JPH04344926A - Data output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To output data to meet character size without executing the complicated designation of a character pitch, and to effectively generate beautiful business form, etc., by retrieving a character pitch storage means based on the character size of character data, and determining the corresponding pitch of a character. CONSTITUTION:The character pitch storage means is provided with a ruled line interval table 14 to store an interval to a ruled line in accordance with the character size, a character pitch table 15 to store the character pitch between every character and another, and a line pitch table 16 to store a line pitch, etc. For instance, at the time of the generation of the business form, each table 14 to 16 is retrieved based on the character size of the character data read out of a layout registration memory 13 through prescribed key operation, and the character pitch, the interval to the ruled line, and the line pitch of the corresponding character data are read out. Then, the character data read out of a record memory 20 is outputted in conformity to the read out character pitch, etc. Accordingly, the data is outputted in the proper character pitch, the proper ruled line interval and the proper line pitch in accordance with the size of the outputted character.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data output device, and more particularly to a data output device for printing data on a form.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In conventional data output devices, print data is output by specifying the number of data characters, character size, data print start position, and print area, as shown in FIG. That is, the character spacing is basically determined by evenly allocating data within the printing area, taking into consideration the number of characters in the data and the character size.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such conventional data output devices, printing data specification items such as the number of characters of data, character size, etc. are specified one by one, so it takes time and effort to specify. There was a drawback that it took a while. For example, in Figure 11, if you want to always print with a constant character spacing (appropriate character spacing) depending on the font size, regardless of the number of characters in the data or the print area, You must calculate and specify the printing area so that the In addition, in conventional data output devices, if the space between the vertical ruled line and the character is one character as shown in FIG. 12(A), the interval is too wide, and as shown in FIG. If you specify the number of characters, there is a problem that the spacing is too narrow. Therefore, if an attempt is made to create an appropriate spacing based on the character size as shown in FIG. 12(C), there is a drawback that the position must be specified with a decimal point.

Furthermore, in conventional data output devices, line spacing is determined by specifying the number of lines in one page and dividing the vertical length of one page by the number of lines. In other words, the size of the characters is determined completely without regard to the size of the characters to be printed in each line, and it may not be possible to print with easy-to-read line spacing that is appropriate for the character size. In particular, when characters have mixed sizes (such as letters and numbers), appropriate line spacing may not be achieved, and it takes time and effort to specify the desired line spacing. It is clear that if you memorize certain information according to the font size to be output and print data by referring to this information, you can save the trouble of specifying and print data in an easy-to-read manner. be.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to enable the user to output data as desired depending on the font size to be output.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The means of the present invention are as follows. The output data storage means 1 (see the functional block diagram of FIG. 1, the same applies hereinafter) stores output data including character data and ruled line data, and is, for example, a record memory that stores data to be output in predetermined record units. etc. The character spacing storage means 2 is a RAM or the like that stores the character spacing corresponding to the character size in the form of a character spacing table. The character spacing calculation means 3 searches the character spacing storage means 2 based on the character size of the character data read from the output data storage means 1 and reads out the character spacing of the corresponding character data, and is executed by, for example, a CPU. Ru. The output means 4 is for outputting character data read from the output data storage means 2 according to the character spacing calculated by the character spacing calculation means 3, and is, for example, a display section for displaying a created form image on a CRT, LCD, etc. This is a printing unit of a printer or the like that prints out the created form.

[0007]

[Operation] The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows. First of all,
For example, a character spacing table in the character spacing storage means 2 stores character spacings corresponding to character sizes. For example, when a predetermined key operation is performed to create a form, the character spacing storage means 2 is searched based on the character size of the character data read out from the output data storage means 1, and the character spacing of the corresponding character data is read out. It will be done. Then, character data read from the output data storage means 1 is output in accordance with the character spacing calculated by the character spacing calculation means 2. Therefore, data is output at appropriate character intervals depending on the size of the output characters.

[0008]

[Embodiment] An embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 10. 2 to 10 are diagrams showing one embodiment of a data output device.

