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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A system for editing document data having a plurality of fields,
comprising:
document-preparing format-data storage means for storing the plurality of
fields of the document format-data into a tree structure having a
plurality of levels, each of the plurality of levels corresponding to a
node of said tree structure, and each of the fields including a title
field corresponding to a title, a basic field corresponding to a data
entry item, and a group field designating one or more of the fields to be
treated as a single field;
document input means for inputting and for updating the document data;
document data storage means for storing said document data in a document
file; and
document data preparing means for arranging said stored document data into
said tree structure in accordance with said stored document format-data,
and for storing the arranged document data into said document data storage
means.
2. A system for editing document data according to claim 1, wherein the
internal tree structure of said stored document format-data comprises a
plurality of document data records which are stored in a table, which
correspond to the fields of the document data, and which have
tree-structure levels.
3. A system for editing document data according to claim 2, wherein each of
said document data records has a first item used to set a first code
specifying the type of the field corresponding to the document data
record, a second item used to set an ID code specifying a data format
record corresponding to the document data record, a third item used to set
the number of lines to be displayed or printed in the field, a fourth item
used to set the number of digits per line, a fifth item used to set a flag
representing the nature of the field, and a sixth item used to set the
number of a screen control record corresponding to the document data
record.
4. A system for editing document data according to claim 3, wherein said
flag comprises at least one of the following flags:
(a) a copy flag for indicating that the field can be copied in the document
data;
(b) a position flag for specifying the fields subordinate to a larger field
and for designating the expansion or contraction of the subordinate fields
in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction before these fields
are displayed or printed;
(c) a division flag for indicating whether the entire data to be printed in
the field should be printed on the next page, or whether only the
over-flowing portion of the data should be printed on the next page; and
(d) a title-printing flag for indicating whether or not a title should be
printed in the corresponding title field.
5. A system for editing document data according to claim 1, wherein the
internal tree structure of said stored document format-data comprises a
plurality of logic pointers which define the relationship of document data
records which correspond to the fields of the document data.
6. A system for editing document data according to claim 5, wherein each of
said document data records has a first item used to set a first code
specifying the type of the field corresponding to the document data
record, a second item used to set an ID code specifying a data format
record corresponding to the document data record, a third item used to set
the number of lines to be displayed or printed in the field, a fourth item
used to set the number of digits per line, a fifth item used to set a flag
representing the nature of the field, a sixth item used to set the number
of a screen control record corresponding to the document data record, and
a seventh item used to set a respective one of said logic pointers
representing the relationship between the field and the document data
record.
7. A system for editing document data according to claim 6, wherein said
flag comprises at least one of the following flags:
(a) a copy flag for indicating that the field can be copied in the document
data;
(b) a position flag for specifying the fields subordinate to a larger field
and for designating the expansion or contraction of the subordinate fields
in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction before these fields
are displayed or printed;
(c) a division flag for indicating whether the entire data to be printed in
the field should be printed on the next page, or whether only the
over-flowing portion of the data should be printed on the next page; and
(d) a title-printing flag for indicating whether or not a title should be
printed in the corresponding title field.
8. A system for editing document data according to claim 1, further
comprising:
document display means for displaying the document data;
screen display format data storage means for storing screen display format
data arranged into said tree structure in order to display on said
document display means the document data organized into said tree
structure; and
screen display means, coupled to said document data storage means, said
screen display format data storage means, and said document display means,
for displaying, in a hierarchical structure, the document data arranged in
a hierarchical structure in accordance with the screen display format data
stored in said screen display format data storage means.
9. A system for editing document data according to claim 8, wherein one
record of said screen display format data corresponds to one record of the
document data, and said screen display format data record has a first item
used to set a first code specifying the type of the field corresponding to
the display format data record, a second item used to set an ID code
specifying one of the fields of the document data which corresponds to the
screen display format data record, a third item used to set the level of
said field corresponding to the screen display format data record, a
fourth item used to set the number of lines to be displayed and printed in
said corresponding field, a fifth item used to set the number of digits
per line, a sixth item used to set a flag representing the nature of said
corresponding field, a seventh item used to set the display-starting
position of said corresponding field, and an eighth item used to set a
field pointer specifying the one of the fields of said document file which
corresponds to the screen display format data record.
