JPH11126226A - Slip producing device and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a slip producing device which easily and visually grasps the belonging relation of each block and item by an editor which is equipped with a tree list that hierarchically shows blocks set in a slip and items belonging to a block and facilitates an edit operation and a storage medium. SOLUTION: A hierarchical structure of slip data that are stored in data memory in a RAM almost coincides with a hierarchical structure shown on a tree list displaying part 22 of a slip editor screen 21 and hierarchically links item data belonging to each block. A CPU updates slip data stored in the slip data memory in the RAM 4 according to data input by a user's operation such as the selection, deletion, copy and addition of an object (icon) to a layout view displaying part 23 (or the part 22) and further updates display in the part 22 (in the part 23) according to the updated slip data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a form creation device for creating a form based on a database.
The present invention relates to a form creation device and a storage medium for creating a form by performing various definitions on a form editor screen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a database has been used as an effective means for efficiently managing a large amount of information. The database is generally configured by having a plurality of records each including a unique key and a plurality of item data. In order to create a form by operating such a database, a form editor for setting necessary items to be output in an arbitrary arrangement is used.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a form definition screen of a conventional form editor. 8, 51 is a form editor screen, 52 is a layout display section, and 53 is a detail section guide 5.
4 and a section guide including a detail record section guide 55, 56 is a page section, 57 is a detail section, and 58 is a detail record section.

In a form editor as shown in FIG. 8, when defining a form for outputting a hierarchized input record, sections corresponding to the input record hierarchy are set, and text, ruled lines and the like are set in each section. Arrange items. Section guides 53 such as a detail section guide 54 and a detail record section guide 55 are displayed so that each section can be visually distinguished easily on the form editor.

[0005]

However, in the conventional form editor as described above, when the sections are arranged so as to overlap, it is difficult to confirm on the screen which section the item on the overlap belongs to. Was. In particular, when the detailed record sections are arranged so as to overlap, it is difficult to confirm the set section on the screen. Further, even when the sections contact each other with a boundary without overlapping, it may be difficult to determine to which section the item (ruled line) on the boundary belongs.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to visually grasp the affiliation of each section or item by using a form editor having a tree list that hierarchically displays the sections set in the form and the items belonging to the section. It is an object of the present invention to provide a form creation device and a storage medium that can be easily edited and facilitate an editing operation.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Storage means for storing the form data, layout display means for displaying the layout of the form based on the form data stored in the storage means, and hierarchically constructing the components of the form based on the form data stored in the storage means Tree list display means for displaying a simplified tree list.

According to the form creation device of the present invention, the layout display means performs layout display of the form based on the form data stored in the storage means, and the tree list display means stores the form in the storage means. Based on the stored form data, a tree list is displayed in which the components of the form are hierarchized.

Therefore, by displaying the structure of a form in a tree list on the form editor screen for creating a form, the structure of the sections of the form, the affiliation between the sections and the items, the output order of the items and the sections (the relation between the upper and lower layers) ) Can be visually comprehended easily, and the efficiency of the form definition operation can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when one of the layout display and the tree list display is updated, the form is stored in the storage means. It may be configured to further include an updating unit that updates the form data that has been input, and updates the other display content according to the update content of the form data.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the form data is updated at the time of updating one display, and the other display content is updated based on the updated content. Can also maintain the consistency of the two views, tree list view and layout view,
It is possible to selectively use the two displays as appropriate according to the content of the operation, thereby increasing the flexibility of the form definition operation and improving the operation efficiency.

Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the form creation device according to the second aspect, the form data stored in the storage means is based on a hierarchical structure of each component set in the form. The tree list display means may display a form tree list according to the data structure.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the display of either the layout or the tree list, when a change process such as moving a component of a form is performed,
The contents of the change processing can be easily reflected on the form data.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a form creation device 1 according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. First, the configuration will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a form creation device 1 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, a form creation device 1 includes a CPU 2, an input device 3, a RAM,
4, a display device 5, a printing device 6, a storage device 7, and a storage medium 8. Each unit is connected by a bus 9.

CPU (Central Processing Unit) 2
Stores, in the work memory 4a in the RAM 4, an application program designated from among various application programs corresponding to the form creation device 1 stored in the storage device 7, and various instructions or data input from the input device 3. Then, various processes are executed in accordance with the application program stored in the RAM 4 according to the input instruction and the input data, and the processing results are stored in the work memory 4 a in the RAM 4 and displayed on the display device 5. Then, the processing result stored in the work memory 4a is stored in a storage destination in the storage device 7 which is instructed to be input from the input device 3.

The CPU 2 performs a form definition process (FIG. 6) in accordance with an instruction input from the user via the input device 3.
See).

