JPH10124033A - Character processor, character processing method and memory medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To expand characters by various systems along lines by having an assigning means for assigning in what ways the characters are to be expanded and expanding means for expanding the characters along the lines in accordance with the assignment of this assigning means. SOLUTION: A CPU 6 controls the respective sections of this device in accordance with the control programs (not only the programs relating to document edition and error processing programs but the programs relating to a flow chart as well are stored) stored in a ROM 7. At the time of expanding the characters along the lines, whether the characters are expanded from the beginning points of the lines to the left side toward the end points of the lines or the characters are expanded to the left side is assigned and the characters are expanded along the lines in accordance with this assignment. Whether the characters are expanded from the beginning points of the lines toward the end points or the characters are expanded from the end points to the beginning points is assigned and the characters are expanded along the lines in accordance with this assignment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character processing device, method, and storage medium for developing characters along a line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a character is displayed by using a graphic creating device or the like, it is realized by character display using a document creating device. When arranging a character string in the document creating apparatus, the document is formatted so as to fit within a specified rectangular area. Therefore,
All character data that can be created by a figure creating device or the like are in a typeset in a rectangular area. When arranging character data associated with graphic data other than rectangles,
Character data is arranged by the circumscribed rectangle of the target graphic.

[0003]

The character data on the graphic generating device may be associated with a graphic that has already been generated. For example, in the case where a certain rectangle is created and character data that fits in the rectangle is arranged, this can be realized using a conventional typesetting. However, there is a problem in the graphic creation apparatus that graphics other than rectangles have arbitrary shapes such as curves and arcs, and it is impossible to create character data associated with them. Furthermore, when the image is developed along a curve, there is a problem that the development direction is fixed in a counterclockwise or clockwise direction. For example, when the development direction is fixed clockwise, and when a character string is developed on a downwardly convex arc, the arrangement of characters changes from right to left, which is an unnatural display method.

Further, when the image is developed along the curve, there is a problem that the development position is fixed to the left or right from the start point of the curve toward the end point of the curve.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the current state of the above-described figure creating apparatus, and its purpose is to develop characters in various ways along a line.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a character processing apparatus according to the present invention develops a character to the right from the start point to the end point of the line when developing the character along the line. And a specification means for specifying whether to expand characters to the left or
Expanding means for expanding characters along a line based on the designation by the designation means.

Further, when the character processing device of the present invention develops a character along a line, it designates whether to develop the character from the start point to the end point of the line or to develop the character from the end point to the start point. And a developing means for developing characters along a line based on the specification of the specifying means.

In the character processing method of the present invention, when a character is developed along a line, a designation is made to specify whether the character is developed to the right or to the left from the start point to the end point of the line. And a developing step of developing characters along a line based on the designation of the designation step.

In the character processing method according to the present invention, when a character is developed along a line, it is specified whether the character is developed from a start point of the line to the end point or a character is developed from the end point to the start point. And a developing step of developing a character along a line based on the specification of the specifying step.

In the storage medium of the present invention, when a character is developed along a line, designating means for designating whether the character is developed to the right or to the left from the start point to the end point of the line. And a program for causing a computer to execute a developing procedure for developing a character along a line based on the designation of the designation procedure.

In the storage medium of the present invention, when a character is developed along a line, it is specified whether the character is developed from a start point to an end point of the line or a character is developed from the end point to the start point. A program for causing a computer to execute a designation procedure and a development procedure for developing characters along a line based on the designation of the designation procedure is stored.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

<Description of Apparatus> FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a document processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CRT display device which displays a document being edited, various message menus, and the like.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a video RAM (VRAM) which expands and stores an image displayed on the screen of the CRT display device 1. A bit move unit (BMU) 3 controls data transfer between memories or between a memory and each device. Reference numeral 4 denotes a keyboard provided with various keys for performing document editing and the like; 5, a pointing device (PD) used to indicate an icon or the like on a screen;
In the PU, control programs (including a program relating to document editing, an error processing program,
Each part of the apparatus is controlled based on a program relating to a flowchart for realizing the processing of the present invention described later.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a RAM used as a work area when the above-mentioned various programs are executed by the CPU 6 and a temporary save area for error processing, 9 denotes a hard disk drive (HDD), and 10 denotes a floppy disk drive (FDD). Each disk is used for storing application programs, data, libraries, and the like according to flowcharts described later. Numeral 11 denotes a network interface (Net-I / F),
Data control and diagnosis on the network are performed to transfer data to and from another document processing apparatus via the network. Reference numeral 12 denotes an I / O for connecting the units described above.
Bus (consisting of an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus).

