JPH08161304A - File editing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To speedily and precisely generate a new file even if a lot of file elements which are to be changed exist in an existing file that is to be used by converting a first file element into a second file element based on a conversion list generated by comparing the first file element used in the existed file with the second file element which is to be used in the new file. CONSTITUTION: When a conversion file generation means 1c for interactive processing is functioned on a computer main body 1, and the name of the existing real document file is inputted, the format of the data conversion list comparing the first file element being a file element which is to be converted with the second file element being a conversion file is displayed on the screen of a display device 10. When a batch conversion processing means 1d is functioned and the conversion file generated in the conversion file generation means 1c is designated, an intermediate real document file is down-loaded from a data base and the relevant file element is converted into the second file element.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a file editing apparatus for efficiently editing and generating a new file by using an existing file in a database. For example, the file editing apparatus is incorporated in a word processor, a desktop publishing (DTP) system, etc. A file editing device used to create standard-format books such as product manuals and manufacturing manuals. Specifically, a virtual document file is generated by arranging the file names of existing real document files stored in the database. Virtual document file generation means for
Based on the actual document file name arranged in the virtual document file generated by the virtual document file generating means,
The present invention relates to a file editing device comprising a real document file generating means for reading a real document file from the storage means, performing linked editing, and generating a new real document file.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When creating a new file having the same structure as an existing file stored in a database, various file elements such as unique text data and image data used in the existing file are added to the new file. It is efficient to generate by changing to a unique file element that conforms to. For example, when the above-mentioned product manual is generated, each document file stored in the database is positioned as one part, and each part is connected to complete one integrated manual. However, even if the products are of the same type, if the product specifications are different, the content of the manual needs to be changed accordingly. Therefore, in the conventional file editing apparatus, for example, the file elements that need to be changed are sequentially extracted from the head of the file, and the sequential conversion processing means is provided for changing each individual file element. . That is, when the existing file stored in the magnetic disk device etc. in which the database is constructed is downloaded to the internal memory of the computer and the content is displayed on the display screen of the computer, the operator should change the displayed content. After specifying the file element such as text data or image data, input the new file element by operating the keyboard etc. and execute the command to replace the file element, by the sequential conversion processing means that manages a series of operations The operation was repeated.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, since the sequential conversion processing means repeats the changing operation, the number of file elements to be changed is large, or the number of file elements to be changed is large. In the case where the file is scattered over a wide area, the operation of changing each file element while visually confirming the display screen not only takes a lot of time and effort for the operator, but There was a problem that it was overlooked and inefficient.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a large number of file elements to be changed in an existing file to be used or a wide range of file elements to be changed. Even so, the point is to provide a file editing device that can generate a new file quickly and accurately.

[0005]

In order to achieve this object, a first characteristic configuration of a file editing apparatus according to the present invention is a file editing apparatus for editing and generating a new file using an existing file in a database. Conversion file generation means for generating a conversion list that compares the first file element used in the existing file with the second file element to be used in the new file, and the conversion generated by the conversion file generation means A batch conversion processing means for converting the first file element of the existing file into the second file element based on the list is provided.

A second characteristic configuration of the file editing apparatus according to the present invention is a virtual document file generating means for arranging file names of existing real document files stored in a database to generate a virtual document file, and the virtual document file generating means. A real document file generating means for generating a new real document file by reading out the real document file from the database and concatenating and editing the real document file based on the real document file name arranged in the virtual document file generated by the document file generating means. A file editing apparatus comprising: a conversion device for generating a conversion list that compares a first file element used in the existing real document file with a second file element to be used in the new real document file. Based on the file generation means and the conversion list generated by the conversion file generation means, the existing There a first file element of the actual document file in that is provided with a batch conversion process means for converting said second file element.

[0007]

According to the above-mentioned first and second characteristic configurations, the operator operates the conversion file generating means, and the first file element used in the existing actual document file and the new actual file are added. If a conversion list that compares the second file element that should be used in the document file is generated, and then the batch conversion processing means is activated, the first file element is scattered at any place in the existing actual document file. Even if it tries, it can be automatically searched based on the conversion list and surely converted into the second file element.

[0008]

Therefore, according to the present invention, the number of file elements such as unique text data and image data to be changed in the existing file to be used as a new file is large, or the number of file elements to be changed is wide. Even in the case of being scattered about, it is possible to provide a file editing device that can quickly and accurately change to a unique file element and generate a new file.

