JPH11212968A - Document processor and document processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a user interface intuitive at the time of inputting an external character to a document during compilation and to smoothly restore a processor to a regular compilation environment when the target external character is inputted. SOLUTION: When the instruction of an external character input is performed during document compilation, a virtual keyboard 29 is displayed. Since stored external character patterns are displayed on respective keys 29a and 29b in the virtual keyboard, a user can instruct the target external character by using a pointing device with a sense similar to a physical keyboard. When the instruction is performed, the external character pattern corresponding to the key is displayed at a position shown by a cursor 20b during compilation and the displayed virtual keyboard 29 is erased from the screen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a document processing apparatus, and more particularly to a document processing apparatus and method for editing and creating a document.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a document processing apparatus typified by a word processor for editing and creating a document naturally has standard character patterns (for example, JIS 1st and 2nd JIS).
Level character).

[0003] An operator inputs, for example, a kana using an input device such as a keyboard, converts the kana into kanji, and displays it to create a series of documents.

[0004] By the way, when a user wants to input a unique character symbol or logo into the document, it is necessary to create a pattern in advance and add a corresponding code to register the pattern.

[0005]

However, when a registered symbol or logo is displayed on a display screen during document editing, a code for specifying the symbol or logo must be entered one by one, which is extremely troublesome. Was.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the related art, and has an intuitive user interface for inputting an external character into a document being edited.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a document processing apparatus and method capable of smoothly returning to a normal editing environment when a desired external character is input.

In order to solve this problem, for example, a document processing apparatus according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a document processing apparatus capable of editing a document on a display screen, a storage unit for storing an external character pattern created by an external character creation unit, and an instruction to input the created external character pattern is made during editing of the document. In a case, while displaying a virtual keyboard that is visually displayed in substantially the same form as a physical keyboard, virtual keyboard display means for displaying the external character pattern stored in the storage means in a key portion on the virtual keyboard. Control means for, when a key in the displayed virtual keyboard is designated, displaying an external character pattern corresponding to the designated key at the cursor position of the document being edited and deleting the virtual keyboard from the display screen; and Is provided.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Description of Outline of Configuration (FIG. 1)> FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a document processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

In the figure, 1 is an MPU for controlling the entire apparatus, 2
Is a system bus for electrically connecting various components such as the MPU 1. Reference numeral 3 denotes an RO storing a control processing procedure (a flowchart of FIG. 6 described later) of the MPU 1.
M and 4 are RAMs for storing the work area of the MPU 1 and the document information being edited. 5 is a character font ROM storing a character pattern corresponding to the character code, and 6 is an E
An EPROM for storing external character patterns and the like created independently by a user. Reference numeral 7 denotes a keyboard for designating a character string or a predetermined processing command when editing various documents. Reference numeral 8 denotes a pointing device used to designate various menus and the like displayed on the display screen. 9
Is a magnetic disk device storing a plurality of document information,
Reference numeral 0 denotes a VRAM for developing a character pattern or the like displayed on the display screen of the CRT 12, and reference numeral 11 denotes a display control unit for controlling when the character pattern or the like is developed on the VRAM 10.

<Description of Processing Outline (FIGS. 2 to 5)> An instruction to create an external character is issued by pressing an external character creation key provided on the keyboard 7 or designating an external character creation icon on the document editing screen with the pointing device 8. This is done by doing Then, an external character creation screen 20 as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed in place of the previously displayed document editing screen. Note that a cursor 20a in the drawing is used when creating an external character (hereinafter, referred to as a cursor).
This is called an external character cursor). Reference numeral 21 denotes an external character creation area, and each square corresponds to one dot (in the embodiment, a pattern of 24 × 24 dots is created). Reference numeral 22 indicates a corresponding external character pattern in real time.
This is a character display area displayed in the size used in actual editing. Reference numeral 24 denotes an information display area indicating the size and character code (to be registered by this code) of the external character pattern being created and the position information of the external character cursor 20a in the external character creation area 21; This is a function selection area used to select various processing functions.

