JPH0877242A - Figure generating device and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the figure generating device and figure generating method which easily generate a map, a leaflet, etc., by utilizing a pointing device such as a mouse and using prepared clip arts. CONSTITUTION: When a map symbol displayed in a map symbol list display window is selected and a specific range is specified with a mouse painter, the map symbol is arrayed in the range at a specific interval. When the mouse painter is moved to one of the squares of a clip-art list display window 440 and the mouse pointer is moved with a mouse button pressed, the clip art in the square is moved to a work area 401 as it is, and pasted to the work area 401.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drawing creation apparatus and drawing creation method for drawing or editing a figure using a pointing device to create a desired figure, and more particularly to drawing using a figure prepared in advance. The present invention relates to a diagram creation apparatus and a diagram creation method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an apparatus and method of this type, an existing figure generally called clip art is known. The clip art is to record a plurality of previously prepared figures in a predetermined format and use the figure in a figure creation device to facilitate the creation of a figure. These clip arts are provided in a format that is unique to the drawing device or a format that the operating system provides as standard, and can be directly read from a file and linked to a specified position in the drawing area.
Or it is generally drawn in a drawing area by so-called cut and paste.

[0003]

However, when reading clip arts from a file, it is difficult to confirm the clip arts to be imported in advance, and some clip arts are tried and errored by trial and error. There has been a problem that it takes a lot of time and effort to take in the drawing area and confirm the relationship with other figures.

The method of capturing by cut-and-paste is easier to operate than reading directly from a file, but "selection of figure" and "cut (copy) figure"
Four steps, "Move to desired position" and "Paste graphic" are required. It is not possible to know the exact position of the graphic until you paste it, and it is necessary to adjust the layout position of the graphic again after pasting. However, there was a problem that it took a lot of time and effort to import a figure.

The drawing creating apparatus and the drawing creating method of the present invention have been made for the purpose of solving such problems and taking in a prepared graphic into a drawing area by a simple operation.

[0006]

The drawing making apparatus of the present invention is
A figure creating device for drawing or editing a figure by using a pointing device to create a desired figure, and a figure displaying means for selectively displaying a plurality of prepared figures in a selectable manner, Selecting one of the figures and, in accordance with the operation of the pointing device, a figure extracting means for extracting the selected figure into the drawing area, and the extracted figure
The gist is to provide a drawing unit for drawing in a drawing area by a predetermined operation.

Further, the drawing creating method of the present invention is a drawing creating method for drawing or editing a figure using a pointing device to create a desired figure, and selecting a plurality of previously prepared figures. It is possible to divide and display it, select one of the figures, and with the operation of the pointing device,
The gist is to take out the selected figure in the drawing area and draw the taken out figure in the drawing area by a predetermined operation.

[0008]

In the drawing creating apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, the graphic display means displays a plurality of previously prepared graphics.
It is divided and displayed as selectable, and one of these figures is
The figure extracting means selects and draws it into the drawing area in accordance with the operation of the pointing device. The user performs a predetermined operation while confirming the extracted figure, and causes the drawing means to draw the figure in the drawing area. Therefore, it is possible to take in a prepared figure in the drawing area while confirming the figure with a slight operation.

Further, in the map creating method of the present invention, a plurality of previously prepared figures are divided and displayed in a selectable manner, and one of the figures is selected and the pointing device is operated in accordance with the operation. , Take it out to the drawing area. The user performs a predetermined operation while confirming the extracted figure, and draws this figure in the drawing area. Therefore, according to the present invention, similar to the above-mentioned device invention, by a slight operation,
While confirming the figure, the figure prepared in advance can be taken into the drawing area.

Here, as the graphic display means, a means for displaying a graphic prepared in advance and stored in a file format in a grid of m × n is prepared, and a display for displaying a set of different graphic based on the selection of the file. If the replacement means is provided, it is possible to switch a set of previously prepared graphics, and it is possible to further easily handle a large number of graphics.

As the graphic display means, a means for displaying a plurality of preliminarily prepared graphics in an m × n grid is prepared, and graphics exceeding m × n (m and n are integers of 1 or more) are provided. With regard to, if a means for displaying another switchable cell is provided, a large number of figures can be displayed efficiently.

