JPH0734204B2 - Form design system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pre-process for printing forms in a printing industry or the like, and an operator inputs design instructions in a computer system having an input display terminal. The present invention relates to a form design system in which information processing for designing forms is performed.

[Conventional technology]

When creating a form by printing, based on the specifications presented by the customer, draw a line with a pencil etc. on the spacing chart printed with a framed ruled line of a predetermined size,
Design forms by human handwriting. Since the forms are designed individually for each product, there are many types of designs, and most of the forms are used as input / output media for various devices, so there are many design restrictions. That is, black printing, a seal prohibition zone is provided, a rectangular handwriting area is provided inside a margin of a predetermined width from the reference side, and dimensions and the like are finely defined. After obtaining the consent of the customer, the form design created so as to satisfy such regulations is moved to the process of preparing a master copy which becomes a manuscript for printing and plate making. For the block copy, based on the form design, human handwriting is used to draw ruled lines and paste letters and logotypes. The block copy created in this way is finally checked by the customer. Since there are many changes and corrections at this stage, the work must be reworked and it is very complicated. After the final check by the customer and the completion of school, the master plate is transferred to a plate making process, a film original plate is prepared, and then a plate for printing is prepared in the plate making process and then transferred to the printing process. Since many processes are performed until the printing process is started in this way, a great deal of labor is required.

On the other hand, as a system for creating a block copy of a form, a system using a digitizer as an input means (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-1828).
No. 35) and a system for numerically inputting the starting and ending points of ruled lines (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-84050). These are rough drafts for input already made and numerical values based on them. Since data is required and most of the input data is not displayed, there is a drawback in that it is not possible to know whether or not the design input has been performed satisfactorily without drawing once.

A system as shown in FIG. 1 has been proposed as a form design system that solves such a drawback (Japanese Patent Application No. Sho.
57-126001). Prior to explaining the form designing method of the present invention, an example of the form designing system to which the present invention can be applied, and a conventional form designing method related to the present invention, the form designing system of FIG. As described below.

This design system is a CRT display device 10 for displaying required messages, design patterns, etc., an input device (tablet) for inputting data having various menus and an input device 20 composed of a keyboard, and writing or reading data. Files such as floppy disks
30, a hard copy drawing device (for example, an XY plotter) 40 for outputting a hard copy, and the above devices 10 to 40
And a computer system 50 for processing by combining
Input device 2 after displaying the work menu on the CRT display device 10
When the desired work is selected with 0 and in the case of the new design mode, the management information such as the file number, the product name and the operator name is input by the input device 20, and the computer system 50 is initialized to open the file 30. , The spacing chart for the new design is displayed in grid form on the CRT display device 10, and in the case of the modified design mode, the form design already registered in the file 30 is further selected by the input device 20 and the CRT display device is displayed. Displayed on 10, and after any of the above, by performing interactive form design input by the CRT display device 10 and the input device 20,
After the work is completed, the data is registered in the file 30, and in the drawing mode, the form design already registered in the file 30 is selected by the input device 20 and the CRT display device 1 is selected.
In addition to displaying 0, a hard copy of the form design is output via the hard copy drawing device 40.

By the way, the computer system 50 operates by software, and a spacing chart display routine 51 for displaying a spacing chart in which grid points are aligned on the CRT display device 10, and an input command from the input device 20. And an instruction controller 53 for analyzing an instruction transmitted from the input device 20 via the input controller 52, and an instruction analyzer 53
A menu routine 54 for executing a menu according to an instruction sent from the CRT, a CRT graphic generation routine 55 for displaying graphics and data on the CRT display device 10 according to the menu data from the menu routine 54, and an arrangement of input information. An input information table 58 to be stored in memory, a hard copy drawing routine 59 for drawing a hard copy by the hard copy drawing device 40, and a table controller 56 for controlling the input information table 58 according to the selection output of the menu routine 54. , File 30 and input information table
And a file controller 57 for connecting 58.
The menu routine 54 processes a basic graphic menu 54A for processing a basic graphic such as a straight line and an arc, a layout menu 58B for moving and deleting a line, and a complicated graphic such as a rounded rectangle. It has an application 54C, the basic figure menu 54A is equivalent to a straight line, a rectangle, a circle, etc., the application 54C is a rectangle with rounded corners,
It has vertical ruled lines and parallel ruled lines with rounded frames. Besides this,
There is a character menu 54D for processing characters, and a character information table for processing characters is provided.