[0009]

EXAMPLES Examples will be described below. As shown in Figure 1,
The file editing apparatus according to the present invention is a personal computer 5 as an input device for document data to which a floppy disk device 12, a display device 10, a keyboard 11, an image scanner 13, a video camera, etc. are connected, and for outputting document data and the like. A magneto-optical disk device 3, which is a small-sized storage device, and a page printer 4 for outputting document data and the like are connected to the computer main body 1 via a network cable 6. The computer main body 1 includes a large-capacity magnetic disk device 2 as an external storage device that stores a database of a plurality of document data, and a display device 1.
0, a keyboard 11 and the like are locally connected, so that new document data is generated using existing document data stored in the magnetic disk device 2 or document data input from the personal computer 5. It becomes the document file editor. Here, the document data is a general term for real document files (hereinafter, referred to as “intermediate real document files”) as a plurality of parts that make up the database, and each intermediate real document file is text data or image as character information. It is composed of a set of file elements such as image data as information.

More specifically, the document file editing unit is
Virtual document file generating means 1a for arranging the file names of intermediate real document files, which are existing document data stored in the database, to generate a virtual document file.
Then, based on the intermediate real document file name arranged in the virtual document file generated by the virtual document file generating means 1a, the intermediate real document file is read from the database, linked and edited, and a new intermediate real document file is created. The real document file generating means 1b for generating is provided. When creating an enormous amount of documents such as books and manuals, a set of text data and image data used in a document is stored in advance in order to avoid the complexity of editing and inputting characters and images in order. It is efficient to register a plurality of intermediate real document files consisting of the above as parts in the database, and combine these intermediate real document files appropriately to form a completed document. Furthermore, when combining the intermediate real document files, after the entire array is prepared using only the file names of the intermediate real document files, the actual file contents of the intermediate real document files are concatenated and edited according to the array to make the final file. It is preferable to use a completed document. Therefore, the editing operator creates a virtual document file by the above-mentioned virtual document file generating means 1a which is an interactive editing processing means,
After that, the real document file generating means 1b, which is a batch edit processing means, performs linked editing.

A procedure for generating a work manual, which is an example of an actual document file, using the above file editing apparatus will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the virtual document file includes document components such as “document title”, “document block”, and “document comment” as “chapter”, “section”, and “section”.
It is built in a tree structure so that it can be easily grasped in the middle of document creation by incorporating it into multiple layers such as "term" and is also called a structure file. "Document title" is It is a title that represents the contents of the document included in each hierarchy such as "chapter", "section", and "section" and is called a title object. For example, when creating an "engine maintenance manual" as a document, When constructing a "chapter" for "preparation work for maintenance", the character data such as "preparation work for disassembly and maintenance" input from the keyboard is applicable. The “document block” is a block object in which the file names of one or more intermediate real document files stored in the database are described as an aggregate of characters and the like as parts. The "document comment" is character data that represents the outline content of the block object and other points to be noted, and is called a comment object. The above-mentioned layers are composed of eight levels from the first layer to the eighth layer. The first layer corresponds to "chapter", the second layer corresponds to "section", and the third layer corresponds to "section". Title objects, block objects, and comment objects are appropriately arranged. As shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate real document file input from the personal computer 5 has a file name, management number, and
A database to be used as a part when creating a document along with the type of data (identification data whether it is text data or image data such as photos and illustrations), language used, data capacity, and attribute data such as file storage address information. And becomes the block object as the above-mentioned editing processing target.

The procedure for generating the virtual document file will be described below. As shown in FIG. 5, the operator operates the interactive editing program on the computer main body 1 which is the document file editing unit, and the virtual document file generating means 1a.
To function <# 1>. First, open a new structure file to be created, set initial values such as the paper size, document layout area, and character size of the document to be created <# 2>, then enter various objects from the keyboard. Edit the structure file <# 3>, <# 4>.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the columns from the first layer to the eighth layer are set and displayed on the CRT from the left end to the right end, so that the document structure is extended from the first layer to the eighth layer. Among the elements, first, a title object is set and input to construct a rough document system, and then another document element such as a block object or a comment object is input to construct a structure file.
When inputting a new object into the structure file, the "Edit" menu on the CRT as shown in Fig. 4
When the "Insert" item is specified with the mouse (the cursor is moved to the "Move" item and dragged) to move to the move mode, the object selection branches (title object, block object, comment object) are displayed on the screen. A frame is displayed, so specify the type of object to be inserted with the mouse, and then enter the components of the document to be inserted from the keyboard. For example, if the component of the document is a title object, For example, enter the title, the file name of the intermediate real document file for the block object, and the comment text for the comment object from the keyboard. Four
The editing process is repeated with>, and if there is no inconvenience, the structure file is closed and stored in the magnetic disk device 2.

