JPH08235269A - Character arrangement method and form design system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To provide a character arrangement method and form design system that can arrange characters in a frame in a well-balanced manner and have a very low work load. A column spacing ratio designating process for designating a character spacing and a column spacing ratio between the right and left sides of the rectangular frame and the spacing between characters, and a character size etc. so that the arranged characters are included in the rectangular frame. A character adjustment process for adjusting to obtain adjusted character data, based on the column spacing ratio and the adjusted character data,
A character arrangement method having a character interval and an arrangement interval calculation process for calculating the right and left sides of the rectangular frame and the character interval, and a form design system to which the character arrangement method is applied.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character arrangement method and a form design system to which the method is applied.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A character array specifies a region to be arrayed,
Character size is specified, and the digit spacing of array characters (column spacing)
This is done by specifying the line spacing. The range to be arranged is specified by, for example, specifying the size of the paper such as A5, A4, A3, B5, B4 on the assumption that the printout is performed on the paper, and in some cases, the margin is also specified. It was also done. Further, there is a framework with ruled lines and the like, and when the framework is to be arranged, the framework is designated by placing a cursor inside the framework. The character size is specified by specifying the number of points such as 9 points and 12 points (standard for the size of printed characters). With respect to the attribute of a character, it is often the case that a line typeface, a regular typeface, a Gothic typeface, and the like are specified together with the size.

The column spacing (digit spacing) of arrayed characters is also simply referred to as the character spacing when characters are written horizontally (flowing characters horizontally), and the designation is to specify the array pitch in the column direction of the characters. Done by. The line spacing of arrayed characters is also simply referred to as the character spacing when characters are written vertically (when characters are poured vertically), and the designation is made by designating the array pitch of the characters in the line direction. In the conventional method of arranging characters, characters are specified after completing the specification by entering the necessary numbers for all of the many specified items such as character size specification, column interval specification, line interval specification, etc. Array of.

[0004]

However, in the case of arranging the characters inside the frame by the ruled lines or the like by such a method, the relationship between the size of the frame and the number of characters of the characters is taken into consideration in a well-balanced manner inside the frame. Arranging letters has never been easier. For example, when the size of the character or the number of characters is large, the character may be out of the frame, and when the size of the character or the number of characters is small, an unnatural white space remains in the frame. Therefore, it has been necessary to perform trial and error by changing the designated method and determine the placement while performing fine adjustment, which is an extremely heavy work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a character arranging method and form design system which can arrange characters in a frame in a well-balanced manner and have a very small work load.

[0006]

The above object can be achieved by the present invention described below. That is, the present invention is a frame designating process of designating a rectangular frame of a character array target, a column spacing ratio of a spacing between characters, and a spacing between characters on the right and left sides of the rectangular frame and a spacing between characters in a sequence of characters to be aligned. A column spacing ratio designating step, a character adjusting step in which the character size is adjusted so as to include the arranged characters in the rectangular frame to obtain adjusted character data, the column spacing ratio and the adjusted character data A character arrangement method, which includes an arrangement interval calculation step of calculating a character-to-character interval and a right and left sides of the rectangular frame and a character based on the above.

Further, according to the present invention, a frame designating process for designating a rectangular frame for character arrangement, a character-to-character interval between character strings to be arranged, a left-right side of the rectangular frame and a character interval,
Specify the column spacing ratio specifying step, and specify the line spacing ratio of the character string to character string spacing and the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and the character string spacing for the rows of the character strings to be arranged. A step of specifying the line spacing ratio, and adjusting the character size, the character length ratio, and the character flatness ratio so as to include the arranged characters inside the rectangular frame, and obtain the adjusted character data. A step, the column spacing ratio, the row spacing ratio,
Based on the adjusted character data, characters and character spacing,
A character arrangement method, comprising: an arrangement interval calculation process for calculating a space between characters on the left and right sides of the rectangular frame; a space between characters on the character string; and a space between upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and a character string. is there.

The present invention is also the character arrangement method, wherein the rectangular frame is a character arrangement frame provided inside a figure frame, and the character arrangement frame is designated by designating the figure frame.

The present invention is also a form design system having character arrangement means, wherein the character arrangement means comprises:
The frame designating unit comprises a frame designating unit, a column spacing ratio designating unit, a line spacing ratio designating unit, a character adjusting unit, and an array spacing computing unit. The spacing ratio designating means designates a column spacing ratio of the spacing between the characters and the spacing between the right and left sides of the rectangular frame and the spacing between the character strings to be arranged. The line spacing ratio of the character string to character string interval, the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame, and the character string interval is specified for each line, and the character adjusting means places the arranged characters inside the rectangular frame. The character size, the character length ratio, and the character flatness ratio are adjusted so as to include, and the adjusted character data is obtained, and the arrangement interval calculation means is the column interval ratio, the line interval ratio, and Based on the adjusted character data, the distance between characters and And distance between the right and left sides and the character shape frame, calculates the distance between the strings and the strings, and spacing of the upper and lower sides and strings of said rectangular frame, and a design system, the paper sheet.

[0010]

According to the character arranging method of the present invention, the rectangular frame for character arrangement is designated in the frame designating process, and the character-to-character space and the rectangular frame are arranged in the character sequence to be arranged in the column spacing ratio designating process. The column spacing ratio of the left and right sides of the character and the character spacing is specified, and the character size is adjusted by the character adjustment process so that the arranged characters are included in the rectangular frame, and adjusted character data is obtained. In the array spacing calculation process, the spacing between the columns is calculated based on the column spacing ratio and the adjusted character data, and the spacing between the characters and the left and right sides of the rectangular frame.

According to the character arrangement method of the present invention, the rectangular frame for character arrangement is designated in the frame designating process, and the character-to-character spacing and the rectangular frame are arranged in the character sequence to be arranged in the column spacing ratio designating process. The column spacing ratio of the left and right sides and the character spacing is specified, and for the rows of the character string to be arranged by the line spacing ratio specification process, the spacing between the character strings and the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and the character string A space and a line spacing ratio are specified, and the character size, the character length ratio, and the character flatness ratio are adjusted so that the arranged characters are included in the rectangular frame by the character adjustment process, Adjusted character data is obtained, and the column interval ratio, the row interval ratio, and the character interval based on the adjusted character data by the array interval calculation process, and the left and right sides of the rectangular frame and the character interval. , The space between strings, And distance between the upper and lower sides and strings of serial rectangular frame, is calculated. Therefore, a plurality of lines of characters can be arranged in the rectangular frame.

Further, according to the character arrangement method of the present invention, the rectangular frame is a character arrangement frame provided inside the graphic frame,
By specifying the graphic frame, the character arrangement frame is specified by the frame specifying process. Therefore, there is a margin for the line width of the figure frame and the positional deviation when the figure and the character are separately processed.

According to the form design system of the present invention, there is provided a form design system having character arrangement means, wherein the character arrangement means is a frame designating means, a column spacing ratio designating means, and a line spacing ratio. It comprises a designating unit, a character adjusting unit, and an array spacing calculating unit, wherein the frame designating unit designates a rectangular frame for character arraying, and the column spacing ratio designating unit arranges a character string to be arranged. And a space between characters on the right and left sides of the rectangular frame and a space between the characters are designated, and a space between the character strings for the lines of the character string arranged by the line space ratio designating means,
The line spacing ratio of the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and the space between the character strings is specified, and the character size and the horizontal direction of the character are set so that the characters arranged by the character adjusting means are included in the rectangular frame. The length ratio, which is the expansion / contraction ratio of the size of the character, and the flatness ratio, which is the expansion / contraction ratio of the size of the character in the vertical direction, are adjusted to obtain adjusted character data, and the column interval ratio and the line The space ratio, the space between the characters based on the adjusted character data, the space between the left and right sides of the rectangular frame and the character, the space between the character string and the character string, and the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and the character string. The intervals and are calculated.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The character arrangement method and form design system of the present invention will be described below with reference to preferred embodiments.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus for carrying out the character arrangement method of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a portion surrounded by a solid line frame 1 is a character arranging device for carrying out the character arranging method of the present invention.
Is a LAN (Local Area Network) such as Ethernet,
3 is a data store system for storing character data, basic part (primitive) data, design data, and other data, and for transferring these data to and from the character arranging device 1 through a LAN, 4 is a keyboard,
An input device 5 such as a mouse is an output means such as a display and a printer.