With such a configuration, its operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the form design work is started by operating the keyboard provided in the input device 20 (step S1), the third
The work menus (1) to (4) as shown in the figure are display devices.
It will be displayed along with the cursor 11 at 10 (Step S
2), the operator uses the keyboard of the input device 20 to select menu (1) "new design", work menu (2)
"Reprint / correct design", work menu (3) "hard copy" or work menu (4) "end" cursor
Select with 11 (step S3). If the work menu (4) is selected here, the process ends (step S3B),
The new design mode is selected when the work menu (1) is selected, the reprint / correct design mode is selected when the work menu (2) is selected, and the drawing mode is selected when the work menu (3) is selected (step S4). ). The example of FIG. 3 shows the case where the work menu (1) is selected by the cursor 11.

Then, when the work menu (1) is selected to enter the new design mode, a screen indicating that the new design mode is selected is displayed (step S5), and the file number of the form to be newly designed by the keyboard of the input device 20,
The management information such as the product name, the customer name, and the operator name is input (step S8), the file 30 is opened, the memory area for recording the pattern data in the file 30 is secured, and the computer system 50 Initialize each device (step S7), CRT display device 1
At 0, the spacing chart for the new design is displayed together with the grid points and the movable cursor (step S7). Here, the spacing chart displayed on the CRT display device 10 has a large number of grid points arranged at predetermined intervals on the entire surface, and the cursor can be moved at a distance based on the arrangement pitch of the grid points. This makes it possible to easily and accurately design a form. In this way, the spacing chart is displayed on the screen of the CRT display device 10 via the spacing chart display routine 51.

When the preparation for the new design is completed in this manner, the cursor in the spacing chart displayed on the CRT display device 10 is moved to a desired position by the cursor moving function of the input device 20, thereby interactively. Design the form (step S8). That is, the input device
After moving the cursor to a desired position by the cursor moving function provided in 20, for example, when a horizontal line menu is specified, the basic figure menu 54A of the menu routine 54 is selected via the input controller 52 and the instruction analyzer 53,
By specifying the start point and the end point of the horizontal line to the grid points on the screen by moving the cursor, the output data is CRT figure generation routine 55 and table controller 5.
Typed in 6, you can draw a horizontal line of the desired length. In this case, since the horizontal line menu is specified, even if you first specify the start point and then move the cursor to a position that is offset from the horizontal direction of this start point to make it the end point, the horizontal distance at the cursor specified position Is specified to form a horizontal line starting from the position. Therefore, even when the cursor position is not correctly specified, desired drawing can be easily performed from the menu selection. The same is true for the vertical line menu.

For inputting characters, select the character string, typeface, and size to be input from the alphabet, numbers, kana, kanji, special symbols, etc. using the keyboard (or dedicated device for inputting characters), and set it on the form. When you specify the position to
The data is stored in the character information table in the input information table via. At the same time, the character layout mark ("■■■") is also displayed at a predetermined position on the display device 10 via the CRT graphic generation routine 55.

The pattern data of the form thus created is input to the input information table 58 via the table controller 56. When the operator commands the completion of the design by the input device 20 (step S8), the design data of the form is processed (step S9), the input information table 58 is controlled via the table controller 56, and the input information table 58 is displayed. The accumulated data is stored in a predetermined position of the file 30 via the file controller 57 (step S9A), and an end message is displayed (step S1).
0).

On the other hand, when the modified design mode is selected in the work menu selection (steps S3 and S4), a message indicating that the modified design mode is selected is displayed (step S11), and the file number of the form to be modified is displayed. Input device 20
(Step S12). As a result, the spacing chart with grid points allotted is displayed on the CRT display device 1 via the spacing chart display routine 51.
0 is displayed, then the pattern data of the designated file number already registered in the file 30 is read via the file controller 57, the data of the design is input to the input information table 58, and the table controller 56 and the CRT graphic generation are performed. The design pattern of the file number is displayed on the display device 10 through the routine 55 (step
S13). When the design pattern to be modified is displayed on the screen of the CRT display device 10 in this way, the operator operates the input device 20.
By using the layout menu 54B, interactive form design modification similar to the above is performed (step S8). When the completion of the correction work is instructed by the input device 20 (step S8), the design data of the form is processed (step S9), and the table controller 56
Input table 58 is controlled via
The data accumulated in 58 is stored in a predetermined position in the file 30 via the file controller 57 (step S9
A), the end message is displayed (step S10).