In the form definition processing, the user's input operation in the layout view display section 23 shown in FIG. 5 described later in detail includes selecting an object, deleting or copying the selected object, or adding a new object. Operation such as
The PU 2 updates the form data stored in the form data memory 4b in the RAM 4 according to the data input by the user's operation, and further displays the display in the tree list display unit 22 shown in FIG. 5 according to the updated form data. Update.

The tree list display section 22 shown in FIG.
As input operations of the user in the, in addition to operations such as selecting an icon, deleting or copying the selected icon, or adding a new icon, setting input according to the type of icon, item icon 222, or Movement of the item icon 225 between sections may be considered. As a setting input according to the type of the icon, for example,
For the form icon 221, setting of the size of paper to be printed, margins, etc., for the item icon 222, such as setting of character font, etc., form data definition information section stored in the form data memory 4b in the RAM 4. Is set (to be described later).

When the item icon 222 is moved below the detailed record section icon 224, the section to which the item belongs can be changed.
Although this is reflected in the item information of the form data stored in the form data memory 4b in the AM 4, it is performed separately from the coordinates in the layout view display section 23 shown in FIG. On the other hand, the rearrangement of the item icons in the same section is equivalent to switching the front / back of the drawing, and the arrangement of the icons in the tree list display unit 22 is equivalent to the output order at the time of printing.

Further, for example, for the selected object, a selection display 2 in the tree list shown in FIG.
For example, a highlight display is performed as shown in FIG.

Then, the CPU 2 updates the form data stored in the form data memory 4b in the RAM 4 according to the data input by the user's operation, and further according to the updated form data, a layout view display unit shown in FIG. The display in 23 is updated.

For example, the tree list display unit 2 shown in FIG.
2 is deleted, the control information and the definition information relating to the object are deleted from the form data stored in the form data memory 4b in the RAM 4, and based on the deleted and updated information. Then, the display in the layout view display section 23 shown in FIG. 5 is updated.

By such processing, it is possible to make the editing operation in either display unit effective while maintaining the consistency between the two display units, the tree list display unit 22 and the layout view display unit 23.

The input device 3 includes a keyboard having cursor keys, numeric input keys, various function keys, and the like, and a mouse as a pointing device. The input device 3 outputs to the CPU 2 a signal indicating a key pressed by the keyboard. And outputs an operation signal from the mouse to the CPU 2.

A RAM (Random Access Memory) 4 includes a work memory 4a for storing a designated application program, input instructions, input data, processing results, and the like.
It has a form data memory 4b for storing form data relating to form data creation.

Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 2 to FIG.
The form data stored in the form data memory 4b will be described in detail.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the hierarchical structure of the form data stored in the form data memory 4b, and FIG.
4 is a diagram showing an individual information structure such as form information and item information shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a tabular form, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a form editor screen of the form creation device 1 in the present embodiment. .

The information structure shown in FIG. 3 includes a control information section and a definition information section. The control information section further includes tree list display information, layout view display information, and status. The information belonging to the control information section is information relating to control of the form editor, and is display information common to each information as shown in FIG.

That is, the tree list display information is shown in FIG.
Tree list display section 22 of form editor screen 21 shown in FIG.
The information on the display in the document is stored, and as shown in FIG.
1, item information 12,..., Item information 15 are set for each component.

The layout view display information is shown in FIG.
4 stores information on display in the layout view display section 23 of the form editor screen 21 shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), this is information for setting information such as a display position for each component.

The status is information common to both the tree list display section 22 and the layout view display section 23 of the form editor screen 21 shown in FIG.
Information on whether or not the component is being selected. The component for which this status is set to “selected” is selected in the tree list shown in FIG.
4, or the display state is different from that of other components, such as the selection display 25 in the layout view.

In the information structure shown in FIG. 3, the definition information section is a section for storing definition information for each element of the component, and stores different types of information for each component.

As shown in FIG. 2, the top-level component of the form data is form information 11. As shown in FIG. 4, the definition information section of the form information 11 stores settings relating to the entire form, such as paper size, margins, and the number of rows and columns when printing.

Then, immediately below the form information 11, item information 12 and detailed information 13 are set. Item information 1
2 is information common to the entire form that does not belong to the detailed part such as the title of the form, and is configured by an array of the number of items. In the definition information part of each item of this item information 12,
As shown in FIG. 4, settings such as text, ruled lines, hatching, and character font are stored. The specification information 13 is information of a specification part created by extracting a plurality of records stored in the database according to predetermined conditions. The definition information part of the specification information 13 includes, as shown in FIG. Settings such as the position and size of the area are stored.

Further, immediately below the specification information 13, a plurality of section information 14 defining a specification wrapping level are set. In the definition information section of the section information 14, FIG.
As shown in the table, settings such as record level, record length, and the like are stored. This plural section information 14
The item information 15 is set in each layer immediately below. The item information 15 is information on the details of output items for each section information 14, and is configured by an array for the number of items. As shown in FIG. 4, the definition information section of each item of the item information 15 includes text, ruled lines, hatched,
Settings such as character fonts are stored.

The hierarchical structure of the form data described above is based on the tree list display section 2 of the form editor screen 21 shown in FIG.
This almost matches the hierarchical structure shown in FIG.

The display device 5 is a CRT (Cathode Ray Tub).
e) It is constituted by a liquid crystal display device or the like, and displays display data input from the CPU 2.

The printing device 6 prints data and the like created by various application programs corresponding to the form creation device 1.

The storage device 7 has a storage medium 8 in which programs, data and the like are stored in advance, and this storage medium 8 is constituted by a magnetic or optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory. The storage medium 8 is fixedly provided in the storage device 7 or is removably mounted. The storage medium 8 includes various application programs, menu display programs, and printing processes corresponding to the form creation device 1. A program and data processed by each processing program are stored.

The program, data, and the like stored in the storage medium 8 may be configured to be received and stored from another device connected via a communication line or the like. The storage medium 8 is stored in another connected device.
May be provided, and a program, data, and the like stored in the storage medium 8 may be used via a communication line.

Next, the operation will be described. When the form definition processing is instructed via the input device 3 by an input instruction from the user, the CPU 2 starts the form definition processing shown in the flowchart of FIG.

First, the CPU 2 reads out the form editor program from the application programs related to the form creation device 1 stored in the storage device 7 and starts it, and displays the form definition screen on the display screen of the display device 5 (step). S1). Then, the CPU 2 determines whether or not a user operation has occurred via the input device 3 (step S2). If no operation has occurred, the CPU 2 continuously monitors the user operation to determine whether the operation has occurred. For example, the position where the operation has been performed is determined (step S3).

In step S3, the position where the user has performed an operation is the layout view display unit 2 shown in FIG.
If it is determined that the number is within 3, the CPU 2 displays a work tool box corresponding to the layout view display unit 23 (step S4), and displays the contents in the layout view display unit 23 according to an input operation from the user. (Step S5). Here, as an input operation of the user, an operation of selecting an object, deleting or copying the selected object, or adding a new object can be considered. For example, for the selected object, FIG. Highlighting is performed like the selection display 25 in the layout view shown in FIG.
A display that is easy for the user to view is provided.

Next, the CPU 2 sets the RAM 4 in accordance with the data input made by the user in step S5.
The form data stored in the form data memory 4b is updated (step S6), and the display in the tree list display unit 22 shown in FIG. 5 is updated according to the form data updated in step S6 (step S7). .

For example, when a new object is added to the layout view display section 23 shown in FIG. 5, the control information and definition information relating to the object are stored in the form data stored in the form data memory 4b in the RAM 4. The data is added to the data, and the display in the tree list display unit 22 shown in FIG. 5 is updated based on the added information. When the object selected in the layout view display section 23 is changed, the highlight display in the tree list display section 22 is changed according to the status change in the form data, and the selected display in the tree list is changed. 24 is displayed.

If it is determined in step S3 that the position operated by the user is within the tree list display section 22 of FIG. A box is displayed (step S8), and display in the tree list display section 22 is performed according to an input operation from the user (step S8).
9). Here, in addition to operations such as selecting an icon, deleting or copying the selected icon, or adding a new icon as input operations of the user, setting input according to the type of icon, item icon 222, or Movement of the item icon 225 between sections may be considered.

The setting input corresponding to the type of icon includes, for example, setting of the size of printing paper and margins for the form icon 221 and setting of character font and the like for the item icon 222. The information belonging to the definition information part of the form data stored in the form data memory 4b is set.

When the item icon 222 is moved below the detailed record section icon 224, the section to which the item belongs can be changed.
Although this is reflected in the item information of the form data stored in the form data memory 4b in the AM 4, it is performed separately from the coordinates in the layout view display section 23 shown in FIG. On the other hand, the rearrangement of the item icons in the same section is equivalent to switching the front / back of the drawing, and the arrangement of the icons in the tree list display unit 22 is equivalent to the output order at the time of printing.

Further, for example, for the selected object, a selection display 2 in the tree list shown in FIG.
For example, a highlight display is performed as shown in FIG.

Next, the CPU 2 sets the RAM 4 in accordance with the data input made by the user in step S9.
The form data stored in the form data memory 4b is updated (step S10), and the display in the layout view display unit 23 shown in FIG. 5 is updated according to the form data updated in step S10 (step S1).
1).