In FIG. 1, the character arranging device 1 is further composed of details, 6 is a storage means, 7 is a computing means, and is a main body of a computer such as a personal computer or an engineering workstation. In the storage means 6, 8 is character data read from the data store system 3 or input and stored from the input device 4, and 9 is design data obtained by designating and arranging the character data 8. Further, in the calculating means 7, 10 is a frame parameter designation processing routine for designating an array format when arranging the character data 8 in the designated rectangular frame, and 11 is a character size and a rectangular shape according to the designated array format. A character adjustment processing routine that adjusts the rate, flatness ratio, etc. to obtain adjusted character data, 12 is an array that obtains character array data by calculating the character array interval based on the specified array format and adjusted character data It is an interval calculation means.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the flow of character arrangement processing. The details will be described later, and the overall processing flow will be briefly described with reference to FIG. A frame graphic to which characters are to be arranged is specified (S1), and the character arrangement is performed by specifying a frame parameter (S2). When the specified frame parameter is set, the character adjustment routine is executed. The activated character data is obtained upon activation (S3), and the character spacing when arranging characters in the character arrangement frame inside the frame graphic is calculated from the adjusted character data and the frame parameter (S4). Finally, it is selected whether to end or continue the character arranging process (S5). If it is the end selection, the process is ended, and if it is the continuation selection, the process returns to the target figure selection (S1).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a dialog screen for interactively inputting / outputting data between the operator and the system. This dialog screen is output device 5 (see Figure 1)
It is a frame parameter input palette displayed on the display of and for specifying frame parameters. The frame parameter specification processing routine 10 in FIG. 1 and the frame parameter specification (S2) in FIG. 2 are processing routines performed using the frame parameter input palette for specifying the frame parameters as a dialog screen. The frame parameter input palette is displayed on the display (see FIG. 1) of the output device 4 by designating a graphic frame and selecting "frame parameter" from an operation menu (for example, a design menu) by operating the mouse. In addition, if you select "Set" after entering the required frame parameters in the frame parameter input palette,
The frame parameter is set for the figure frame, and the display of the frame parameter input palette disappears from the screen.

In FIG. 3, for example, by placing a mouse pointing point on the button on the right side of the "safety zone" at the upper left and clicking the mouse button, a ▼ mark is displayed on the button and the safety zone is inside the designated graphic frame. Is provided. The distance between the safety zone and the graphic frame is determined by the numerical value in the frame on the right side of the button. When the safety zone is set, the inside of the safety zone becomes the character arrangement frame, and when the safety zone is not set, the figure frame becomes the character arrangement frame. Further, the "reference" is set as the arrangement mode when arranging the character strings in the character arrangement frame, such as arranging so as to be targeted with the center as the reference, or arranging characters with left or right padding. That is, the upper left reference, the middle upper reference, the upper right reference, the left middle reference, the center reference, the right middle reference, the lower left reference, the lower middle reference, the lower right reference, and the like are set. The "set direction" sets whether the character strings are arranged vertically or horizontally. Vertical and horizontal selection is done by selecting the button,
A black mark appears inside the selected button, indicating that it has been selected (selected state).

In the <Layout method> column of FIG. 3, "character spacing:", "character string size", "AU"
One of the three options "TO" and "row spacing:", "matrix size", and "A" arranged on the right side of them.
Select one from the three options "UTO". The selection is made by selecting a button, and a black mark appears inside the selected button to indicate that it has been selected (selected state). Interval: "is a method to set the interval between characters when arranging the character string in the character arrangement frame, and is set by writing the numerical value in the frame and selecting the button. The column "size" is a method for setting the length of the character string when arranging the character string in the character arrangement frame, and is set by writing a numerical value in the frame and selecting the button. "AUTO" (Left side) is a character arrangement method of the present invention for automatically arranging a character string in a character arrangement frame. When "AUTO" and "ratio" are selected, "outer frame distance" is displayed. Set the "between characters" value in those boxes It is, an array of strings as between the outer frame distance and character is maintained is performed by their numerical ratio (the details will be described later).

"Line spacing:" is a method for setting a line spacing when arranging a plurality of lines of character strings in a character arrangement frame, and is set by writing a numerical value in the frame and selecting a button. . The “matrix size” is a method of setting the length of a character line when arranging a character string of a plurality of lines in a character arrangement frame, and is set by writing a numerical value in the frame and selecting a button. . Further, "AUTO" (right side) is a character arrangement method of the present invention which automatically arranges character strings of a plurality of lines in a character arrangement frame. If "AUTO" and "Ratio" are selected, "Outer frame distance" and "Between characters"
By setting the numerical values of to those frames, the character lines are arranged so that the outer frame distance and the characters are maintained at the numerical ratios (details will be described later).

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the character strings are arranged in the character arrangement frame. In FIG. 4 (A), three characters are arranged in one line
FIG. 4B is a diagram in which six characters are arranged in two columns. FIG.
In (A), the outermost frame is a frame on the form (that is, "graphic frame"), and the area after securing the safety zone (that is, "character arrangement frame") is inside the frame on the form.
Is provided. Furthermore, a character string bounding box is provided inside the area with left and right and top and bottom margins. This is automatically generated in the case of "AUTO", and the character string is automatically arranged in the generated character string bounding box. To be done. If the strings are arranged in one line,
The character spacing inside the character bounding box and the margins between the character array frames outside the character bounding box are set in the frame parameter specification processing routine 10 in FIG. 1 and the frame parameter specification (S2) in FIG. It is automatically determined according to the ratio. FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram when the column spacing ratio of the spacing between characters and the spacing between the left and right sides of the rectangular frame and the spacing between the characters of the array of characters is set to 1: 2. .

In FIG. 4B, the outermost frame is the frame on the form (that is, "graphic frame"), and the area after securing the safety zone (that is, "character arrangement frame") is inside the frame on the form. ) Is provided. Furthermore, a character string bounding box is provided inside the area with left and right and top and bottom margins. This is automatically generated in the case of "AUTO", and the character string is automatically arranged in the generated character string bounding box. To be done. If the strings are arranged in multiple lines, the character spacing inside the string bounding box, the margins between the left and right character arrangement frames outside the string bounding box, and the line spacing inside the string bounding box , The margin between the character bounding box and the character arrangement frame outside the top and bottom is automatically determined according to the ratios set in the frame parameter designation processing routine 10 in FIG. 1 and the frame parameter designation (S2) in FIG. . FIG. 4 (B) shows a character string to be arranged and arranged with a column interval ratio of 1: 2 between the character spacing and the character spacing between the left and right sides of the rectangular frame. For the line of, the space between the character string and the character string, the space between the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and the character string,
3 is a schematic diagram when the line spacing ratio of is designated as 1: 2. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing of the character arrangement method of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a continuation of the flowchart of FIG. 5 and 6, S11 (ratio setting)
Are the process steps in the frame parameter specification routine 10 in FIG. 1 and the frame parameter specification (S2) in FIG. Further, S29 is a processing step in the array interval calculation processing routine 12 in FIG. 1 and the array interval calculation (S4) in FIG. In addition, the intermediate processing S12-
S28 is a processing step in the character adjustment processing routine 11 in FIG. 1 and the character adjustment (S3) in FIG. Further, FIG. 7A shows a character arrangement frame and parameters x, y, y '.
FIG. 7B shows the character size and parameters a and a ′.
FIG. In FIG. 7A, the parameter x is the length in the horizontal axis direction obtained by subtracting the safety zone from the figure frame, the parameter y is the length in the vertical axis direction obtained by subtracting the safety zone from the figure frame, and the parameter y'is a character string. Is the length in the vertical axis direction of the character arrangement frame per line when there are multiple lines. In addition, in FIG.
The parameter a is the point size * long body ratio, and the parameter a ′ is the point size * flat body ratio.

Next, the character arrangement processing in the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 and the other figures described above. First, a frame is designated to designate a rectangular frame for character arrangement. The frame is specified by, for example, placing the mouse's pointing point in the graphic frame displayed on the display and pressing the mouse button.The specified graphic frame is a rectangle so that it can be seen that it is in the specified state. A black circle is displayed at each corner of. When the figure frame is designated, the character arrangement frame (area after securing the safety zone; see FIG. 4) corresponding to the figure frame is determined as described above. In that state, for the character string to be arranged, the column interval ratio is specified to specify the column interval ratio of the character interval and the character interval of the left and right sides of the character array frame. For the lines of, the line spacing ratio is specified to specify the line spacing ratio of the space between the character strings and the space between the upper and lower sides of the character arrangement frame and the character strings (see FIG. 3 and its description). S1
1).

Next, the provisional size of the character string bounding box (see FIG. 4) is determined. For example, the provisional size is the same as the character arrangement frame, and x is given as the horizontal direction (X direction) size and y is given as the vertical direction (Y direction) size. However, in the case of a plurality of lines, y'is given instead of y (S12). Next, the parameter a is set to point size * long body ratio, and the parameter a ′ is set to point size * flat body ratio (see FIG. 7). The long body rate and the flat body rate are “1” or “100%” as the default values.
Is given. Values can be set in the frame parameter input palette (see FIG. 3). This long body rate,
The flatness rate is a tentative value and can be changed in a later process (S
13). Next, a'and y are compared (S14), and a '<
If it is not y, the length ratio is set to "100%" (S1).
5, S16). Further, a value obtained by subtracting 1% from the flat rate is set as a new flat rate (S17). Furthermore, the point size * flat rate is set to a'using a new flat rate (S1
8).

Next, it is determined whether the flatness rate is 70% or more (S19). S when the flatness rate is 70% or more
Return to 14. If not, a value obtained by subtracting 0.5 from the point number of the character is set as the new point number (S
20). Further, the point size * flat rate is set in a'using the new number of points, and the process returns to S14 (S21).
Next, a'and y are compared (S14), and if a '<y is not satisfied, the above process is repeated. If a '<y, the point size * long body ratio * number of characters is set in the parameter L (S22). Next, x and L are compared (S23), and when x ≧ L is not satisfied, it is further determined whether or not x <L and the flatness rate ≠ 100 (S24), and if so, The value obtained by subtracting 0.5 from the point number of the character is set as the new point number, and the length ratio is 100.
%, And the process returns to S22 (S25).

It is determined whether or not x <L and the flat body ratio ≠ 100 (S24). If not, a value obtained by subtracting 1% from the long body ratio is set as a new long body ratio in FIG. Yes (S26). It is determined whether or not the length ratio is 70% or more (S27), and if so, the process returns to S22 in FIG. 5, and if not, 0.5 from the character point number.
The value obtained by subtracting is the new number of points, and S14 in FIG.
Return to (S20). The above process is repeated, and x and L are compared in S23. If x ≧ L, it means that the adjusted character data has been obtained, and the character-to-character interval (character interval) and the rectangular frame The space between the left and right sides of the character and the character (space between the left and right spaces), the space between the character string and the character string (line space),
Space between the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and the character string (space between top and bottom)
And are calculated (S29).

Next, the calculation of the character spacing and the line spacing in S29 will be described. Result S2 after the above processing
Immediately before 9, that is, when x and L are compared in S23 described above and x ≧ L, the parameter x, which is provisionally set so as to match the character arrangement frame (area after securing the safety zone), y, y'has been changed to a value smaller than the character arrangement frame, and the parameters a,
a'is in the frame determined by its parameters x, y, y '
The size is such that the character string fits in without a gap. The adjusted character data is these data.

Therefore, the character spacing, the left and right blank spacing, the line spacing, and the vertical blank spacing are calculated according to the equations (1), (2), and (3) below to obtain the specified column spacing ratio and row spacing. Characters can be arranged in a space ratio (see Figure 4 and its description). However, in the following Equations 1, 2, 3 and 4, (space between characters): (space between left and right sides of rectangular frame): a: b (column spacing ratio)
= B / (a + b), and (space between character strings):
When (space between upper and lower sides of rectangular frame and character string) = c: d (line spacing ratio) = d / (c + d).

[Formula 1] (character spacing) = (x−L) * (1-column spacing ratio) / (column spacing ratio * 2 + (number of characters−1) * (1-column spacing ratio)) However, as described above, L = Point size * Length rate * Number of characters

[Equation 2] (left and right blank space) = (x−L) * column spacing ratio / (column spacing ratio * 2 + (number of characters-1) * (1-column spacing ratio))

Similarly to (character spacing) and (left and right blank spacing), (line spacing) and (vertical blank spacing) can be considered, and the following equation is obtained by using the parameter L'instead of the parameter L (S22). Be guided.

[Formula 3] (line spacing) = (y−L ′) * (1-line spacing ratio) / (line spacing ratio * 2 + (number of lines−1) * (1-line spacing ratio)) where L ′ = Point size * Flat rate * Number of lines

[Equation 3] (vertical space interval) = (y−L ′) * line spacing ratio / (line spacing ratio * 2 + (number of lines-1) * (1-line spacing ratio))

Next, the form design system of the present invention in which the above character arrangement method is applied to the form design system will be described. Here, the forms refer to items provided with items (entry fields) for entering predetermined data such as slips, copy slips, OCR slips, passbooks, application slips, and notification slips. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an integrated system including a form design system of the present invention and its peripheral devices and connecting a main business office and a remote business office. In FIG. 8, reference numerals 21a and 21b are B including a form design system of the present invention having a character arrangement processing function and an input / output device.
FD (Business Form Design) terminal, 22 is LA
Ethernet of N, 23 is a data store system for storing and managing BFD data, data of various image data (color image, parts image, etc.), 24 is a plate making scanner for inputting original images, etc., 25 is an image on photographic film A film output device that outputs data, 26 is a BFD conversion server that obtains image data in which the data format of BFD data is converted, 27 is a comp output device that prints color image data in color on plain paper, and 28 is a master plate for printing FCS (Form Composing S)
ystem) and 29 are routers of devices that connect networks between remote places.

FIG. 9 shows a form design system 2 according to the present invention.
It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a main routine of 1 (a, b). In FIG. 9, the form design system 2
When 1 is activated, the main menu is displayed on the display (S21). There are four menus in the main menu: "Utility", "Form creation", "Output", and "End". By selecting one of them,
Proceed to those processes (S22). When "utility" is selected, the utility processing routine (S23) is started, when "form preparation" is selected, the form preparation processing routine (S24) is started, and when "output" is selected, the output processing routine ( When S25) is activated and "End" is selected, the form design system is ended. When a processing routine other than "end" is completed, the main routine of the main routine is displayed (S21).

In the utility processing routine (S23), there are further submenus, "component image management", "color image management", "BFD data management",
“Form part data management”, “sample form data management”, and “WS (Workstation) data import processing” are performed. In "component image management", management of logo data and management of punctuation marks and the like are performed for each user. In addition, a cartridge M for a component image (primitive)
Each process of T initialization, saving of component image data, and loading of component image data is performed. "Color image management"
In, the management processing of the photographic image is performed. Further, each processing of initializing the color image cartridge MT, saving the color image data, and loading the color image data is performed.

In the "BFD data management", the BFD
Manage the data created in. Further, each processing of initializing the cartridge MT for BFD data, saving BFD data, and loading BFD data is performed. In the “form part data management”, management processing of form parts (forms in which only necessary parts are divided and parts are stored) is performed.
Further, each process of initializing the cartridge MT for form part data, saving the form part data, and loading the form part data is performed. In the “sample form data management”, a sample form (presentation form) is managed. In addition, initialization of the cartridge MT for sample form data, saving of sample form data,
Perform each process of loading sample form data. "WS
(Workstasion) Data import process ”,
A process of removing a margin of image data captured from the scanner via WS and registering the data is performed.

In the output processing routine (S25),
All-color composite output to the comp output device 27 (see FIG. 8), or C (Cyan), M (Mgenta), Y (Yellow), Bk (Blac
k), "Comp output processing" for performing color separation output from spot color 1 to spot color 24, C on the film output machine 25 (see FIG. 8),
"Film output processing" for outputting a color-separating positive film of M, Y, Bk, spot color 1 to spot color 24, or a color-separating negative film is performed. In addition, a "layout output process" for laying out and outputting when performing those outputs is performed.

In the "layout output process", there is a submenu further, and "layout", "offset", and "rotation output" are performed. In "Layout", there is a sub menu, and "automatic" and "position designation" are performed. "Automatic" indicates whether to place the next form on the right side or the bottom side of the form layout up to immediately before when outputting multiple forms (arranging and outputting multiple forms). Processing is automatically completed by specifying it. “Position designation” is a process designated when performing replacement output, composite output, etc., and layout is designated by inputting coordinate values with the upper left of the designated form as a reference. That is, when the position designation submenu is designated, the target form is designated with the mouse. Input the relative coordinate value based on the upper left of the specified form in the coordinate input window.