Further, an object drawn in the drawing area is selected, the selected object is moved to the display position of the graphic display means in accordance with the operation of the pointing device, and the moved object is moved to a predetermined position. If it is registered at the corresponding position of the graphic display means by the previous operation, not only can the graphic prepared in advance be loaded into the drawing area, but on the contrary, the object can be loaded from the drawing area, further improving the usability.

If the figure extracting means is provided with range designating means for designating a predetermined range in the drawing area, and means for expanding the figure extracted by the figure extracting means is provided within the designated range, the same is achieved. You can easily draw multiple figures.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In order to further clarify the structure and operation of the present invention described above, a map creating apparatus which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a basic screen displayed on a monitor 40 when the map creating software of the embodiment provided in the form of application software is operated on the personal computer 20, and FIG. 2 is activating the application software. Personal computer 20
It is a functional block diagram inside. That is, by executing this map creation software on the ordinary personal computer 20, the map creation device of this embodiment is realized.

For convenience of description, the internal configuration of the personal computer 20 will be described first. As shown in the functional block diagram of FIG. 2, the personal computer 20 on which the map creation software is activated has a known basic configuration, and a CPU 22 that executes a logical operation and its CPU 22.
ROM 24 that stores programs and the like to be executed by the nonvolatile memory, a logic circuit portion that includes a large-capacity RAM 26 that stores programs and data, and peripheral devices such as monitor 40, mouse 42, keyboard 46, printer 48, The hard disk 50 includes input / output interfaces 28 to 36. The mouse 42 is provided with a left button 422 and a right button 424, and an object is selected by an operation of aligning the mouse pointer with the object on the work area 401 and pressing the left button 422 (so-called “click” operation). Processing is possible.

As shown in the figure, a GUI using a mouse 42, which is a pointing device, is employed for the operation of this map making software, and the printer 48 works according to the size of the paper on which the map is to be printed. Area 40
1 or a part thereof is displayed on the monitor 40. On the left side of the work area 401, various tool boxes 402, 406, 408 for drawing are displayed. As shown in FIG. 3A, the toolbox 402 displayed at the top is for setting the drawing mode (hereinafter, referred to as a mode selection toolbox), and in this embodiment, the graphics are displayed in order from the top. Arrow icon to switch to the selection / editing mode, road icon indicating the drawing mode of road / river / railway (hereinafter collectively referred to as road object), straight line /
A graphic icon that indicates the drawing mode of rectangles, ellipses, arrows, etc. (collectively referred to as graphic objects below), a character icon that indicates the mode for inputting characters or changing character attributes, and a map symbol that displays a list display window for entering map symbols. Six types of icons are provided: a display icon and a clip art display icon for displaying a clip art list display window.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the tool box 406 in the middle of the left side is a line type tool box for selecting the selected line or the type of line to be drawn. The thickness of the contour line for drawing an ellipse and the type of line such as a solid line and a broken line are selected. In FIG. 3B, the thickness of the corresponding line is illustrated on the right side. A tool box 408 below the line type tool box 406 is a color setting tool box as shown in FIG. 3C, and sets the color of the boundary line and the internal pattern of the selected figure or the figure to be drawn. It is a thing. Although it is drawn in black and white in the drawing, it is actually shown in the corresponding color on the monitor 40.
On the right side of the work area 401, as shown in FIG. 3D, a paint pattern type toolbox 410 for selecting the type of paint pattern of the selected figure or the figure to be drawn is displayed.

In FIG. 2, these various tool boxes 4 are shown.
Of the 02, 406, 408, and 410, only the fill pattern type toolbox is in the floating palette format, but all of these toolboxes can be displayed in the floating palette format and can be placed anywhere in the work area. You can Note that these modes, line types, patterns, colors, etc. can be selected in a pull-down format from the menu bar 403 displayed on the upper end surface of the monitor 40.

Further, in the map creating apparatus of the present embodiment, a command for assisting map drawing, for example, enlargement / reduction of screen display, is provided at the bottom of the menu bar 403 of the monitor 40.
Symbols (hereinafter, referred to as ribbons) 404 and 405 in which printing and the like are converted into icons are prepared. The ribbon 404 on the right side of the screen is a common ribbon, and the same ribbon is displayed regardless of the selected mode. This ribbon 404
4A, as shown in FIG. 4A, functions such as undo for canceling the effect of the executed command and change of the display magnification of the figure displayed in the work area 401 are shown as icons.

