JP2503759B2 - Plotter device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a plotter device such as a pen plotter or a raster plotter, and more particularly to its editing function.

[Prior art]

For example, when drawing output in a CAD system is obtained, drawing or printing is performed by a pen plotter or raster plotter based on drawing data. In this case, the drawing data is vector data, and line drawing data indicating the length of a line segment, characters, symbols, etc., a pen selection command for specifying the pen for drawing the line segment, characters, etc. Command, for example, associated command data indicating a pattern such as line type, line width, line color, and shading. In the case of a pen plotter, for example, a plurality of pens are arranged at the pen positions No. 1 to No. n, and the pen position number of the pen to be used is specified by the pen selection command. Then, although the drawing is performed by the designated pen, other command data associated with the pen selection command is referred to, and the drawing is executed based on the corresponding line drawing data. In the case of a pen plotter, therefore, the line width, line color, etc. are determined by each pen installed at each pen position number. In the case of a raster plotter, similarly, the pen position number is specified by the pen selection command, but the pen is not physically arranged, and normally the pen with the specified line width and line color is It is virtually arranged at the position of the pen position number. In general, conventionally, the drawing data is created by separating the drawing line by the above-mentioned pen designation, for example, according to the purpose and use such as the outline, the auxiliary dimension line, the dimension, the symbol, the character, etc. Each of the memories is registered and stored in a separate memory area called a layer. Conventionally, when editing work is performed on this drawing data, the drawing data registered in the computer is corrected in the computer and re-registered. FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of this conventional editing work. That is, first, the registered drawing data is called (step 101), and then the drawing data portion of the layer to be corrected is called (step 102). Next, modification work such as changing the line type and line width, deleting unnecessary parts, and adding is performed (step 103), and the drawing data of the modified layer is registered in the layer (step 104). Then, the new drawing data is registered in the memory (step 10
Five). Then, plotting conditions for drawing output are set (step 106), and then the new drawing data is output to the plotter device (step 107).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

As described above, conventionally, when a part of the drawing data is deleted, modified, or added, the plotter side does not have an editing function, and it is necessary to create the modified drawing data on the computer side that creates the drawing data. For this reason, even in the case of deletion, a complicated correction operation is required, and it is necessary to spend time to create the corrected drawing data. On the plotter side, it is possible to change the line width and line color by making the pen type placed at each pen position number position different from when creating the drawing data, but the solid line,
It was not possible to change the line type such as the broken line or the one-dot chain line, or to add or change the pattern such as the shaded pattern. When the drawing frame and the dimension extension line are excluded, the pen is not installed at the corresponding pen position number position and blank drawing is performed. For this reason, time wasted in vain during the blank drawing time. In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a plotter device with an editing function, which enables easy editing of input drawing data.