First, the configuration will be explained. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the data output device. In this figure, 11 is a CPU that controls the entire device and performs various data processing including data output, which will be described later.
Various operations of the data output device are controlled according to microprograms stored in the data output device. The CPU 11 includes a ROM that stores processing procedures in the form of programs and fixed data.
12, and process the layout information of the starting point position, size, division (thin line/broad line, left justified/right justified character, etc.) and type (vertical ruled, horizontal ruled, character type, etc.) of the characters/rules to be output. A layout registration memory 13 registered according to the pointer F that manages the order, a ruled line spacing table 14 that stores the spacing between characters according to the character size, and a character spacing table that stores the character spacing between each character according to the character size. 15, a line spacing table 16 for storing line spacing according to character size, a work register 17 consisting of registers x and y for temporarily storing ruled line arrangement data, and a work register 17 for managing how far data output has been completed. Various register groups (character size S,
Line spacing a, character spacing b, line spacing c, maximum character size M
S) 18, a record file 19 that stores confirmed data in predetermined record units, a record memory 20 that stores records sequentially read out from the record file 19, and keys and function keys for inputting various data. An input section 21 consisting of a keyboard equipped with a display memory 2
A display section 23 that displays input data, print data, etc. stored in page memory 24 and a printing section 25 that prints out print data stored in page memory 24 are connected to each other.

The layout registration memory 13, ruled line spacing table 14, character spacing table 15, line spacing table 16, work register 17, register group 18, record memory 20, display memory 22 and page memory 2
4 is used by dividing the RAM storage area, for example. The key input unit 12 is an operation panel on which keys for inputting alphanumeric characters, hiragana, etc., and function keys such as a cursor movement key, an execution key, and a cancel key are arranged, and when any key on the operation panel is operated. If the
It is output to PU11.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the layout registration form 31 stored in the layout registration memory 13, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an output image of data printed according to the layout registration form 31. In FIG. 3, the layout registration form 31 includes thin ruled lines for each pointer F for one record.
Thick ruled line, left lined text, right lined text, horizontal lined line, vertical lined line, name (A, B, C
,...) etc., Y coordinate indicating the starting point coordinates of characters/ruled lines,
Y coordinate, its range (length) and 12p (points), 6
The size of characters such as p is specified. For example, in the case of the layout registration form 31 shown in FIG. 3, first, the Y coordinate is "31".
, a horizontal line with a length of ``220'' is drawn from the starting point of the X coordinate ``20'', and then the X coordinate ``20'' is drawn according to the order of the pointer F.
A narrow vertical rule is drawn from the position (the Y coordinate remains unchanged at "30") (see FIG. 4). When the ruled lines are arranged in this manner, the characters A, B, and C are specified in a predetermined character size in a left-justified or right-justified manner within the range delimited by the ruled lines, as shown in FIG. Here, the letter A is in font size 12p (points)
, the character B is specified to be left justified with a character size of 6p, and the character C is specified to be right justified with a character size of 8p. Note that in this embodiment, the types of ruled lines are ruled lines of two thicknesses, thin ruled lines and thick ruled lines, but the ruled lines are not limited to these thicknesses, and may also be decorative ruled lines. Further, the characters are not limited to right-justification or left-justification, but may be superscripted, subscripted, evenly distributed, etc., and the size of the characters is of course not limited to that shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a character spacing table 15 that stores appropriate character spacing according to the character size. The character spacing table 15 stores the most legible appropriate character spacing data corresponding to the character size. FIG. 6 is a ruled line spacing table 14 that stores appropriate spacing between characters and ruled lines according to character size and type of ruled line.
Stores the most legible and appropriate spacing data corresponding to the character size and the type of ruled line (for example, thin ruled line, thick ruled line). FIG. 7 shows a line spacing table 16 that stores appropriate line spacing according to the character size, and the line spacing table 16 stores appropriate line spacing data corresponding to the character size. When specifying the line spacing, the line spacing is determined based on this line spacing table 16, but if characters of different sizes are mixed in a line, the maximum size in the line is determined by the program shown in FIG. 8, which will be described later. The font size is detected and the line spacing is determined based on this maximum font size.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a program for data output processing, and this flow is executed by operating a predetermined start key. In the figure, the symbol Sn (n=1, 2, . . . ) indicates each step of the flow. First, in step S1, an initial value is stored in register y (y←initial value), and in step S2, a horizontal ruled line is placed at a Y coordinate (row direction) position based on this initial value. This completes the initial setting so that data can be output in units of one record. Next, in step S3, the specified record is read from the record memory 20 storing a plurality of record data, and in step S4, 1 is stored in the pointer F, so that the pointer F points to the first row position of the layout registration form 31 shown in FIG. to instruct. Next, in step S5, the character size in the item corresponding to pointer F is stored in register S, and in step S6, it is determined whether the character at the line position indicated by pointer F is left justified. When aligning to the left, it is sufficient to simply perform the processing instructed by pointer F in order to create an appropriate spacing from the position of the ruled line, but when aligning to the right, the beginning of the line (on the left side of the line) Processing from there is time-consuming. Therefore, when aligning to the right, the coordinates indicated by the next pointer (F+1) are read out and the same process is performed from the end of the line (that is, from the right side of the line). Specifically, when aligning to the left, the coordinates of the vertical ruled line corresponding to pointer F are stored in register x in step S7, and the coordinates of the vertical ruled line corresponding to pointer F are stored in register x in step S8.
The line type of the corresponding vertical ruled line and the ruled line interval according to the character size S are read from the ruled line interval table 14 shown in FIG. 6 and stored in register a. Next, in step S9, the value of register a, which stores the ruled line spacing according to character size S, is added to the coordinates of the vertical ruled line corresponding to pointer F and stored in register x (x←x+a), and in step S10, register x is The first character is placed at the position of the coordinate value x stored in . That is,
In the case of left-justification, as shown in FIG. 9, first, the position of the vertical ruled line is directly specified as the data printing start position, and the ruled line spacing table 14 is created based on the specified character size S and type of ruled line.
An appropriate interval is searched from , and characters are assembled one character at a time on the print buffer starting from a position spaced apart from the vertical ruled line by the distance a to the right. By specifying the ruled line position in this manner, the ruled line interval is appropriately set so that the ruled line and character position are most easily seen.

