JPS6091479A - Form design system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the rationalization of form design with reduction of cost by applying an interactive style with use of a plotting menu to design a form and correcting the design after registering it to a file. CONSTITUTION:A desired work is selected by an input device 20 after displaying a work menu to a CRT display device 10, and a spacing chart for new designs is displayed to a CRT display device 10 in a grid form for a new design mode. In the case of a corrected design mode, the form designs registered on a file 30 are selected by the device 20 and displayed to the device 10. Hereafter the interactive input of form designs is carried out in both cases by the devices 10 and 20 through selection of a basic pattern menu, a layout menu and an application menu respectively. Then data are registered to the file 30 after the work is over.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a form design system for designing forms.

When creating a form by printing, based on the specifications provided by the customer, lines are drawn on the printed spacing chart I with frame ruled lines of a predetermined size with a pencil, etc., and the form is drawn by human handwriting. Do the design. Since a form has a unique design for each item, there are many types of designs, and since it is almost always used as an input/output medium for various devices, there are many design limitations. That is, black printing is provided, a seal prohibition zone is provided, a rectangular handwriting area is provided inside with a margin of a predetermined width from the reference side, and the back etc. are specified in detail. After obtaining the consent of the customer, the form design created to satisfy such constraints is moved to the process of creating a draft that will become a manuscript for printing plate making. The block copy is based on the form design and is hand-drawn by a person to draw the lines and add the logotype. The artwork created in this way undergoes a final check by the customer. There are many changes, corrections, etc. at this stage, which results in rework and is extremely complicated. After a final check by the client and proofreading, the block is transferred to the plate-making process, where a film master plate is created.After this, a printing plate is created in the printing plate process, and the work is moved to the printing process. The process of passing through many steps before entering the printing process requires a great deal of effort.

On the other hand, as systems for creating drafts of forms, there are systems that use a digitizer as an input means and systems that input numerical values such as the starting point and end point of ruled lines. Since the input data is often not visually displayed, it is difficult to tell whether the design input was successful or not until the drawing is performed. Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to improve the above-mentioned drawbacks,
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system that consistently performs from a document design process to a plate making process or a printing plate process.

This invention will be explained below.

This invention relates to a form design system,
As shown in FIG. 1, an input device 20 consisting of a CRT display device 10 for displaying required messages, design patterns, etc., an input mechanism (tablet) for inputting data with various menus, and a keyboard including a numeric keypad, a set button, etc. , a file 3o such as a floppy disk into which data can be written or read, and a hard copy drawing device (for example, X
CR
After displaying the work menu on the T display device IO, select the desired work using the input device 20, and in the case of new design mode, enter management information such as file number 1 product name and operator name using the input device 20, The computer system 50 is initialized to open the file 30, a spacing chart for a new design is displayed in a grid on the CRT display device IO, and in the modified design mode, the file 30 is opened by the input device 20.
Select the form design already registered in the CR7 display device 10 and display it on the CR7 display device 10. In any of the above cases, the CR7
Interactive form design input is performed using the display device 10 and input device 20, and the data is transferred to a file 30 after the work is completed.
In the drawing mode, the input device 20 selects the form design already registered in the file 30 and displays it on the CR7 display device 10.
A hard copy of the form design is outputted via a hard copy drawing device 40. Furthermore, in this invention, after selecting the continuous input menu from the menu, if you set the coordinate points necessary for input, and at the same time specify the continuous input with the input device at the same time as setting the final coordinate point, the same menu will be automatically displayed again. a continuous input function in which the final coordinate point is selected as the new first coordinate point,
After selecting the parallel line menu from the menu, setting the starting point coordinates of the first line of parallel lines on multiple floors, and setting the ending coordinates of the last line on the display device, the first line and the last line In addition to displaying the line, when the number of divisions is input using the input device, equally divided parallel lines are displayed between the first line and the final line according to the input division number, and the number of divisions is changed and the first line is displayed until the final coordinates are fixed. line, the parallel line input function that allows you to move the final line, and after selecting the circle menu from the menu, when you input two points with the input device, it will pass through the two points and calculate the distance between the two points. The circle input function displays the circle as the diameter, and the arc/arc menu is selected from the menu. After selecting the menu, input two points with the input device, and use the arrow button to set the height of the arc from the center of these two points. When the length is specified, an arc input function is provided which assumes a circle passing through the above two points and the apex of the arrow and inputs a circular arc having the above two points as starting and ending points.