On the other hand, a ribbon 405 on the left side of the screen is a mode-specific ribbon whose display and function can be switched according to the mode selected by the mode selection toolbox 402. The mode selection toolbox 402 is operated to switch the mode. Then, the display is switched to the display of icons to which different functions are assigned according to the selected mode. For example, when the arrow icon in the mode selection toolbox 402 is selected, the ribbon 405 will be displayed in FIG.
As shown in (B), an icon for executing a command for rotating or deforming a figure, an icon for indicating a command for switching the front / back arrangement of the figure, or an icon for indicating grouping or cancellation thereof is arranged. On the other hand, when the road icon is selected, the mode-specific ribbon 405 is assigned with various drawing lines necessary for drawing road objects such as roads, rivers, and railways, and a function for controlling the drawing lines. ), The corresponding icons are arranged. For example, the function to switch to roads, rivers, JR railroads, private railways with specified line widths and curves, the function to switch to a tool to specify the top and bottom of grade separation, and the tool to specify the end shape of roads and rivers. Functions and the like are displayed by corresponding icons. Similarly, when the graphic icon is selected, the ribbon for each mode 4
05 has a function to switch to various drawing tools.
As shown in (D), a corresponding icon is displayed. For example, straight line, rectangle, circle / oval, arc, fan, bow, rounded rectangle (rectangle), polygonal line, polygon,
An icon to switch to a tool for drawing freehand curves, various arrow lines, etc. is displayed.

When a character icon is selected, a function for changing to a tool for changing the attribute of the character string is displayed on the mode-specific ribbon 405 by the corresponding icon as shown in FIG. 4 (E). . Tools that change the attributes of character strings include typeface, size, character decoration (bold, italic, etc.), left-right alignment (left alignment, centering,
Right alignment), vertical alignment (upper alignment, center alignment, lower alignment), character string direction designation, relationship with graphics (inside graphics, top, bottom).

The arrangement position of these ribbons 405 can be changed in the embodiment like the tool box, and can be dragged from the default state shown in FIG. 1 to any place in the work area 401. You can do it.

When the map symbol display icon in the mode selection toolbox 402 is selected, a map symbol list display window 430 shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. In this window 430, eight tags 432 which are images of folders are arranged, and by clicking this with the mouse 42, a list of map symbols for eight pages can be displayed. On each page, map symbols are divided and displayed in 8 × 8 = 64 cells 435. When any one of the squares 435 is clicked with the mouse 42,
The name given to the map symbol is displayed above the tag 432. Therefore, even if the meaning of the map symbol is lost, the meaning of the map symbol can be known by simply clicking the map symbol. When the map symbol is clicked, the shape of the mouse pointer is changed to the map symbol, and when the mouse pointer is moved to the work area 401 and clicked as it is, the map symbol is drawn at the clicked position. Since the mouse pointer is maintained as it is, a plurality of map symbols can be drawn in the work area by operating the left button 422 of the mouse 42 one after another while moving the place.

When the clip art display icon in the mode selection tool box 402 is selected, a clip art list display window 440 is displayed as shown in FIG. Similar to the map symbol list display window 430, in this window 440, eight tags 442 which are images of folders are arranged. By clicking this with the mouse 42, clip art for eight pages can be displayed in a list. it can. 4x4 = 1 on each page
The clip art is divided and displayed in six cells 445. When any one of these cells 445 is clicked with the mouse 42, the cell 445 is selected and the character string given to the clip art is displayed above the tag 442. Therefore, it is possible to add a comment or the like to the clip art and refer to it when using it.

This clip art list display window 4
As shown in FIG. 6B, seven icon groups 447 are arranged on the upper part of 40. These icons are
It is used to switch and register clip art. These icons show the following functions in order from the left side. -Register the selected object in the work area as clip art to the currently selected cell. -Register the text string that describes the clip art in the currently selected cell (a window for registering the text will be displayed,
It becomes possible to input a character string). -Delete the clip art existing in the currently selected grid.・ Create a new clip art file that records multiple clip arts (no clip art is displayed in the clip art list display window). -Load an existing clip art file (the clip art list display window will march according to the contents of the loaded file). -Write the changes in the contents displayed in the current clip art list display window to the clip art file. -Export the contents displayed in the current clip art list display window as a clip art file with a new name.