The program stored in the ROM in this embodiment may be stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk (HD) or a floppy disk (FD) directly connected to the apparatus. Further, it may be stored on another device connected by a network.

[0016] The program of the present invention can be used for FD or HD.
It can be supplied to a system or an apparatus via a storage medium such as the above or a network.

In this embodiment, a method of displaying a character string along an arbitrary curve as shown in FIG. 2 will be described.

<Character Input / Editing Method> The character input / editing method according to the present invention is, as shown in FIG. 17, similar to a method realized by a conventional word processor or the like, and is within a certain rectangle (the method of creation will be described later). This is realized by arranging characters using a conventional typesetting technique, for example, natural line feed, forced line feed, or the like.

<Font Attributes> FIG. 3 shows font attributes for displaying characters. Font type 3a
Represents the type of font used for display (for example, Gothic, etc.), and the font size 3b represents the size of the font used for display (see FIG. 8).

<Reference Character Display Attribute> FIG. 4 shows a reference character display attribute representing character display information serving as a reference.
The x coordinate 4a of the display position indicates the left end of the character determined as the character display system, and the y coordinate 4b of the display position indicates the baseline of the character determined as the character display system. The character code 4c indicates a character code determined as a character display system, and the font attribute 4d is as described above. It represents an arbitrary attribute for modifying characters generated by the conventional typesetting technology, such as the decoration information 4e and an underline.

<Expansion Attribute> FIG. 24 shows a direction attribute for expanding a character string and a position attribute for expanding the character string. The development direction tenkai_dir specifies “curve start point → curve end point” or “curve end point → curve start point”. For example, in FIG.
Change the character string "Expand characters to curve" to "Curve start point →
It develops in the direction of the end point of the curve. Deployment position tenka
i_pos designates “left side” or “right side” from the curve start point toward the curve end point. For example, in FIG. 2, a character string “expand a character on a curve” is developed “rightward” from a curve start point toward a curve end point.

<Adjustment attribute> FIG. 5 shows the x-coordinate 4a and the y-coordinate 4b of the display position of the reference character display attribute by the conventional typesetting technique.
Indicates an alignment attribute indicating a basic arrangement method in a rectangle for determining the position. Character alignment type 5a in one line indicates how characters are aligned when characters are arranged in one line.
For example, there are left alignment, right alignment, centering, and even allocation. The line alignment type 5b in the rectangle indicates how to align each line in the rectangle, and includes, for example, top alignment, bottom alignment, centering,
There is even allocation.

<Curve definition method> As a method for defining a curve to be developed, an interpolation curve such as a spline, or an approximate curve such as a Bezier curve or a B-spline curve can be defined by, for example, "CG Handbook" edited by the Cartographic Society of Japan (1989). −5-2
0) Kitamori Publishing P. 84-P. 90, which define a curve from a sequence of points.

<Curve Definition Attribute> FIG. 6 shows a curve definition attribute p for expressing one of a series of points representing a developed curve. From now on, it is specified as the attribute pi of the ith point.

The x coordinate 6a represents the x coordinate of one point, i.
The x-th coordinate is specified as px _i .

The y coordinate 6b represents the y coordinate of one point, i.
The y-th coordinate is specified as py _i .

The coordinate difference 6c of the i-th of the previous x-coordinate is calculated by _{pdx i = px i -px i-} 1.

The coordinate difference 6d from the _i -th immediately preceding y coordinate is obtained by pdy _i = py _i -py _i .

The distance difference 6e from the _i -th immediately preceding point is obtained by pd _i = sqrt (pdx _i ² + pdy _i ² ).