By the way, the computer system 50 is operated by software, and includes a spacing chart display routine 51 for displaying a spacing chart in which grid points are arranged on the CR7 display device 10, and an input command from the input device 20. an input controller 52 for controlling the input controller 52; a command analyzer 53 for analyzing the commands transmitted from the input device 20 via the input controller 52; a menu routine 54 for executing the menu according to the commands sent from the command analyzer 53; CR7 Display 1 according to menu data from routine 54
0, an input information table 58 for organizing and storing input information, and a hard copy for drawing the hard copy with the hard copy drawing device 40. The drawing routine 59 and the input information table 58 are transferred to the menu routine 5.
A table controller 5 that controls according to the selected output of 4.
8, and a file controller 57 that connects the file 30 and the input information table 58. In addition, 7
．． The menu routine 54 includes a basic figure menu 54A for processing basic figures such as straight lines and arcs, a layout menu 54B for moving and erasing lines, and an application menu 54 for processing complex figures such as rectangles with rounded corners.
G, and the basic figure menu 54A corresponds to menus M1-M9 and Mll in FIG.
The application menu 54G is a rectangle with rounded corners.

It has vertical ruled lines, parallel ruled lines with rounded corners, etc. (M12~
M20). In addition, there is a character menu 540 for processing characters, and a character information table for processing characters.

The operation of this configuration will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

When the form design work is started by operating the keyboard provided on the input device 20 (step sl)
, work menus (1) to (4) as shown in FIG. New design 1 Work menu (2) Reprint/revised design 9 Work menu (3
)゛Hardcopy'' or work menu (4) ``End °°
is selected with the cursor 11 (step S3). Here,
If work menu (4) is selected, the process ends (step 83B), if work menu (1) is selected, new design mode is selected, and if work menu (2) is selected, correction design mode is entered, and work menu is selected. If (3) is selected, the mode becomes drawing mode (step S4). In the example shown in Figure 4, the work menu (1) is moved to the cursor 11.
This shows the case where you select .

Then, when the work menu (1) is selected and the new design mode is entered, a screen indicating that the new design mode has been selected is displayed (step S5), and the input device 20
Enter management information such as file number 1 product name, customer name, operator name, etc. of the newly designed form using the keyboard (Step S6), open the file 30, and enter the memory for recording the pattern data in the file 30. Secure the area and initialize each device of the computer system 50 (Step S7)
, A spacing chart for the new design is displayed on the CR7 display device 10 together with grid points and a movable cursor (step S7). Here, the spacing chart shown on the CRTR7 display device has a large number of grid points arranged at predetermined intervals on the entire surface, and by moving the cursor at a distance based on the arrangement pitch of the grid points, This makes it possible to easily and accurately design forms. In this way, the spacing chart is displayed on the CRTR7 display device l via the spacing chart display routine 51.

When preparations for a new design are completed in this way, dialogue can be performed by moving the cursor within the spacing chart 1 displayed on the CRT display device IO to a desired position using the cursor movement function of the input device 20. A form is designed according to a formula (step S8). That is, when the cursor is moved to a desired position using the cursor movement function provided in the input device 20 and, for example, a horizontal line menu is specified, the basic figure menu 54A of the menu routine 54 is selected via the input controller 52 and the command analyzer 53. By moving the cursor to specify the start and end points of the horizontal line to grid points on the screen, the output data is input to the CRT figure generation routine 55 and the table controller 56, allowing a horizontal line of the desired length to be drawn. . In this case, the horizontal line menu is full, so after first specifying the starting point, even if you move the cursor to a position that is offset from the horizontal direction of this starting point and set it as the end point, the horizontal line distance from the specified cursor position will be is specified to form a horizontal line starting from the position.