It is possible to freely create, update, and save a clip art file using these icons. A method of drawing the clip art in the work area 401 will be described in detail later. The map symbol list display window 430 and the clip art list display window 440 described above are displayed in the form of a floating window and can be arranged at any position on the screen.

To select a command, bring the mouse cursor over each icon and use the left button 4 of the mouse 42.
22 is clicked, but when the right button 424 adjacent to the left button 422 of this mouse is clicked, copy, delete, delete, move to the front, move to the back, group, deselect, select mode The command is pulled down. As described above, the map creating apparatus of the present embodiment is designed so that various commands can be selected and executed by a slight movement of the pointer of the mouse 42.

The normal map making procedure will be described. The mouse 42 is operated to select one of the icons in the mode selection tool box 402 to determine the drawing mode. Then, the corresponding mode-specific ribbon 405 is displayed. For example, if you select the road icon, the dedicated ribbon 405
Is displayed. Therefore, the icon corresponding to the object to be drawn is further selected from this ribbon. For example, select a tool that draws a straight road with a specified line width, and drag the mouse from the start point (start point) to the end point (end point) of the road. With this, a predetermined straight road can be drawn. To change the line width specification, use the menu bar 40
This can be done by selecting a predetermined menu from 3. When drawing multiple objects, those objects have an overlapping relation, and by default, the one drawn later is drawn so as to exist in the front, but in the case of road objects of the same kind, the combining process is performed. It has different properties from other objects. That is, when a plurality of road objects are drawn at overlapping positions, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the end points of the road object are joined to other road objects and drawn as a continuous road. In the example shown in FIG. 7A, three straight roads and one curved road are drawn so as to overlap each other.
When the drawing is completed, as shown in FIG. 7B, end point processing is performed and a series of roads is displayed in the work area 401. In the case of roads and rivers, the shape of the end points can also be set.

By repeating such work, a figure such as a rectangle indicating a road, a river, a building, or a character string is created and displayed in the work area 401. At this time, the data of the map drawn and displayed on the monitor 40 is sequentially stored or edited in the predetermined storage area of the hard disk 50 in which the RAM 26 serving as the main storage or the virtual storage area is set. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the structure of map data created by the map creation software.

Each element such as roads, characters, and figures that composes a map created by using the above-described road icons, character icons, graphic icons, and the like constitutes a set of data collected as one object. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the map data includes two graphic objects 6
A case is shown which is composed of 0, 62, two character objects 64, 66 and one road object 68. In addition, one of these series of objects
In order to explicitly show that one piece of map data is completed, a set of head data 70 and tail data 72 of the map data is prepared, and these data are adjacent data as shown by solid line arrow X in the figure. It is equipped with a pointer that points to. This is because the overlapping relationship of objects is important when drawing objects in map data. For example, the drawing situation of a three-dimensional intersection changes depending on which of two road objects is placed in the front. is there. The relationship of overlapping objects (front-back relationship) is such that only changing the pointer is necessary, and the right button 424 of the mouse 42 described above is operated to "move to the front".
Or by executing the command "Move to the back",
The overlapping relationship of objects can be easily changed.

As described above, the data forming one object expresses an important attribute that indicates the drawing situation of the object, and is a common attribute for each object, which relates to the position where the object is to be drawn. There are position data, size data indicating the size of drawing, and type data indicating the type of figure to be drawn. Further, as shown by the dashed-dotted line arrow Y in FIG. 8, each object has a selection pointer for connecting a group of objects in the selected state when the object is clicked by the pointer of the mouse 42 to be in the selected state. The selection data 80, which indicates that a selection situation has occurred, is prepared at the head of these selection pointers. In the example of FIG. 8, the graphic object 60, the character object 64,
66 and the road object 68 are selected. This information is used when processing such as deformation and rotation is performed on the selected plurality of objects.