In step S11, the character spacing corresponding to the character size S is read from the character spacing table 15 shown in FIG. Adds the value of register b where is stored and stores it in register x (x←x+
b) The next character is placed at the position of the coordinate value x stored in the register x in step S13. Next, step S14
It is determined whether or not there is a next character. If there is a next character, the process returns to step S12 and the same process is repeated. When there is no next character, the process advances to step S23. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, the character spacing b is set to be the most legible character spacing corresponding to the character size S. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S6 that it is not left justified, step S1
5, in step S15 the coordinates of the vertical ruled line corresponding to the pointer (F+1) are stored in the register x, and in step S16, the line type of the vertical ruled line corresponding to the pointer (F+1) and the ruled line spacing according to the character size S are determined as shown in FIG. Ruled line spacing table 14 shown in
It is read from and stored in register a. Next, in step S17, the character size S is subtracted from the value of register a, which stores the ruled line spacing according to character size S, from the coordinates of the vertical ruled line corresponding to pointer (F+1), and the result is stored in register x (x
←x-a-S), the final character is placed at the position of the coordinate value x stored in the register x in step S18. That is,
In the case of right alignment, as shown in FIG. 9, the position of the vertical ruled line is directly specified as the data printing start position, the ruled line spacing table 14 is searched based on the specified character size S and the type of ruled line, and the vertical ruled line is Contrary to the case of left alignment, characters are assembled on the print buffer one character at a time from a position spaced apart by the distance a and character size S toward the left. Therefore, even in the case of right alignment, by simply specifying the ruled line position, the ruled line interval can be appropriately set so that the ruled line and character position are most easily seen.

