Computer-readable recording medium, drawing assistance device, and drawing assistance method

Abstract

The operation receiving section (111) receives a selection operation that selects a plurality of components displayed in a screen. The selection order determining section (112) determines a selection order of the plurality of components based on the selection operation received by the operation receiving section (111) and a positional relationship of the plurality of components in the screen. The parent-child relationship setting section (113) sets, for the plurality of components, a parent-child relationship that makes a component in front of the selection order a parent component and a component behind the selection order a child component.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to computer-readable recording media, drawing aids, and drawing aids methods. Background Technology

[0002] As a drawing aid technology, it is known to establish parent-child relationships between multiple components displayed on a screen. When parent-child relationships are established between multiple components, the settings of the parent component can be inherited by the child component, thus making the operation of the components easier. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses the following technique: in applications creating GUI (Graphical User Interface) screens, parent-child relationships are established between the graphics displayed on the screen.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3402350 Summary of the Invention

[0004] In the aforementioned technology, it is required that parent-child relationships be more easily set for multiple components, thereby reducing the workload required to set up multiple components.

[0005] The present invention was proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a drawing aid program, etc., that can reduce the workload required for setting multiple components.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the drawing assistance program of the present invention functions as the following unit:

[0007] The operation receiving unit receives selection operations for selecting multiple components displayed on the screen;

[0008] The selection order determining unit determines the selection order of the multiple components based on the selection operation received by the operation receiving unit and the positional relationship of the multiple components in the screen; and

[0009] The parent-child relationship setting unit sets a parent-child relationship for the multiple components, making the component selected earlier in the selection order the parent component and the component selected later in the selection order the child component.

[0010] The effects of the invention

[0011] In this invention, the selection order of multiple components is determined based on a selection operation that selects multiple components displayed on the screen and the positional relationship of these components. A parent-child relationship is established where the component selected earlier is designated as the parent component, and the component selected later is designated as the child component. Therefore, according to this invention, the workload required for setting up multiple components can be reduced. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of multiple components displayed in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating a first example of a selection operation input to the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1, which depicts a linear trajectory, and the parent-child relationship set by the selection operation.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating a second example of a selection operation that draws a linear trajectory input to the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1, and the parent-child relationship set by the selection operation.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating a first example of a selection operation that draws a rectangular area input to the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1, and the parent-child relationship set by the selection operation.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating a second example of a selection operation that draws a rectangular area input to the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1, and the parent-child relationship set by the selection operation.

[0018] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates an example of a parent-child relationship established by a selection operation that draws a linear trajectory when the shapes of multiple components displayed in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1 are other than rectangles.

[0019] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating an example of selection order information generated in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1.

[0020] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating an example of parent-child relationship information generated in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1.

[0021] Figure 10 This diagram illustrates an example of applying settings to multiple components with parent-child relationships in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1.

[0022] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of setting parent-child relationships performed by the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1.

[0023] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of setting application processing performed by the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 1.

[0024] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a parent-child relationship set in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 2.

[0025] Figure 14 This diagram illustrates an example of changing the edges with a set parent-child relationship in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 3.

[0026] Figure 15 This diagram illustrates an example of changing the parent-child relationship of components in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 4.

[0027] Figure 16 This diagram illustrates an example of changing the parent-child relationship of components in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 5.

[0028] Figure 17 This diagram illustrates an example where the parent-child relationship between components is reversed in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 6.

[0029] Figure 18 This is a diagram illustrating an example of parent-child relationship information generated in the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 6.

[0030] Figure 19 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of setting application processing performed by the drawing aid device according to Embodiment 6. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following is a reference to the appendix. Figure 1 The implementation method will be described in detail below. Furthermore, identical or corresponding parts in the figures will be labeled with the same reference numerals.

[0032] (Implementation Method 1)

[0033] Figure 1 The structure of the drawing aid device 10 according to Embodiment 1 is shown. The drawing aid device 10 is a device equipped with drawing software and has the function of assisting users in drawing-related operations.

[0034] Here, drawing software refers to HMI (Human Machine Interface) screen design software used to design the appearance and internal behavior of the screen. Drawing software is a GUI application software with the function of arranging and editing multiple components configured on the screen. As an example, drawing software is used to draw the display screen shown on a programmable display, which displays the status of devices such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and sensors, and receives operations on these devices.

[0035] The drawing aid device 10 is a user-operated terminal device. The drawing aid device 10 can be, for example, a personal computer, tablet computer, smartphone, etc.—any terminal device that a user can operate; it can be any device. Figure 1 As shown, the drawing aid 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an operation unit 13, a display unit 14, and a communication unit 15.

[0036] The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The CPU, also known as a central processing unit, central arithmetic unit, processor, microprocessor, or microcomputer, functions as a processing unit that performs processing and calculations related to the control of the drawing aid device 10. In the control unit 11, the CPU reads programs and data stored in the storage unit 12 and performs actions to centrally control the drawing aid device 10.

[0037] The storage unit 12 includes ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), flash memory, etc. The storage unit 12 stores programs and data used by the control unit 11 for various processes. Additionally, the storage unit 12 stores data generated or acquired by the control unit 11 during the execution of various processes. Specifically, the storage unit 12 stores selection order information 121 and parent-child relationship information 122.

[0038] The operation unit 13 includes input devices such as a touch panel, touchpad, keyboard, mouse, and physical buttons, and receives operation input from the user. By operating the operation unit 13, the user can input various instructions to the drawing aid 10.

[0039] The display unit 14 includes display devices such as a liquid crystal panel and an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel. The display unit 14 is driven by a display driving circuit (not shown) to display various images.

[0040] The communication unit 15 has a communication interface for communicating with devices outside the drawing aid device 10. For example, the communication unit 15 communicates with devices outside the drawing aid device 10 according to known communication standards such as LAN (Local Area Network) and USB (Universal Serial Bus).

[0041] The control unit 11 has, functionally, an operation receiving unit 111 as an example of an operation receiving unit, a selection order determining unit 112 as an example of a selection order determining unit, a parent-child relationship setting unit 113 as an example of a parent-child relationship setting unit, and a setting application unit 114 as an example of a setting application unit.

[0042] The aforementioned functions are implemented by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software and firmware are described as programs and stored in the storage unit 12. Furthermore, the control unit 11 implements each function by executing the programs stored in the storage unit 12.

[0043] <Selection Operation Receiving>

[0044] The operation receiving unit 111 receives a selection operation that selects from multiple components displayed on the screen. Here, a component is an element included as an image on the display screen. More specifically, a component is equivalent to GUI components, graphics, etc., used in the operation of the HMI. Examples of components include, for instance, components representing concrete objects such as a table placed in a room or parts constituting a product; components representing specific functions such as switches or meters; and components representing data such as text or graphics.

[0045] Figure 2 As an example, a case is shown where five components A to E are displayed on the screen of display unit 14. The user operates operation unit 13 to input a selection operation, which selects multiple components to be grouped from the five components A to E displayed on the screen as described above. Operation receiving unit 111 receives the selection operation input by the user, in accordance with the selection operation performed by the user, to select multiple components from the five components A to E displayed on the screen.

[0046] In addition, Figure 2 In the image, for ease of understanding, components A through E are each depicted as quadrilaterals of the same size. However, the multiple components shown in the image are not limited to quadrilaterals; they can also be other shapes, including polygons, circles, ellipses, etc., and can have different sizes from each other.

[0047] The following description, as an example, addresses the case where the operation receiving unit 111 receives a selection operation, which is from... Figure 2 Select 3 components A to C from the 5 components A to E shown. The operation receiving unit 111 can receive selection operations in the following two ways: (1) inputting a linear trajectory to a position on the screen that crosses multiple components; and (2) inputting a rectangular area to a position on the screen that overlaps with multiple components.

[0048] (1) As a first selection method, the operation receiving unit 111 receives a selection operation, which is to input a linear trajectory to a position on the screen that traverses multiple components. Here, the linear trajectory is a linear trajectory drawn by the user on the screen, which can be a straight trajectory or a curved trajectory.

[0049] The user operates the operation unit 13 to input a selection operation, which is a linear or curved trajectory drawn on the screen in a manner that at least partially overlaps with the multiple components that are selected. Specifically, the user moves their finger, stylus, or similar device on the touch panel, or drags a mouse, positioning device, or similar device to track the multiple components that are selected. The operation receiving unit 111 receives the selection operation input in the above manner.

[0050] For example, in such Figure 3 As shown in the upper layer, when the user inputs a selection operation, three components A to C are selected. This selection operation involves drawing a linear trajectory L1 across three of the five components A to E, specifically components A to C. The linear trajectory L1 starts above component A and ends below component C, traversing component A from its top to its bottom, component B from its top to its left, and component C from its top to its right.

[0051] Or, in such Figure 4 As shown in the upper layer, when the user inputs a selection operation, three components B to D are selected. This selection operation involves drawing a linear trajectory L2 that traverses the positions of three components C, B, and D out of the five components A to E. The linear trajectory L2 starts below component C and ends to the right of component D, traversing component C from its bottom to its top, component B from its bottom to its top, and component D from its left to its right.

[0052] Users input a linear trajectory on the screen by traversing multiple components that are to be selected, as described above. By selecting components in this way, multiple components can be selected intuitively and with fewer operations.

[0053] (2) As a second selection method, the operation receiving unit 111 receives a selection operation, which is to input a rectangular area on the screen that overlaps with multiple components. Here, the rectangular area refers to a rectangular area on the screen created by the user.

[0054] The user operates the operation unit 13 to input a selection operation, which depicts a 2D area on the screen in a manner that at least partially overlaps with multiple components that are the selection objects. Specifically, the user moves a finger, stylus, or the like from a starting point to an ending point on the touch panel, or drags a pointer displayed on the screen from the starting point to the ending point, in a manner that covers the multiple components that are the selection objects. The operation receiving unit 111 receives the selection operation input in the above manner.

[0055] For example, in such Figure 5As shown in the upper layer, when the user inputs a selection operation, three parts A to C are selected. This selection operation involves drawing a rectangular region R1 at the location where three parts A to C overlap with the five parts A to E. The rectangular region R1 extends from the upper left starting point of part A to the lower right ending point of part C, covering the area with the starting and ending points as vertices opposite each other.

[0056] Or, in such Figure 6 As shown in the upper layer, when the user inputs a selection operation, three components B, C, and E are selected. This selection operation involves drawing a rectangular region R2 at the location where it overlaps with three of the five components A through E: components B, C, and E. The rectangular region R2 extends from the upper left starting point of component B to the lower right ending point of component E, covering the area with the starting and ending points as opposite vertices.

[0057] Users can input rectangular areas on the screen in a manner that overlaps with multiple components that become the selection objects, as described above. By selecting components in this way, multiple components can be selected intuitively and with fewer operations.

[0058] <Determining the order of component selection>

[0059] return Figure 1 The selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of the multiple selected components based on the selection operation received by the operation receiving unit 111 and the positional relationship of the multiple selected components on the screen. Specifically, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of the multiple components based on the selection method of the multiple components in the received selection operation and the positional relationship of the multiple components on the screen.

[0060] (1) When the operation receiving unit 111 receives the input linear trajectory selection operation, the selection order determining unit 112 determines the selection order of the components sequentially from the components traversed by the linear trajectory among the selected components.

[0061] For example, when the operation receiving unit 111 receives an input such as Figure 3 In the case of a selection operation on the linear trajectory L1 shown in the upper layer, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of the components as the order in which the linear trajectory L1 traverses, i.e., the order of components A, B, and C. The component selection order determined as described above... Figure 3 The lower layer is represented by numbers enclosed in quadrilaterals.

[0062] Alternatively, when the operation receiving unit 111 receives an input such as Figure 4In the case of the selection operation of the linear trajectory L2 shown in the upper layer, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of the components as the order in which the linear trajectory L2 traverses, i.e., the order of components C, B, and D. The selection order of the components determined as described above is... Figure 4 The lower layer is represented by numbers enclosed in quadrilaterals.

[0063] As described above, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of multiple components located at positions overlapping with the linear trajectory based on the order in which the linear trajectory, input as a selection operation, traverses the line.

[0064] (2) When the operation receiving unit 111 receives the selection operation of the input rectangular area, the selection order determining unit 112 determines the selection order of the components in sequence, starting from the component closest to the starting point of the rectangular area among the selected components.

[0065] More specifically, when the rectangular area is longitudinally elongated, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of the components sequentially, starting with the component whose absolute value of the difference between its longitudinal coordinates and the starting point of the rectangular area is smaller. When multiple components with equal longitudinal coordinates exist within the rectangular area, the selection order determination unit 112 prioritizes the component with the smaller absolute value of the difference between its lateral coordinates and the starting point of the rectangular area. Furthermore, when multiple components with equal longitudinal and lateral coordinates exist within the rectangular area, the selection order determination unit 112 prioritizes the component located on the back side of the rectangular area.

[0066] In contrast, when the rectangular area is horizontally elongated, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of the components sequentially, starting with the component whose absolute value of the difference between its horizontal coordinates and the starting point of the rectangular area is smaller. If multiple components have the same horizontal coordinate within the rectangular area, the selection order determination unit 112 prioritizes the component with the smaller absolute value of the difference between its vertical coordinates and the starting point of the rectangular area. Furthermore, if multiple components have the same vertical and horizontal coordinates within the rectangular area, the selection order determination unit 112 prioritizes the component located on the back side of the rectangular area.

[0067] For example, when the operation receiving unit 111 receives input Figure 5 In the case of selecting a vertically elongated rectangular region R1 shown above, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of the components based on the order closest to the starting point of the rectangular region R1 during the comparison of the vertical coordinates, i.e., the order of components A, B, and C. The selection order of the components determined as described above is then used in... Figure 5The lower layer is represented by numbers enclosed in quadrilaterals.

[0068] Alternatively, when the operation receiving unit 111 receives the input Figure 6 In the case of selecting a horizontally elongated rectangular region R2 shown above, the selection order determination unit 112 will determine the selection order of the components based on the order closest to the starting point of the rectangular region R2 during the comparison of the horizontal coordinates, i.e., the order of components C, B, and E. The selection order of the components determined as described above will then be used in... Figure 6 The lower layer is represented by numbers enclosed in quadrilaterals.

[0069] As described above, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of multiple components existing at positions overlapping with the rectangular region based on the starting and ending positions of the rectangular region input as a selection operation and the aspect ratio of the rectangular region.

[0070] <Determining the order of edge selection>

[0071] In addition to determining the selection order of components as described above, the selection order determination unit 112 also determines the selection order of edges among the multiple components whose selection order has been determined. The selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of edges from the four edges of the quadrilateral circumscribed with each component whose selection order has been determined, according to a predetermined reference.

[0072] (1) When the operation receiving unit 111 receives an input linear trajectory selection operation, the selection order determining unit 112 determines the order of the last side of the quadrilateral that intersects the linear trajectory in the quadrilateral circumscribed with the selected component with the highest selection order among the multiple components as the first position. Next, for each of the at least one component other than the selected component with the highest and lowest selection order among the multiple components, the selection order determining unit 112 determines the order of the first and last sides of the quadrilateral that intersect the linear trajectory in the quadrilateral circumscribed with the selected component with the highest selection order among the multiple components, starting from the second position. Further, the selection order determining unit 112 determines the order of the first side of the four sides of the quadrilateral circumscribed with the linear trajectory in the quadrilateral circumscribed with the selected component with the lowest selection order among the multiple components as the last position.