The graphic objects 60 and 62 are provided with the presence / absence of an arrangement character string and data unique to the graphic as attributes other than the above. The road object 68 is the graphic object 6
As with 0 and 62, there is the presence / absence of an arrangement character string, and in addition, information about the start point, end point, width of road drawing, and boundary line type of road
It is composed of a large number of road-specific information such as information on road painting patterns. The character objects 64 and 66 are composed of the arrangement character string state, the arrangement relative position, the character string data, the character size information, and the arrangement pointer to be arranged on another object such as a figure or a road. The placement pointers of the character objects 64 and 66 shown in FIG. 8 are connected to the road object 68 as indicated by the solid arrow Z. This indicates that the character strings stored in the character string data of the character objects 64 and 66 should be arranged in association with the road object 68.
FIG. 7 also shows an example of a character string formed by a character object placed in road drawing by the placement pointer.
As shown in the figure, the relative placement position of the character object consisting of the character string data “National Route 10” has a relationship of “arranged in the figure”. , Bent from the middle and placed. Further, the relative placement position of the character object composed of the character string data "2-chome intersection" is set outside the road because the relationship "placed below the figure" is set. In the case of a vertically drawn road,
The right-hand side is the lower side in the direction of the road.

Next, a method for continuously arranging map symbols using the map symbol list display window 430 shown in FIG. 5 will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a routine for arranging map symbols continuously. When this process is started, it is first determined whether or not a map symbol is selected (step 200). In the selected state, the shape of the mouse pointer is switched to a form in which the cross cursor and the selected map symbol are combined, as shown in an example in FIG. If it is selected,
A range is specified, and processing for holding the coordinates of the start point and end point of the range is performed (step 210). As shown in FIG. 10B, the left button 422 of the mouse 42 is pressed at a certain point P and the mouse 42 is moved to a different point Q as it is.
This corresponds to the operation of dragging and holds the range 470 specified by the user as the coordinates of the start point P and the end point Q.

When this processing is performed, the dialog box shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the monitor 40, and the input of the method of continuous arrangement and the designation of the arrangement interval is prompted (step 2).
20). FIG. 11A is an explanatory diagram showing this dialog box. As shown in the figure, in this dialog box, the continuous arrangement method (horizontal, vertical, diagonal, vertical and horizontal lattice, vertical and horizontal diagonal (staggered)) and the arrangement interval (horizontal and vertical intervals) are set. Note that another dialog box for setting the map symbol is shown in FIG. 11 (B). This is a dialog box that is opened by double-clicking the map symbol after it has been placed in the work area (operation of pressing the left button 422 twice at short intervals).
It is possible to specify the width, style and color of the line surrounding the map symbol.

After such designation is made, the setting of the layout is judged (at step 230 in FIG. 9, when the horizontal layout or the diagonal layout is designated, for each horizontal spacing set by the previous dialog box). The process of arranging the map symbols is performed from the start point P to the end point Q (step 240). In the case of the diagonal arrangement, when arranging the map symbols at every horizontal interval, they are also displaced vertically by the vertical interval. However, if it is determined that the map symbols are arranged vertically instead of horizontally or diagonally (steps 230 and 250), this time, the map symbols are set in the dialog box. Start point P to end point Q at every vertical interval
Up to the step of arranging map symbols (step 26)
0). Further, when it is determined that the grid-shaped or zigzag layout is designated (steps 230, 25).
0), from the start point P to the end point Q for each horizontal and vertical interval
Up to the step of arranging map symbols (step 27)
0). FIG. 10 shows an example in which a zigzag pattern is arranged at predetermined intervals.
It is shown in (C).

When the map symbols are arranged diagonally, there are two methods of arranging them obliquely upward or obliquely downward. In addition, the range 470
It is possible to make a plurality of selections as to whether the start position of the map symbol is left, right, up, or down. In this embodiment, the movement of the mouse pointer when the range is specified is stored, and the starting point P side of the mouse pointer is arranged as a reference point. Therefore, when the pointer directly above moves from the upper left to the lower right and specifies the range, the map symbols are arranged with the upper left as the reference position. Will be placed.

In this embodiment, the map symbols are arranged by specifying the vertical and horizontal intervals, but it is also possible to specify the number of vertical and horizontal arrangements and arrange them. It is also possible to provide a designation of "random" and arrange them randomly within the designated range. Further, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which they are arranged according to an arrangement pattern stored in advance.

According to the map symbol arranging process described above, the map symbols necessary for creating a map can be freely arranged in the work area 401, and moreover, a plurality of map symbols can be predetermined within a designated range. It can be arranged at intervals. Therefore, it is possible to easily draw an object that spreads over a certain area such as fields and forests. When the map symbol once placed in the work area 401 or the position range thereof is significantly reduced, a map symbol placed alone may be dragged by a handle that appears when the mouse is clicked on the map symbol. For the map symbols continuously arranged in the range, you can drag the handles that surround the range. In the latter case, the drawing range is reduced / enlarged and the map symbols are rearranged accordingly.

Next, how to use the clip art will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a process of extracting the clip art from the list display window 440. When this process is activated, it is determined whether or not the left button 422 of the mouse 42 has been operated on each figure in the list display window 440 to turn on the switch (step 350). When it is determined that the mouse button is turned on in each cell 445 of the list display window 440, the graphic information of the corresponding cell in the list display window 440 is extracted (step 36).
0), processing of converting the extracted graphic information into display data is performed (step 370). In the clip art list display window 440, the image data is handled in a common format prepared by the operating system on which this program is executed, so that it is converted into the same format as the other objects shown in FIG. To convert.

Next, the data is converted into display data and the displayed image is moved according to the movement of the mouse pointer (step 380). This is shown in FIG. Cell 44 with clip art list display window 440
At 6, the mouse button is turned on, the mouse 42 is moved as it is, and the mouse pointer is moved in the direction of the work area. As shown in FIG. 13, it looks as if it is a figure from the cells 446 (here, a butterfly picture). Is moved as the mouse 42 moves as a figure 446a of the original size as if it was copied out. Then, at the desired location, mouse 4
When the left button 422 of No. 2 is turned off, the position is stored (step 390), and the selected figure is pasted at this position according to the original figure information (step 395).

According to the above processing, after the clip art display icon of the mode selection toolbox 402 is selected to display the clip art list display window, the tag 442 is clicked to open the desired page and the desired box. Move the mouse pointer to your eyes and press the mouse button,
While confirming the size and the position where the selected figure is actually put in the work area, the mouse 42 is dragged to the work area 401 and the mouse button is turned off at a desired position. , Can be handled. Therefore, it is not necessary to cut and paste the figures one by one or read them from a file and link them.

Next, a process of registering an object in the work area as clip art will be described. 14
Is a clip art list registration processing routine. When this routine is activated, it is first determined whether or not the left button 422 of the mouse 42 is turned on on any figure in the work area (step 300). When the mouse pointer is moved onto the graphic and the mouse button is turned on, the graphic is brought into the selected state. Then, a process of creating display information from the selected graphic is performed (step 310). In the process of generating this display information, as shown in FIG. 15, a process of expanding the selected figure (here, the figure to be registered as clip art) into standard document format data is performed (step 312). Then, the reduction ratio for fitting this in the grid 445 of the list display window 440 is calculated (step 314). After calculating the magnification, set the display magnification and expand the display image on the memory (Step 3
16) Further, this display image is converted into an image for reverse display (step 318). Through the above processing, graphic information for registering the selected graphic as clip art and display information for displaying in reverse to indicate that the graphic has been selected for registration on the screen are generated. The graphic existing in the work area 401 also has color information, but the display information is generated as black and white bitmap data and also as inverted data thereof. When the mouse pointer is moved while the figure is selected in this manner, the created and inverted display information is displayed according to the movement of the mouse pointer (step 320). That is, the inverted figure is moved together with the mouse pointer.

Then, the left mouse button 422 is turned off.
When it is turned off, a process for determining whether or not it is on the clip art list display window 440 is performed (step 330). If it is not on the clip art list display window 440, do nothing,
After exiting to "END", this processing routine is once ended. On the other hand, when it is determined that the position where the mouse button is turned off is on the clip art list display window 440, the selected graphic information is registered in the grid of the corresponding position of the list display window 440. Processing is performed (step 340). In this case, the graphic information to be registered is in the format provided as a standard by the operating system, as described above.

By the processing described above, the work area 401
It is possible to register the graphic existing in the list display window 440 as clip art at any time. If clip art has already been registered in the cell pointed by the mouse pointer, a dialog box for confirming whether or not it is acceptable to register by replacing the already registered clip art is displayed. Further, since the graphic registered in the grid of the list display window 440 also stores the data such as the reduction ratio, when the mouse 42 is operated to take out the clip art from this grid next time, The extracted figure has the original size in the work area 40.
Stuck in 1.