Next, a procedure for converting a virtual document file into a real document file will be described below. As shown in FIG. 6, when the operator also operates the linked editing program for collective processing on the computer main body 1 to cause the actual document file generating means 1b to function <# 20>, a virtual document to be converted. A message requesting the file name of the file (structure file) is displayed on the CRT, and the file name is input from the keyboard according to the display <# 21>. The intermediate real document file included in the virtual document file indicated by the input file name is read from the magnetic disk device 2 via its attribute data, and if it does not exist in the magnetic disk device 2, it is read from the internal memory. Read (as will be described later, if the actual document file to be linked is a temporary file, it may not exist in the magnetic disk device 2) <# 22>,
The read intermediate real document files are sequentially arranged in the order shown in the virtual document file, and the final real document file is generated. That is, the final real document file is generated by the program automatically editing and arranging the document constituent elements according to the order and hierarchy of the objects arranged in the virtual document file (structure file).
# 26>. When the block object is searched in the process <# 23>, the file corresponding to the file name described in the searched block object is
Similarly, when the data is read from the magnetic disk device 2, <# 2
4>, which is downloaded to the location of the block object <# 25>. At that time, the layers are identified in order from the upper hierarchy, such as "chapter", "section", and "term", and an auto-numbering process that automatically assigns a serial number with, for example, Arabic numerals is performed for each hierarchy. "Chapter" that appears first is "Chapter 1", then "Chapter" that appears next
Is processed as described in "Chapter 2" so that the editing operator can edit the serial number without being aware of the serial number when the interactive editing program is operated. When replacement of all block objects included in the virtual document file (structure file) is completed in this way, <# 27
>, The actual document file is completed and stored in the magnetic disk device 2 <# 28>.

Now, for example, when the above-mentioned work manual is generated, depending on the model of the engine which is the work target, the block object which is a constituent element of the document cannot be reused as it is. The file elements of the intermediate actual document file that make up the block object, that is, the text data such as "part number" of the engine part used in the document and the image data such as "illustration" may differ depending on the engine model. Is. Although there are a plurality of types of these differences at a plurality of places in the document, it is possible to grasp them in advance and it is convenient if they can be collectively changed. Therefore, in the computer main body 1 which is a document file editing unit, a first file element such as unique text data or image data used in an existing intermediate actual document file registered in the database, and a new intermediate actual document. A conversion file generating unit 1c for generating a conversion list that compares the unique second file element to be used in the file is provided, and based on the conversion list generated by the conversion file generating unit 1c, the existing real document file A batch conversion processing means 1d for converting the first file element into the second file element is provided.

The file element conversion processing will be described below.
Description will be made based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 7. When the conversion file generation program for interactive processing is operated on the computer main body 1 to cause the conversion file generation means 1c to function and the name of an existing actual document file is input, the screen of the display device 10 is a conversion target file element. Since the format of the data conversion list that represents the first file element and the second file element that is the conversion file element as a pair is displayed, the specific contents of the first file element and the second file element are sequentially input via a keyboard or the like. By doing so, the conversion list is completed and stored in the magnetic disk device 2 <
# 30>. The specific contents of the conversion list are composed of attribute data such as the file name and management number of the actual document file, as well as text data and image data used in the actual document file. The part number “Piston P-101” corresponding to the text data “Piston P-505” corresponds to the second file element. Next, when the batch conversion processing program for batch processing is operated on the computer main body 1 to cause the batch conversion processing means 1d to function and the conversion file created by the conversion file generation means 1c is designated, it becomes a conversion target. Download the intermediate real document file from the database <# 31>,
First, after converting the attribute data, the first file element of the conversion list shown in the conversion file is searched from the beginning to the end of the intermediate actual document file, and if there is a corresponding file element, that file element is changed to the second file element. The process of replacing is executed for all conversion lists <# 32
>, The converted intermediate real document file is temporarily stored in the internal memory. For example, when the part number of the text data "piston P-101" is searched as the first file element, it is converted into the part number of the text data "piston P-505" as the second file element. If it is determined that the converted intermediate real document file needs to be used in the future <# 33>, it is stored in the magnetic disk device 2 as a new intermediate document file <# 34>. When a plurality of conversion files are generated and it is determined that they should be converted simultaneously, the process returns to step <# 31> and the same processing is repeated <# 35>. After converting all the intermediate real document files in this way, the final real document file is completed by converting the virtual document file to the real document file by the above-mentioned linking editing program. In summary,
The computer main body 1 and peripheral devices, and a part of the editing program executed by the computer main body 1, are virtual document file generating means 1a and real sentence element generating means 1
b, conversion file generation means 1c, batch conversion processing means 1
It becomes d.

