JPH07105212A - Layout design equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] The layout design can be created accurately and easily even when the material in the material frame is corrected or changed. [Structure] Characters are displayed in a character frame and line drawings are displayed in a line drawing frame, and the characters and line drawings can be easily corrected by a layout process. The intersection of the beginning of the final line of the formatted character data and its baseline is added to the character frame as a layout reference point. Also, one point of the horizontal line segment at the lowest position of the line drawing in the line drawing material frame is set as the layout reference point. Each layout reference point is attribute data of the frame, and a layout reference line is generated and displayed based on this reference point. Then, the layout process can be easily performed by using the layout reference line. That is, in the layout process, coordinate calculation of characters, line drawings, and frames can be automatically performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a layout design apparatus capable of deciding a layout for producing a printed matter such as a leaflet or a catalog with good operability according to a regular pattern.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At the designing stage in a printing process, a designer uses a layout sheet to examine a page layout based on a layout plan or the like. The layout plan is
It includes information such as photo originals, text originals, line drawings, the number of columns, and the number of divisions. As a result of such a study, the procedure of instructing the printing company about the finally decided layout by the allocation instruction was taken. However, in the case of producing a printed matter of a catalog having a large number of pages, deciding the layout of the printed matter by the above-mentioned method requires a great deal of labor and time.

Therefore, recently, there has been proposed a technique for simulating the layout and design of printed matter at the design stage on a display screen using a computer or the like. The layout design device
A computer is used to efficiently study the layout and design of printed matter at the design stage.

Considering the layout of leaflets and catalogs, it is often the case that a large number of images, characters, and line drawings (hereinafter, including figures) are printed in a regular design.
Therefore, in order to efficiently design such a regular layout on the layout design device, a layout design including means for automatically laying out the positional relationship of material frames to which images, characters, and line drawings are applied Multiple devices have been devised.

For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-130772 discloses an image allocating device. This device displays an auxiliary line at a predetermined position on the allocation display screen, and when a point on the image on the screen is designated, the image is moved so that the point is on the auxiliary line.

[0006]

However, in such a conventional apparatus, when a correction or correction is made to the image, one point of the image must be input again each time, and a troublesome operation is required. Met. In addition, it is virtually impossible to perform such processing for characters and line drawings. These characters, line drawings, figures, etc. are frequently corrected and changed at the stage of layout design, and as a result, the above-described conventional device cannot contribute to efficient layout design work.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, according to the present invention, in the design study work in which the material within the material frame and the material frame and the regularity of the positional relationship between the materials within the material frame must be taken into consideration,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a layout design device capable of accurately and easily performing layout design.

[0008]

According to the invention described in claim 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a material is contained in a material frame and displayed on a display screen. In a layout design apparatus capable of performing layout processing by means of a layout reference point, the layout reference point adding means 11 and 12 for adding to the material frame the points interlocking with the material in the material frame as layout reference points, and the layout reference points. And a coordinate correcting means 13 for correcting the coordinates of the material frame and the material based on the points. In the present apparatus, for example, the layout process can be performed by the interactive input unit 14 while displaying the material frame and the material on the display screen by the display unit 15, for example.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the layout reference point adding means 11 adds a point interlocking with a character in the character frame to the character frame as a layout reference point. It is a layout design device.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the layout reference point adding means 12 adds a point on a line segment forming a line drawing in the line drawing frame to the line drawing frame as a layout reference point. The described layout design device.

[0011]

In the layout designing apparatus according to the first to third aspects, when performing the layout process of the material frame and the material accommodated in the material frame, the material frame and the material frame are processed based on the layout reference points. Correct the coordinates of the material.
Therefore, even if the material is corrected, it is not necessary to re-enter the layout reference point. As a result, the layout process can be performed quickly and accurately.

Specifically, an arbitrary point interlocked with a character in the character frame, for example, the intersection of the beginning of the last line of the formatted character data and its baseline is added to the character frame as a layout reference point. (The layout reference point is attribute data of the frame). When performing the layout design, the y coordinate of the layout reference point may be matched with the y coordinate of the bottom side of the image frame already arranged on the display screen, for example.
to correct. That is, the intersection of the line beginning of the last line of the formatted character data and the baseline of the line in the character frame to be arranged is added to the character frame as a layout reference point. To do. Regardless of the size of the character in the character frame, regardless of the size of the frame, easily match the last line of the typeset characters to the bottom of the image frame,
They can be arranged on the display screen. Even if the characters are increased or decreased by the layout process, they can be aligned in the same manner.
This is because the layout reference point is added as an attribute to the character frame.

Further, as a layout reference point for the line drawing frame, an arbitrary point of a line segment forming the line drawing in the frame is designated and added. For example, one point of the lowermost horizontal line segment in the frame is set as the layout reference point. When the layout process is performed on the line drawing and a part of the line drawing is corrected or deleted, the y coordinate of this horizontal line segment is corrected so as to match that of the bottom of another frame, for example.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A layout design apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 2 to 1
Reference numeral 6 is for explaining one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a layout design apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The layout design device 41 includes an image input unit 42 such as a flatbed scanner, a character original input unit 43 connected to a data communication unit, a tablet, a digitizer,
An interactive input means 44 comprising a mouse, a keyboard, etc.,
A display unit 45 including a color display and a frame memory, a layout design device main body 46 including a calculation unit and a main storage unit, a storage unit 47 including an external storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk, and an image including a hard copy device. The output means 48 and the data output means 49 connected to the data communication means are provided.

The image input means 42 is for inputting image data such as a photograph online, via a magnetic tape, a magneto-optical disk or the like. The image data input by the plate-making scanner device or the like may be input from another device (layout scanner device or the like) using a magnetic tape, a magneto-optical disk, a communication unit, or the like. Also, the image data input by the layout scanner device is input to the image input means 4
The data output means 49 may output the layout data for which the layout design apparatus main body 46 is loaded via 2 and the layout design is performed. This allows
Since it is only necessary to input the photo data once, it is possible to reduce the work load and reduce work errors such as input errors.

The character information input means 43 uses a CTS (Com
putterized Typesetting Sys
The data for computerized typesetting machine after the typesetting process, which is output from tem) or the like, is input via a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk, online, or the like. CTS
The computer typesetting machine data that is output from the device includes font data that represents the character typeface, display mode data that indicates the display mode such as shading, white space, and inversion, and character allocation position data that indicates the allocation position of each character. include. The character information input means 43 is a DTP (Desk Top Publ).
It is also possible to input character data that has been typeset by an erasing), word processor, or other typesetting device, and it is also possible to input information necessary for typesetting such as a pitch table.

The line drawing information input means 50 is for inputting the line drawing data output from CAD or the like after drawing processing via a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk, online or the like.

The interactive input means 44 comprises a keyboard, a mouse, a digitizer, etc., and is operated by an operator. By operating the interactive input means 44 while looking at the display means 45, the operator can easily give an instruction for layout of images, figures (line drawings), characters, edit figures, and correct characters. Note that it is also possible to input business information using this. Further, it is possible to set a layout reference line and a layout reference point on the material.

The display means 45 is a display such as a CRT or LCD, and displays the layout design work result. Further, the display unit 45 can display the layout reference line and the layout reference point of each material for the image, figure, and character designated on the screen by the mouse or the like.

The storage means 47, which is an internal memory or an external storage device, has layout data representing a layout of a document image, business information (product name, photo description, photo document name, page, etc.), and management information (data itself). (Information for managing) and the like can be stored.

The data output means 49 outputs desired data, such as layout data or character data, from the created layout data to a layout scanner, computer typesetting machine, CTS or the like.

The image output means 48 is composed of an output device such as a color printer.

The layout design device body 46 is a CP
U, memory (ROM, RAM), etc., and performs a predetermined calculation and processing according to a predetermined program.

The operation of the layout designing apparatus thus constructed will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the layout design apparatus according to this embodiment. The flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is a case where a layout reference point is generated for a character in a character material frame.

First, from the character material frame displayed by the display means 45, a character material frame to which a layout reference point is to be added is designated by the interactive input means 44 (S301). Next, a layout reference point is added to the character material frame designated in step S301 using the interactive input means 44 (S302). Further, the interactive input means 44 sets a layout coordinate correction standard for laying out the character material frame specified in step S301 (S303). Step S301
After typesetting / editing the character data of the character material frame specified in step S304, a layout process is performed in step S305.
Further, the coordinates of the laid-out character material frame are checked against the layout coordinate correction reference to determine whether or not the coordinates of the character material frame should be corrected (S30).
6). If it is determined that coordinate correction should be performed (S3
(YES in 06), the coordinate value of the laid out character material frame is corrected (S307). When no correction is necessary (NO in S306), and when the editing work is continued (S
If YES in 308, the process returns to S304. When the editing work is finished (NO in S308), the process is finished.
The contents of each processing step will be described below.

The designation of the character material frame to which the layout reference point is added (S301) is realized by designating the character material frame 5c with the interactive input means 44 such as a mouse as shown in FIG. be able to. Material material frame 5c
Is a display area 5 representing the layout paper surface on the display screen 5a.
It is displayed in b. In addition to the character material frame 5c, the display screen 5a also displays an image material frame 5d, a line drawing material frame 5e, and the like.

The layout reference point is added by the display means 45.
The menu 6a shown in FIG. 6 displayed on the display screen of FIG. The setting items of the menu 6a can be set using the interactive input means 44 such as a mouse. It is also possible to generate the layout reference line from the added layout reference point. Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, when only the character data in the character material frame is typeset / edited in the display area 7b (window) different from the display area 5b, it is added to the character material frame. Setting the layout reference point is effective. FIG. 7 shows an example in which the line head and the bottom end of the bottom line in the frame are designated as the layout reference points 7c, and alignment lines are generated in both the vertical and horizontal directions on the screen. In the figure, the vertical alignment line is 7d, and the horizontal alignment line is 7e.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, the coordinates of the layout reference point change in association with the content of the character data in the character material frame to which the layout reference point is added. That is, when the last one line "Sashisuseso" of the character data displayed in the display area 7b is deleted, the layout reference point 7c is automatically moved like 8c.

Setting of layout coordinate correction reference (S30
3) can be performed using, for example, the menu 9a shown in FIG. The following settings can be made in the menu 9a. First,
When performing the layout process of the character material frame to which the layout reference point and the layout reference line are added, the effective position correction reference line of the material frame (hereinafter referred to as the layout grid) in the display area 5b is used for the character. It is possible to set whether or not the layout reference point and the layout reference line in the material frame are made to function effectively. Further, when laying out the character material frame, it is possible to set whether or not an extension line of the layout reference line in the character material frame after layout can be automatically generated / used as a layout grid. . Further, if it is necessary to provide a constant space (x in FIG. 11) between the character material frame and the layout grid, the space can be set. In FIG. 10, two vertical and horizontal layout reference lines are generated in the character material frame, and this material frame is laid out for the image material frame (the layout grid is generated for the bottom side and the right side). This is the case. Figure 1
1 shows a state where the character material frame is laid out from the state of FIG. That is, each layout reference line of the character material frame is extended so that the vertical layout reference line has a constant distance x from the layout grid of the image material frame, and the horizontal layout reference line is horizontal. To match the directional layout grid,
This is the layout of the character material frame. The layout grid serving as a reference when the coordinates of the character material frame are corrected can be set by using the interactive input means 44 such as a mouse on the display area 5b.

Next, with respect to the character material frame for which the layout reference points and layout reference lines have already been set, layout operations such as movement and deformation of the character material frame, or character data in the character material frame are performed. Performs typesetting / editing operations such as modifying. As a result, in the layout design apparatus main body 46, the layout reference point and the layout reference line added to the character material frame subjected to the layout operation, and the positional relationship in the layout grid effective for the layout reference point, the character material frame Is to be the target of layout coordinate correction. And if a correction is needed,
Automatically corrects the layout coordinates of the material frame for which the layout operation has been added (correction calculation is performed according to the built-in program). An example of a character material frame laid out through the above processing steps is shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12. FIG. 12 shows a case where the generation of the layout reference line of the character material frame is set at the top of the top line and the headline.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the layout design apparatus according to this embodiment. This flowchart shows the procedure for adding a layout reference point to the line drawing material frame.

First, the line drawing material frame to which a layout reference point is to be added is designated from the line drawing material frame displayed by the display means 45 by the interactive input means 44 (S401). Next, a layout reference point is added to the designated line drawing material frame using the interactive input means 44 (S402). Further, using the interactive input means 44,
A layout coordinate correction reference is set when the line drawing material frame specified in step S401 is laid out (S40).
3). Edit the character data of this line drawing material frame (S40
After 4), the layout operation is performed (S405). Next, the coordinates of the laid out line drawing material frame are compared with the layout coordinate correction reference to determine whether or not the coordinates of the laid out line drawing material frame should be corrected (S).
406). If it is determined that coordinate correction should be performed (YES in S406), the coordinate value of the laid out line drawing material frame is corrected (S407). If there is no need for correction (NO in S406) and if the editing work is to be continued (YES in S408), the process returns to S404. When the editing work is to be ended (NO in S408), the process is ended. The contents of each processing step will be described below.

The designation of the line drawing material frame to which the layout reference point is added (S401) is performed by the line drawing material frame 5e displayed in the display area 5b showing the layout paper surface as shown in FIG.
Can be realized by designating with the interactive input means 44.

The layout reference points are added (S402)
The menu 6 shown in FIG. 6 displayed on the display unit 45.
a. The setting items of the menu 6a can be set using the interactive input means 44. It is also possible to generate the layout reference line from the added layout reference point. However, in this example, in the case of a line drawing material frame, the designation of the line number is invalid and the setting of the alignment point is only an arbitrary setting. The method of setting alignment points is as follows.

First, the interactive input means 44 is used to select an arbitrary setting of alignment points on the menu 6a. Next, the line drawing can be edited, for example, as shown in FIG.
The pointing device 44 designates a point on an arbitrary line segment forming a line drawing in the line drawing material frame in a display area 12b (window screen) different from the display area 5b. Figure 1
3 and FIG. 14 show a case in which one of the line segments forming the line drawing as the layout reference points 12c and 13c is located on the lowermost line segment in the horizontal line segment and the alignment line is generated horizontally. . The alignment lines are 12d and 13d. A layout reference point is generated and added to the line drawing material frame as its attribute.

Setting of layout coordinate correction reference (S40
3) can be performed using the menu 9a (FIG. 9) displayed on the display means 45, for example. Menu 9
In a, when the layout of the line drawing material frame is performed, it is set whether or not the effective layout grid in the display area 5b is also effectively operated for the layout reference points and the layout reference lines in the line drawing material frame. can do. Further, when laying out the line drawing material frame, it is possible to set whether or not the extension line of the layout reference line of the line drawing material frame after layout can be automatically generated / used as a layout grid. Further, if it is necessary to provide a constant space between the line drawing material frame and the layout grid, the space can be set. The layout grid serving as a reference for correcting the coordinates of the line drawing material frame is displayed on the display area 5b as an interactive input unit 44.
Can be set by using.

Subsequently, with respect to the line drawing material frame in which the layout reference points and the layout reference lines have already been set, layout operations such as movement and deformation of the line drawing material frame, and the line drawing data contents in the line drawing material frame are displayed. An editing operation such as modification is performed (S404, S405). Then, the layout design apparatus main body 46 determines the line drawing material based on the layout reference points and the layout reference lines added to the line drawing material frame subjected to the layout operation and the positional relationship of the layout grid effective for the layout reference points. It is determined whether or not the frame is subject to layout coordinate correction (S406), and if necessary, layout coordinate correction of the line drawing material frame is automatically performed (S407).

FIG. 15 shows an example of a line drawing material frame laid out through the above processing steps. In this figure, the layout reference line 14b is generated based on the horizontal line 14a of the line drawing of the line drawing material frame.
4b is aligned with the bottom side 14c of the image material frame.

As described above, by using the layout design apparatus shown in this embodiment, a layout design as shown in FIG. 16 can be easily created. That is, the vertical reference line 1 is displayed on the screen. Next, this vertical reference line l
The right side of the line drawing material frame m is matched with. In this case, the layout reference line o is set in the horizontal line segment n of the line drawing material frame m, and the layout reference line o is displayed on the screen. Then, the bottom line baseline q of the character material frame p is matched with the layout reference line o. As a result,
The vertical layout reference line r set at the beginning of the bottom line is displayed on the screen. The layout reference line r is set with a predetermined distance from the vertical reference line l. Next, the right side of another line drawing material frame s is aligned with the vertical reference line l. As a result, the horizontal layout reference line u set in the horizontal line segment t of the line drawing in the line drawing material frame s is displayed on the screen.
Finally, the left side of the layout reference line r and the lower side of the layout reference line u are matched to arrange the image material frame v. In this way, the layout designing apparatus according to the present embodiment can easily perform the layout process of the line drawing, the character, and the image contained in each frame at any position.

[0042]

According to the present invention, even if corrections and corrections frequently occur in the design examination work, the layout design can be determined accurately and easily in response to them.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a layout design apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a layout design device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing coordinate correction in a character material frame of a layout design device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing coordinate correction in a line drawing material frame of the layout design apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a layout image display example of the layout design apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a menu screen of the layout design apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the addition of layout reference points in the character material frame in the layout design device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the addition of layout reference points in the character material frame in the layout design apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a menu screen in the layout design apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an initial state of a setting operation of a layout reference point for a character material frame in a layout design device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the setting operation of the layout reference points for the character material frame in the layout design device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the setting operation of the layout reference points for the character material frame in the layout design device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the addition of layout reference points in the line drawing material frame in the layout design apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the addition of layout reference points in the line drawing material frame in the layout design apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining an operation of setting a layout reference point for a line drawing material frame in the layout design apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a layout processing procedure of each material frame in the layout design apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 character material frame layout reference point adding means 12 line drawing material frame layout reference point adding means 13 layout coordinate correcting means 14 interactive input means 15 display means

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical indication location G06F 17/50 7315-5L G06F 15/20 548 A 7623-5L 15/60 380 K (72) Invention Satoru Nagayama 1-5-1 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo Inside Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A layout design apparatus capable of displaying a material in a material frame and displaying the material on a display screen, and performing a layout process on the material frame and the material. Layout reference point adding means for adding to the material frame with the interlocking points as layout reference points, and coordinate correcting means for correcting the coordinates of the material frame and the material based on the layout reference point are provided. A layout design device. 2. The layout reference point adding means uses a point interlocking with a character in a character frame as a layout reference point.
The layout design apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the layout design apparatus is added to the character frame. 3. The layout design apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the layout reference point adding means adds points on line segments forming a line drawing in the line drawing frame to the line drawing frame as layout reference points.