JPH0440566A - Configuration design support device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] This invention relates to a device that supports the creation of materials for computer software configuration design, etc., which is created sequentially while considering and automatically formats configuration diagrams with intersecting links. , a configuration design support device that can update data of an easy-to-read configuration diagram, and has an input section and a shaping section, and the input section has a predetermined node shape and a predetermined shape that connects the node shapes. According to a predetermined input specifying a link figure, block diagram data consisting of the figure data of the node figure and the link figure is generated, and the shaping section, when given a predetermined shaping instruction, generates block diagram data of the block diagram data. The predetermined relative positions between the node figures are sequentially determined according to the predetermined directionality of the link figure that connects each of the node figures, the node figures are relocated to a position that satisfies the determined relative positions, and the node figures are relocated to positions that satisfy the determined relative positions. The link graphic is configured to be updated according to the arrangement.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a configuration design support device that supports the creation of materials such as software configuration design in a computer.

[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention] When designing software for computers, it is necessary to create program operating environment diagrams, module configuration diagrams, inter-module interface tables, module logic design charts, etc. as so-called configuration design materials. There is a need to.

When designing them on a workstation, use a general-purpose document creation function or a specialized editor to display figures, tables, and other data on the workstation's display screen. Proceed with the creation process one by one while modifying, adding, and deleting data.

For example, in a module configuration diagram, as shown in Figure 4(a), the nodes are rectangular or parallelogram shapes representing program modules, routines, and data, and the nodes are connected by link shapes of arrow lines. Then, arrows are used to express the information exchange relationship, but since the necessary modules are drawn one after another, the resulting configuration diagram may have too much space or the vertical relationship of nodes may go against the flow of information. This often results in placement.

For example, by rearranging the nodes in the configuration diagram,
In order to create a diagram that is easy to read, the user must move, modify, or redraw the graphics, and the user must spend workstation time simply scribbling the graphics.

An object of the present invention is to provide a configuration design support device that is capable of sequentially creating configuration diagrams while considering them, automatically formatting configuration diagrams with intersecting links, and updating data of configuration diagrams that are easy to view.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention.

The figure shows the configuration of a configuration design support device, which has an input section 1 and a shaping section 2. The input section 1 specifies predetermined node figures and predetermined link figures connecting the node figures. In accordance with a predetermined input from the input/output device 4, the formatting section 2 generates configuration diagram data 3 consisting of graphic data of the node graphics and link graphics. , sequentially determine a predetermined relative position between the node figures according to a predetermined directionality of the link figure connecting each of the node figures, and relocate the node figure to a position that satisfies the determined relative position; The link graphic is updated according to the relocation.

[For production]

The configuration design support device of the present invention automatically rearranges the configuration diagram input as configuration diagram data in consideration of the direction of connections between nodes, so it is possible to easily create an easy-to-read configuration diagram, and Since rearrangement can be performed, there is less need to consider the arrangement of nodes during the design process, and it is possible to concentrate on the design and proceed with the work efficiently.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 shows an example of the overall configuration of the configuration design support device,
Editor control unit 10 and various editors lla, 1lb-
Consisting of 1In.

Each of the editors lla, 11b-, and lln is provided corresponding to the various materials for configuration design such as the program operating environment diagram, module configuration diagram, inter-module interface table, module logical design chart, etc. This is a dedicated editor with specialized editing functions for the format of the material and necessary graphical elements.

The editor control unit 10 starts one of the necessary editors lla, 11b-, and lln according to the name of the material type specified in the editing request input by the user from the input/output device 4, and selects the activated editor. generates and updates the configuration design information data 12 according to input data from the input/output device 4, and displays the contents on the display screen of the input/output device 4.

FIG. 1 shows the editors lla, 11b---11n.
The structure diagram editor has an input section 1 and a formatting section 2, and the input section 1 inputs various predetermined node shapes (rectangles, parallelograms, etc.) and nodes that become nodes of the configuration diagram. It receives link figures for connecting arrow lines and instructions for inputting characters such as names from the input/output device 4 and displays them on the display screen, while storing them in the configuration diagram data 3, and also displays them on the display screen. Editing instructions such as moving or deleting figures or characters are reflected on the display screen and configuration diagram data 3.