Further, in the drawing mode, a screen for selecting the design pattern to be drawn is displayed on the CRT display device 10 (step S14), and the operator selects the file number to be drawn by the input device 20 ( (Step S15), the design pattern data of the designated file number is read from the file 30 (Step S1).
6) is sent to the hard copy drawing routine 59 via the file controller 57 and the input information table 58 and converted into output data (step S17), and the hard copy drawing device 4
A hard copy of the file number designated by 0 is drawn (step S18).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, in such a conventional form design system, it is necessary to input all line drawings of the form in the interactive form design input (step S8), and when inputting the same shape, it is necessary to repeat complicated input operations. There are drawbacks. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to propose a form design system that simplifies input operations.
The entire layout can be designed by inputting the data of the form component list and selecting and specifying the line drawing screen creation menu.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

The above objective is accomplished by the present invention described below, which relates to a menu routine in the system shown in FIG. That is, the present invention is a form design system comprising an input device, a display device, and a computer system, wherein the computer system is an input controller, an instruction analyzer, a menu routine, a table controller, and a graphic generator. A routine, an input information table, and a character information table, wherein the input controller outputs the input data from the input device to the instruction analyzer, and the instruction analyzer instructs the menu routine based on the input data. Outputting data, the menu routine performs information processing for designing forms based on the command data, outputs information processing data obtained by the information processing to the figure generation routine and the table controller, and the table controller Is the information The processed data is output to the input information table and the character information table, and the data of the input information table and the character information table are output to the menu routine and the graphic generation routine, and the graphic generation routine is configured to execute the information processing data. , The data of the input information table and the character information table are output to the display device, the input information table and the character information table are memories for storing the information processing data, and the menu routine is a form component list. It has a table input menu, a basic figure arrangement menu, a line drawing attribute designation menu, a shaded area designation menu, and a character pasted area designation menu, and the display device has a main screen and a sub screen. In the form component list input menu, enter the item number. The necessary information specific to the form to be designed including the type, the number of digits and the number of lines is displayed on the display device as a form component list, and the necessary items are not entered for the form component list items. Performs information processing for completing a form constituent element list based on input data from the input device, and the item basic figure layout menu displays designed forms on the main screen, and the form constituent elements A list is displayed on the sub screen, and based on the item numbers of the necessary items of the form component list on the sub screen input to the input device and the display positions of the necessary items on the form on the main screen, Arranged in the display position on the main screen as a basic figure based on the number of digits and the number of lines of the item number,
Performing at least one process of enlarging or reducing, moving, and copying the arranged basic figure based on input data from the input device, performing information processing for arranging the basic figure at an arbitrary position and size, The line drawing attribute designation menu performs information processing for setting the lines forming the basic figure to lines having attribute information based on the input data from the input device, and the shaded area designation menu forms the basic figure. Information processing for setting an area to a shaded area based on input data from the input device is performed, and the character pasting area designation menu displays the area forming the basic figure based on the input data from the input apparatus. A system for designing forms, which is set in the embedded area and performs information processing that pastes characters based on the list of form components. ,.

〔Example〕

Next, a description will be given based on examples. Since the description of the part overlapping with the prior art has already been described in detail, the description will be omitted, and the characteristic part of the present invention will be mainly described.

The form design system of the present invention includes a form component list input menu, a basic figure layout menu, a line drawing attribute designation menu, a region designation menu, and a character pasted region designation menu in the menu routine of the conventional system shown in FIG. It is newly added. That is, when one of these menus is selected by an operator's instruction from the input device, a subroutine program corresponding to each menu and the information processing hardware portion of the system are activated to perform respective information processing. .

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a form constituent element list used in the present invention. The form component list has a layout as shown in FIG. 4, and as shown in FIG. 4, "type", "digit number", "line number", according to item numbers 1, 2, ... "Contents of label column", "Typeface",
"Color" and "Remarks" columns are provided, and numerical values, characters, and other necessary items corresponding to the date and the stamp column described in the type column are entered in advance before the form design.

