Print data editing apparatus and print data editing program stored in a computer readable medium

• US 7,702,612 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ito, Chitoshi, Tanaka, Motonori
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen S
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, MARSHON L
• Application Number:
  US11/333,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 715/274, 715/239, 707/1
• US Class Current: 707/726
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

The relationship between an object and a database item, such as a title item, family name item, address item, city name item, and birth day item are displayed with a link line which connects the object with a database item such that the relationship can be readily observed. The display color of each displayed link line is normally the same color as the background color of a connected database item or the object. Because a link relationship between an object and a database item is displayed with a display color and a link line, the linking of the image to be printed print image with the database can be readily observed.

Claims

1. A print data editing apparatus for creating and editing print data to be printed on a print unit, comprising:

a display that displays inputted data composed of characters, graphics, images, tables or drawing data as an object that is a print object to be printed on the print unit;

a work area provided in the display for editing the object;

a database storage device that stores a database as an assembly of a plurality of the inputted data having information of each item;

a database display area provided in the display that displays at least items of the database;

a linking element that links an item of the database displayed in the database display area with the object displayed in the work area; and

a link display controller that controls displaying a link relationship between the database item and the object linked by the linking element on the display so that the linkage is capable of being recognized, the link display controller controlling display of the link relationship with a link line that connects the object and the database item linked with each other; and

a link changing element that changes the link relationship by changing the database item or the object connected to an appropriate end portion of the link line,

wherein the link changing element changes the link relationship by dragging and dropping the appropriate end of the link line, and

wherein upon changing the link relationship by dragging and dropping, a content of the object is updated with a content of the database item to reflect the changed link relationship with the database item.

2. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an element for moving a cursor on the display, wherein if the cursor is located on the object, the link display controller causes a display of the link relationship by means of a tool tip indicating the name of the item of the database linked with the object in the vicinity of the cursor.

3. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the link display controller controls display of the link relationship by displaying the object and the database item linked with each other in a same color.

4. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the link display controller controls display of the link line in the same color as at least one of the object and the database item connected with the link line.

5. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a link releasing element that releases a link between the database item and the object linked by the link line if the link line is erased from the display.

6. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an object erasing element that erases the object linked with the database item by the link line from the work area if the link line is erased from the display.

7. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a link line attribute setting element that sets attributes containing at least one of the line type and size of the link line.

8. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if pluralities of the objects and the database items are linked, the link display controller controls display of a plurality of the link lines such that all of the plurality of link lines are capable of being recognized.

9. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a link line drawing element that draws the link line for connecting the database item and the object not linked with each other, wherein the linking element links the database item and the object connected with the link line drawn by the link line drawing element.

10. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the link line drawing element draws the link line by dragging and dropping the database item on the object.

11. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a link possibility determining element that determines whether the database item and the object are capable of being linked with each other, wherein, if it is determined that the linking is impossible by the link possibility determining element, the link display controller controls display of a link impossibility indication indicating that linking is impossible.

12. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the link line drawing element draws the link line in a condition in which the item and the object are not linked with each other and has a link line connecting element that is capable of connecting an appropriate end portion of the link line respectively to the database item and the object.

13. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the link display controller has a display setting element that sets whether the link relationship is to be displayed.

27. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the link relationship links plural objects and a single database.

28. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an erase selection message which inquires whether a connected object is to be erased, together with erasing of the link line is displayed.

29. The print data editing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the link relationship links plural objects and a single database.

14. A print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium, for making a computer execute creation and editing of print data to be printed on a print unit, comprising:

an object display step of displaying inputted data, composed of characters, graphics, images, tables or drawing data as an object on a work area provided on a display, that is a print object to be printed by the print unit;

a database display step of displaying an item of a database that is an assembly of a plurality of the inputted data having information of each of at least one item, stored in a database storage device, in at least a database display area provided on the display;

a link step of linking a database item to be displayed in the database display area with the object to be displayed in the work area; and

a link display control step controlling display of a link relationship between the database item and the object linked in the link step on the display so that the link relationship is capable of being recognized, in the link display control step, the link relationship being displayed with a link line that connects the object and the database item linked with each other; and

a link changing step of changing the link relationship by changing the database item or the object connected to an appropriate end portion of the link line,

wherein, in the link changing step, the link relationship is changed by dragging and dropping an appropriate end portion of the link line, and

wherein upon changing the link relationship by dragging and dropping, a content of the object is updated with a content of the database item to reflect the changed link relationship with the database item.

15. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein, if a cursor is located on the displayed object in the link display control step, a link relationship is displayed during a name identification step with a tool tip indicating the name of an item of the database linked with the object in the vicinity of the cursor.

16. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein, in the link display control step, the link relationship is displayed by displaying the object and the database item linked with each other in a same color.

17. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein, in the link display control step, the link line is displayed in the same color as at least one of the object and the database item connected with the link line.

18. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, further making the computer execute a link releasing step that releases a linkage between the database item and the object linked by the link line if the link line is erased from the display.

19. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, further making the computer execute an object erasing step that erases the object linked with the database item by the link line from the work area if the link line is erased from the display.

20. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, further making the computer execute a link line attribute setting step of setting attributes containing at least one of the line type and size of the link line.

21. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein, in the link display control step, if pluralities of the objects and the database items are linked, a corresponding plurality of link lines are displayed such that all of the plurality of link lines are capable of being recognized.

22. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, further making the computer execute a link line drawing step of drawing the link line for connecting the database item and the object not linked with each other, wherein the link step links the database item and the object connected with the link line drawn in the link line drawing step.

23. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein, in the link line drawing step, the link line is drawn by dragging and dropping the database item on the object.

24. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, further making the computer execute a link possibility determining step of determining whether the database item and the object are capable of being linked with each other, wherein, if it is determined that the linking is impossible in the link possibility determining step, a link impossibility indication indicating that linking is impossible is displayed in the link display control step.

25. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein, in the link line drawing step, the link line is drawn in a condition in which the database item and the object are not linked with each other and the computer is made to execute a link line connecting step of connecting an appropriate end portion of the link line to the database item and the object.

26. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein, in the link display control step, the computer is made to execute a display setting step of setting whether the link relationship is to be displayed.

30. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the link relationship links plural objects and a single database.

31. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein an erase selection message which inquires whether a connected object is to be erased, together with erasing of the link line is displayed.

32. The print data editing program stored in a computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the link relationship links plural objects and a single database.