[0073] For example, when the operation receiving unit 111 receives input Figure 3 In the case of a selection operation on the linear trajectory L1 shown in the upper layer, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the edge selection order as follows: the bottom edge of component A, the top edge of component B, the left side of component B, and the top edge of component C. The edge selection order determined in the above manner is then used in… Figure 3 The lower layer is represented by numbers enclosed in circles.

[0074] Alternatively, when the operation receiving unit 111 receives the input Figure 4In the case of the selection operation of the linear trajectory L2 shown in the upper layer, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the edge selection order as the order of the top edge of component C, the bottom edge of component B, the top edge of component B, and the left edge of component D. The edge selection order determined in the above manner is then used in... Figure 4 The lower layer is represented by numbers enclosed in circles.

[0075] (2) When the operation receiving unit 111 receives a selection operation for the input rectangular area, the selection order determining unit 112 selects, for each group of two consecutively selected components, the group whose sides are closest to any one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component in the earlier selection order and any one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component in the later selection order. Furthermore, the selection order determining unit 112 determines the selection order of the two sides of the group selected from the two consecutively selected components based on the order of the sides of the component in the earlier selection order and the sides of the component in the later selection order.

[0076] Here, as an example, the distance between edges is the Euclidean distance between the midpoints of one edge and the midpoints of another edge. When multiple groups of equal distances exist, the selection order determination unit 112 selects one group from these groups according to a predetermined rule. Specifically, if the rectangular region is longitudinally elongated, the group with the smallest absolute value of the difference between the midpoint of the edge on the component side with the earlier selection order and the starting point of the rectangular region is selected. Even so, when multiple groups of equal distances exist, the selection order determination unit 112 selects the group with the smallest absolute value of the difference between the midpoint of the edge on the component side with the earlier selection order and the starting point of the rectangular region. On the other hand, if the rectangular region is laterally elongated, the group with the smallest absolute value of the difference between the midpoint of the edge on the component side with the earlier selection order and the starting point of the rectangular region is selected. Even so, in the case of multiple groups with equal distances, the selection order determination unit 112 selects the group with the smaller absolute value of the difference between the midpoint of the side of the component with the earlier selection order and the starting point of the rectangular area.

[0077] For example, when the operation receiving unit 111 receives input Figure 5 In the case of a selection operation on the rectangular area R1 shown above, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the edge selection order as follows: the bottom edge of component A, the top edge of component B, the bottom edge of component B, and the top edge of component C. The edge selection order determined in the above manner is then used in… Figure 5 The lower layer is represented by numbers enclosed in circles.

[0078] Alternatively, when the operation receiving unit 111 receives the input Figure 6 In the case of a selection operation on the rectangular area R2 shown above, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the edge selection order as follows: the top edge of component C, the bottom edge of component B, the right edge of component B, and the left edge of component E. The edge selection order determined in the above manner is then used in… Figure 6 The lower layer is represented by numbers enclosed in circles.

[0079] Furthermore, the quadrilateral circumscribed in relation to the component, such as Figures 2-6 When the shape of the component shown is rectangular, it coincides with the edge forming the outer perimeter of the component. Therefore, the expressions "bottom edge of component A," "top edge of component B," etc., mentioned above and subsequently, have the same meaning as "bottom edge of the quadrilateral circumscribed with component A" and "top edge of the quadrilateral circumscribed with component B." In contrast, for example, as... Figure 7 As shown, the shapes of the multiple components displayed in the image can also be shapes other than rectangles. When a component's shape is other than a rectangle, the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component, such as... Figure 7 The lower layer, as shown by the dashed line, is located on the outer side compared to the outer perimeter of the component. In this case, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of the edges for the edges of the imaginary quadrilateral that is located on the outer side compared to the outer perimeter of the component.

[0080] For ease of understanding, we will assume the shape of the component is rectangular. Therefore, expressions such as "the side of the component" can be rewritten as "the side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component". Furthermore, for components other than rectangles, the same explanation can be provided by rewriting expressions such as "the side of the component" as "the side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component".

[0081] If the selection order of components and edges is determined as described above, the selection order determination unit 112 saves the determined selection order to the selection order information 121. The selection order information 121 is data that temporarily stores the selection order determined by the selection order determination unit 112.

[0082] Specifically, such as Figure 8 As shown, the selection order information 121 specifies the selection order of components and the selection order of edges. As an example, the selection order information 121 stores the selection order of components as component A, component B, and component C, and the selection order of edges as the bottom edge of component A, the top edge of component B, the left edge of component B, and the top edge of component C.

[0083] <Determining the parent-child relationship of components>

[0084] return Figure 1The parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets parent-child relationships between the selected components based on the selection order determined by the selection order determination unit 112. Here, parent-child relationship refers to a subordinate relationship set between multiple components. In normal grouping, the relationship between multiple components is equal, but in parent-child relationships, a subordinate relationship is set between multiple components. By setting parent-child relationships between multiple components, advanced component operations can be performed in a way that automatically changes the settings of child components according to changes in the settings of the parent component.

[0085] More specifically, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for the selected components, with the component selected earlier in the selection order being the parent component and the component selected later in the selection order being the child component. In the case where only two components are selected, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for the combination of the two selected components, with the component selected earlier in the selection order being the parent component and the component selected later in the selection order being the child component. On the other hand, when at least three components are selected, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for each of the multiple combinations, with the component selected earlier in the selection order being the parent component and the component selected later in the selection order being the child component. Each of the multiple combinations is a combination of two components from the at least three selected components whose selection order is consecutively determined by the selection order determination unit 112.

[0086] For example, such as Figure 3 , Figure 5 , Figure 7 As shown, when the selection order determined by the selection order determination unit 112 is component A, component B, and component C, firstly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for the combination of component A and component B, making component A the parent component and component B the child component. Secondly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for the combination of component B and component C, making component B the parent component and component C the child component.

[0087] Or, such as Figure 4 As shown, when the selection order determined by the selection order determination unit 112 is component C, component B, and component D, firstly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for the combination of component C and component B, making component C the parent component and component B the child component. Secondly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for the combination of component B and component D, making component B the parent component and component D the child component.

[0088] In addition, such as Figure 6As shown, when the selection order determined by the selection order determination unit 112 is component C, component B, and component E, firstly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for the combination of component C and component B, making component C the parent component and component B the child component. Secondly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for the combination of component B and component E, making component B the parent component and component E the child component.

[0089] <Setting the parent-child relationship of the edge>

[0090] In addition to the parent-child relationships of components as described above, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 also sets the parent-child relationships of edges. Here, the parent-child relationship of edges corresponds to the correspondence between edges in the configuration of two components with a parent-child relationship. When a parent-child relationship is set between one edge of a parent component and one edge of a child component, the parent component and the child component are configured in a layout of multiple components containing them such that the edges with the parent-child relationship are opposite each other or connected to each other.

[0091] For example, if each component represents a table arranged in a room, the components with parent-child relationships are arranged such that the edges with parent-child relationships are opposite each other. Alternatively, if each component represents an individual part used to assemble a product, the components with parent-child relationships are grouped together such that the edges with parent-child relationships are connected to each other.

[0092] The parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship between one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the parent component and one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the child component for each of the multiple combinations in which a parent-child relationship is set. More specifically, based on the edge selection order determined by the selection order determination unit 112, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship for a combination of two edges with consecutive selection order, where the edge selected earlier is the parent component side and the edge selected later is the child component side, such that the edge selected earlier is the parent and the edge selected later is the child.

[0093] (1) When the operation receiving unit 111 receives the input linear trajectory selection operation, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets the parent-child relationship between the last side of the quadrilateral circumscribed with the parent component and the first side of the quadrilateral circumscribed with the child component and the last side of the quadrilateral circumscribed with the child component to intersect the linear trajectory.

