JPH06131153A - Method and device for processing information - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize data linkage between various applications without being conscious of the data format of each application by registering data to be data-linked to a data buffer by plural data formats. CONSTITUTION:At the time of executing the data linkage between plural applications through the buffer, the data to be data-linked is stored in the buffer by being converted into plural kinds of the data formats. For instance, the data is stored after being converted into the data format itself of the application having generated that data, character code format, and image format, etc. Then, each converted data is stored corresponding to the name of the data format respectively. Next, at the time of reading out the data stored in the buffer in order to execute the data linkage, the data stored in the data format which the application having been started can process is read out of stored data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing method and apparatus for performing data cooperation such as paste, embedding, and embedding link among a plurality of applications.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an information processing apparatus that executes various application programs to create data such as a document has a paste function so that the created data can be shared by a plurality of documents. ing.

As one method for realizing such a paste function, there is a method in which the application itself has a paste buffer. Since the application itself manages the paste buffer, only the data created by that application can be handled.

Further, as a paste buffer for handling data of a plurality of applications, there is a clipboard buffer owned by the OS of the window system. Since this clipboard buffer is managed by the OS, data can be registered by various applications.

[0005]

However, as described in the conventional example, the paste buffer of the application can handle only the data created by the same application. Therefore, the paste can be executed only between the data created by the same application, and the data created by another application cannot be pasted by the paste.

Further, in the conventional clipboard buffer, since the data format common to the applications is not determined, there are some applications that cannot cooperate with each other. In addition, applications that use the clipboard must always know the data format of other applications, and if a new application comes out, will it support that data format each time?
On the contrary, there is a problem that the new application is bound to the data format of the conventional application.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. By registering data to be linked with each other in a data buffer in a plurality of data formats, the data format of each application can be ignored. An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing method and device that enable data cooperation between various applications.

[0008]

An information processing apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object has the following configuration.
That is, in an information processing device capable of performing data cooperation between a plurality of applications, the conversion means for converting the data for which data cooperation is performed into a plurality of types of data formats, and the data for which the data cooperation is performed are When the storage means for storing in a buffer in a plurality of data formats obtained by the conversion means and the data for which data cooperation is to be read out from the buffer, the data converted into a data format that can be taken in by the running application is read out. Read-out means.

Further, an information processing method according to the present invention for achieving the above object comprises the following steps.
That is, in an information processing method capable of performing data cooperation between a plurality of applications, a conversion step of converting data to be data-coordinated into a plurality of types of data formats, and the data to be data-coordinated are described above. When the data is stored in the buffer in a plurality of data formats obtained by the conversion step and the data to be linked with the data is read from the buffer, the data converted into the data format that can be read by the running application is read. And a reading step.

[0010]

With the above configuration, when data cooperation is performed between a plurality of applications via the buffer, the data to be data-coordinated is converted into a plurality of data formats and stored in the buffer. Then, when reading the data stored in the buffer in order to execute the data cooperation, among the stored data, the data stored in the data format that can be processed by the running application is read.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of an information processing apparatus according to this embodiment. In the figure, 1 is CP
U, which controls the entire information processing apparatus. 2 is RO
M, which stores various control programs and various data executed by the CPU 1 when the system is started up.
A RAM 3 includes a program area 3a, a clipboard buffer area 3b, and a work area 3c. The program area 3a stores an operating system for the CPU 1 to execute various processes, an application program operating on the operating system, and the like. The clipboard buffer area 3b is a data storage area for executing paste, and details will be described later. The work area 3c is a work area used by the CPU 1 for temporary storage of data for executing various processes. A hard disk 4 stores various application programs and the like.

A keyboard 5 and a mouse 6 are used for inputting various data and commands. Reference numeral 7 denotes a display, which displays document data created by an application program or the like. An external interface 8 is connected to an external device such as a printer. Reference numeral 9 denotes a printer, which executes printing on recording paper or the like based on print data input through the external interface 8. Reference numeral 10 denotes a system bus, which connects the above-described components to each other and enables mutual data exchange.

Next, the clipboard buffer 3a described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the clipboard buffer 3b. Clipboard buffer 3b
Is a ring buffer format having n stacks 31 and a counter 32 for designating a stack to be used. Then, partial data is stored in each of these n stacks.

In FIG. 2, the partial data 20 of the document data A20 created by the application A, for example, is used.
a is stored in the stack 1 and partial data 20b is stored in the stack 2. Similarly, the partial data 21a of the graphic data 21 created by the application B is stored in the stack 3. Then, the data C2 being created by the application C for each partial data stored in the stacks 1 to 3
The state of being pasted on No. 2 is shown.