10. A document-editing system according to claim 9, wherein said first
code, said ID code, said level of a field, said number of digits per line,
and said flag, which all are set in the items of the screen control data
record, are copied from the data which are set in the items of the
document-data record corresponding to the screen display format data
record; and when said first code specifies a title field, the number of
lines set in said fourth item is copied from the number of lines set in
the format-data record corresponding to the screen control data record,
when said first code specifies a basic field, the number of lines is
determined by the amount of data set in that item of the corresponding
document-data record which is used to set a pointer, and when said first
code specifies a group field, the number of lines is determined by the
total number lines of the fields subordinate to the group field.
11. A system for editing document data according to claim 1, wherein a
document format-data record defining said document format data has a first
item used to set a first code specifying the type of field corresponding
to the document data record, a second item used to set an ID code
specifying one of the fields of the document data which corresponds to the
document format-data record, a third item used to set the level of the
specified field, a fourth item used to set the number of lines to be
initially displayed or printed in the corresponding one of the fields, a
fifth item used to set the number of digits per line, a sixth item used to
set a flag representing the nature of the specified field, and a seventh
item used to draw field-framing lines defining the specified field.
12. A system for editing document data according to claim 11, wherein said
document format-data record includes an eighth item for designating a line
of characters to be displayed and printed as title data, when the code set
in said first item specifies a title field.
13. A system for editing document data according to claim 11, further
comprising document management means for controlling the operation of said
document-preparing format-data storage means and said document data
storage means, and wherein, when said first code specifies a title field,
a basic field, or a group field, said document-data management means
produces, within the document-data storage means, the document-data record
corresponding to the document format-data record, transfers said first
code, said ID code, said level of said specified field, said number of
lines, said number of digits per line, and said flag--all of which are set
in the items of the format-data record--to the corresponding items of the
document-data record input to said document-data management means, and
constructs document data of a tree structure of the level specified by
said flag set in the format-data record; and when said first code
specifying the type of the document-data record specified initial data,
said document-data management means writes said initial data in said
document file, and sets a pointer indicating the storage location of said
initial data, in an item of the document-data record which is stored in
the document-data storage means and corresponds to the basic field
immediately preceding the document-data record corresponding to the
format-data record input to the document-data management means.
14. A system for editing document data according to claim 1, wherein a
document format-data record defining said document format data has a first
item used to set a first code specifying the field corresponding to the
format data record, a second item used to set an ID code specifying the
one of the fields of the document data which corresponds to the format
data record, and a third item used only when the first code set specifies
initial data and is used to specify data to be input to the corresponding
field as an initial value.
15. The system for editing document data according to claim 1, wherein the
system further comprises means for determining the number of lines and the
number of digits of the group field including any of said fields being
treated as a single field, and said number of lines and said number of
digits are increased and decreased in response to the document data input
by said document input means.
16. A system for editing document data according to claim 1, further
comprising:
print format data storage means for storing print format data organized in
said tree structure;
document data print means, responsive to said print format data storage
means, for printing document data arranged in said tree structure; and
print means, coupled to said document data storage means, said print format
data storage means, and said document data print means, for printing, in
said tree structure, the document data arranged in said tree structure in
accordance with the print format data stored in the print format data
storage means. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a document-editing system for preparing
and editing documents of a specific format.
Most business documents and technical documents are written or printed on
format sheets. Using the format sheets, the people preparing the documents
are less likely to forget to include all the necessary items of data.
Computer program specifications are usually written on the format sheets
shown in FIG. 1.
When the writer uses a word processor to write, edit, and print a
specification on the format sheets of FIG. 1, however, he or she ma
encounter the following problems:
(1) Characters and lines must b arranged on the display screen of the word
processor, in such positions that they can be printed within the
respective fields of the format. It takes the user a longer time to do
this than to print the data on blank sheets.