Therefore, even if the cursor position is not specified correctly, the desired drawing 1 can be easily performed from the menu selection. The same is true for the vertical line menu. In addition, after selecting the rectangle in menu H4, by moving the cursor to specify two points P3 and P4 on the diagonal of the rectangle, a rectangle of the desired size can be designed, and the corners of menus M5 to M8 can be designed by moving the cursor. When specifying a circle, you can design a rounded corner of any size by specifying two points of the rounded corner with the cursor.

To enter characters, select the character string, font, and size to be entered from among English, numbers, kana, kanji, special symbols, etc. using a keyboard (or a dedicated device for character input), etc. When you specify the position to set, character menu 5
Data is accumulated in the character information table in the input information table via 4D. At the same time, a character layout mark (■■-'') or a character string is displayed on the display device IO at a predetermined position via the CRT graphic generation routine 55.

By the way, this invention has a continuous input function, a horizontal line input function, an inner input function that inputs a circle whose diameter is the two input points, and an arc input function that inputs the two input points and the length of the arrow. These input functions will be explained with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 to 8.

First, as shown in FIG. 5, the continuous input function uses the cursor to point to the graphic input menus M1 to M9 and old I to Mi11 shown in FIG. ” (Step 5lot). Then, by operating the set button provided on the input device 20, the continuous nudging motion ends (step 5102). In other words, when inputting the same figure continuously, select the figure menu shown in Figure 2, set the coordinate points necessary for input, set the final coordinate point, and confirm that the input is continuous. This is done by selecting MIO. As a result, the same shape menu is automatically selected again, and the final coordinate point mentioned above is newly set as the first coordinate point, allowing you to input shapes continuously without inputting new instructions to the same shape menu. , it is possible to simplify and speed up input work.

Next, the input of vertically and horizontally equally divided parallel lines will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, select the parallel line menu (M
2S or Calendar 15) is selected in step 5t10), whereby the computer system 50 reads the input menu and then continues to input the coordinates. These coordinates become the coordinates of the first point, and at this point the coordinates of the second point are equal to the coordinates of the first point. At this time, the computer system 50 sets the number of divisions to 1 (step 5111
) Thereafter, the computer system 50 calculates equally divided parallel lines from the number of 9 divisions of the coordinates of the first point and the second point, and displays them on the display device IO (step 5112). Thereafter, the menu is read and it is determined whether the menu is a set menu, a number-of-one-division menu, or a cursor movement menu (steps 5113 and 5114). Then, in the case of the cursor movement menu, the cursor is moved, and at the same time, the coordinates of the second point are changed to the coordinates after the cursor movement (step 5115). After this, the process jumps to step 5112. If it is determined in step 5114 that the number of divisions has been input,
The coordinates of a newly generated straight line are calculated based on the input division number (step 5IIB), and step 5112 is hejjumped. If it is determined in step 5114 that it is a set menu, the equally divided parallel lines are fixed and the process ends (step Sll?). In other words, if you move the cursor on the screen after setting the first point (P7) of the first line of multiple parallel lines, the cursor will move on the screen between the current cursor position and the first point P7. Following this, the first line starting from point P7 and the line ending at point P9 are displayed in parallel, and if you input the number of divisions at any time using the numeric keypad, the number of divisions entered will be 2 trees. A new parallel line will be displayed that equally divides the parallel lines. The number of divisions can be changed until the final coordinates are fixed, and the position of point P9 can also be moved by moving the cursor. The same applies to the vertical lines in the menu M15, and it is possible to easily input parallel lines.

FIG. 7 is an operation example showing the input of a circle, and the circle menu (Mll) is selected from the menu table in step 5.
120), point P shown in the menu table of FIG.
5 as the first point with the cursor (step 512
1). At this point, the computer system 50
The coordinates of the second point are set to be the same as the coordinates of the first point (step 5t21). After this, a circle is displayed from the coordinates of the first point and the second point (step S+22). After this, the menu is read again and it is determined whether it is a set menu or a cursor movement menu (steps 5123 and 5124).