[0094] For example, such as Figure 3As shown, when the selection order of the edges determined by the selection order determination unit 112 is the order of the bottom edge of component A, the top edge of component B, the left edge of component B, and the top edge of component C, firstly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship where the bottom edge of component A is the parent and the top edge of component B is the child. Secondly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship where the left edge of component B is the parent and the top edge of component C is the child.

[0095] Or, such as Figure 4 As shown, when the selection order of the edges determined by the selection order determination unit 112 is the order of the top edge of component C, the bottom edge of component B, the top edge of component B, and the left edge of component D, firstly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship where the top edge of component C is the parent and the bottom edge of component B is the child. Secondly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship where the top edge of component B is the parent and the left edge of component D is the child.

[0096] (2) When the operation receiving unit 111 receives the selection operation of the input rectangular area, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets the parent-child relationship for each combination of two components with a set parent-child relationship, and sets the relationship between the sides of the combination of any one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed with the parent component and any one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed with the child component that is closest to each other.

[0097] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, when the selection order of the edges determined by the selection order determination unit 112 is the order of the bottom edge of component A, the top edge of component B, the bottom edge of component B, and the top edge of component C, firstly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets the parent-child relationship of the edge with the bottom edge of component A as the parent and the top edge of component B as the child. Secondly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets the parent-child relationship of the edge with the bottom edge of component B as the parent and the top edge of component C as the child.

[0098] Or, such as Figure 6 As shown, when the selection order of the edges determined by the selection order determination unit 112 is the order of the top edge of component C, the bottom edge of component B, the right edge of component B, and the left edge of component E, firstly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship where the top edge of component C is the parent and the bottom edge of component B is the child. Secondly, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship where the right edge of component B is the parent and the left edge of component E is the child.

[0099] In addition, Figures 3-7 In the lower layers, arrows pointing from the parent component to the child component are used to indicate... Figures 3-7The parent-child relationship is set when multiple components are selected, as described above. The parent-child relationship setting unit 113 displays an arrow pointing from the parent component to the child component on the screen as a symbol indicating the parent-child relationship. At this time, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 displays the arrow pointing from the parent component to the child component by connecting the midpoints of a pair of sides with a set parent-child relationship. Furthermore, while the arrow is one example of a symbol indicating a parent-child relationship, other symbols can also be used to represent the parent-child relationship.

[0100] As described above, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 performs a process of setting a parent-child relationship for each group of two consecutively selected components among three or more components selected by the selection operation. Furthermore, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 also sets parent-child relationships for the edges of components for which a parent-child relationship has been set. Hereinafter, the group of components for which a parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 will be referred to as "parent-child relationship setting components".

[0101] If the parent-child relationship between components and edges is set as described above, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 saves the information representing the set parent-child relationship to the parent-child relationship information 122. The parent-child relationship information 122 stores the data of the parent-child relationship set between components and edges by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113.

[0102] To facilitate changes to the settings for components with parent-child relationships, the parent-child relationship information 122 is not stored separately for each component, but rather centrally stored for components with parent-child relationship settings. The settings stored in the parent-child relationship information 122 are recursively applied from the parent component to the child component.

[0103] Specifically, such as Figure 9 As shown, the parent-child relationship information 122 includes information such as a component list, a root component, an edge list, and a setting list. The component list contains information on multiple components stored in the selection order information 121, following the same selection order as the selection order information 121. The edge list contains information on multiple edges stored in the selection order information 121, following the same selection order as the selection order information 121. As described above, the parent-child relationship information 122 stores references to components and edges with established parent-child relationships, according to the selection order determined by the selection order determination unit 112.

[0104] The root component is the component without a parent component among multiple components with established parent-child relationships; it is equivalent to the topmost component in the parent-child relationship. For example, if the selection order of the components determined by the selection order determination unit 112 is component A, component B, and component C, then component A is the root component. The parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets the topmost component among the multiple components with established parent-child relationships as the root component.

[0105] The settings list specifies the settings that are recursively applied to components with parent-child relationships. Specifically, the settings list stores information such as settings, set values, and positive offsets.

[0106] Settings are information related to the configuration, arrangement, and attributes of components. Component configuration includes, for example, the X and Y coordinates of components within the screen. Component arrangement includes, for example, the width, height, and spacing between adjacent components within the screen. Component attributes include, for example, the component's color, line width, related strings, and memory addresses. The configuration, arrangement, and attributes of components are collectively referred to as "settings." Figure 9 In the example, the settings list stores information such as the part's color and the part's Y coordinate as settings.

[0107] The setting value is the specific value applied when setting the root component. The positive offset is the value added to the parent component's setting value to derive the child component's setting value. Positive offsets are used to arrange multiple components at fixed intervals or to set consecutive values ​​for multiple components. Figure 9 In the example, the setting list stores RGB (Red, Green, Blue) brightness values ​​as the positive offset for coloring, and values ​​corresponding to the difference in Y-coordinates between the parent and child components as the positive offset for the Y-coordinate. The user can operate the operation unit 13 to input the setting values ​​and positive offsets for each setting in the setting list.

[0108] <Application settings>

[0109] The setting application unit 114 applies settings based on the parent component's settings to the child component's settings for each of the multiple combinations where parent-child relationships have been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113. The user operates the operation unit 13, inputting an operation to apply the settings from the operation screen of the parent-child relationship information 122. In response to this operation, the setting application unit 114 recursively applies the settings specified in the setting list of the parent-child relationship information 122 to the group of components with parent-child relationships set.

[0110] To be more specific, the setting application unit 114 sets the setting value of the child component to the setting value of the parent component plus an offset for each of the multiple combinations where a parent-child relationship is set. First, the setting application unit 114 applies the setting values ​​specified in the setting list to the root component. Second, the setting application unit 114 applies the value obtained by adding a positive offset to the setting values ​​applied to the root component to the child component that has the root component as its parent. Third, the setting application unit 114 applies the value obtained by further adding a positive offset to the setting values ​​of the child component to which the setting has been applied. By repeating the above process, the setting application unit 114 recursively applies the settings to each combination of two components with a parent-child relationship.

[0111] Specifically, referring to Figure 10 This illustrates an example of setting multiple components by the setting application unit 114. For example... Figure 10 As shown in the upper layer, in the state where the parent-child relationship of components A to C is set independently, the setting application unit 114 applies... Figure 9 In the case of the settings shown in the settings list, such as Figure 10 The lower layer shows the settings applied to components A through C.

[0112] To explain in detail, the setting application unit 114 sets the color of the root component, component A, to blue and sets the Y-coordinate of component A to 10. Next, the setting application unit 114 sets the color of component B, a child of component A, to blue, and sets the Y-coordinate of component B to 40, which is obtained by adding 30 to the Y-coordinate of component A, according to the settings of no color and a positive offset of 30 to the positive offset of the Y-coordinate. Furthermore, the setting application unit 114 sets the color of component C, a child of component B, to blue and sets the Y-coordinate of component C to 70, which is obtained by adding 30 to the Y-coordinate of component B. Thus, multiple components can be changed according to a certain rule in fewer steps.

[0113] Next, refer to Figure 11 as well as Figure 12 The flowchart shown illustrates the process of drawing assistance processing performed in the drawing assistance device 10. Figure 11 The parent-child relationship setting and processing shown Figure 12 The settings and application processing shown are an example of a drawing assistance method.

[0114] Figure 11 The parent-child relationship setting process shown begins when the user activates the pre-installed drawing software on the drawing aid device 10, and the screen of the display unit 14 displays multiple components.

[0115] If the parent-child relationship setting process begins, the control unit 11 functions as an operation receiving unit 111, receiving a selection operation. This selection operation involves selecting multiple components from a plurality of components displayed on the screen as the selection target (step S1). Specifically, the control unit 11 receives the following selection operation as a first selection method, namely, as follows: Figure 3 , Figure 4 or Figure 7 The selection operation inputs linear trajectories L1 and L2 to the positions of multiple components that are selected. Alternatively, the control unit 11 receives the following selection operation as a second selection method, namely, as follows: Figure 5 or Figure 6 The selection operation is shown by inputting rectangular regions R1 and R2 at the positions where they overlap with the multiple components that are selected.

[0116] If a selection operation is received, the control unit 11 functions as a selection order determination unit 112, determining the selection order of the multiple selected components (step S2). Specifically, the control unit 11 determines the selection order of the multiple selected components based on the order in which the input linear trajectory traverses the area, or based on the starting point and aspect ratio of the input rectangular region.

[0117] If the selection order of the components is determined, the control unit 11 determines the selection order of the edges (step S3). Specifically, the control unit 11 determines the selection order of the edges from the four edges of the quadrilaterals circumscribed by each component whose selection order has been determined, according to a predetermined reference.

[0118] If the selection order of components and edges is determined, the control unit 11 updates the selection order information 121 (step S4). In more detail, the control unit 11 saves the determined selection order of components and edges to the selection order information 121.

[0119] If the selection order information 121 is updated, the control unit 11 functions as the parent-child relationship setting unit 113, setting the parent-child relationship of the components (step S5). Specifically, for each combination of two consecutive components selected in step S2 from the plurality of components selected in step S1, the control unit 11 sets the parent-child relationship so that the component selected earlier is the parent component and the component selected later is the child component.

[0120] If a parent-child relationship is set for components, the control unit 11 sets the parent-child relationship for edges (step S6). Specifically, for each combination of two components with a set parent-child relationship, the control unit 11 sets a parent-child relationship such that one edge of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the parent component is the parent and one edge of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the child component is the child.

[0121] If parent-child relationships between components and edges are set, the control unit 11 updates the parent-child relationship information 122 (step S7). Specifically, the control unit 11 updates the component list, edge list, and root component information in the parent-child relationship information 122 based on the set parent-child relationships between components and edges.

[0122] If the parent-child relationship information 122 is updated, the control unit 11 releases the selection order of components and edges from the memory (step S8). Therefore, Figure 11 The parent-child relationship setting process shown has ended.

[0123] Figure 12 The settings shown apply to the processing of data through... Figure 11 The process of setting parent-child relationships begins when multiple components with parent-child relationships are configured, and the settings from the application settings list are entered. Figure 12 In the setting application process shown, the control unit 11 functions as the setting application unit 114.

[0124] If application processing is initiated, the control unit 11 retrieves one setting from the setting list of the parent-child relationship information 122 (step S11). Figure 9 In the example of parent-child relationship information 122 shown, the control unit 11 obtains one setting from the coloring, Y coordinate, etc. specified in the setting list.

[0125] If a setting is obtained, the control unit 11 applies the obtained setting value to the root component (step S12). Figure 9 In the example, after obtaining the color setting, the control unit 11 sets the color of the root component, i.e., component A, to "blue" as the set value.

[0126] If the setting value is applied to the root component, the control unit 11 adds the positive offset specified in the obtained setting to the setting value applied to the root component (step S13).

[0127] If a positive offset is added to the setpoint, the control unit 11 applies the setpoint with the added positive offset to the next component in the component list that is in the positive direction (step S14). Figure 9 In the example, components B and C exist directly upwards from the root component, component A. Therefore, the control unit 11 applies the setpoint, which has been adjusted to include a positive offset, to the next component after the root component, component B.

[0128] Next, the control unit 11 determines whether there are any components further upward in the component list (step S15). If there are any components further upward (step S15: YES), the control unit 11 returns the process to step S13. Furthermore, the control unit 11 adds a positive offset to the current setting value and applies the summed setting value to the next component in the component list that is in the positive direction. As described above, the control unit 11 applies the setting value, which is sequentially added to the positive offset, to each component in the component list that is in the positive direction.

[0129] Conversely, when no further components exist in the forward direction (step S15: NO), the control unit 11 determines whether there are any unapplied settings remaining in the setting list (step S16). If there are unapplied settings remaining (step S16: YES), the control unit 11 returns the process to step S11 and retrieves one unapplied setting from the setting list. Furthermore, the control unit 11 executes the processes of steps S12 to S15, applying the retrieved setting value to each of the multiple components with parent-child relationships. As described above, the control unit 11 applies the setting values ​​of each setting included in the setting list to each of the multiple components with parent-child relationships.

[0130] If there are no remaining unused settings (step S16: NO), control unit 11 ends. Figure 12 The settings shown are applied to the processing.

[0131] As explained above, the drawing assistance device 10 according to Embodiment 1 determines the selection order of multiple components based on a selection operation that selects multiple components displayed on the screen and the positional relationship of these components. It then establishes a parent-child relationship for each component, designating the component selected earlier as the parent component and the component selected later as the child component. As described above, since the selection order is determined based on the positional relationship of multiple components on the screen, parent-child relationships can be established between multiple components through intuitive and easy operations such as inputting linear trajectories or rectangular areas. As a result, the workload required for setting multiple components can be reduced. In particular, when setting parent-child relationships for at least three components, multiple levels of parent-child relationships can be set in a single operation, eliminating the need for the user to repeatedly select components one by one and then set parent-child relationships. Therefore, the user's workload can be significantly reduced when there are many components.

[0132] Furthermore, the drawing aid 10 according to Embodiment 1 applies settings based on the settings of the parent component to the settings of the child component. Therefore, settings and changes can be performed recursively and centrally for multiple components with parent-child relationships, thus reducing the workload required for setting multiple components. In particular, it significantly reduces the workload for the user when there are many components.

[0133] (Implementation Method 2)

[0134] Next, implementation method 2 will be described. Descriptions of structures and functions identical to those in implementation method 1 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0135] The drawing aid device 10 according to Embodiment 2 further sets parent-child relationships with other components for a group of components that have already been assigned parent-child relationships. In other words, the drawing aid device 10 according to Embodiment 2 can set multiple parent-child relationships.

[0136] exist Figure 13 The upper layer shows an example of displaying components A, B, and a different component C on the screen of display unit 14. Components A and B are a group of components whose parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113. In such a screen, as an example of a new selection operation for selecting components A to C, the user inputs a selection operation that draws a rectangular area R3 from the lower right of component C to the upper left of component A. Furthermore, the new selection operation is not limited to drawing the rectangular area R3; it can also be an operation that draws a linear trajectory. In this case, in embodiment 2, the group of components A and B is treated equally with a single component called the parent-child relationship setting component AB.

[0137] If further explanation is needed, then in the following... Figure 13 As shown in the upper layer, when the user inputs a new selection operation, the operation receiving unit 111 receives the new selection operation, wherein the new selection operation is to select the component group of components A and B that have a parent-child relationship set, namely the parent-child relationship setting components AB and component C.

[0138] The selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of parent-child relationship setting components AB and component C based on the new selection operation received by the operation receiving unit 111. Figure 13 In the example, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of component C, which is closer to the starting point of the rectangular area R3, as the first position, and determines the selection order of component AB, which sets the parent-child relationship, as the second position.

[0139] The parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a new parent-child relationship between parent-child relationship setting components AB and component C based on the selection order determined by the selection order determination unit 112. Figure 13In the example, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship where component C is the parent component and parent-child relationship setting component AB is the child component. This generates a parent-child relationship setting component ABC that has parent-child relationship setting components AB and C in the component list.

[0140] Furthermore, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship between one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the parent-child relationship setting component AB and one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by component C. Here, the quadrilateral circumscribed by the parent-child relationship setting component AB is, for example, in... Figure 13 The lower layer, shown as a thick solid line, corresponds to the smallest quadrilateral containing parts A and B.