The user uses a cursor movement key (or a pointing device 8) provided on the keyboard 7 while looking at the display screen to enter the external character cursor 20.
Move a to turn on the corresponding dot (shaded display)
(If it is turned on by mistake, "Eraser" in the function selection area 25 is selected and turned off). When the final external character pattern is formed in this way, the external character cursor 20a is moved to "end" in the function selection area 25, and the external character operation is completed. The created external character pattern is stored in the EEPROM 6.

Now, a pattern as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is created, and each pattern is stored in the EEPROM 6.
It is assumed that it is stored in

When an external character input instruction is detected during document editing, in the present embodiment, a virtual keyboard 29 as shown in FIG.

The currently registered external character pattern is displayed on the virtual key in the virtual keyboard 29.
Then, the user operates the pointing device 8 to move the external character specification cursor 20c, and specifies a virtual key on which a desired external character pattern is displayed. For example, when the virtual key 29a is designated, the external character pattern is developed at the position indicated by the document editing cursor 20b. This eliminates the need to input each character code when the external character is input to the document being edited.

The virtual key 29 in the virtual keyboard 29
c and 29d are used when the number of registered external characters cannot be represented by one virtual keyboard. For example, when the virtual key 29c is designated by the external character designation cursor 20c, the previously displayed virtual keyboard is displayed, and when the virtual key 29d is designated, the next virtual keyboard is displayed. In other words, these virtual keys are normally used like a shift key in a keyboard.

Although description will be made before and after, it is not always necessary to use the pointing device 8 to designate each external character. For example, when the displayed keyboard layout of the virtual keyboard is the same as that of the real keyboard 7, this may be achieved by pressing the corresponding key on the real keyboard.

A description will now be given of a state in the EEPROM 6 according to the present embodiment for realizing the above-described processing.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an internal data format of the EEPROM 6 in the embodiment.

In the case of the embodiment, as shown, a first external character information table and a second external character information table are provided. Each table has external character information corresponding to the number of expandable keys of the external character pattern on the virtual keyboard 29, and the order corresponds to the lower right key in order from the upper left key of the virtual keyboard 29. Also, each external character information includes
JIS code 61a of the registered external character pattern and development coordinates 61b of the external character pattern on virtual keyboard 29
And the expansion destination address 61c of the external character pattern storing the external character pattern. In the embodiment, the external character information for the external character pattern created / registered is basically created in order from the first external character information table 61 in principle. By the way, if the external character registration is performed sequentially, it is impossible to know how much external character information has been created.
And a registration counter 64. Registration table counter 6
3 stores information indicating which of the first and second external character information tables has the most recently created external character pattern. The registration counter 64 indicates in which order of each table the external character information is located. Is stored.

When an external character input instruction is given to a document being edited as described above, first, the MPU 1 displays the virtual keyboard 29 and displays the first external character information table 61.
Is expanded / displayed on the virtual key based on the external character pattern registered so far. If it is determined that the coordinate position specified by the external character specification cursor 20c is within a predetermined area indicated by the development coordinates in each external character information,
RAM that stores the corresponding JIS code edited document
4 is transferred to the position indicated by the editing cursor 20b. Then, the pattern is developed at the corresponding position of the VRAM 10. When the virtual key 29d is specified (if there is external character information in the second external character information table 62), a virtual keyboard based on the second external character information table 62 is displayed.

<Explanation of Processing Procedure (FIG. 6)> The processing procedure of this embodiment based on the above principle will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, it is determined in step S1 whether or not an input has been made. When it is determined that there is an input, it is determined whether or not the input is an input related to normal editing. For example, if the input is an ANK key (character key) or a Kana-Kanji conversion key, the key is determined to be a key related to normal editing, and the process proceeds to step S3 to perform a corresponding document editing process.