Further, any figure existing in the work area 401 can be easily taken in as a clip art in each cell of the clip art list display window 440. Once captured, it can be handled without any difference from the clip art prepared in advance. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is necessary to read an existing figure (clip art) as a file or write it out as a file, or to repeat cut-and-paste or align the figure after pasting. I don't need it.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
The present invention is in no way limited to such embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be embodied in various modes without departing from the gist thereof. For example, in the present embodiment, the clip art is displayed in 4 × 4 = 16 cells, but it may be displayed in a smaller cell to increase the number of clip arts that can be viewed. It is also possible to handle map symbols and clip art in the same way.

[0047]

As described above, according to the drawing creating apparatus and the drawing creating method of the present invention, a plurality of previously prepared figures are displayed in a selectable manner. Select, and with the operation of the pointing device,
It can be taken out to the drawing area. The user performs a predetermined operation while confirming the extracted figure, and draws this figure in the drawing area. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to bring in an excellent effect that a prepared figure can be taken into the drawing area while confirming the figure with a slight operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a basic screen of a map creating apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a personal computer that is equipped with map creation software to realize a map creation device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing shapes of various tool boxes.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the shapes of various ribbons.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a map symbol list display window.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a clip art display window.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing how a map is drawn.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of map data composed of a plurality of objects.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a routine for continuously arranging map symbols.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of continuous arrangement of map symbols.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a setting dialog box for arranging map symbols.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a clip art extraction processing routine.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing how clip art is taken out.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a clip art list registration processing routine.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a clip information display information creation processing routine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 ... Personal computer 22 ... CPU 24 ... ROM 26 ... RAM 28-36 ... Input / output interface 40 ... Monitor 42 ... Mouse 46 ... Keyboard 48 ... Printer 50 ... Hard disk 60, 62 ... Graphic object 64, 66 ... Character object 68 ... Road Object 70 ... Start data 72 ... End data 80 ... Selection data 100 ... Dialog box 102 ... OK button 401 ... Work area 402, 406, 408, 410 ... Various tool boxes 402 ... Mode selection tool box 403 ... Menu bar 404 ... Common ribbon 405 ... Ribbon for each mode 406 ... Line type tool box 408 ... Color setting tool box 410 ... Pattern type tool box 422 ... Left button 424 ... Right button 430 ... Map symbol list display window Doe 432 ... tag 435 ... squares 440 ... Clip Art List window 442 ... tag 445 and 446 ... squares 447 ... icon group H ... handle

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A drawing creation device for drawing and editing a drawing by using a pointing device to create a desired drawing, wherein a plurality of prepared drawings are displayed in a selectable manner. Display means, one of the figures is selected, and figure extraction means for extracting the selected figure into the drawing area in accordance with the operation of the pointing device; and the extracted figure is drawn in the drawing area by a predetermined operation. A drawing creation device comprising drawing means for drawing. 2. The graphic display means is means for displaying graphics prepared in advance and stored in a file format in m × n cells, and display replacement means for displaying a set of different graphics based on file selection. The drawing creation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The drawing creation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the graphic display means includes means for displaying a plurality of previously prepared graphics in an m × n grid, and more than m × n graphics. And a means for displaying another switchable cell in the drawing creating apparatus. 4. The drawing creating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object selecting means for selecting an object drawn in the drawing area, and the selected object are displayed in the graphic form in accordance with an operation of a pointing device. A diagram creating apparatus comprising: an object moving means for moving to a display position of the means; and an object registration means for registering the moved object at a corresponding position of the previous period graphic display means by a predetermined operation. 5. The drawing creating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the figure extracting means includes range designating means for designating a predetermined range in the drawing area, and the drawing means is within the designated range. A drawing creating apparatus comprising graphic expanding means for expanding the graphic extracted by the graphic extracting means. 6. A drawing creating method for drawing and editing a graphic using a pointing device to create a desired graphic, wherein a plurality of pre-prepared graphics are displayed in a selectable manner. A diagram creating method for selecting one of the figures, taking out the selected figure in a drawing area in accordance with an operation of a pointing device, and drawing the taken out figure in the drawing area by a predetermined operation.