Next, an example of a form designing method in the form designing system of the present invention using this form constituent element list will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of the process of designing forms in the present invention. In FIG. 5, first, when the form component list input menu is selected in the form design system, a similar form component list is displayed on the display screen, and the operator must enter information to be entered in the list, that is, unentered information. Input necessary items on the display screen with an input device such as a keyboard (step S20). Next, when the basic figure layout menu is selected, the form design system enters the line screen creation mode, and the form component list with the entered information is displayed on the sub-screen. Then, by pointing the item number of the list with a cursor or the like, a basic figure (mainly a rectangle) having the number of digits of the item is displayed on the main screen. In this case, the basic figure can be arranged at an arbitrary position and in an arbitrary size by selecting an enlargement, reduction, movement, or copy menu from the application menu. Such line screen creation work is performed by trial and error for all the items entered in the list to determine the overall layout of the form (step S21). After the overall layout is determined in this way, a line drawing attribute designation menu is selected to perform tracing work for giving information on the line width and the line shape to the ruled line on the line screen. In other words, the line screen is only an auxiliary line that is the basis of design, and does not have information on the thickness, color, or shape (solid line, broken line, etc.) of each line, so the line thickness, rounded corners, shape, color, etc. A line having the attribute information of is laid out on the line screen of the entire layout (step S22). After such tracing work is completed, the area designation menu is selected, and the closed area of the form to be shaded (screen, tint block, etc.) is designated based on the ruled line on the screen (step S23). Finally, the character pasting area designation menu is selected, and necessary characters are pasted in the character item column using the screen in which the ruled lines and the screen area are determined. In this case, the typeface and color are set based on the information in the list, and the pasting position, size, and interval are assigned on the CRT (step S24).

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the form can be designed by the operator by designating the item number of the form constituent element list and the display position on the form, and the input operation can be simplified. That is, the time and effort for creating the form component list increase, but once the list is created, it is only necessary to specify the item numbers, and when repeatedly arranging similar figures, it is necessary to input necessary items each time. On the other hand, the input operation can be greatly simplified.

Also, since the necessary items are entered in the form component list in advance, it is possible to prevent the arrangement of the necessary items from being omitted. Also, the form layout, that is, the arrangement of the necessary items, is displayed with its area. As it will be revealed on the device,
The form layout can be designed in a well-balanced, easy, and prompt manner by displaying the occupied area of necessary items.

Furthermore, after specifying the form layout, confirm the layout of the form and specify the attribute information of the line, screen, and paste the characters so that the auxiliary lines become the lines of the substance, the mesh of the substance, and the characters of the substance. Since the layout is included, it is possible to efficiently design a form in which the layout of the form and the balance of lines, screens and characters are good.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a form design system to which the present invention can be applied, FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an operation example thereof, FIG. 3 is a display example thereof, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a form component list used, and FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of a process of designing forms in the present invention. 10 ... CRT display device, 20 ... input device, 30 ... file, 40 ... hard copy drawing device, 50 ... computer system, 51 ... spacing chart display routine,
52 ... Input controller, 53 ... Instruction analyzer, 54 ...
… Menu routine, 55 …… CRT figure generation routine, 56
…… Table controller, 57 …… File controller, 58 …… Input information table.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A form design system comprising an input device, a display device, and a computer system, wherein the computer system comprises an input controller, an instruction analyzer, a menu routine, a table controller, and a graphic generator. Routine, input information table,
A character information table, the input controller outputs input data from the input device to the instruction analyzer, the instruction analyzer outputs instruction data to the menu routine based on the input data, and the menu routine Performs information processing for designing forms based on the command data, outputs information processing data obtained by the information processing to the graphic generation routine and the table controller, and the table controller outputs the information processing data The input information table and the character information table are output, and the data of the input information table and the character information table are output to the menu routine and the graphic generation routine, and the graphic generation routine includes the information processing data and the input information. table And outputting the data of the character information table to the display device, the input information table and the character information table is a memory for storing the information processing data, further, the menu routine, the form component list input menu, A basic figure layout menu, a line drawing attribute designation menu, a shaded area designation menu, and a character pasting area designation menu are provided, and the display device has a main screen and a sub-screen. The element list input menu displays necessary information peculiar to the designed forms including the type, the number of digits and the number of lines with the item number as a key on the display device as a form constituent element list, and the necessary items are not entered. For the items of the form component list of, the information processing for completing the form component list based on the input data from the input device is performed. , The basic figure layout menu displays designed forms on the main screen, displays the form constituent element list on the sub screen, and forms constituent elements on the sub screen input to the input device. Based on the item number of the required items in the list and the display position of the required items in the form on the main screen,
Arranged at the display position on the main screen as a basic figure based on the number of digits and the number of lines of the item number, and enlarging, reducing, or moving the arranged basic figure based on input data from the input device. , At least one process of copying is performed, information processing for arranging the basic figure at an arbitrary position and size is performed, and the line drawing attribute designation menu displays a line forming the basic figure as input data from the input device. Information processing for setting a line having attribute information on the basis of, and the shaded area designation menu performs information processing for setting a region forming the basic figure as a shaded area based on input data from the input device. In the character pasting area designation menu, the area forming the basic figure is set as a character pasting area based on input data from the input device. Performing information processing pasting a character based on the component list, paper sheet design system, characterized in that.