In step S19, the character spacing corresponding to the character size S is read from the character spacing table 15 shown in FIG. 5 and stored in register b, and in step S20, the character spacing corresponding to the character size S is stored from the coordinates of the final character. The value of register b and character size S are subtracted and stored in register x (x←x-b-S), and in step S21, register x
The previous character is placed at the position of the coordinate value x stored in . Next, in step S22, it is determined whether or not there is a preceding character. If there is a preceding character, the process returns to step S20 and the same process is repeated, and when there is no preceding character, the process advances to step S23. Therefore, even in the case of right-justification, the spacing between characters is set so as to be most legible in accordance with the character size S, as shown in FIG. In step S23, it is determined whether the pointer F indicates the last item or not. If the pointer F indicates the last item, the processing regarding the interval between the ruled line and the character interval for that line is completed, and the processing for the interval between that line and the next line is completed. It is determined that it is necessary to proceed to the process of optimizing the line spacing, and the process proceeds to step S24.
In step S25, the maximum character size within a line is retrieved and stored in the register MS, and in step S25, the line spacing corresponding to the value of the register MS in which the maximum character size MS is stored is read out from the line spacing table 16 shown in FIG. 7 and stored in the register c. Store. Then,
In step S26, each vertical ruled line is arranged according to the value of register c storing the line spacing according to the maximum character size MS,
In step S27, the value of the register c is added to the arrangement coordinates of the horizontal ruled line and stored in the register y (y←y+c). Next, in step S28, a horizontal ruled line is placed at the position of the coordinate value y stored in register y, and in step S29, it is determined whether or not there is a record to be processed. If there is a record, the process returns to step S3 and is processed. If there is no record to be recorded, the process of this flow ends. On the other hand, if the pointer F is not the last item in step S23, it is determined that the next item indicated by pointer F should be processed, and the process returns to step S5.

By executing steps S23 to S30 above, it becomes possible to automatically output an appropriate line spacing depending on the character size without specifying the line spacing. for example,
As shown in FIG. 10, the state of a line in which various character sizes are mixed is scanned from the left end to detect the largest character size in the line. Next, the line spacing table 16 is searched based on the currently determined maximum character size to obtain an appropriate line spacing, and a print buffer is assembled using this line spacing and printing is performed. This operation is repeated until the end of the page. That is, the line spacing within a page is not always constant, but varies from line to line depending on the maximum character size existing on that line.

As explained above, in this embodiment, a character spacing table 15, a ruled line spacing table 14, and a line spacing table 16 are provided for storing character spacing, ruled line spacing, and line spacing corresponding to the character size of character data. , searches each table based on the character size of the read character data,
Since the character spacing, the spacing with ruled lines, and the line spacing of the corresponding character data are determined, the spacing between characters and between characters and ruled lines can be automatically specified without the need for time-consuming decimal point calculations. This allows you to efficiently create beautiful forms. Furthermore, since printing can always be performed with appropriate line spacing without specifying the line spacing, it is possible to save time and effort in specifying the line spacing and improve printing quality.

Although this embodiment shows an example in which three tables 14, 15, and 16 are set corresponding to the character size, any table may be used as long as it determines the spacing between characters in accordance with the character size. Only one of the above three tables may be used. Further, it goes without saying that the number of items, number of lines, character size, type of ruled line, etc. shown in this embodiment may be any number or type.

[0019]

According to the present invention, the character spacing storage means is searched based on the character size of character data and the character spacing of the corresponding character data is determined. It is possible to output data according to the font size without specifying it, and it is possible to efficiently create beautiful forms and the like.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of a data output device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of a layout registration form of a data output device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of character data output by the data output device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of a character spacing table of the data output device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of a ruled line interval table of the data output device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the structure of a line spacing table of the data output device.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing data output processing of the data output device.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the spacing between characters and ruled lines of the data output device.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the line spacing depending on the character size of the data output device.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of data output from a conventional data output device.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining data output results of a conventional data output device.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 CPU 12 ROM 13 RAM 14 Ruled line spacing table 15 Character spacing table 16 Line spacing table 17 Work register 18 Various register groups 19 Record file 20 Record memory 21 Input section 22 Display memory 23 Display section 24 Page memory 25 Printing section 31 Layout registration form

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Output data storage means for storing predetermined output data including character data; character spacing storage means for storing character spacing corresponding to the character size of the character data; character spacing calculating means for searching the character spacing storage means based on the character size of the character data and reading out the character spacing of the corresponding character data; and the output data storage means according to the character spacing calculated by the character spacing calculating means. A data output device comprising: output means for outputting character data read from a computer. 2. Output data storage means for storing predetermined output data including character data and ruled line data, and character/ruled line spacing for storing character spacing corresponding to the character size of the character data and ruled line spacing between characters and ruled lines. searching the character/ruled line interval storage means based on the character size of the character data read from the storage means and the output data storage means;
A character/ruled line spacing calculation means for reading character spacing and ruled line spacing of corresponding character data, and a predetermined character spacing between each character based on the character spacing and ruled line spacing calculated by the character/ruled line spacing calculation means. In addition to
1. A data output device comprising: output means for outputting data such that characters and ruled lines are spaced at a predetermined interval.