The sum 6f of the coordinate difference from the i-th immediately preceding y coordinate
Is obtained by pl _i = Σpd _i.

<Calculation of Curve Definition Attribute> Constituent point P of curve
Is calculated as P = f (t). “t” is a unit obtained by dividing a straight line connecting both ends of the curve to 1 and dividing the straight line. The curve definition attribute can be obtained by this calculation. The specific solution of f (t) is based on the above-described interpolation curve and approximate curve.

<Developed Character Display Attribute> FIG. 7 shows developed character display attribute information indicating the attribute of a character developed into a curve. The x coordinate 7a of the display position indicates the left side of the character determined as the character display system, and the y coordinate 7b of the display position indicates the baseline of the character determined as the character display system. The display angle 7c is an angle agreed with the character display system. Specifically, 7a, 7b, and 7c are values as shown in FIG. The character code 7d, font attribute 7e, and modification information 7f are the same as the above-described reference character display attributes.

<Determination of Reference Character Display Attribute> Next, a method of determining the reference character display attribute will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step s1, a curve is input by the PD5.

Next, at step s2, a circumscribed rectangle is obtained from the point sequence of the curve input at s1.

Next, in step s3, a rectangle having the width of the circumscribed rectangle obtained in s2 is generated.

Next, in step s4, the alignment attributes (for example, left alignment, centering, right alignment) to be used in the rectangle obtained in s3 are set.

Next, in step s5, the font attribute used for the rectangle obtained in s3 is set.

Next, in step s6, a character string is input from the keyboard 4 into the rectangle obtained in s3.

Next, in step s7, a reference character display attribute is determined in the rectangle obtained in s3 based on the alignment attribute set in s4 and the font attribute set in s5 by the conventional typesetting technique. I do.

At this time, arbitrary font attributes and alignment attributes can be given as typesetting attributes. Furthermore, it is also possible to apply a modification used for normal character editing to the arranged character string.

<Developing Method to Curve> FIG. 1 shows a method for obtaining a developed character display attribute from a curve definition attribute and a reference character display attribute.
0, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 will be described.

The curve in FIG. 11 represents a cubic Bezier curve, wherein (x ₀ , y ₀ ) represents a start point and (x _3, y ₃ ) represents an end point.

"Display position, display angle" First, step s8
In equation (1), standard_x and fo
By the nt_size, x of the center point of the character in FIG.
Find coordinates standard_x2. standard_x2 = standard_x + font_size / 2 (1) Next, in step s9, st is such that expression (2) is satisfied.
determine the curve defined attributes p _i with the closest px to andard_2x. pl _{i + 1} ≤ standard_2x ≤ pl _i (2)

However, pl _i in equation (2) is obtained by equation (3). pl _i = Σpd _i (3)

Next, in step s10, standard_x2 and standard_x2 are calculated according to equations (4) and (5).
rdy and the curve definition attributes pi, p
Find x and py. px = px _i−1 + pd _i × (standard_x−p _i−1 ) / pd _i (4) py = py _i−1 + pdy _i × (standard_y−p _i−1 ) / pd _i (5)

Where pd in equations (4) and (5)
x _i and pdy _i are obtained by Expressions (6) and (7). _{pdx i = px i -px i-} 1 ... (6) pdy i = py i -py i-1 ... (7)

Next, in step s11, sin θ is obtained from equation (8). sin θ = (y ₃ −y ₀ ) / sqrt ((x ₃ −x ₀ ) ² + (y ₃ −y ₀ ) ² ) (8)

Next, in step s13, equation (10)
Display_x, display by expression (11)
Find y_y. display_x = px−stabard_y × sin θ (10) display_y = py + standard_y × cos θ (11)

Next, in step s14, the display angle display_angle is obtained by equation (12). display_angle = arctan (display_y / display_x) (12)

"Character code" The character code 7d is copied from the character code 4c of the reference character display attribute.

The "font attribute" font attribute 7e is copied from the reference character display attribute font attribute 4d.

[Modification Information] The modification information 7f is copied from the modification information 4e of the reference character display attribute.

<Display Method> The generated expanded character display attribute is displayed by being passed to a character display routine capable of specifying a display angle.