In the "offset", there is a submenu, and "offset" and "offset" are performed. The default is “with offset”. “With offset” gives a finished size having a predetermined offset distance from the outer frame to the inner side with respect to the outer frame size of the film. "No offset" is a state where the finished size and the film size match.
The registration marks existing outside the finished size are removed. In the "rotation output", there is a submenu further, and "forward output", "90 degree rotation output", "180 degree rotation output", and "270 degree rotation output" are performed. The default is "forward output". As for the "forward output", the form is output in the normal direction as its name implies. The others are output by being rotated clockwise by the angle as the name implies.

Next, the case where the form creation processing routine is started in the main routine will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the form creation processing routine. In FIG. 10, the form creation processing routine (FIG. 9
When S24) is started, the sub menu in this processing routine is displayed (S31). The submenu consists of “File”, “Design”, “Display”, “Color separation”, “Utility”, “Layout”, “Edit”, “Parts”.
When one is selected, the processing routine of the selected menu is activated (S32).

The file processing routine (S33) further includes submenus "read", "register", "composite",
It is made up of "attributes" and reads or registers a BFD file. "Read" reads the BFD file, "Register" registers the BFD file,
"Combining" composes each sheet of the same order and composes one sheet, and "attribute" specifies the attribute (size, etc.) of each sheet. The design processing routine (S34) further comprises submenus "drawing tool", "text", "color image", "part image", and "register mark", and provides various tools for designing a form. "Drawing tools" are straight lines, boxes, circles, ellipses, continuous lines, free curves,
Equal division lines, closed area screen (meshing), auxiliary lines are created, "text" is created in Japanese and European sentences, and "color image" is a color image paste trimmed in any shape. The "part image" is made by trimming the logo image pasted with an arbitrary shape, and then "register mark"
Is a tool for pasting registration marks (registration marks) for print management. The character arrangement processing of the present invention is a part of the text processing function of the tool "text" here.

The display processing routine (S35) further includes submenus "chart setting", "screen zoom", "auxiliary line display", "screen switching", and "screen scroll", and provides various tools for display display. . "Chart setting" displays the specified chart on the display, "Screen zoom" enlarges the displayed screen, "Auxiliary line display" displays an auxiliary line, and "Screen switching" is a form mount (register The two screens of the data creation screen) and the work mount (work screen) are switched, and "screen scroll" performs a process of scrolling the screen to be displayed. The color separation processing routine (S36) further includes submenus "main plate setting", "filter color separation", and "individual color separation", and performs processing for performing color separation work on BFD data and FCS block copy data. "Main plate setting" sets color attributes mainly used for ruled line, halftone, and character data all at once.
"Filter color" is an arbitrary shape, and specifies the color attribute for each of the ruled lines, halftone, and characters contained in it.
“Individual color separation” simply performs a process of specifying only color attributes for individual data.

Utility processing routine (S37)
Is the submenu "Color conversion",
It consists of "screen setting", "component image DB search", and "color image DB search", and performs design assistance processing in the form creation mode. "Color conversion" collectively changes the form data created with special colors to process colors, and "Screen setting" sets the resolution of the output machine to be used.
The number of lines and the angle are set, "part image DB search" searches the customer logo and the like from the database, and "color image DB search" performs color image (photograph, etc.) search from the database.

The layout processing routine (S38) further includes submenus "move auxiliary line", "move vertical line", "move horizontal line", "copy line object", "copy mirror image", "rotate", "repeat". ", And performs processing related to design layout. "Move auxiliary line" aligns the specified figure with the input auxiliary line and "Move vertical line"
Aligns the specified figure, text, etc. with the vertical reference line, and "horizontal line reference movement" aligns the specified figure, text, etc. with the horizontal reference line. In addition, "line object copy" copies the specified figure to the object with the reference line (vertical, horizontal) as the reference, and "copy mirror image" copies the specified figure with the mirror image with the reference line (vertical, horizontal) as the reference. Perform processing.
"Rotate" rotates a specified figure at an arbitrary angle, and "Repeat" mainly creates a tint block. In the "repeat" processing, simple arranging processing, arranging processing while enlarging or reducing, arranging processing while gradually rotating, and arranging figures while gradually changing the mesh% are performed. Further, after the processing, it is possible to cut out into an arbitrary shape by trimming processing on the editing screen.

The edit processing routine (S39) has "move", "enlarge or reduce", "rotate", "cut", "copy", and "pack" of figures as sub-menus. To do. "Packing" is a process of grouping a plurality of figures and subjecting them to various operations. In the parts processing routine (S40), the sub menu "BFD" is added.
Data, "FCS data", "sample parts", and "form parts" are used to read or register various parts.Primitives (that is, parts) are read or registered in this part processing routine.
"BFD data" reads BFD data,
"FCS data" reads the block copy data created by FCS, "sample part" registers the presentation form, and "form part" cuts out only the necessary parts in the form and registers as parts. The registered form parts are read and combined with the data currently being edited.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, a character arranging method and a form design system can be provided in which characters can be arranged in a frame in a well-balanced manner and the work load is extremely small.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus for carrying out a character arrangement method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart (outline) showing a flow of character arrangement processing.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a dialog screen for interactively inputting / outputting data between an operator and a system.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where character strings are arranged in a character arrangement frame.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart (details) showing a flow of character arrangement processing.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of character arrangement processing (sequel to FIG. 5).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a character arrangement frame and parameters x, y, y ′, and a character size and parameters a, a ′.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an integrated system that connects a main business office and a remote business office, including the form design system of the present invention and its peripheral devices.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of a main routine of the form design system of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in a form creation processing routine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Character Arrangement Device 2 LAN 3,23 Data Store System 4 Input Device 5 Output Device 6 Storage Means 7 Computing Means 8 Character Data 9 Design Data 10 Frame Parameter Designating Routine 11 Character Adjusting Routine 12 Array Interval Computing Routines 21a, 21b BFD terminal 22 Ethernet 24 Scanner for plate making 25 Film output machine 26 BFD conversion server 27 Comp output machine 28 FCS 29 Router

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A frame designating process for designating a rectangular frame for character arrangement, and a column spacing ratio of a character-to-character spacing and a left-right side of the rectangular frame and a character spacing for a sequence of characters to be arranged. A step of specifying a column spacing ratio to specify, a character adjusting step of adjusting the size of the character to obtain the adjusted character data so that the arranged characters are included in the rectangular frame, and the column interval ratio and the adjusted character data Based on the space between characters, the space between the left and right sides of the rectangular frame, and the character,
And a character arrangement method comprising: 2. A frame designation process for designating a rectangular frame for character arrangement, and a column spacing ratio of a character-to-character spacing and a left-right side of the rectangular frame and a character spacing for a character string to be arranged. Specifying the column spacing ratio specification process, and regarding the rows of the character strings to be arranged, the line spacing ratio specification that specifies the line spacing ratio of the character string to character string spacing and the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and the character string spacing. A step of adjusting the character size, the character length ratio, and the character flatness ratio so as to include the arranged characters within the rectangular frame, and a character adjusting process for obtaining adjusted character data; The space ratio, the line space ratio, and the space between the characters based on the adjusted character data, the space between the left and right sides of the rectangular frame and the character, the space between the character string and the character string, and the space between the rectangular frames. The array spacing calculation process that calculates the spacing between the upper and lower sides and the character string, Character sequences wherein that. 3. The rectangular frame is a character arrangement frame provided inside a figure frame, and the character arrangement frame is specified by designating the figure frame.
Character arrangement method described. 4. A form design system having character arranging means, wherein the character arranging means includes a frame specifying means, a column interval ratio specifying means, a line interval ratio specifying means, a character adjusting means, and an arrangement. The frame designating unit designates a rectangular frame for character arrangement, and the column spacing ratio designating unit sets a character string to be arranged.
The column spacing ratio of the spacing between characters and the spacing between the left and right sides of the rectangular frame and the character is specified, and the line spacing ratio designating unit sets the spacing between the character strings and the character strings for the rows of the character string to be arranged. , The line spacing ratio of the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and the spacing of the character string is specified, and the character adjusting means includes the character size and the character length so that the arranged characters are included in the rectangular frame. The body spacing and the flatness of the characters are adjusted to obtain the adjusted character data, and the arrangement interval calculation means calculates the character interval based on the column interval ratio, the line interval ratio, and the adjusted character data. And a space between characters on the left and right sides of the rectangular frame, a space between character strings and a space between the upper and lower sides of the rectangular frame and a character string, and a system for designing forms. .