storage device using the flatbed scanner 22 and other information is input using the mouse 27 or the like.

Next, color character data and color code data are input (S2). Character code information about colored characters,
This is for inputting color code information for that character. In this case, the character code information and color code information for colored characters (for example, specific colored characters such as logos) are shown in FIG.
It is stored in the storage device as a correspondence table (ROM table) as shown in FIG. Next, layout simulation processing is performed by the layout simulation means 31 (S3). While displaying the image data of the photo original input from the flatbed scanner 22 and the basic layout data, character data (character code information), and graphic data input from the interactive input device 23 on the CRT 24, the interactive input device 23 for layout.

Next, when the layout position of each data is determined, character data is separated based on this correspondence table (FIG. 5) (S4). All of the input character data is compared one character at a time with the character code information shown in the correspondence table, and the color character data shown in the correspondence table is extracted by the character code information extracting means 32. Color character data and black character data are separated. Furthermore, for this color character data, typesetting information, that is, layout data for the laid out character data, for example, character data is laid out in a small layout on the screen, so the layout coordinates of this small layout, and each character with respect to these coordinates. Data such as position data, character code, typeface, series, etc. are extracted by the typesetting information extraction means 33 (S5). A layout area for colored characters is extracted based on typesetting information. Information such as the font of the characters, the size (series), and deformation of the characters is obtained from the typesetting information, and furthermore, the position of the colored characters on the screen and the area occupied by the colored characters are determined.

[0024] Then, by coloring the layout area according to the correspondence table and masking parts other than the characters, colored characters are displayed on the screen of the monitor 24. Colors are added to the extracted color characters according to the color code information and displayed on the monitor 24 according to the formatting information (S6). In this case, although the correspondence table in FIG. 5 shows YMCK as a percentage, the monitor 24 converts it into an RGB signal and controls the display. Further, the correspondence table may be stored as a display using RGB signals. Y
Since color code information based on MCK is used, it is easy to create Y, M, C, and K separated plates in the later plate-making process. Operator operations and data input on the CTS are facilitated. Note that it is also possible to display characters on the monitor 24 screen and then add color code information to make a color display.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to simulate the layout design of colored characters by color display without any burden on the operator. Therefore, it is possible to easily design a layout that includes colored characters. Furthermore, the character code information of the color character data whose layout has been determined in this way is stored in the storage device together with its formatting information. This stored data can be used, for example, as input data for a CTS device used in a character platemaking process.

[0026] With this arrangement, even if the data obtained in the layout simulation includes color characters, the color character data can be used as is in the subsequent plate-making process. Therefore, layout data obtained through layout simulation can be used extremely effectively. At the same time, workability in the plate-making process can be significantly improved. Note that the image data is read by the flatbed scanner 22 and similarly subjected to layout simulation on the monitor 24, and the data is used in the photolithography process.

[0027]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
Even if the character data obtained by the layout simulation device includes color character data, the color character data can be used as is in the subsequent plate-making process. As a result, layout data obtained through layout simulation can be used extremely effectively. Furthermore, coloring work using the layout simulation device is no longer necessary, and workability in layout simulation can be significantly improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a layout simulation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a layout simulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a layout simulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart outlining a procedure for displaying colored characters in a layout simulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the correspondence between character code information and color code information of color character data used in the layout simulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 Character code information input means 200 Typesetting information input means 300 Specifying means 400 Character code information extraction means 500 Color code information addition means 600 Typesetting information extraction means 700 Character data display means 800 Character data holding means

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: The character code information is input into a layout simulation device that determines a desired layout design by simulating the layout of character data displayed on a monitor screen using at least character code information and typesetting information. a composition information input means for inputting the composition information; a designation means for designating specific character code information and color code information for this character code information; and a composition information input means for inputting the composition information; A character code information extraction means for extracting the designated specific character code information from inside, a color code information addition means for adding color code information to the extracted character code information, and a color code information addition means for adding color code information to the extracted character code information, and a color code information addition means for adding color code information to the extracted character code information; a typesetting information extracting means for extracting typesetting information regarding the extracted character code information; a character data display means for displaying character data on a monitor screen using color code information and typesetting information regarding the extracted character code information; A layout simulation device comprising: character data holding means for holding character code information and typesetting information regarding the character data displayed on the monitor screen. 2. The layout simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing a correspondence table in which character code information and color code information specified by the specifying means are associated with each other.