(2) The data that can be written within each field is limited. To write
more data, the writer must add the words "Continued on the attached sheet"
in the field and print the overflowing part of the data on another format
sheet. (This will cause the reader trouble, too, since he or she must then
refer to the attached sheet while reading the format sheet.)
Document-editing systems, each designed to print data in a particular
format, are known. Each system uses program-controlling codes containing
document format data. To change the format, a new program must be prepared
as often as is necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the object of this invention is to provide a document-editing
system which makes it possible to efficiently prepare, edit, and print
documents in a specific format without subsequently destroying that
format, no matter how much or how little data each document contains.
To achieve this object, the document-editing system of this invention
comprises:
format-data storage means for storing one or more format data records of a
tree structure consisting of nodes defining the format of a document, the
respective nodes being comprised of any one of: a title field
corresponding to the title of a format, a basic field corresponding to a
leaf node of the tree structure and corresponding to a fill-in block, and
a group field corresponding to an internal node and representing one or
more fields being treated as a single field;
document-preparation request means for requesting the preparation of a
document in the desired document format;
first document-preparation means for preparing initial document data of the
tree structure of the format data, in accordance with the corresponding
format data within said format data-storage means, in response to a
request from said document-preparation request means; and
second document-preparation means for calculating the number of lines of a
group field and the number of characters per line from the tree structure
subordinate to the nodes corresponding to the group field, said group
field including a field which must be expanded or contracted in the
vertical or the horizontal direction, or both, in order to renew the
initial document data in accordance with externally input data, to form
new desired document data.
With this system, it is possible to efficiently prepare and edit documents
in a specific format, by way of a dialogue between the operator and a work
station, and to print the documents in the desired format. The system has
a memory for storing the data representing the format, and can therefore
easily renew the format, whenever it is required. Hence, with this system
it is possible to efficiently prepare, edit, and print documents in the
desired format without subsequently destroying that format, no matter how
much or how little data each document contains.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from
the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a document format used in prior art;
FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining how to prepare documents in the format of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a document-editing system according
to one embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 4A, and 4B illustrate the structure of the document format data used
in the system of FIG. 3;
FIGS. 5A and 5B show the internal structure of the document format data;
FIGS. 6A and 6B represent the format of the document data record used in
the system of FIG. 3;
FIGS. 7A through 7C show the format of the format data record used in the
system of FIG. 3;
FIG. 8 shows the format of the control data record used to control the
display screen of the system shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 9 is a flow chart explaining the operation of the system shown in FIG.
3;
FIGS. 10A through, 10C are diagrams illustrating how to determine the
number of lines to be printed within each field of the document format;
FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams explaining how to determine the position
where the data-display operation is started;
FIG. 12 is a diagram representing the relation between the document format
and the regions of the display screen;
FIGS. 13A through 13D are diagrams showing how the field display mode
changes as data is input; and
FIGS. 14A and 14B are diagrams explaining how to achieve field-copying.
FIGS. 15A and 15B are flowcharts showing the functions performed by a
system for editing document data incorporating the teachings of the
invention to prepare a new document and to display the document; and
FIGS. 16A-16C show the functions performed by the system of the present
invention while making a new document.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS SYSTEM STRUCTURE
FIG. 3 shows the structure of a document-editing system according to one
embodiment of the invention. This system comprises work station 11,
printer 14, format-data storage section 15, document-data storage section
16, screen control-data storage section 17, print control-data storage
section 18, screen control section 21, print control section 22,
document-data management section 23 and command-processing section 24.