<Creation of Characters Along Curves> FIGS. 16 and 1
A method of creating a character along a curve will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 7, 18 and 21.

First, in s25, an arbitrary curve 16a is created and displayed by using the pointing device 16b by the conventional graphic editing technique.

Next, in s26, the circumscribed rectangle 17a obtained by the method (s3) is displayed.

Next, in s27, a character is input into the circumscribed rectangle 17a by a conventional character editing technique. Where 17
b is a character cursor.

Next, in s28, the image is displayed as shown in FIG. 18 using the expanded character display attribute obtained by the above-described calculation.

<Character Redevelopment by Changing Curve> FIG. 1
A method of re-expanding a character by changing a curve will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 9, 20, and 22.

First, at step s29, the curve 16 is formed using the pointing device 16b by the conventional graphic editing technique.
a is changed to a curve 19a.

Next, in s30, a developed character display attribute is created for the curve 19a and displayed as shown in FIG.

<Reediting Expanded Characters> FIGS. 16 and 1
A method of re-editing the developed characters will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIG. 7, FIG. 18, and FIG.

First, in s31, it is determined whether or not the location specified by the pointing device 16b is included in the circumscribed rectangle 17a of the curve 16a.

If it is determined in s31 that the circumscribed rectangle 17a is not included, the processing is terminated.

If it is determined in s31 that the character is included in the circumscribed rectangle 17a, a character editing screen shown in FIG. 17 is displayed in s32.

Next, at s33, the character string is edited by the conventional character editing technique.

Next, in step s34, a developed character display attribute is created for the curve 16a, and displayed as shown in FIG.

<Embodiment 2> This embodiment has described the case where the reference character display attributes arranged in horizontal composition by the conventional typesetting technique are developed. In the typesetting technology, it is also possible to arrange vertically instead of horizontally.
Accordingly, a method of generating a developed character display attribute based on a vertical reference character display attribute will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step s15, equation (13)
According to equation (14), the x-coordinate 6a and the y-coordinate 6b of the curve definition attribute p are rotated counterclockwise by 90 degrees around the drawing reference point to generate the curve definition attribute p '. px '= py ... (13) py' = px ... (14)

Next, in step s16, a vertical-set reference character display attribute v is generated.

Next, in step s17, the expanded character display attribute d is generated by performing the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 12 using the reference character display attribute v and the curve definition attribute p '.

Next, at step s18, the x-coordinate 7a of the display position and the y-coordinate 7b of the display position of the expanded character display attribute d generated at s17 are 90 degrees clockwise by the equations (15) and (16). Rotate to generate expanded character display attribute d '. dx '= dy ... (15) dy' = dx ... (16)

By using the expanded character display attribute d 'obtained in the above process and displaying the image by the above-described display method, it is possible to expand the reference character display attributes arranged vertically.

<Third Embodiment of the Invention> The reference character display attribute used in the present embodiment is represented by position information of one point of the x coordinate 4a of the display position and the y coordinate 4b of the display position.
This can be applied to an arbitrary figure represented by a sequence of two or more points.

[Graphic Display Attribute] FIG. 14 shows a graphic display attribute representing graphic information serving as a reference. The x-coordinate 14a and the y-coordinate 14b of the display position indicate one point of the figure agreed with the figure display system. The connection information 14c indicates a method of connection between the character display system and the x-coordinate and y-coordinate of the graphic display attribute immediately before the arrangement. The connection information 14c is defined by a function of y = f (x). For example, when representing a “straight line”, y is represented by a linear function of x.

However, the x coordinates 14a of these display positions,
It is known that the y coordinate 14b and the connection information 14c of the display position are generated by a conventional graphic creation device.

A method of developing a graphic consisting of a sequence of points having a plurality of graphic display attributes into a curve will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 10, 11, and 15.

[0079] First Request curve defined attributes p _i with closest px in vec_x satisfying the equation (17) in step s19. pl _i-1 < vec_x < pl _i (17)

Here, pl _i in equation (17) is obtained by equation (3).