The stack to which the partial data is taken in is determined by the counter 32. For example, if the content of the counter 32 is 1, the data is stored in the stack 1, and then the content of the counter 32 is incremented by 1. Then, the content of the counter 32 becomes 2, so that the next partial data is stored in the stack 2. In this way, the counters are sequentially incremented, and when the content becomes n + 1, the counter returns to 1 again and the stacks 1 to n are circulated.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the data structure of each stack of the clipboard buffer 3b. In each stack, partial data for which data cooperation is to be performed is registered in the same data format as it is, and converted into various common data formats as much as possible and registered. Therefore, the partial data in each data format and the data format identification information for identifying the data format are stored correspondingly. In this embodiment, the following four types of formats are used as common data formats on the window system.

That is, 1. Character code format: A data format in which character data is represented by a character code. 2. Image format: Image data in bitmap format. 3. Stroke format ... Data format that can be displayed by the graphic display library owned by the operating system. 4. Table format: A data format that represents a two-dimensional data structure such as a spreadsheet or a database. There are four types of data formats.

Registration of partial data is as follows, for example. First, the data format name unique to the application that created the partial data to be registered and the partial data in the data format unique to the application are stored in the area 311 in association with each other. Further, the partial data is converted into various convertible data formats and stored in association with each data format name. For example, the partial data converted to the character code format is "character code format".
Is registered in the area 312 in association with the data format identification information. If the partial data can be converted into the image format, the partial data converted into the image format is registered in the area 313 in association with the data format identification information “image format”.

The storage of the partial data in the stack as described above is executed by each application according to the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a registration processing procedure of partial data. It should be noted that this flowchart is started by inputting a command to start the paste processing with the keyboard 5 or the mouse 6.

First, in step S11, a range of partial data is designated in order to determine which part is to be partial data. In step S12, it is checked whether or not an input indicating that the designation of the partial data range is completed is entered, and if the designation is completed, the process proceeds to step S13. Until the designation completion is input, the process returns to step S11 and the range of partial data is designated.

In step S13, the unique data format name of the application that created the partial data is registered in the area 31a of the stack designated by the counter 32. Then, in step S14, the partial data of the designated range is registered in the area 31b in the data format of the application. This partial data can be used as it is, as long as the pasted document is created by the same application.

In the next steps S15 to S18, the procedure of converting the data format of the paste data and registering it is shown. First, in step S15, the common data format to be converted is selected (for example, the character code format of the common data format is selected). Then, in step S16, the data format name is registered. Then, in step S17, the data format of the partial data is converted into the common data format selected in step S15, and registered in association with the data format name registered in step S16. For example, it is checked whether the data can be converted into the character code format, and if possible, the format name of the character code format and the partial data converted into the character code format are registered in association with each other.

In step S18, whether all the common data formats (character code format, image format, stroke format, table format) described above are processed in the same manner as described above, and whether there is an unprocessed data format. To judge. If there is an unprocessed data format, step S1
Returning to step 5, the above processing is repeated.

When there is no unprocessed data format in step S18, the process proceeds to step S19. In step S19, the counter 32 is incremented by 1 for the next paste data. Then, in step S20, it is determined whether the counter 32 has become equal to n + 1, and if they are equal, the counter 32 is reset to 1 in step S21.
This process achieves the ring buffer format.

As described above, registration of partial data in each stack is executed. Next, a method of pasting the partial data registered as described above to the data created by a certain application will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the procedure for pasting partial data. It should be noted that this flow chart is started upon receiving a paste processing start command.

In step S31, a partial data list is displayed. This list, as shown in Figure 6,
It is displayed at the bottom of the display screen of the display 7. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 61 is a partial data list. Also, 6
A pointer 2 is operated by the mouse 6. Here, the application name and the data content are displayed for each partial data. Here, the partial data that cannot be pasted in the application is notified to the user by lightly displaying it. Whether or not this paste processing is possible can be determined by whether or not there is data in the area of the data format that can be processed by the application. Details of this processing will be described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7.

In step S32, partial data is designated. This uses the mouse 6 to operate the pointer 62,
The portion of the list may be designated directly, or the corresponding number may be designated using the keyboard 5. When the designation is completed in step S33, the process proceeds to step S34.
In step S34, where to paste the designated partial data is designated. Then, when the designation of the pasting position is completed in step S35, the partial data stored in the stack is taken out and the pasting of the data is executed by the processes of step S36 and subsequent steps.

In step S36, a data format that can be fetched by the currently activated application is searched, and it is checked whether or not partial data is converted into the fetchable data format and registered in the stack. As a result, if it has been registered, the process proceeds from step S37 to step S38, and the partial data registered corresponding to the data format name that can be taken in is used to execute the pasting to the designated position. On the other hand, if the data format has not been converted into a data format that can be imported, the partial data is not imported and this process ends. In the search of the data format in step S36 described above, when there are two or more data formats that can be fetched, the data format more suitable for the running application is sequentially searched. Therefore, the partial data can be captured in a more suitable data format.