Work station 1 has CRT monitor 12 and keyboard 13. Screen control section
21 receives the command input through keyboard 13. It also controls screen
control-data storage section 17, thereby to control a CRT monitor for
displaying a document. Print control section 22 controls print-control
data storage section 18, thereby to control printer 14, in the printing of
the document. Document management section 23 controls format-data storage
section 15 and document-data storage section 16, thereby making it easier
to prepare and edit documents. Command-processing section 24 analyzes the
command input through keyboard 13 and supplied to screen control section
21. It also controls control sections 21, 22, and 23, in order to process
the analyzed command. Format-data storage section 15 stores the items of
data representing various document formats. Document-data storage section
16 stores document data. Screen control-data storage section 17 stores
screen control data for controlling CRT monitor 12 to display documents.
Print control-data storage section 18 stores print control data for
controlling printer 14.
Structure of the Document Data
The system is designed to edit documents of a so-called "tree structure."
The nodes of this structure will be called "fields." The fields are
classified into the following three groups:
(1) Title Fields
These correspond to the leaf nodes of the tree structure. They are
displayed by CRT monitor 12 and printed by printer 14, as part of document
format, along with a document.
(2) Basic Fields
These also correspond to the leaf nodes of the tree structure, and to the
fill-in blocks of the document format in which data can be printed. All
document data that can be input is written in these fields.
(3) Group Fields
Group fields correspond to the internal nodes of the tree structure. Each
group field consists of at least two fields of any other type, e.g., title
fields, basic fields, and fields which correspond to internal nodes
subordinate to the internal node corresponding to the group field.
The document shown in FIG. 1 can be defined as a combination of title
fields TF1-TF9, basic fields BF1 to BF9, and group fields GF1-GF12, as is
illustrated in FIG. 4A. Any field is a rectangular block. The fields
subordinate to any group field occupy part of the rectangular block
corresponding to the group field. The tree structure of the document data
shown in FIG. 4A is illustrated in FIG. 4B. Group field GF12 is a copy in
this case. Hence, higher group field GF11 can contain at least two group
fields GF12.
FIGS. 5A and 5B shows the internal structure of the document data having
the tree structure shown in FIG. 4B. More specifically, FIG. 5A
illustrates the internal structure defined by blocks, and FIG. 5B shows
the internal structure defined by logic pointers. The internal structure
of FIG. 5A comprises document data records corresponding to the fields of
the document (FIG. 4B), and different tree structure levels are assigned
to the records. Level 1 corresponds to the root of the tree (FIG. 4B). On
the other hand, in the internal structure of FIG. 5B, logic pointers
indicative of the relatives, parent, eldest son, elder brother, and
youngest brother are assigned to document data records corresponding to
the fields of the document (FIG. 4B).
FIG. 6A shows the format of each document data record of the internal
structure of FIG. 5A. FIG. 6B shows the format of each document data
record of the internal structure shown in FIG. 5B.
As is shown in FIG. 6A, any document data record of the internal structure
(FIG. 5A) has six items, reference numbers 31 to 36. Item 31 is used to
set the type of field corresponding to the document data record. Item 32
is used to set an ID code specifying a data format record (described
later) corresponding to the document data record. Item 33 is used to set
the number of lines to be displayed or printed in the field. Item 34 is
used to set the number of digits per line. Item 35 is used to set a flag
representing the nature of the field. Item 36 is used to set the number of
the screen control record included in the screen control data produced by
screen control section 21 and corresponding to the document data record.
The following four flags can be selectively set in item 35:
(a) Copy Flag
This flag indicates that the field can be copied in the document data. When
the field is a group field, the fields, including the fields which
correspond to internal nodes subordinate to the internal node
corresponding to the group field, can be copied.
(b) Position Flag
This flag is used only when the field is a group field. It designates the
expansion/contraction of the field in the horizontal and/or vertical
direction.
(c) Division Flag
This flag is used when data overflows the field. It indicates whether the
entire data or only the overflowing portion of the data should be printed
on the next page.
(d) Title-Printing Flag
This flag indicates whether or not a title should be printed in the
corresponding title field. The flag is used in order to print titles on a
format sheet.
Flags (a)-(d) are also contained in the format data record. Therefore, item
35 is not strictly necessary.