If the determination in step S3 is "NO", the flow advances to step S4 to determine whether or not the input is an external character input instruction. If it is determined that the instruction is an external character input instruction, the process proceeds to step S8, where a virtual keyboard pattern (supposed to be stored in the ROM 3) and a registered external character pattern are displayed on the virtual key. Then, an input is waited for in step S9. Step S1
If it is 0, it is determined whether or not the input in step S9 indicates one virtual key on the virtual keyboard. In the case other than the instruction of the virtual key, it is determined that the input in step S1 is an erroneous input, the virtual keyboard is deleted in step S11, and the edited document hidden thereby is displayed again.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S10 that one of the virtual keys is instructed, the process proceeds to step S10.
The process proceeds to step S12, and it is determined whether or not the instruction indicates a virtual key displaying an external character pattern. This judgment is "YE
If S ", the process proceeds to step S13, where the corresponding external character pattern is displayed on the edit cursor, and the process proceeds to step S1.
The virtual keyboard displayed in step 4 is deleted, and the editing screen before the display is displayed again. Step S12
Is "NO", the corresponding process (for example, display of the next virtual keyboard) is performed, and the process returns to step S9.

Now, returning to step S4, step S1
If it is determined that the input is other than the external character input, it is determined in step S5 whether the input is related to the external character creation. If it is related to the creation of an external character, the process from step S6 shown below is performed.

First, in step S 6, the registration counter 64 and the registration table counter 63 prepare for a new external character registration.
To update. Then, the process proceeds to step S7, where an external character creation screen is actually displayed, an external character pattern is created, the created external character pattern is stored in the external character pattern storage area 65, and corresponding external character information is created.

In step S6, it is usual that only the registration counter 64 is incremented. As a result, the registration counter 64 is set to "0" only when the next external character information table has to be created. And the registration table counter 63 is incremented. When the second external character information table is full, a third external character information table may be newly secured.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
With a simple operation, the registered external character can be input into the edited document.

In the embodiment, the created external character pattern is stored in the EEPROM. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be stored in a magnetic disk device. Further, the format of the various information tables relating to the registration of the external character is not limited to this, and it is needless to say that the information table may be realized in another format.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, a user interface for inputting an external character into a document being edited is made intuitive, and when a target external character is input, the user interface can be smoothly converted to an ordinary character. It is possible to return to the editing environment.

[0032]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a document processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an image when an external character is created in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an external character pattern created according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a screen when an external character is input in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a data storage state in an EEPROM in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating contents of document processing according to the embodiment.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A document processing apparatus capable of editing a document on a display screen, comprising: storage means for storing an external character pattern created by an external character creation means; and input instruction of the created external character pattern during editing of the document. Is performed, a virtual keyboard that is displayed in a form substantially similar to the physical keyboard is displayed, and
Virtual keyboard display means for displaying the external character pattern stored in the storage means at a key portion on the virtual keyboard; and when a key in the displayed virtual keyboard is designated,
A document processing apparatus comprising: control means for displaying an external character pattern corresponding to the designated key at a cursor position of a document being edited and for erasing the virtual keyboard from a display screen. 2. The document processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes means for deleting said virtual keyboard from a display screen when an instruction other than said virtual keyboard is given. 3. A document processing method for editing a document on a display screen, comprising: a storage step of storing an external character pattern created by an external character creation unit in a predetermined storage unit; When a pattern input instruction is given, a virtual keyboard that is visually displayed in a form substantially similar to a physical keyboard is displayed,
A virtual keyboard display step of displaying the external character pattern stored in the storage means in a key portion on the virtual keyboard; and when a key in the displayed virtual keyboard is designated,
Controlling the display of the external character pattern corresponding to the designated key portion at the cursor position of the document being edited and erasing the virtual keyboard from the display screen. 4. The document processing method according to claim 3, wherein the control step includes a step of deleting the virtual keyboard from a display screen when an instruction other than the virtual keyboard is given.