Next, in step s20, equation (18)
From equation (19), px and py are obtained from vec_x, vec_y, and various attributes of the curve definition attributes p _i and p _i . _{px = px i-1 + pdx} i × (vec_x-pl i-1) / pd i ... (18) py = py i-1 + pdy i × (vec_y-pl i-1) / pd i ... (19)

However, pdx _i and pdy _i in the equations (18) and (19) are obtained by the equations (6) and (7).

Next, in step s21, sin θ is obtained from equation (8).

Next, in step s22, cos θ is obtained by equation (9).

Next, in step s23, equation (20)
Vec_x 'and vec_y' are obtained by equation (21). vec_x ′ = px−vec_y × sin θ (20) vec_y ′ = py−vec_y × cos θ (21)

Next, at step s24, the graphic display attribute ve
The connection information vec_f of c is copied to the connection information vec_f 'of the graphic display attribute vec'.

The graphic display attribute ve obtained in the above process
If c 'is used to display by an existing graphic display method, an arbitrary graphic represented by a sequence of two or more points can be developed into a curve.

The above process can be applied to character information such as, for example, an outline font, so that not only the position of a character but also its shape can be displayed along a curve.

<Embodiment 4 of the Invention> In the manner of the present embodiment, when the expansion character display attribute is obtained for all n characters to be displayed, the expansion direction tenkai_dir of the expansion attribute 24a in FIG. It is possible to change the expansion direction of the character string. When tenkai_dir designates “curve start point → curve end point”, FIG.
When calculating (px, py) of Equations (2), (3),
In (4), (5), (6), and (7), the m-th character may be associated with i = m. In this case, FIG.
Will be expanded like.

If tenkai_dir specifies “curve end point → curve start point”, (px,
py), the equations (2), (3), (4),
In (5), (6) and (7), the m-th character is represented by i =
What is necessary is just to make it correspond as nm-1. However, in the case of “curve end point → curve start point”, the condition is that the character string fits in one line in the circumscribed rectangle 10a as a reference. in this case,
It is developed as shown in FIG.

<Fifth Embodiment of the Invention> Next, a method of designating the expansion position of a character string with respect to a curve by specifying the expansion position tenkai_pos of the expansion attribute 24b in FIG. 24 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11, 12, and 18. This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 18 showing the development result of this embodiment is t
This is an example in which enkai_pos is specified as “right side from the curve start point toward the curve end point”. tenkai_p
The expansion processing when os is designated as “left side from the curve start point toward the curve end point” is as follows. The display angle dis of the characters in FIG.
After determining the play_angle, by setting (px, py) to the display position and display_angle to the display angle, the character string can be expanded to the left from the curve start point to the curve end point as shown in FIG.

By combining the fourth embodiment of the present invention with the fifth embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible to output clockwise (as opposed to counterclockwise in FIG. 18) as shown in FIG.

Also, the output as shown in FIG. 27 can be realized by rotating the characters of FIG. 25 output based on the algorithm described in the fourth embodiment of the present invention by 180 degrees for each character and outputting them. .

The curve for determining the development position may or may not be output simultaneously with the character.

In the embodiment of the present invention, characters are developed along a curved line. However, the present invention can also be applied to developing characters along a straight line.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the curved lines and the characters developed along the curved lines are displayed on the CRT 1, but they can also be realized by printing on an ink jet printer or a laser beam printer (not shown). .

First, according to the embodiment of the present invention, there is an effect that character data can be displayed along curve graphic data composed of a plurality of dot strings, which was impossible in the past.

Second, since characters are input to the circumscribed rectangle of the target graphic data, the user can easily determine the shape, size,
The alignment can be designated, and a desired character display can be obtained.

Third, conventional coordinate calculation technology, typesetting technology,
This can be realized by a combination of character display technologies, and the effect is realized that it can be realized without introducing a new device.

Fourth, by separating the process of generating the reference character display attribute (field of the character creation device) and the process of generating the expanded character display attribute (field of the graphic creation device), Can be used like a black box, and the graphic creation device only has to perform simple coordinate calculation without knowing specific character information.

Fifth, there is an advantage that the conventional typesetting technique can be applied without any change in generating the reference character display attribute.

Sixth, there is an effect that a character string can be easily redeployed based on a curve deformation desired by the user.