[0141] When setting a parent-child relationship where component C is the parent component and parent-child relationship setting component AB is the child component, the setting application unit 114 applies the setting based on the setting of component C as the parent component to the setting of parent-child relationship setting component AB as the child component. Specifically, the setting application unit 114 sets the setting value of parent-child relationship setting component AB to a value obtained by adding a positive offset to the setting value of component C, just as in Embodiment 1. At this time, the setting application unit 114 treats parent-child relationship setting component AB as a single component having the shape of a quadrilateral circumscribed in the parent-child relationship setting component AB, and performs the setting of parent-child relationship setting component AB.

[0142] As described above, in Embodiment 2, a group of components with established parent-child relationships can be treated as a single component, and the parent-child relationships with other components can be further defined. Therefore, if, for example, a higher-level parent-child relationship setting component ABC is generated in the component list that has a parent-child relationship setting component AB, the parent-child relationship setting component AB can be set based on the setting of the parent-child relationship setting component ABC.

[0143] (Implementation Method 3)

[0144] Next, implementation method 3 will be described. Descriptions of structures and functions identical to those in implementation methods 1 and 2 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0145] According to the user's operation, the drawing aid device 10 in Embodiment 3 changes at least one edge of a pair of edges that have been set with a parent-child relationship to a different edge of the same component.

[0146] exist Figure 14 The upper layer shows an example of displaying components A to C on the screen of display unit 14. Components A to C are a group of components whose parent-child relationships have been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113. More specifically, a parent-child relationship is set between the bottom edge of component A and the top edge of component B, and a parent-child relationship is set between the bottom edge of component B and the top edge of component C.

[0147] In the screen described above, the operation receiving unit 111 receives a change operation, which is to change one of the edges of a pair of edges whose parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 to a different edge within the same component. Specifically, the user can drag an arrow (an example of a symbol representing a parent-child relationship displayed on the screen) to a different edge within the same component. Thus, the user can input a change operation that changes one of the edges of a pair of edges with a set parent-child relationship to a different edge.

[0148] When the operation receiving unit 111 receives the above-mentioned change operation, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 changes the parent-child relationship set between a pair of sides to a parent-child relationship between a different side in the same component and another side in the pair of sides.

[0149] For example, as in Figure 14 As shown by the dashed line, the user moves one end of the arrow connecting the bottom edge of component A to the top edge of component B from one of the pairs of edges, i.e., the bottom edge of component A, to a different edge, i.e., the right edge, within the same component A. In this case, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 is as follows: Figure 14 As shown in the lower layer, the parent-child relationship of a pair of edges between components A and B is changed to the parent-child relationship between the right side of component A and the other edge of the pair, namely the top edge of component B.

[0150] As described above, in Embodiment 3, the parent-child relationship of an edge that has been set between a parent component and a child component can be changed to a parent-child relationship between an edge that is the same as or different from the parent component and an edge that is the same as or different from the child component. Therefore, the parent-child relationship can be changed through a simple operation without having to re-set it.

[0151] (Implementation Method 4)

[0152] Next, implementation method 4 will be described. Descriptions of structures and functions identical to those in implementation methods 1-3 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0153] The drawing aid device 10 according to embodiment 4 changes at least one of a pair of components with a parent-child relationship to other components according to the user's operation.

[0154] exist Figure 15 The upper layer shows an example of displaying components A, B, and component C (whose parent-child relationship is not yet defined) on the screen of display unit 14. Components A and B are a group of components whose parent-child relationship has been defined by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113. More specifically, a parent-child relationship is defined between the bottom edge of component A and the top edge of component B.

[0155] In the above-described screen, the operation receiving unit 111 receives a change operation, which is to change one of the components in a pair of components with a parent-child relationship set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 to a component displayed on the screen that is different from that pair of components. Specifically, the user can drag an arrow (an example of a symbol representing a parent-child relationship) displayed on the screen to another component without a parent-child relationship set. Thus, the user can input a change operation to change one of the components in a pair with a parent-child relationship set to another component.

[0156] When the operation receiving unit 111 receives the above-mentioned change operation, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 changes the parent-child relationship set between a pair of components that have been set to a parent-child relationship between another component in the pair and other components that have not been set to a parent-child relationship.

[0157] For example, as in Figure 15 The upper layer is shown as a dashed line. The user moves one end of the arrow connecting a pair of components A and B, whose parent-child relationship has been set, from above component B to the left of another component C, whose parent-child relationship has not been set. In this case, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113... Figure 15 As shown in the lower layer, the parent-child relationship of the components set between components A and B will be changed to a parent-child relationship where component A is the parent component and component C is the child component. Furthermore, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 will change the parent-child relationship of the edges set between components A and B to a parent-child relationship where the bottom edge of component A is the parent and the left edge of component C is the child.

[0158] In addition to the aforementioned changes to the parent-child relationship, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 also sets parent-child relationships between the other components and one of the components in the aforementioned pair. Specifically, as... Figure 15 As shown in the lower layer, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship where other components, i.e., component C, are the parent components, and one of the components in a pair, i.e., component B, is the child component. Furthermore, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets a parent-child relationship where the right side of component C is the parent and the bottom side of component B is the child.

[0159] Here, in the parent-child relationship between components A and C, the child is the left side of component C. Therefore, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets the parent in the parent-child relationship between components C and B to its opposite side, i.e., the right side of component C. However, this is just an example, and the side that becomes the parent in the parent-child relationship between components C and B can be set according to any standard.

[0160] As described above, in Embodiment 4, it is possible to change the parent component or the child component in a pair of components that have been set with a parent-child relationship. Therefore, the parent-child relationship can be changed through a simple operation without having to re-set it.

[0161] (Implementation Method 5)

[0162] Next, implementation method 5 will be described. Descriptions of structures and functions identical to those in implementation methods 1-4 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0163] The drawing aid device 10 according to Embodiment 5 can reselect the constituent components of a component group after the setting application unit 114 applies the settings to the component group for which the parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113.

[0164] Figure 16 An example is shown where components A through C and component D (whose parent-child relationship is not set) are displayed on the screen of display unit 14. Components A through C are a group of components whose parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113. More specifically, for components A through C, the setting application unit 114 sets the color of the root component, i.e., component A, to (0, 0, 0) and the positive offset to (64, 0, 0).

[0165] In the above screen, the user can input a reselection operation to reselect the constituent parts of the component groups A through C. This allows the user to change the constituent parts of component groups with established parent-child relationships or applied settings, or their selection order.

[0166] As an example, a user selects "Reselect Parts" - "Rectangular Selection" from the operation screen for setting parent-child relationships for parts A~C. Furthermore, the user... Figure 16 The upper layer shows an input reselection operation, which reselects components A to D as constituent components of the component group A to C. For example, the user inputs a selection operation that draws a rectangular area R4 from the lower right of component D to the upper left of component A. Furthermore, the reselection operation is not limited to drawing a rectangular area R4; it can also be an operation that draws a linear trajectory.

[0167] When a user inputs a reselection operation for components A through D, the operation receiving unit 111 receives the reselection operation. The selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order of components A through D based on the reselection operation received by the operation receiving unit 111. Figure 16 In the example, the selection order determination unit 112 determines the selection order in the order of components D, C, B, and A, from the starting point of the rectangular region R4 to the farthest point.

[0168] The parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets parent-child relationships between components D and C, between components C and B, and between components B and A, based on the selection order determined by the selection order determination unit 112. At this time, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets component D, which is selected first, as the root component. As a result, parent-child relationship setting components A to D with components A to D in the component list are generated.

[0169] The setting application unit 114 reapplies the settings previously applied to the component groups A to C before the reselection operation for component groups A to D that have been reselected as components through a reselection operation. Specifically, as follows: Figure 16 As shown in the lower layer, the setting application unit 114 sets the color of the root component, i.e., component D, to (0, 0, 0). Furthermore, the setting application unit 114 sets the colors of components C, B, and A according to the positive offset setting value (64, 0, 0).

[0170] As described above, the drawing aid device 10 according to Embodiment 5 receives a reselection operation of constituent components of a component group with parent-child relationships already set. For the component group whose constituent components have been reselected through the reselection operation, the same settings as before the reselection operation are reapplied. As a result, the user does not need to re-enter settings such as settings and offsets, and can easily reselect components and edges with parent-child relationships set.

[0171] (Implementation Method 6)

[0172] Next, implementation method 6 will be described. Descriptions of structures and functions identical to those in implementation methods 1-5 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0173] The drawing aid device 10 according to embodiment 6 reverses the parent-child relationship or reverses all parent-child relationships for multiple components with parent-child relationships set.

[0174] exist Figure 17 The upper layer shows an example of displaying components A to C on the screen of display unit 14. Components A to C are a group of components whose parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113. More specifically, a parent-child relationship is set between the bottom edge of component A and the top edge of component B, and a parent-child relationship is set between the bottom edge of component B and the top edge of component C.

[0175] In the above scene, the operation receiving unit 111 receives a reversal operation, which reverses the parent-child relationship in at least one of the multiple combinations in which the parent-child relationship is set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113.

[0176] Users can reverse the start and end points of arrows representing parent-child relationships displayed on the screen by dragging them. For example, a user can reverse an arrow extending from component A to component B, changing it to extend from component B to component A. Alternatively, a user can open the operation screen for parent-child relationship setting component ABC and change the root component of parent-child relationship setting component ABC from component A to component B, thereby reversing the parent-child relationship in the combination of component A and component B. As described above, users can input a reversal operation that reverses the parent-child relationship in at least one combination that has a parent-child relationship already set. Furthermore, more specifically, as explained below, the reversal of the parent-child relationship is performed by changing the root component; therefore, at least one combination that reverses the parent-child relationship must contain a root component.

[0177] The parent-child relationship setting unit 113 reverses the parent-child relationship of at least one of a plurality of combinations in which a parent-child relationship has been set, based on the user's operation. For example, when receiving a reversal operation that reverses the parent-child relationship in the combination of component A, which is both a parent component and a root component, and component B, which is a child component, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 performs the following: Figure 17 As shown in the lower layer, the parent-child relationship in the combination of component A and component B is changed to a parent-child relationship in which component B is the parent component and root component, and component A is the child component.

[0178] If the parent-child relationship is changed, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 updates the parent-child relationship information 122. Figure 18 An example of parent-child relationship information 122 is shown when the parent-child relationship between components A and B is reversed. Figure 18 In the example, the initial selection order of components A, B, and C remains unchanged in the component list without any changes. In contrast, the root component is changed to component B as the parent-child relationship between components A and B is reversed.

[0179] Furthermore, in the setting list, the parent-child relationship information 122 stores not only the forward offset but also the reverse offset information. Here, the reverse offset is a second offset prepared separately from the first offset, i.e., the forward offset, and is used between components with reversed parent-child relationships.

[0180] As an example, such as Figure 18 As shown, the reverse offset is set to the value obtained by multiplying the forward offset by -1. However, the reverse offset is not limited to this and can be set to any value independently of the forward offset.

[0181] More specifically, the forward offset is applied to child components that are lower than the parent component in the component list, i.e., child components whose selection order, as determined by the selection order determination unit 112, is later than the parent component. Conversely, the reverse offset is applied to child components that are higher than the parent component in the component list, i.e., child components whose selection order, as determined by the selection order determination unit 112, is earlier than the parent component.

[0182] Based on the parent-child relationship information 122 including the aforementioned reverse offset, the setting application unit 114 applies the setting based on the setting of the parent component to the setting of the child component for each of the multiple combinations of parent-child relationships set by the parent-child relationship setting unit 113.

[0183] To be more specific, the setting application unit 114 sets the setting value of the child component to a value obtained by adding a positive offset to the setting value of the parent component for the combination other than at least one combination in which the parent-child relationship has been reversed through a reversal operation among the multiple combinations in which a parent-child relationship has been set. In other words, the setting application unit 114 applies the setting based on a positive offset for at least one combination in which the parent-child relationship has not been reversed, in the same way as in Embodiment 1.

[0184] In contrast, the setting application unit 114 sets the setting value of the child component to the value obtained by adding a reverse offset to the setting value of the parent component for at least one of the multiple combinations in which the parent-child relationship has been reversed by a reversal operation.

[0185] Reference Figure 19 The process of setting application processing performed by the setting application unit 114 will be explained in more detail.

[0186] Figure 19 The application processing shown will begin when the following operation is entered: [the operation will be performed] via... Figure 11 The parent-child relationship settings shown are used to configure multiple components and apply the settings from the configuration list. Figure 19 In the setting application process shown, the control unit 11 functions as the setting application unit 114.

[0187] If application processing is started, the control unit 11 executes the steps described in Embodiment 1. Figure 12 The processing steps S11 to S15, as described above, are performed. Therefore, the control unit 11 performs processing to apply the settings based on the positive offset, for the settings obtained from the setting list.

[0188] After step S15, the control unit 11 restores the set value after the positive offset to the value set for the root component in step S12, i.e., the initial value (step S21).

[0189] If the setting value is restored to the initial value, the control unit 11 adds the reverse offset specified in the obtained setting to the setting value applied to the root component (step S22).

[0190] If a reverse offset is added to the setpoint, the control unit 11 applies the setpoint with the reverse offset to the next component in the component list that exists in the reverse direction (step S23). Figure 18 In the example, component A exists in the opposite direction of the root component, i.e., component B. Therefore, the control unit 11 applies the setting value with the reverse offset added to it to the next component of the root component, i.e., component A.

[0191] Next, the control unit 11 determines whether there are any components in the component list that are further in the reverse direction (step S24). If there are any components in the reverse direction (step S24: YES), the control unit 11 returns the process to step S22. Furthermore, the control unit 11 adds a reverse offset to the current setting value and applies the summed setting value to the next component in the component list that is in the reverse direction. As described above, the control unit 11 applies setting values ​​obtained by sequentially adding reverse offsets to each component in the component list that is in the reverse direction.

[0192] Conversely, if no further components exist in the reverse direction (step S24: NO), the control unit 11 determines whether there are any unapplied settings remaining in the setting list (step S25). If there are unapplied settings remaining (step S25: YES), the control unit 11 returns the process to step S11 and retrieves one unapplied setting from the setting list. Furthermore, the control unit 11 executes steps S12-S15 and S21-S24, applying the retrieved setting value to each of the multiple components with parent-child relationships. As described above, the control unit 11 applies the setting values ​​of each setting included in the setting list to each of the multiple components with parent-child relationships.

[0193] If there are no remaining unused settings (step S25: NO), the control unit 11 ends. Figure 19 The settings shown are applied to the processing.

[0194] As described above, in embodiment 6, for multiple components with established parent-child relationships, the parent-child relationships are reversed midway or all parent-child relationships are reversed. Therefore, the user does not need to re-set the parent-child relationships and can change the root component that becomes the setting reference through a simple operation. In addition, different offset values ​​can be set in the forward and reverse directions, thus improving the flexibility of the setting.

[0195] (Variation example)

[0196] The above describes the implementation methods, but it is possible to combine the various implementation methods and appropriately modify or omit them.

[0197] For example, in the above embodiment, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 sets the parent-child relationship between components and between edges. However, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113 may not set the parent-child relationship between edges. Even without setting the parent-child relationship between edges, by setting the parent-child relationship between components, the settings based on the settings of the parent component can be applied to the settings of the child component. Therefore, the following effect can be obtained: the settings of multiple components can be edited efficiently.

[0198] In the above embodiments, for Figure 3 The linear trajectory L1 and shown Figure 4 The linear trajectory L2 shown has its starting and ending points located outside the components, completely traversing from the first component to the last. However, the linear trajectory input as a selection operation can also start from the middle of the first component and end at the middle of the last component. In other words, the components traversed by the linear trajectory include not only those completely traversed by the linear trajectory but also those partially traversed by the linear trajectory. Furthermore, the operation receiving unit 111 can select only the components completely traversed by the linear trajectory or include all components present at the positions overlapping with the linear trajectory, including those partially traversed by the linear trajectory. As described above, the setting of the components selected by the linear trajectory can be appropriately changed.

[0199] In the above embodiments, for Figure 5 The rectangular area R1 shown is Figure 6 The rectangular region R2 shown has its start and end points located outside the components, completely encompassing the selected components. The operation receiving unit 111 may also select only the components completely encompassed by the rectangular region as described above, excluding components that only partially overlap with the rectangular region from the selection. Alternatively, the operation receiving unit 111 may select not only the components completely encompassed by the rectangular region but also components that only partially overlap with the rectangular region. As described above, the setting of the components selected by the rectangular region can be appropriately changed.

[0200] In the above embodiment, the control unit 11 of the drawing aid device 10 functions as the operation receiving unit 111, the selection order determining unit 112, the parent-child relationship setting unit 113, and the setting application unit 114 by executing a program stored in the ROM or storage unit 12 by the CPU. However, the control unit 11 may also be dedicated hardware. Dedicated hardware refers to, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmable processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. When the control unit 11 is dedicated hardware, the functions of each part can be implemented by different hardware, or the functions of each part can be combined and implemented by a single piece of hardware.

[0201] Alternatively, some of the functions of each part can be implemented using dedicated hardware, while others can be implemented using software or firmware. As described above, the control unit 11 can implement the aforementioned functions using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0202] It is also possible to apply the operation program that specifies the operation of the drawing aid 10 to an existing computer, such as a personal computer or information terminal device, thereby enabling that computer to function as the drawing aid 10. The above-described program is an example of a drawing aid program.

[0203] Furthermore, the method of distributing such programs is arbitrary. For example, they can be distributed by storing them on computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROM (CompactDisk Read-Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), MO (Magneto-Optical disk), or memory cards, or they can be distributed via communication networks such as the Internet.

[0204] This invention can be implemented and modified in various ways without departing from its broad spirit and scope. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit its scope. That is, the scope of the invention is defined not by the embodiments, but by the claims. Moreover, various modifications implemented within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are considered to fall within the scope of this invention.

[0205] Industrial applicability

[0206] This invention can be appropriately used in drawing-aid techniques.

[0207] Explanation of the label

[0208] 10 Drawing aid, 11 Control unit, 12 Storage unit, 13 Operation unit, 14 Display unit, 15 Communication unit, 111 Operation receiving unit, 112 Selection order determination unit, 113 Parent-child relationship setting unit, 114 Setting application unit, 121 Selection order information, 122 Parent-child relationship information, L1, L2 Linear trajectories, R1, R2, R3, R4 Rectangular areas

Claims

1. A computer-readable recording medium storing a drawing aid program that enables the computer to function as: The operation receiving unit receives selection operations for selecting multiple components displayed on the screen; The selection order determination unit determines the selection order of the multiple components selected by the selection operation based on the selection operation received by the operation receiving unit and the positional relationship of the multiple components in the screen. as well as The parent-child relationship setting unit sets a parent-child relationship for the multiple components, making the component selected earlier in the selection order the parent component and the component selected later in the selection order the child component.

2. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1, wherein, When there are at least three components, the parent-child relationship setting unit sets a parent-child relationship for each of the multiple combinations, such that the component selected earlier is the parent component and the component selected later is the child component. The multiple combinations are combinations of two components whose selection order is consecutive, as determined by the selection order determination unit, among the at least three components.

3. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The parent-child relationship setting unit also sets a parent-child relationship between one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component selected earlier and one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component selected later.

4. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The operation receiving unit receives the operation of inputting a linear trajectory to a position in the image that traverses the multiple components as the selection operation. The selection order determination unit determines the selection order sequentially, starting from the component traversed by the linear trajectory among the plurality of components.

5. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 4, wherein, The parent-child relationship setting unit also sets a parent-child relationship between the last edge of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component with the earlier selection order that intersects the linear trajectory and the first edge of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component with the later selection order that intersects the linear trajectory.

6. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The operation receiving unit receives the operation of inputting a rectangular area at a position on the screen that overlaps with the multiple components as the selection operation. The selection order determination unit determines the selection order sequentially from the component closest to the starting point of the rectangular region among the plurality of components.

7. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 6, wherein, The parent-child relationship setting unit also sets a parent-child relationship for the combination of sides that are closest to each other in the combination of any one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component selected earlier and any one side of the quadrilateral circumscribed by the component selected later.

8. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The operation receiving unit receives a new selection operation, which is to select a component group whose parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit, as well as a component displayed on the screen that is different from the component group. The selection order determination unit determines the selection order of the component group and the different components based on the new selection operation received by the operation receiving unit. The parent-child relationship setting unit sets new parent-child relationships between the component group and the different components based on the selection order determined by the selection order determination unit.

9. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 3, wherein, The operation receiving unit receives a change operation, which changes one edge of a pair of edges whose parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit to a different edge in the same component. When the operation receiving unit receives the change operation, the parent-child relationship setting unit changes the parent-child relationship set between the pair of edges to the parent-child relationship between the different edge and another edge in the pair of edges.

10. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The operation receiving unit receives a change operation, which changes one of the components in a pair of components whose parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit to a component displayed on the screen that is different from the pair of components. When the operation receiving unit receives the change operation, the parent-child relationship setting unit changes the parent-child relationship set between the pair of components to a parent-child relationship between another component in the pair and the different component.

11. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 10, wherein, When the operation receiving unit receives the change operation, the parent-child relationship setting unit sets a parent-child relationship between the different components and one of the pair of components.

12. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The drawing assistance program also enables the computer to function as a setting application unit, which applies settings based on the settings of the parent component to the settings of the child component.

13. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 12, wherein, The setting application unit sets the setting value of the sub-component to a value obtained by adding an offset to the setting value of the parent component.

14. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 12, wherein, After the operation receiving unit has applied the settings to a component group for which a parent-child relationship has been set by the parent-child relationship setting unit, and the setting application unit has applied the settings, it receives a reselection operation to reselect the constituent components of the component group. The setting application unit reapplies the settings to the group of components after the constituent components have been reselected through the reselection operation.

15. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 12, wherein, When there are at least three components, the parent-child relationship setting unit sets a parent-child relationship for each of the multiple combinations, such that the component selected earlier in the selection order is the parent component and the component selected later in the selection order is the child component. These multiple combinations are combinations of two components from the at least three components whose selection order is consecutive, as determined by the selection order determining unit. The parent-child relationship setting unit reverses the parent-child relationship of at least one of the plurality of combinations in which the parent-child relationship is set, based on the user's operation.

16. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein, The setting application unit sets the setting value of the sub-component to a value obtained by adding a first offset to the setting value of the parent component for combinations other than at least one of the plurality of combinations, and sets the setting value of the sub-component to a value obtained by adding a second offset to the setting value of the parent component for at least one of the plurality of combinations.

17. A drawing aid device, comprising: The operation receiving unit receives selection operations for selecting multiple components displayed on the screen; The selection order determination unit determines the selection order of the multiple components selected by the selection operation based on the selection operation received by the operation receiving unit and the positional relationship of the multiple components in the screen. as well as The parent-child relationship setting unit sets a parent-child relationship for the multiple components, making the component selected earlier in the selection order the parent component and the component selected later in the selection order the child component.

18. A drawing assistance method, executed by a drawing assistance device, wherein, The operation receiving unit receives selection operations for selecting multiple components displayed on the screen. Based on the selection operation received by the operation receiving unit and the positional relationship of the multiple components in the screen, the selection order of the multiple components selected by the selection operation is determined. For the multiple components, a parent-child relationship is established, where the component selected earlier in the selection order is the parent component and the component selected later in the selection order is the child component.

Images