After creating the configuration diagram data 3, the user inputs a formatting instruction and starts the formatting section 2. The shaping part 2 is the configuration diagram data 3
For example, by the process shown in FIG. 3, a formatting process is performed to update the configuration diagram data 3 so that it becomes an easy-to-read configuration diagram, and the formatted configuration diagram is displayed on the screen of the input/output device 4.

That is, after the shaping unit 2 performs necessary initial setting processing in processing step 20 of FIG. is determined by referring to a predetermined figure type, and if it is a node figure, it is entered into the node table in processing stage 23. At that time, by the already related link shape,
If the node table has a section for nodes connected by that link shape, set the information for that node shape in the corresponding section, and if there is no such section, set the node in the new section. Set shape information.

If the read figure is a link figure, process step 2
In step 4, connection information indicating the connection relationship and the direction of the arrow is set in the nodes corresponding to both ends of the link graphic in the node table. In this case as well, set the connection information in the corresponding node section or, if it does not exist, in the newly established section. Thereafter, identification is performed in processing step 25, and the processing from processing step 21 is repeated until processing of all the figures in the block diagram data 3 is completed.

In processing step 26, in order to make the sizes of the node figures after shaping the same, the sizes of the figures are determined so that, for example, the sizes of all the sword figures match the largest of the node figures.

Next, in processing step 27, the two created node table numbers are checked for connection information, and a node that is not turned into an arrow pointing light by any link is searched and set as the first node. With this top node as the first layer, child nodes connected to nodes in each layer are detected to sequentially construct the hierarchy.

That is, in processing step 28, control information indicating connection relationships and stratification is set so that all nodes connected to links originating from one node (initially the first node) are picked up and made to be child nodes of the node. However, if there is an unprocessed sibling node (node in the same layer) identified in processing step 29, the next node in that layer is extracted in processing step 30, and
Processing step 2 until all nodes in the same layer are processed.
Repeat the process from 8.

Also, when all the swords in the first layer have been processed, processing step 3
1, if there is a next layer (that is, if there is a link coming out of any node that has been made a child node in the current process)
, the layer number is incremented by one in processing step 32, and the process returns to processing step 30 to retrieve the node of the new layer and process as described above.

When all the nodes have been processed so that there are no child nodes with links in this way, the process proceeds from processing step 31 to processing step 33, and in accordance with the above layer order, the XX coordinates of the display screen are The positions of the layers are sequentially assigned downward, with the first layer being the top position, and the X coordinate of each layer is given to the node of that layer.

Further, the X coordinate of each node is given so that the nodes in the same layer are arranged at appropriate equal intervals in the X-axis direction, and the rearrangement of the nodes is determined.

In processing step 34, based on the rearrangement of the nodes, the position of the link figure connecting them is determined and the original link figure is updated. Also, the necessary additional figures are modified accordingly. Information on the node graphics and link graphics that have been formatted as described above is output as new configuration diagram data 3 in processing step 35.

Through the above processing, a formatted block diagram as shown in FIG. 4(b) can be automatically generated from a block diagram as shown in FIG. 4(a).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, in an apparatus that supports the creation of materials such as software configuration design in a computer, a configuration diagram with intersecting links is automatically created by sequentially creating it while considering it. Since the data is formatted and updated to an easy-to-read configuration diagram, it has a significant industrial effect of improving design work efficiency.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a configuration example of a configuration design support device, Fig. 3 is a flowchart of the processing of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is a diagram explaining the configuration diagram. . In the figure, 1 is an input unit, 2 is a formatting unit, 3 is block diagram data, 4 is an input/output device, IO is an editor control unit, lla = 11n is an editor, 12 is configuration design information data, 20 to 35 are processing steps shows. Agent Patent Attorney Sada Igeta-1

Claims (1)

[Claims] It has an input section (1) and a shaping section (2), and the input section (
1) generates configuration diagram data (3) consisting of graphic data of node shapes and link shapes according to a predetermined input specifying a predetermined node shape and a predetermined link shape that connects the node shapes; When there is a predetermined formatting instruction, the formatting unit (2) formats the configuration diagram data (3) into a predetermined shape between the node graphics according to the predetermined directionality of the link graphics that connect the node graphics. Determine relative positions sequentially,
A configuration design support device, characterized in that it is configured to relocate the node graphic to a position that satisfies the determined relative position and update the link graphic in accordance with the rearrangement.