Seventh, there is an effect that the expanded character string can be easily edited into a character string desired by the user.

Eighth, an effect that the character string edited by the typesetting process can be displayed as it is along the curve is derived.

Ninth, since the processing is performed based on the typesetting processing and the graphic processing, it is possible to easily change character data and graphic data (curves).

Tenth, since the development direction can be easily changed, it is possible to obtain the effect that the character string can be developed in a natural word order according to the shape of the curve (concavities and convexities).

Eleventh, since the development position can be designated as “left” or “right” from the curve start point to the curve end point, an effect is obtained that the position of the character string with respect to the target curve can be easily changed.

Twelfth, there is an effect that an output in which the developing direction and the developing position are specified in reverse is output.

[0110]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
There is an effect that characters can be output in various ways along the line.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a figure creating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating font attributes.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a reference character display attribute.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an alignment attribute.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a curve definition attribute.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a developed character display attribute.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing correspondence between font attributes, expanded character display attributes, and display results.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining a reference character display attribute.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing points on a curve corresponding to a reference character display position.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a developed character display position and a developed character display angle.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining a display position and a display angle of a developed character display attribute.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for determining an expanded character display attribute from a vertical reference character display attribute.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing graphic display attributes.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of developing a graphic display attribute into a curve.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a process of creating a curve.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an edit screen of a character developed into a curve.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a curve and an expanded character string.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a process of changing a curve.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the result of the most expansion into a curve.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating a method of creating a character along a curve.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a method of re-expanding a character by changing a curve.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing a method of re-editing a developed character.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a development attribute.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a character string developed by changing the development direction from a curve end point to a curve start point.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating a character string that is developed with the development position leftward from the curve start point toward the curve end point.

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating a character string that is expanded when the expansion direction and expansion position are specified in the opposite manner to the case of FIG. 18;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CRT 2 Video RAM 3 BMU 4 Keyboard 5 Pointing device 6 CPU 7 ROM 8 Working RAM 9 Hard disk 10 Floppy disk 11 Network interface 12 I / O bus

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI G09G 5/00 510 G09G 5/22 670P 5/22 670 G06F 15/20 534P

Claims (48)