Another embodiment will be described below. In the above embodiment, the configuration of the conversion file is described so that the first file element that is the converted file element and the second file element that is the conversion file element are represented as a pair. If the two file elements can be expressed as a pair, the specific configuration is not particularly limited and is arbitrary. Further, in the above embodiment, the first file element and the second file element have been described by exemplifying the case of text data, but in the case of image data, the unit name of the unit of the image data is used as a unit. The same processing can be performed by specifying. Here, when the intermediate actual document file is image data composed of a set of a plurality of image units, the name of each image unit becomes a file element, and the unit file corresponding to the unit name is the magnetic file in advance. It is stored in the disk device 2.

In the above embodiment, the conversion list generated by the change file generating means has been described for the existing intermediate real document file and the new intermediate real document file. However, the real document which is the object of the present invention. The file is not limited to the intermediate real document file and may be any real document file.

In the above embodiment, the case where the document file is generated as the file editing device has been described, but the file to be generated is not limited to the document file and can be applied to any data file. That is,
A file editing device that edits and generates a new file using an existing file in a database, and creates a conversion list that compares the first file element used in the existing file with the second file element that should be used in the new file. Based on the conversion file generating means 1c to be generated and the conversion list generated by the conversion file generating means 1c,
It is arbitrary as long as it is a file editing device provided with the batch conversion processing means 1d for converting the first file element of the existing file into the second file element. For example, in the case of the above-mentioned document file editing apparatus, the operation target of the conversion file generating means 1c and the batch conversion processing means 1d may be not only a real document file but also a virtual document file, that is, a structure file. In this case, arbitrary text data in each object such as a title object, a block object, and a comment object is a conversion target.

In the previous embodiment, the conversion file generating means 1
The case where the batch conversion processing means 1d for immediately converting the first file element of the existing file into the second file element is operated based on the conversion list generated by c has been described. The operation of the conversion processing means 1d does not have to be continuous. For example, the batch conversion processing means 1d may be operated on the real document file after the virtual document file is converted into the real document file by the real document file generating means 1b.

The specific hardware configuration of the file editing apparatus is not limited to that shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, a magnetic disk device 2 which is an external recording device
May be connected to the file server 7, which is an independent computer, to efficiently manage the document database, thereby reducing the load on the computer 1 for document editing processing.

[0021] In the claims, reference numerals are provided for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the attached drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of a file editing device

[Fig. 2] Structure diagram of virtual document file

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of attribute data.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of a virtual document file.

FIG. 5: Flow chart

FIG. 6 is a flowchart.

FIG. 7: Flow chart

FIG. 8 is a hardware configuration diagram of a file editing device showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a Virtual document file generating means 1b Real document file generating means 1c Conversion file generating means 1d Batch conversion processing means

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Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A file editing device for editing and generating a new file using an existing file in a database, wherein a first file element used in the existing file and a second file to be used in the new file A conversion file generation means (1c) for generating a conversion list comparing elements, and a first file element of the existing file based on the conversion list generated by the conversion file generation means (1c). A file editing apparatus provided with a batch conversion processing means (1d) for converting to. 2. A virtual document file generating means (1a) for arranging file names of existing real document files stored in a database to generate a virtual document file, and the virtual document file generating means (1a). And a real document file generating means (1b) for generating a new real document file by reading the real document file from the database, concatenating and editing the real document file based on the real document file name arranged in the virtual document file. A file editing apparatus, which is a conversion file generation unit that generates a conversion list that compares a first file element used in the existing real document file with a second file element to be used in the new real document file. (1c) and the existing real sentence based on the conversion list generated by the conversion file generating means (1c). Batch conversion processing means (1d) file editing apparatus is provided with converting the first file within a file to the second file element.