Items 31 to 36 are provided in any document data record, no matter what
kind of field corresponds to this document data record. In the case of a
data record format using logic pointers, item 37 is provided in the
document data record corresponding to a basic field, in addition to items
31 to 36, as illustrated in FIG. 6B. Item 37 is used to set a pointer in
the basic field. The data to be written in the basic field is composed of
sentences in Japanese. Hence, the pointer set in item 37 specifies a line
data structure. If image data or graphic data is written in the basic
field, the pointer or file name specifying the structure of this data is
set in item 37.
Structure of the Format Data
The format data defining the format of the document has a tree structure
similar to that of the document data. The format data also comprises a
plurality of records, each being of one of the three types shown in FIGS.
7A, 7B, and 7C. The format data record of FIG. 7A has seven items,
reference numbers 41 to 47; the format data record of FIG. 7B has eight
items, reference numbers 41 to 48; and he format data record of FIG. 7C
has three items, reference numbers 41, 42, and 49.
Item 41 is used to set a code showing the type of the field corresponding
to the format data record, a title, basic or group, or whether or not the
format data record is the initial data set to the field corresponding to
the record. Item 42 is used to set an ID code specifying that field of the
document data which corresponds to the format data record. Item 43 is used
to set the level of the field corresponding to the format data record.
Item 44 is used to set the number of lines to be displayed and printed in
the corresponding field. Item 45 is used to set the number of digits per
line. Item 46 is used to set a flag representing the nature of the field.
The flag set in item 46 has the same function as the flag set in item 35
of the document data record. Item 47 is used to draw field-framing lines,
such as underlines, overlines, and vertical lines, in order to specify a
relative value of a start position of the field, to draw the field-framing
lines. More precisely, item 47 designates the position of each of these
field-framing lines, with respect to the display-starting position of the
field. Item 48 is used only when the code set in item 41 designates the
title field. Item 48 designates a character string to be displayed or
printed as the title. Item 49 is used only when the code set in item 41
shows the data which is to be input as the initial data in the field. In
this instance, item 49 designates a character string, since the data to be
written in the field are sentences.
Structure of Screen Control Data
The screen control data has the same tree structure as the document data.
Each of the records forming the screen control data corresponds to one
record of the document data. The screen control data record has the format
shown in FIG. 8. It has eight items, reference numbers 51 to 58. Item 51
designates the type of the field. Item 52 designates the ID code. Item 53
designates the level of the field corresponding to the control data
record. Item 54 designates the number of lines to be displayed and printed
in the corresponding field. Item 55 designates the number of digits per
line. Item 56 designates a flag representing the nature of the field. Item
57 designates the display-starting position of the field; to be more
specific, the upper-left corner of the field. Item 58 designates the field
pointer specifying that field of a document file (not shown) which
corresponds to the screen control data record.
Operation of the System (Brief Explanation)
The operation of the system shown in FIG. 3 will now be briefly explained
with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 9.
The operator inputs a command through keyboard 13 of work station 11. Upon
receipt of this command, screen control section 21 retrieves the screen
control data from screen control-data storage section 17, in accordance
with the position which the cursor assumes on the screen of CRT monitor 12
when the command is input. Then, section 21 identifies the field in which
the command will be executed, and also the data to be written in this
field. Section 21 then supplies the command to command-processing section
24. Section 24 analyzes the command, and, in accordance with the purpose
of the command, gives document-data management section 23 an instruction
for renewing the document data stored in storage section 16. Document-data
management section 23 renews the document data, if necessary, with
reference to the format data stored in storage section 15. Then,
command-processing section 24 gives screen control section 21 a renewal
instruction, to make the document image displayed on CRT monitor 12
identical to the document data renewed by the execution of the command.
Screen control section 21 executes this instruction, with reference to the
document data stored in document-data storage section 16, the format data
stored in storage section 15, and the screen control data stored in
storage section 17, thereby renewing the document image displayed on CRT
monitor 12. At the same time, section 21 renews the screen control data,
thereby rendering it applicable to the renewed document image. Thereafter,
command-processing section 24 gives screen control section 21 a
command-input instruction. In response to this instruction, screen control
section 21 causes CRT monitor 12 to display the cursor, thereby requesting
the operator to input another command.
The respective operations of the screen control section 21, the command
processing section 24, and the document data management section 23 will
now be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 16A, the command processing section 24 specifies, in step
S1, a screen control record number of a field on which a cursor is
displayed, and a line-digit position in a field, and issues a command
input request to the screen control section 21.
In response to the command input request, the screen control section 21
obtains, in step S2, a display start position of a field from a screen
control record, and adds a line/digit position in a field to the display
start position to obtain a cursor position on a screen. In step S3, the
screen control section 21 displays the cursor on a screen and prompts an
operator for input. Further, in step S4, in order to return the control to
a command processing section 24, the section 21 obtains the field in which
the cursor is positioned, and outputs to the command processing section 24
the corresponding screen control record number and the line/digit position
in a field.
As shown in FIG. 16B, in response to the output from the screen control
section 21, the command processing section 24 reads, in step S5, the
screen control record from the screen control record number and reads a
document data record in the document data area corresponding to the field
pointer in the screen control record. Further, section 24 requests, in
step S6, the document data management section 23 to update the line data
based on the obtained line data record pointer and the input data as the
parameter, if the input data has been transferred from the screen control
section 21.
In response to the request from the command processing section 24, the
document data management section 23 updates, in step S7, the line data
designated by the line data record pointer.
If a programmable function key (PF) key type has been returned from the
screen control section 21, the command processing section 24 calls a
command processing routine to be executed. In this case, the section 24
gives, in step S8, the command processing routine the obtained document
data record number and the line data record number as an object of the
command processing.
Then, in step S9, the section 24 requests the document data management
section to insert a line data record using a line data record pointer as a
parameter.
As shown in FIG. 16C, in response to the request from the command
processing section 24, the document data management section 23 secures, in
step S10, the line data record in the document data area and inserts it
immediately after the designated line data record.
Then, the command processing section 24 requests, in a step S11, the screen
management section 21 to insert a line based on the screen management
record number and the line position within a field as the parameter
transferred from the screen control section 21.
In response to the request from the command processing section 24, the
screen control section 21 inserts, in step S12, an empty line in the
designated line of a field corresponding to the designated screen
management record number. In this case, the number of display lines is
recomputed to update the screen display using the method shown in b-2.
Then, the command processing section 24 updates, in step S13, the line
position in order to display the cursor in the inserted line, and in step
S14, requests a next input.
Making of a New Document
The functions performed in making a new document are shown by the upper
portion of the flowchart of FIG. 15A. To make a new document, the operator
inputs a document-making command and the desired format data name, using
work station 11. Screen control section 21 inputs the command and format
data name to command-processing section 24. Section 24 gives document-data
management section 23 a document-making instruction and the format data
name. At this point in time, document-data storage section 16 is empty.
Document-data management section 23 opens the data file stored in
format-data storage section 15 and identified by the format data name. It
further sequentially reads the three format data records of the tree
structures (FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C) from storage section 15, and constructs
the same tree structure within document-data storage section 16. More
precisely, when the code set in unit 41 of the format data record
represents a title field, a basic field, or a group field, document-data
management section 23 produces the document data records of the tree
structures (FIGS. 6A and 6B) within document-data storage section 16.
Section 23 also transfers the items of data set in items 41, 42, 44, 45,
46 of the format data record to, respectively, items 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 of
the corresponding document data record. Simultaneously, section 23
constructs the tree structure specified by the level set in item 43 of the
format data record; for example, the internal structure of the document
format data shown in FIG. 5A.
When the code set in item 41 of the format data record is the initial data,
section 23 transfers this initial data to a document region (i.e., a
document file) within document-data storage section 16, and sets the
pointer, which designates this document region, in item 37 (FIG. 6B) of
the basic field, which immediately precedes item 41.