[Claims] 1. A designating means for designating whether a character is developed rightward or leftward from a start point to an end point of a line when a character is developed along a line, and a designation of the designating means. And a developing means for developing a character along a line based on a character string. 2. When a character is developed along a line, a second designating means for designating whether the character is developed from a start point to an end point of the line or a character is developed from the end point to the start point, 2. The character processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developing means develops a character based on the designation by the designation means and the second designation means. 3. The character processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developing means includes means for deriving a developing position and a developing angle based on line data representing a line. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising output means for outputting characters expanded by said expansion means.
2. The character processing device according to 2 or 3. 5. The character processing device according to claim 4, wherein said output means is a display device. 6. The character processing device according to claim 4, wherein said output means is a printer. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: line input means for inputting a line; means for deriving a circumscribed rectangle of the line; and character input means for inputting a character in the derived circumscribed rectangle. 7. The character processing device according to 3, 4, 5, or 6. 8. The character processing device according to claim 1, wherein the line is a curved line. 9. A designating means for designating whether to develop a character from a start point to an end point of a line or to develop a character from an end point to a start point when developing a character along a line; Expansion means for expanding characters along a line based on the designation of the designation means. 10. The character processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said developing means rotates and develops a character developed from an end point toward a start point. 11. The character processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said developing means includes means for deriving a developing position and a developing angle based on line data representing a line. 12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising output means for outputting characters expanded by said expansion means.
10. The character processing device according to 10 or 11. 13. The character processing device according to claim 12, wherein said output means is a display device. 14. The character processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said output means is a printer. 15. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: line input means for inputting a line; means for deriving a circumscribed rectangle of the line; and character input means for inputting a character in the derived circumscribed rectangle. , 11, 12,
13. The character processing device according to 13 or 14. 16. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the line is a curve.
5. The character processing device according to 5. 17. A designating step for designating whether a character is developed rightward or leftward from the start point to the end point of the line when the character is developed along the line; And a developing step of developing characters along a line based on the character processing method. 18. When a character is developed along a line, the method further includes a second designation step of designating whether the character is developed from a start point to an end point of the line or a character is developed from the end point to the start point. 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the expanding step expands a character based on the designation by the designation step and the second designation step.
The character processing method described. 19. The character processing method according to claim 17, wherein the developing step includes a step of deriving a developing position and a developing angle based on line data representing a line. 20. The character processing method according to claim 17, further comprising an output step of outputting, by an output unit, the character expanded in the expansion step. 21. The character processing method according to claim 20, wherein said output means is a display device. 22. A character processing method according to claim 20, wherein said output means is a printer. 23. The method according to claim 17, further comprising a line input step of inputting a line, a step of deriving a circumscribed rectangle of the line, and a character input step of inputting a character into the derived circumscribed rectangle. , 19,2
The character processing method described in 0, 21, or 22. 24. The method of claim 17, wherein the line is a curve.
3. The character processing method according to 3. 25. A designating step for designating whether to develop a character from a start point to an end point of a line or to develop a character from an end point to a start point when developing a character along a line; Developing a character along a line based on the designation in the designation step. 26. The character processing method according to claim 25, wherein in the expanding step, the character expanded from the end point toward the start point is rotated and expanded. 27. The character processing method according to claim 25, wherein the developing step includes a step of deriving a developing position and a developing angle based on line data representing a line. 28. The character processing method according to claim 25, further comprising an output step of outputting characters expanded in the expansion step by an output unit. 29. The character processing method according to claim 28, wherein said output step is a display device. 30. The character processing method according to claim 28, wherein said output step is a printer. 31. A line input step of inputting a line, a step of deriving a circumscribed rectangle of the line, and a character input step of inputting a character into the derived circumscribed rectangle. , 27, 2
The character processing method according to 8, 29 or 30. 32. The method of claim 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, or wherein the line is a curve.
31. The character processing method according to item 31. 33. A designating procedure for designating whether a character is developed rightward or leftward from a start point to an end point of a line when a character is developed along a line, and designation of the specification step. A storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a developing procedure for developing a character along a line based on the program. 34. A method for developing a character along a line, the method comprising: specifying whether to expand the character from the start point to the end point of the line or to expand the character from the end point to the start point. 34. The expansion procedure according to claim 33, wherein the expansion is performed based on the designation by the designation procedure and the second designation procedure.
The storage medium according to the above. 35. The storage medium according to claim 33, wherein said developing step includes a step of deriving a developing position and a developing angle based on line data representing a line. 36. The storage medium according to claim 33, further comprising an output step of outputting, by an output unit, characters expanded by the expansion procedure. 37. The storage medium according to claim 36, wherein said output means is a display device. 38. The storage medium according to claim 36, wherein said output means is a printer. 39. The method according to claim 33, further comprising a line input procedure for inputting a line, a procedure for deriving a circumscribed rectangle of the line, and a character input procedure for inputting a character in the derived circumscribed rectangle. , 35,3
The storage medium according to 6, 37, or 38. 40. The method of claim 33, wherein the line is a curve.
39. The storage medium according to 39. 41. A specification procedure for specifying whether to expand a character from the start point of the line to the end point or to expand the character from the end point to the start point when expanding the character along the line; A storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a development procedure for developing characters along a line based on the designation of the designation procedure. 42. The storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said expanding step rotates and expands a character expanded from an end point toward a start point. 43. The storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said developing step includes a step of deriving a developing position and a developing angle based on line data representing a line. 44. The storage medium according to claim 41, further comprising an output step of outputting characters expanded by said expansion procedure by an output unit. 45. The storage medium according to claim 44, wherein said output means is a display device. 46. The storage medium according to claim 44, wherein said output means is a printer. 47. A line input procedure for inputting a line, a procedure for deriving a circumscribed rectangle of the line, and a character input procedure for inputting a character in the derived circumscribed rectangle. , 43, 4
47. The storage medium according to 4, 45, or 46. 48. The method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the line is a curve.
47. The storage medium according to 47.