Next, the process of displaying the partial data list in step S31 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S51, the stack to be displayed in the list is accessed. Next, step S52.
Then, the registered data format is searched to check whether or not the partial data is registered in the stack in a data format that can be fetched by the running application. If the search is successful in step S54 (that is, if the partial data is registered in the importable data format), the process proceeds to step S54, and the contents of the partial data are displayed in the list with normal brightness. on the other hand,
When the search is unsuccessful in step S53, the process proceeds to step S55, and the contents of the partial data are displayed in a light color. Then, in step S56, it is checked whether or not there is a stack to be processed, and if there is any undisplayed stack, the process returns to step S51, and the above-described processing is repeated for the undisplayed stack. When the processing is completed for all the stacks, this processing is completed.

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus of the present embodiment, the clipboard buffer has a ring buffer format in which a plurality of data can be registered, and each partial data has various data formats. Convert and register data. Therefore, even between different applications, data linkage of partial data becomes possible without being aware of the difference in the data. By providing such a clipboard, the following effects can be further obtained.

That is, by making the data format common to applications such as a window system, it is not necessary to individually know the data of the application that uses the clipboard, so the application development efficiency is improved. -By using multiple data formats as common conventions and writing to the clipboard at the same time, applications of various genres such as document processing, spreadsheets, databases, and graphic processing can use the clipboard. -Each application can read from the clipboard in an appropriate data format.・ As a common data format to be registered in the clipboard,
By including a general text data format, the clipboard can be used more easily. Get the effect.

Further, since the clipboard buffer can store a plurality of partial data, when pasting a plurality of data, it is not necessary to repeat the operation of writing and pasting, and the operability in the partial processing is improved.

Although a plurality of partial data can be stored in the clipboard buffer in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. Even with a clipboard that can register only one partial data (that is, when there is only one stack), various applications can use the clipboard without being aware of the data format. Also, when there is only one stack, the procedure of specifying partial data is unnecessary.

[0039]

As described above, according to the information processing method and apparatus of the present invention, the data format of each application can be changed by registering the data to be linked with each other in the data buffer in a plurality of data formats. It is possible to link data between various applications without being aware of it.

[0040]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing apparatus according to this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a clipboard buffer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data structure of each stack of a clipboard buffer.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a registration processing procedure of partial data.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for pasting partial data.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display state of a partial data list on a display screen.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a display processing procedure for displaying a list of partial data.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 ROM 3 RAM 3a Clipboard buffer 3b Program area 3c Work area 31 Stack 32 Counter

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Motohide Tamura 3-46 Okihamahigashi, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture Justsystem Co., Ltd.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus capable of performing data cooperation between a plurality of applications, comprising: a conversion unit for converting data to be subjected to data cooperation into a plurality of types of data formats; and the data cooperation. A storage unit for storing data in a buffer in a plurality of data formats obtained by the conversion unit, and a data format that can be captured by a running application when the data to be linked with data is read from the buffer. An information processing apparatus comprising: a reading unit that reads out data. 2. An information processing apparatus capable of performing data cooperation between a plurality of applications, comprising: a conversion unit for converting data for which data cooperation is to be performed into a plurality of types of data formats; and the data cooperation. A storage unit having a buffer having a plurality of areas for storing data, and storing in each area of the buffer the data to be subjected to the data cooperation in the buffer in a plurality of data formats obtained by the conversion unit; Specifying means for specifying the data to be linked, and reading means for reading out the data converted into the data format that can be taken in by the running application when reading the data specified by the specifying means from the area. An information processing apparatus comprising: 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion means converts the data to be data-coordinated into a plurality of data formats according to a predetermined common protocol. 4. The storage means stores the data to be subjected to the data cooperation in the buffer in a plurality of data formats obtained by the conversion means, and stores the data in a data format by an application that created the data. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: 5. An information processing method capable of performing data cooperation between a plurality of applications, comprising: a conversion step of converting data to be data cooperated into a plurality of types of data formats; and performing the data cooperation. A storage step of storing data in a buffer in a plurality of data formats obtained by the conversion step, and a data format that can be captured by a running application when data to be linked with data is read from the buffer An information processing method comprising: a reading step of reading data. 6. An information processing method capable of performing data cooperation between a plurality of applications, comprising: a conversion step of converting data to be subjected to data cooperation into a plurality of types of data formats; and performing the data cooperation. A storage step of having a buffer having a plurality of areas for storing data, and storing the data to be subjected to the data cooperation in each area of the buffer in the buffer in a plurality of data formats obtained by the conversion step; A designation step of designating data to be linked with data, and a reading step of reading data converted into a data format that can be read by an application being started from the area when the data designated by the designation step is read from the buffer And an information processing method comprising: 7. The information processing method according to claim 5, wherein in the converting step, the data to be data-coordinated is converted into a plurality of data formats according to a predetermined common contract. 8. The storing step stores the data to be linked with the data in the buffer in a plurality of data formats obtained by the converting step, and stores the data in a data format by an application that created the data. The information processing method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, further comprising: