JP2003058811A - HTML file generation method, workflow system, and program related to HTML file generation method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] Automatically generate an HTML file of an electronic form that displays only necessary items according to display conditions defined for each item and the presence or absence of data input to the item at the time of electronic form creation. It is intended to provide a method and a system. When an electronic form is converted to an HTML file, items that need to be displayed are extracted from items defined in the electronic form based on conditions defined when the electronic form was created and a data file output in an XML format. I do. An HTML file that displays only the extracted items is generated as an input screen. In addition, when displaying the extracted items, if there is no space between the items and a certain interval or more is left between the items, the items are narrowed so as to have a certain interval. By narrowing the intervals between items, the layout of the electronic form is changed, and the size of the entire electronic form is reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an HTM for displaying an electronic form (layout data) on a WWW browser.
A method and system for generating an L file, in particular
How to automatically generate an HTML file that displays only the items required for input by determining whether to display on the screen depending on the presence or absence of data input for the items of the form and whether the display conditions defined when creating the form are satisfied And the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-35308.
As described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3, when displaying a form on a computer, all the items determined at the time of creating the electronic form are displayed. If the required items differ depending on the application of the form and the recipient, a level is set for each item when creating the electronic form, and by specifying the level when using the form, only the items corresponding to the level can be specified. It was supposed that the data can be input efficiently by displaying a rectangular display that shows the input enabled state.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned prior art, 1
Even when data is input multiple times for a single form, or when input by multiple people, make sure that all items corresponding to the specified level can be input regardless of whether data is input. Display as a rectangle. Therefore, if there are many items in the form, it becomes necessary to determine which item the data should be input, and the input work becomes difficult. Also, since the level must be specified at the time of input work, it was necessary to know which level the input work was.

Further, no consideration has been given to displaying an electronic form on a screen such as a portable terminal whose display area is not so large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for automatically generating an HTML file of an electronic form, which makes it possible to display items according to the presence / absence of data input without specifying a level and simplify the input work. .

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a method for generating an HTML file for an electronic form of a workflow system for generating an HTML file for displaying an electronic form on a WWW browser. When generating an HTML file to be displayed on a WWW browser based on layout data of a form, a display item determination processing step of selecting an item to be displayed on the screen according to display conditions for each item and already input data; The electronic form is WWW based on the judgment result of the item judgment processing step.
And an HTML file generation processing step for generating an HTML file to be displayed on the browser.

Further, according to the present invention, in the method for generating an HTML file for an electronic form of the above-mentioned workflow system, an input is made based on the presence / absence of data input and whether or not the display condition defined for each item when the electronic form is created is satisfied. It is characterized by dynamically generating an HTML file that displays only the items that are required for.

Further, the present invention is a workflow system for generating an HTML file for displaying an electronic form on a WWW browser, and when generating an HTML file for displaying on a WWW browser based on layout data of the electronic form, Display item determination processing means for selecting an item to be displayed on the screen according to the display condition for each item and already input data, and displaying the electronic form on the WWW browser based on the determination result of the display item determination processing means. HTM
An HTML file generation processing means for generating an L file is provided.

Further, the present invention is a program relating to a method for generating an HTML file of an electronic form of a workflow system for generating an HTML file for displaying an electronic form on a WWW browser, which is a WWW browser based on layout data of the electronic form. Based on the judgment result of the display item judgment processing step of selecting the item to be displayed on the screen according to the display condition of each item and the already input data when the HTML file to be displayed on the screen is generated, And an HTML file generation processing step for generating an HTML file for displaying the electronic form on the WWW browser.

The HTML file is a text file for displaying a home page on a WWW browser.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an example of a screen of a form to be displayed. In the conventional form processing system, the display contents of the form for inputting data are determined when the form is created. Therefore, even when a part of data is temporarily held and the form is displayed again to input the data, all the items at the time of creating the form are displayed. Therefore, it is necessary to search for an item that has not been input at the time of re-inputting, which is inconvenient for inputting.

In the present embodiment, when a screen such as the form 101 shown in FIG. 1 is created, attributes such as item name and number of digits are defined for each item. FIG. 2 is an example of a screen for defining attributes for each item according to this embodiment. On the screen 201, an item attribute 202 is displayed as a title, an item name 203 that is a name for distinguishing it from other items, and an attribute 204 that determines whether the data input to the item is a character or a number.
And the number of digits 205 of the input data and the type 206 indicating whether it is for input or for display. Further, by using the font button 209, the color definition button 210, and the display condition button 211, the details of each attribute can be defined by displaying a new screen. When the OK button 207 is pressed on the screen 201 for defining the attribute of the item, the contents specified on the screen are confirmed. Cancel button 20
When 8 is pressed, the contents specified on the screen are canceled.

FIG. 3 shows a screen 201 for defining the attributes of items.
It is a display condition definition screen displayed by pressing the display condition button 211 of. In the display condition definition screen,
Define a display condition that indicates when to display an item. The display condition is defined for each item using the screen of FIG. The display conditions do not necessarily have to be defined. In the display condition definition screen of FIG. 3, for the item whose item name is “Department”, it is defined to be displayed when a user whose “Title” is “Chief” or higher tries to display this electronic form. . In addition, "Display when the total amount of money is 100,000 yen or more" for the manager's stamp field item, "Do not display if the manufacturer wishing to purchase is'ABC stationery""for the shipping fee item etc.
Alternatively, for the due date item, it is possible to make a definition such as “not displayed when data is entered on the application date”. An input example on the screen of FIG. 3 in the above example is as follows, for example.

[0015] “Display when total ≧ 100,000” "Hide when manufacturer wishing to purchase = 'ABC stationery'" "Hide when application date = data available"

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an electronic data structure of a form in the present embodiment. The electronic data of the form 101 is roughly classified into data attributes for each item defined on the form and data attributes of the entire form. As data attributes for each item, item name 401, item attribute 402, color 403, data arrangement 4
04, coordinate position 405, font 406, and display condition definition 407. The color 403 is the character color 403.
1, a background color 4032, and a surrounding ruled line color 4033. The data arrangement 404 is the vertical data arrangement 40.
41 and a data arrangement 4042 in the horizontal direction. The coordinate position 405 includes a coordinate position 4051 at the upper left and a coordinate position 4052 at the lower right of the item in the rectangular format. The attributes of the entire form include background color 408 of the entire form, paper size 409, and title 410.

The items in the data structure of FIG. 4 are arranged in such an order that the values of the upper left coordinate position are in ascending order, and if the upper left coordinate position is the same, the lower right coordinate position is in ascending order. . With respect to the coordinate position of the form, the value increases as the X coordinate moves to the right of the form and the Y coordinate moves to the bottom of the form.

When the storage or input processing of the data input on the displayed electronic form screen is completed, an XML format data file as shown in FIG. 5 is generated.

In the present embodiment, when the form 101 is displayed, each item is defined in advance when the form is created as shown in FIG.
It is determined whether or not the item is to be displayed by using the display condition definition 407 of (1) and the XML format data file of FIG. An item to be displayed on the screen is determined from the result of this determination, and the value of the coordinate position 405 in FIG. 4 is used to dynamically generate an HTML file of the form whose layout arrangement is changed as necessary. As a result, the items to be displayed on the screen can be limited to those necessary for input, and the time and effort for searching for the item to be input at the time of data input can be saved, and as a result, the input work efficiency of the user can be improved.

Since the area required for displaying the form can be reduced by reducing the items to be displayed and changing the layout, the form can be displayed on a display area such as a mobile terminal which is not so large. Can reduce the complexity of inputting.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of the electronic form in which the items to be displayed and the layout are dynamically changed depending on the presence / absence of the display condition definition and data defined when the electronic form is created.

FIG. 7 shows the HTM of the electronic form of this embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of a computer 701 that dynamically generates an L file. The calculator 701 generates and displays an electronic form,
Workflow system 7 for controlling workflow, etc.
02, an electronic form layout file 703 for storing layout data of an electronic form, an electronic form HTML file 704 dynamically generated by the workflow system 702, and a workflow system 702 generated from data input to the electronic form. An XML data file 705, a display item name table 711, and a user information table 712 are provided.

The workflow system 702 is an electronic form design processing unit 706 that defines the layout of an electronic form.
And a display item determination processing unit 707 that determines whether or not the item is to be displayed from the items in the electronic form layout file 703.
And an electronic form H that generates an electronic form HTML file 704 in which only the items required for input are changed in layout and displayed from the result of the display item determination processing unit 707.
TML file generation processing unit 708 and electronic form HTML
An XML data file generation processing unit 709 that creates an XML data file from the data input in the file 704, management of information of users who handle electronic forms, and control of data input in electronic forms as a matter of a workflow. And a workflow control unit 710 for performing the above.

In the workflow system 702, the electronic form design processing unit 706 stores the layout of a form such as the form 101 in FIG. 1 and the definition of the screen defining the attributes of the items in FIG. 2 in the electronic form layout file 703. Next, the display item determination processing unit 707 determines whether or not each item needs to be displayed, based on the data in the electronic form layout file 703. At this time, if the user information table 712 generated by the workflow control unit 710 and the XML data file 705 generated by the XML data file generation processing unit 709 have been generated according to the conditions, necessary information is acquired from these files. , Determine whether it is necessary to display each item. The display item determination processing unit 707 generates the display item name table 711 based on the determination result. The electronic form HTML file generation processing unit 708 acquires the information of the corresponding item from the electronic form layout file 703 only for the items in the display item name table 711, and recalculates the layout of the electronic form and the layout of the item in some cases. To generate an electronic form HTML file 704.

Hereinafter, the display item determination processing unit 707 causes the electronic form layout file 703 and the XML data file 7 to be displayed.
05 to generate a display item name table 711 using the user information table 712, and electronic form HTM
The process in which the L file generation processing unit 708 generates the electronic form HTML file 704 using the electronic form layout file 703 and the display item name table 711 will be described in detail.

First, the display item determination process will be described. Here, the electronic form display item determination process of determining the items to be displayed in the electronic form HTML file 704 from the data of the electronic form layout file 703 and generating the display item name table 711 will be described using the flowchart of FIG. .

First, in step 801, the user information table 712 generated by the workflow control unit 710 is acquired. The user information table 712 stores data as shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the user information table 712 includes a user ID 901, a name 902,
The values of the items of the post 903, the organizational hierarchy 904, the nickname 905, and the server information 906 are stored.

In step 802, it is determined whether or not there is an unprocessed item name in the electronic form layout file 703. If there is an unprocessed item name, step 8
In 03, the item name is acquired from the electronic form layout file 703, and in step 804, the display condition definition of the item name acquired is acquired. In step 805, it is determined whether the display condition definition exists in step 804. If the display condition definition exists, it is determined whether the display condition is satisfied. At this time, first, in step 806, the value necessary for determining whether the display condition is satisfied is acquired from the user information table 712 or the XML data file 705. Next, Step 80
In step 7, it is determined whether the display condition is satisfied based on the value acquired in step 806.

If the display conditions are satisfied, step 8
At 09, it is determined whether the XML data file 705 exists and the data of the acquired item exists in the XML data file 705. XML data file 705 exists and XML data file 7
If the data of the corresponding item exists in 05, it can be determined that the data has already been input. Therefore, the electronic form HTML file 7
Nothing is displayed in 04, and the process proceeds to the next item in step 808. In step 809, the XML data file 705 does not exist, or the XML data file 70
5 exists, but if the data of the corresponding item does not exist in the XML data file 705, it can be determined that the data has not been input. Therefore, in step 810, the electronic form H
The item name is output to the display item table 711 to be displayed in the TML file 704. As described above, the specific item can be displayed only when the specific display condition is satisfied. Further, it is possible to automatically determine whether or not to display an item, depending on the input status and value of other items.

If the display conditions are not satisfied in step 807, the item is the electronic form HTML file 704.
Since it is not displayed on the screen, the process proceeds to the next item of step 808. If no display condition definition exists in step 805, the process proceeds to step 809.

In accordance with the above processing flow, step 802
Then, for all the items in the electronic form layout file 703, it is determined whether or not to display in the electronic form HTML file 704, the item names of only the items to be displayed are output, and the display item name table 711 is generated. Data as shown in FIG. 10 is output to the display item name table 711. The item name registered in the display item name table of FIG. 10 is the item name to be displayed.

Next, the electronic form HTML file generation process will be described. Here, from the electronic form layout file 703 and the display item name table 711, the electronic form H is displayed.
The electronic form HTML file generation process for generating the TML file 704 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step 1101, the previous item coordinate position is initialized. Next, in step 1102, H
The HTML header information such as the title of the TML file is output to the electronic form HTML file 704.

In step 1103, it is determined whether or not there is an unprocessed item name in the display item name table 711. If an unprocessed item name exists in the display item name table 711, the item name is acquired from the display item name table 711 in step 1104. And step 110
In step 5, the attribute, coordinate position, etc. of the corresponding item are acquired from the electronic form layout file 703.

In step 1106, the coordinate position of the previous item and the coordinate position of the item being processed are compared to recalculate the coordinate position displayed on the electronic form. If the coordinate position of the previous item is the value at the time of creating the electronic form, the recalculation result remains the coordinate position at the time of creating the electronic form, but there is a large gap in the horizontal or vertical direction from the item before creating the electronic form. If so, try packing it at regular intervals. In this way, the layout of items on the electronic form is changed.

In step 1107, the recalculated item information such as the coordinate position is output to the electronic form HTML file 704. In step 1108, the coordinate position output to the electronic form HTML file 704 is saved as the previous item coordinate position. In step 1109, the process proceeds to the next item, and the process is repeated until all item names in the display item name table 711 are processed in step 1103.

After all the item information in the display item name table 711 is output to the electronic form HTML file 704, in step 1110, the HTML end tag and the like are output to the electronic form HTML file 704.

Through the above processing, using the electronic form layout file 703 and the display item name table 711, the electronic form HTML for displaying only the items that satisfy the display conditions defined when the electronic form is created and are not input. The file 704 is generated.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of contents of the electronic form HTML file 704 generated by the electronic form HTML file generation processing unit 708. When the HTML file shown in FIG. 12 is displayed, the electronic form created like the form 101 shown in FIG. 1 is displayed as a form shown in FIG.

As an application example of the present invention, FIG. 13 shows the form 101 shown in FIG. 1 by changing the layout so that the items are output only in the vertical direction when the electronic form HTML file is generated. FIG. 9 is a diagram in which only the items necessary for inputting the electronic form created in FIG. 6 are displayed on the screen of a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone.

According to the above embodiment, it is possible to generate an HTML file that displays only the items according to the defined display conditions. In particular, when the extracted items are displayed, if the items are not displayed and the items are not displayed, the items can be displayed at a fixed interval. By reducing the space between items,
It is possible to change the layout of the electronic form and reduce the size of the entire electronic form.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When displaying an electronic form, only the items that meet the display conditions or have no data entered are displayed without specifying anything, and the area in which the electronic form is displayed is smaller than when creating the electronic form. The electronic form HTML file can be automatically generated. Further, as a result, it is possible to easily find an item requiring input from the electronic form displayed on the screen, and it is possible to reduce the input work.

Further, by reducing the area required for displaying the form, it becomes possible to display the electronic form in a size suitable for a device such as a portable terminal whose screen is not so large.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a screen example of a form.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for defining attributes of items on an electronic form.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for defining display conditions of items on an electronic form.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data structure of an electronic form layout file.

FIG. 5: XM data entered in the displayed electronic form
It is a figure which shows the output example of the data file stored in L format.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of an electronic form in which items to be displayed and a layout are dynamically changed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing functional blocks of a computer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of a display item determination processing unit.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a data structure of a user information table.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a display item name table data structure.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of an electronic form HTML file generation processing unit.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an output example of an electronic form HTML file in which displayed items and layout are changed.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which an electronic form in which displayed items are dynamically changed is displayed on a mobile phone.

[Explanation of symbols]

201 ... screen 202 ・ ・ ・ Title 203 ... Item name 204 ... Attribute 205 ・ ・ ・ Number of digits 206 ... Type 207 ... OK button 208 ... Cancel button 209 ... Font button 210 ... Color definition button 211 ... Display condition definition button 701 ... Calculator 702 ... Workflow system 703 ... Electronic form layout file 704 ... Electronic form HTML file 705 ... XML data file 706 ... Electronic form design processing unit 707 ... Display item determination processing unit 708 ... Electronic form HTML file generation processing unit 709 ... XML data file generation processing unit 710 ... Workflow control unit 711 ... Display item name table 712 ... User information table

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for generating an HTML file for an electronic form of a workflow system for generating an HTML file for displaying an electronic form on a WWW browser, the HTML file being displayed on a WWW browser based on layout data of the electronic form. At the time of generation, a display item determination processing step of selecting an item to be displayed on the screen according to the display condition of each item and already input data, and based on the determination result of the display item determination processing step,
An HTML file generation process step of generating an HTML file for displaying an electronic form on a WWW browser. An HTML file generating method for an electronic form of a workflow system, comprising: 2. The method for generating an HTML file for an electronic form of the workflow system according to claim 1, based on the presence / absence of data input and whether or not the display condition defined for each item at the time of creating the electronic form is satisfied.
An HTML file generation method for an electronic form of a workflow system, which dynamically generates an HTML file that displays only items required for input. 3. A workflow system for generating an HTML file for displaying an electronic form on a WWW browser, wherein when an HTML file for displaying on a WWW browser is generated based on layout data of the electronic form Display item judgment processing means for selecting an item to be displayed on the screen according to display conditions and already input data, and an HTML file for displaying an electronic form on a WWW browser based on the judgment result of the display item judgment processing means. And an HTML file generation processing unit for generating the. 4. A program relating to an HTML file generation method for an electronic form of a workflow system for generating an HTML file for displaying an electronic form on a WWW browser, which is displayed on a WWW browser based on layout data of the electronic form. When an HTML file is generated, a display item determination processing step of selecting an item to be displayed on the screen according to the display condition of each item and already input data, and based on the determination result of the display item determination processing step,
An HTML file generation processing step for generating an HTML file for displaying an electronic form on a WWW browser, and a program according to an HTML file generating method for an electronic form of a workflow system.