If it is determined that the cursor should be moved, move the cursor,
The cursor coordinates after the movement are set as the coordinates of the second point (step 5125). After this, the process jumps to step 5t22. If it is determined in step 5124 that it is a set menu, the circle is fixed and the process ends (step 512Et). In this way, in the case of internal input, inputting two points indicating the diameter and displaying a circle is necessary when designing a form so that the circle is in contact with the two shapes. This is because there are many genders.

On the other hand, Fig. 8 shows an example of operation when inputting an arc, and the arc menu (
M9) is selected (step 5130), and the first point (point P10 in the case of Fig. 2) is input (step 5131).
. At this time, the computer system 50 sets the second point to the same coordinates as the first point, and sets the length of the string arrow to be the extension of the distance between the coordinates of the first point and the second point (step 3131). Next, calculate the third point of the tip coordinate of the string arrow from the coordinates of the first and second points and the length of the string arrow, and use the first point as the starting point, pass through the third point, and the second point as the ending point. (Step 51)
32). After this, the menu is read and it is determined whether it is a set menu, a string arrow length change menu, or a cursor movement menu (steps 5133 and 5134). Step 5
If it is determined in step 134 that the cursor is to be moved, the cursor is moved, and the cursor position after the movement is reset as the coordinates of the second point (step 5135). After this, step 51
32 hejjump. If it is determined in step 5134 that the length of the string arrow is to be changed, check whether the menu for lengthening or shortening the length of the string arrow [Old 1] or M20 is selected, and then change the length of the string arrow. The length of the arrow is changed (step 5136). After this, the process jumps to step 5132.

The length of this arrow can be extended or shortened by a unit length set by the system by selecting menu M19 or M2O. As described above, any arc can be input as a form design.

In this manner, the present invention allows rectangular designs, which are often seen in form designs, to be input continuously, thereby improving the efficiency of design input work. Also 1
Since the shapes that have already been input and the shapes that are being input are displayed on the screen, you can enter the design while looking at the relationship with the overall design, reducing input errors and making the work easier. Efficiency can be improved.

The form pattern data created in this manner is input to the input information table 58 via the double controller 58. When the operator instructs that the design is completed using the input device 20 (step S8), the design data of the form is processed (step S9), and the input information table 58 is controlled via the table controller 56. The accumulated data is stored at a predetermined location in the file 30 via the file controller 57 (step 58A), and a completion message is displayed (step 510).

On the other hand, when the modification design mode is selected in the work menu selection (steps S3 and S4), a message indicating that the modification design mode has been selected is displayed (step 511), and the file number of the form to be modified is entered. specified by device 20 (step 512). As a result, a spacing chart with grid points attached to the entire surface is displayed on the CR7 display device 10 via the 9-singing chart display routine 51, and then the file controller 57
The pattern data of the designated file number already registered in the file 30 is read out via the input information table 58, and the data of the design is inputted to the input information table 58. The pattern is displayed on the display device lO (step 513). When the design pattern to be corrected is displayed on the screen of the CRTR 7 display device l, the operator uses the layout menu 54B on the input device 20 to make an interactive form design correction similar to that described above (step S8). When the correction work is completed, the input device 20 instructs that the correction has been completed (step S8), and the design data of the form is processed (
In step S8), the input information table 58 is controlled via the table controller 56, and the input information table 58 is
The data stored in the file 30 is stored at a predetermined location in the file 30 via the file controller 57 (step 5EA), and a termination message is displayed (step 5IO).

Furthermore, in the case of the drawing mode, a screen for selecting a design pattern to be drawn is displayed on the CRTR 7 display device (step 514), and the operator selects the design pattern to be drawn using the input device 20.
By selecting the file number to be drawn using the file controller 57 (step 515), the design pattern data of the designated file number is read from the file 30 (step 516). The data is sent to the hard copy drawing routine 58 via the input information table 58 and converted into output data (step 517), and the hard copy of the designated file number is drawn by the hard copy drawing device 40 (step 918).