For example, the tree list display unit 2 shown in FIG.
2 is deleted, the control information and the definition information relating to the object are deleted from the form data stored in the form data memory 4b in the RAM 4, and the deleted and updated information is added to the information. FIG. 5 based on
Is updated in the layout view display section 23 shown in FIG.

By such processing, the editing operation in any of the display units can be made effective while maintaining the consistency between the two display units, the tree list display unit 22 and the layout view display unit 23.

If it is determined in step S3 that the position operated by the user is within the command menu area (not shown in FIG. 5), it is determined whether the designated command is completed. Is determined (step S12), and if not completed, the instructed command is executed (step S13), and the process shifts to step S2. If completed, a series of form definition processing ends.

The configuration of the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the hierarchical structure of the tree list display section 22 of the form editor screen 21 shown in FIG. 5 is not limited to the configuration shown and described above.
A hierarchical structure as shown in FIG. 7 can also be used. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 7, the relationship between the specification and the upper and lower layers of the specification level 1 is not expressed, but only the affiliation between each section and each item is expressed. Since various variations are conceivable for the hierarchical structure of the tree list display based on the definition structure of the form, a plurality of types of hierarchical structure display modes may be set in advance, and the user may appropriately select and use the mode.

As described above, according to the form creation apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the hierarchical structure of the form data as shown in FIG. 2 stored in the form data memory 4b in the RAM 4 is shown in FIG. It almost matches the hierarchical structure displayed on the tree list display section 22 of the form editor screen 21, and item data belonging to each section is hierarchically linked. Then, the CPU 2 stores the object (icon) in the form data memory 4b in the RAM 4 in accordance with data input by a user operation such as selection, deletion, copying, and addition of an object (icon) to the layout view display unit 23 (or the tree list display unit 22). Update the entered form data,
Further, according to the updated form data, the tree list display unit 22 (layout view display unit 23) shown in FIG.
The display in () is updated.

Therefore, by displaying the form configuration in a tree list on the form editor screen, the configuration of the sections,
It is possible to make it easier to visually understand the affiliation between blocks and items, the output order of items and blocks (the relationship between upper and lower layers), etc.
The efficiency of the form definition operation can be improved.

Further, the configuration in which the common form data is referred to enables the editing operation in any of the display units to be effective while maintaining consistency between the two display units of the tree list display unit 22 and the layout view display unit 23. As a result,
The two displays can be selectively used as appropriate according to the content of the operation, so that the flexibility of the form definition operation can be increased and the operation efficiency can be improved.

[0059]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the structure of a form is displayed as a tree list on a form editor screen for creating a form, whereby the structure of the form sections, the affiliation between the sections and the items, and the items are displayed. And output order of sections (relation between upper and lower layers)
Etc. can be visually understood easily, and the efficiency of the form definition operation can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the form data is updated when one display is updated, and the other display content is updated based on the updated content. , Tree list display and layout display 2
The consistency of the two displays can be maintained, and the user can selectively use the two displays as appropriate according to the content of the operation, thereby increasing the flexibility of the form definition operation and improving the operation efficiency. it can.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when a change processing such as movement of a form element is performed in displaying either the layout or the tree list, the contents of the change processing can be easily converted to the form data. Can be reflected in

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a form creation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a form data memory 4b in a RAM 4 shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hierarchical structure of form data stored in the form data.

3 is a diagram showing an individual information structure such as form information and item information shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a table format.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a form editor screen of the form creation device 1 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a form definition process executed by CPU 2 shown in FIG. 1;

7 is a diagram showing an example of another hierarchical structure of the tree list display section 22 of the form editor screen 21 shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a form definition screen of a conventional form editor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Form creation device 2 CPU 3 Input device 4 RAM 4a Work memory 4b Form data memory 5 Display device 6 Printing device 7 Storage device 8 Storage medium 9 Bus

Claims (4)

[Claims] A storage means for storing the form data; a layout display means for displaying a form layout based on the form data stored in the storage means; and a form based on the form data stored in the storage means. And a tree list display means for displaying a tree list in which the constituent elements are hierarchized. 2. When one of the layout display and the tree list display is updated, the form data stored in the storage means is updated, and the other display content is updated according to the updated contents of the form data. 2. The form creation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an updating unit for updating the form. 3. The form data stored in the storage means,
3. The form according to claim 2, wherein the form has a data structure based on a hierarchical structure of each component set in the form, and the tree list display means displays a tree list of the form according to the data structure. Creating device. 4. A storage medium storing a computer-executable program, the computer-executable program code for displaying a form layout based on form data stored in storage means, and the storage A storage medium storing a program including: a computer-executable program code for displaying a tree list in which components of a form are hierarchized based on the form data stored in the means.