Document-data management section 23 repeats the operation of making a
document data record, forming a document data record within storage
section 16. Because of the format data records stored in section 15,
section 23 therefore can produce documents in many different formats.
Display of the Document
The functions performed to display a document are shown by the flowcharts
of FIGS. 15A and 15B. The document corresponding to the document data
formed within document data storage section 16 is displayed in the
following sequence of steps: First, command-processing section 24 gives
screen control section 21 a document-display instruction. Section 21
retrieves the document data and, if necessary, the format data from
sections 16 and 15, via document-data management section 23, and forms
screen control data having the same tree structure as the document data,
within screen control-data storage section 17. The data items, which are
set in items 51 to 58 of the screen control data record (FIG. 8) during
the making of the screen control data, are as described below:
(1) In Items 51, 52, 53, 55 and 56
The data items copied from the document data record corresponding to the
screen control-data record are set in these items.
(2) In Item 54
The number of lines to be displayed or printed in the field corresponding
to the screen control data record is set in this item. The number of lines
is determined by the type of the corresponding field, as is described
below.
(i) When the field is a title field
The number of lines, which is identical with the number set in item 33 of
the corresponding format data record.
(ii) When the field is a basic field
The number of lines, which is determined by the amount of data represented
by the code set in item 37 of the corresponding document data record. When
the code set in item 37 designates a line of characters, the number of
lines is obtained by dividing the number of characters by the number of
lines indicated by item 55 of the corresponding screen control data
record. (When the code designates image data or graphic data, the data
showing the structure of the data field, or the number of lines sufficient
to display the image or graphic data can be stored in the document file.)
(iii) When the field is a group field
The number (n) of lines determined by the number of lines of any
subordinate field. For example, when the group field (GF) has three
subordinate fields F1, F2, and F3, as shown in FIG. 10A, number n is
determined by number n1 of lines of field F1, number n2 of lines of field
F2, and number n3 of lines of field F3. (If any subordinate field, F1, F2,
or F3, has its own subordinate fields, the number of its lines is
determined b the number of lines of any subordinate field. Hence, the
number of lines is determined first by the number of lines of the lowest
field.) When the position flag set in item 56 (FIG. 8) designates the
expansion of the field in the vertical direction, n = n1 + n2 + n3, as
shown in FIG. 10B. When the position flag designates the expansion of the
field in the horizontal direction, the number n is the greatest number of
lines, in this instance n = n2, as shown in FIG. 10C.
(3) In Item 57
The data representing the display-starting position is set in this item.
The display-starting position of any field is defined by the position of a
line and the position of a digit. The display-starting position of the
highest-order field, for example, group field GF1 of the document format
data shown in FIG. 4B, is defined by coordinates (1, 1). Any other field,
for example, group field GF shown in FIG. 10A, is defined by coordinates
(0, c0). Let m1, m2, and m3 designate the number of digits forming one
line of subordinate field F1, that of subordinate field F2, and that of
subordinate field F3, respectively. When the position flag set in item 56
of the screen control data record corresponding to group field GF (FIG.
10A) designates expansion of the field in the vertical direction, the
display-starting positions 1, 2, and 3 of fields F1, F2, and F3 will be
(0, 0), (0, 0+n1), (0, 0+n1+n2), respectively, since the first digits c1,
c2, and c3 of the respective subordinate fields F1, F2, and F3 are 0,
0+n1, and 0+n1+n2, as shown in FIG. 11C. On the other hand, when the
position flag set in item 56 of this screen control-data record designates
expansion of the field in the horizontal direction, the display-starting
positions 1, 2, and 3 of fields F1, F2, and F3 will be (0, 0), (0, c0+ml),
and (0, c0+m1+m2), respectively, since the first digits c1, c2, and c3 of
the subordinate fields are, respectively, c0, c0+ml, and c0+ml+m2.
(4) In Item 58
The field pointer representing the document data record corresponding to
the screen control data record is set in this item.
When all the screen control data, which consists of screen control-data
records each having items 51-58, is completely formed, screen control
section 21 uses this control data, to display the document data and the
field-framing lines, vertical and horizontal, on the screen of CRT monitor
12 of work station 11. First, section 21 determines whether or not at
least part of each rectangular field represented by the screen-control
data can be displayed within display region P (FIG. 12) of the screen,
from the display-starting position, the number of lines, and the position
of the first digit of the field. If YES, section 21 performs the operation
described below, in accordance with the type of the field set in item 51
of the screen control-data record.
When the field is a title field, section 21 read the corresponding format
data record from format-data storage section 15, using item ID set in item
52 of the format-data record as the key code, and displays the title data
set in item 48 of the format-data record in the display region
corresponding to the title field. When the field is a basic field, section
21 reads the corresponding document-data record from document-data storage
section 16, using the field pointer set in item 58 of the document data
record as the key code. It then reads the data from the document file
stored in document-data storage section 16 and designated by the data set
in item 37 of the document-data record, and displays this document data on
the display region corresponding to the basic field. Further, section 21
identifies the vertical and horizontal lines framing the title or basic
field, by means of the data set in item 47 of the format-data record, and
displays these field-framing lines. Section 21 also identifies the lines
framing a group field, and displays these lines. Needless to say, any
rectangular field which cannot be displayed completely within display
region P (FIG. 12) of the screen will not be displayed on the screen of
CRT monitor 12.
Display region P functions as a window. When the complete document cannot
be displayed within region P, as shown in FIG. 12, the operator operates
keyboard 13 of work station 11, thereby moving the window up and down, and
left to right and vice-versa, until the document being displayed comes
fully within the window. Then, screen control section 21 begins performing
the above-described operations on the fields displayed within the window,
either partially or completely.
Operations of the screen control section 21, the command processing section
24, and the document data management section 23 in order to prepare a new
document will be described in more detail.
As shown in FIG. 15A, the screen control section 21 enters, in step S21, a
command and, in step S23, a format data name. Then, in step S25, the
section 21 transfers the document preparation command and the format data
name to the command processing section 24.
The command processing section 24 receives, in step S27, the document
preparation command and the format data name, and analyzes the command.
Then, the section 24 calls, in step S29, the document management section
and sends the format data name thereto.
In response to the call from the section 24, the document data management
section 23 opens, in step S31, the format data and, in step S33, reads the
format data. If the format data represents the field data, the section 23
prepares, in step S35, the document data record and, in step S39,
constructs the tree structure of the document data.
On the other hand, if the format data is the initial data, the section 23
prepares, in step S37, the line data record, and in step S41, sets the
line data pointer.
Operations of the sections 21, 23, and 24 in order to display the document
will be described.
The command processing section 24 gives, in step S43, a command to display
the document to the screen control section 21.
In response to the command, the section 21 initializes, in step S45, the
screen control management section. Then, in step S47, the section 21 reads
the document data. When the field is the title field, the section 21 sets,
in step S49, the number of lines of the corresponding format data. When
the field is the basic field, the section 21 sets, in step S51, the number
of line data records. When the field is the group field, the section 21,
sets, in step S53, the number of total/maximum lines of a subordinate
field. Then, in step S61, the section 21 determines the display start
line/digit position, and in step S63, stores the screen control record.
As shown in FIG. 15B, in step S65, the section 21 reads the screen control
record, and determines, in step S67, whether the screen control record is
included in the display screen. If it is included, the section 21 reads
the format data in step S69 when the field is the group field. Then, in
step S75, the section 21 displays the field framing line. If the field is
the title field, the section 21 reads the format data in step S71. Then,
in step S77, the section 21 displays the title data and, in step S81,
displays the field framing line. When the field is the basic field, the
section 21 reads the document data record in step S73. Then, in step S79,
the section reads the line data record and, in step S83 displays the line
data. Furthermore, the section 21 reads the format data in step S85, and
displays the field framing line in step S87.
Editing and Re-display of a Document
After having the initial document data displayed on CRT monitor 12, the
operator inputs ad | | |