As described above, according to the form design system of the present invention, the input device 20 includes an input mechanism (tablet) and a keyboard, and the CR7 display device 10 displays a spacing chart having a large number of aligned grid points together with a cursor. Since the input operation is performed in an interactive format, it is possible to easily and quickly design a form, and graphic input can be performed by selecting from the prepared basic graphic menu, layout menu, and application menu. Therefore, it is possible to design forms accurately. In addition, the data of the designed form is stored in a file, and once it is stored, the data can be read out from the file and easily modified, which can be extremely effective in streamlining form design and reducing costs. . In addition, as a hard copy drawing device, in addition to an X-Y plotter, a photo plotter, a laser beam printer, a laser engraving device, etc. can be considered, and by appropriately selecting a hard copy drawing device, it is possible to proofread the form layout with the customer. It is also possible to expand the system to a direct plate making system or a direct printing plate system. For example, if a photoplotter is selected as the output device, the ruled lines and pattern data of the form will be output to film using the photoplotter, and the text will be output to film via a floppy disk using another automatic typesetting system. It is possible to combine each to create a single original film. In addition, if you choose a laser engraving device as the output device,
By connecting the laser engraving device and this system online, it becomes possible to output each ruled line character to a film or printing plate at the same time. Furthermore, it is also possible to automatically create a software overlay for a laser beam printer based on the data stored in the file 30.

On the other hand, a hard copy drawing device is not necessarily necessary in the present invention, and it is possible to carry files stored on a floppy disk or the like and draw them on another output device. That is, rather than using a hardcopy drawing device online, it may be used offline. In addition to specifying the start point and end point by moving the cursor after selecting the menu in the basic figure menu and application menu, you can also specify the start point by moving the cursor after selecting the menu and calculate the distance from the start point to the end point. It is also possible to specify a numerical value. Furthermore, the cursor can be moved by selecting the cursor movement menu on the tablet, by moving the cursor by moving the input cursor (stylus pen) on the tablet, or by using a joystick. It is.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a form design system to which this invention can be applied, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a menu of this invention, Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of its operation, and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the menu of this invention. Diagrams showing examples of display of the invention, Fig. 5~
FIG. 8 is a work flow diagram showing an example of the operation of the present invention. 10... CR7 display device, 20... Input device, 30
...File, 40...Hardcopy drawing device, 5
0... Computer system, 51... Spacing chart display routine, 52... Input controller,
53... Instruction analyzer, 54... Menu routine, 55... CR7 figure generation routine, 5B... Table controller, 57... File controller, 58... Input information table. Applicant's agent Yuzo Yasugata

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] The display device comprises a display device, an input device for data input having various menus, a file in which data can be written or read, and a computer system that combines and processes each of the devices. displays a spacing chart for form design in a grid, selects the menu using the input device, generates two characters of form design shapes on the grid screen of the display device, deforms, moves one rotation, In a form design system in which the design data is registered in the file after the design of the form created while confirming the generated figure and the overall design on the display device by the deletion operation, the design data is registered in the file. After selecting an input menu, if you set the coordinate points necessary for input, and at the same time specify continuous input using the input device, the same menu will be automatically selected again, and the final coordinate point will be set. A point is newly set as the first coordinate point i! 11! When using the parallel input function, after selecting the parallel line menu from the above menu, after setting the start end coordinates of the first line of multiple parallel lines, and after setting the end coordinates of the last line on the display device. , displays the first line and the final line, and when the number of divisions is input from the input device, displays a parallel line between the first line and the final line at the input division number with equal division, and displays the final coordinates. There is a parallel line input function that allows you to change the number of divisions and move the first line and final line until it is fixed, and after selecting the circle menu from the menu, select two points with the input device. After entering. A circle input function that displays a circle whose diameter is the two points, and after selecting the arc menu from the menu, input two points with the input device and calculate the height of the arc from the center of these two points. When specifying the length of the arrow to set, assume a circle passing through the two points and the apex of the arrow, and set the two points as the starting point,
A form design system characterized by having an arc input function for inputting an arc as an end point.