【Example】

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the editing device portion of the plotter device according to the present invention, and this example is for a raster plotter. It should be noted that this editing device portion can also be realized by a software program of a computer, in which case each block represents a function executed by the computer program. Reference numeral 1 denotes an input terminal, and drawing data, which is vector data including line drawing data and command data, is input from the input terminal 1. In this case, the drawing data is created by forming the pen selection command, in this example, the pen position number (hereinafter referred to as pen No.), and the line drawing data and associated commands such as line width, line type, and pattern. ing. That is, for example, the outline is the pen No. 1, the frame is the pen
No.2, letters, symbols, etc. are created in the same way as pen No.3 .... By creating the drawing data in consideration of the editing for each pen selection command, which will be described later, the operator can perform the desired editing in detail by the plotter. 11 is an edit input operation panel, which inputs the pen selection command of the part to be modified and the modification command of the accompanying command in association with the pen selection command (pen No.), and associates it with the pen number in the change command registration unit 12. To register. The change command registration section 12 is provided with a plurality of pen-number-specific command registration areas 12 ₁ ... 12n. FIG. 2 shows an operation flowchart when registering a change command corresponding to an input operation on the operation panel 11. By setting the drawing data separately for each pen selection command, the pen selection command of the layer you want to modify, that is, the drawing content according to the pen number (pen position number) and associated commands, can be easily performed. It can be known and can be referred to when inputting the correction command data. When inputting edit data, first, the pen selection command of the drawing portion to be corrected, in this example, the pen number, is input. When the input of the pen selection command is detected (step 201), the first command pen No. area registration area 12 ₁ changes the command registration section 12, a pen No. (Penfuragu showing a pen No. and change input) And are written (step 202). Next, when the modify command line width is input (step 203), a flag indicating a command and line width changes to specify the line width is registered in the line width area of the area 12 ₁ (step 204 and 205). Similar processing is performed for line types (steps 206, 207, 208), and similar processing is performed for patterns (steps 209, 210, 21).
1). In this case, the command that has not been changed is skipped (hence the change flag is not set) and the next command is input. Further, when the line width is designated as "0", it indicates erasing, and the drawing means to be described later does not perform drawing with the pen of the corresponding pen number. That is, blank drawing is not performed. Thus, when the input of the change command for one pen No. is completed, it is determined whether or not the editing input is completed (step 212). For example, if the end key is not pressed and the next pen No. key input operation is performed, the process returns to step 201,
Registered next command area 12 ₂ in response to the next input operation change command for pen No., the commands and change flag which is inputted in the same manner are respectively registered. Then, as described above, this edit input ends when the end button is input. The drawing command of the drawing data from the input terminal 1 is corrected to the command registered in the change command registration unit 12 as follows. That is, the drawing data through the input terminal 1 is supplied to the line drawing data extraction unit 2, the line drawing data is extracted, and the extracted line drawing data is supplied to the drawing data buffer memory device 3. The drawing data through the input terminal 1 is also supplied to the command detection unit 4, and first, the pen selection command, that is, the pen No. is detected, and this is temporarily stored in the command register 4A of the command detection unit 4. Then, the line drawing data from the line drawing data extracting unit 2 is stored in the buffer memory device 3 in response to the detected pen selection command. Further, in the command detection unit 4, from the input drawing data,
Ancillary commands of the detected pen selection command, in this example, commands of patterns such as line width, line type, halftone dot, etc. are detected and temporarily stored in the command register 4A. Then, these commands are supplied to one input ends of the selectors 5, 6, and 7, respectively. Then, the pen selection command detected by the command detection unit 4 is supplied to the changed pen No. detection unit 13, and at the same time, the command registration areas 12 ₁ , ...
All registered pens from each pen No. registration area
o (including the pen flag) is supplied to the changed pen number detector 13. Then, the detection unit 13 detects whether or not there is correction command data for the same pen No. as the pen selection command from the command detection unit 4 by referring to the pen flag. A change pen No. selection signal is obtained from the pen No. detection unit 13 and is supplied to the change pen No. command selection unit 14. The change pen No. command selection unit 14 is supplied with a correction command (accompanying command) for each pen No. registered in the change command registration unit 12. When the change pen No. detection unit 13 detects that there is a correction command for the pen No. from the command detection unit 4, the change pen No. command selection signal from the change pen No. detection unit 13 causes The modification associated command for the detected pen No. is extracted from the modified pen No. command selection unit 14 and supplied to the other input ends of the selectors 5, 6, 7 and the modification command detection unit 15 is also supplied. Is supplied to. Further, the change pen number detection unit 13 obtains a correction command detection signal indicating whether or not there is a correction command, and the detection signal is supplied to the change command detection unit 15. The change command detection unit 15 supplies a selection control signal to each of the selectors 5, 6, 7 and selects, as an output signal, an input signal at one input end or an input signal at the other input end. To control. In this case, the change command detector 15
When the correction command detection signal from the detection unit 13 indicates the correction command “absent”, outputs a selection control signal for extracting the input signal of one input end from the selectors 5, 6, 7. Further, when the modification command detection signal indicates the modification command “present”, the modification command detection unit 15 refers to the modification command from the modification pen No. command selection unit 14 to check the command with the modification command. The selector 5, 6 or 7 outputs a selection control signal for extracting the input signal of the other input terminal. Therefore, from the selectors 5, 6, and 7, if the correction command is registered, the correction command is
When the modification command is not registered, the command in the drawing data from the input terminal 1 is obtained, and the command is stored in the buffer memory device 3 with the pen number.
Written in response to (pen selection command). Then, the corrected drawing data is supplied to the drawing means 8 to obtain the drawing output. FIG. 3 is a flow chart when the above editing work is executed by the program software. That is, the command data supplied through the input terminal 1 is fetched (step 301), and the first pen selection command is detected from the command data (step 302). With respect to the pen selection command, it is determined whether or not there is a correction accompanying command by referring to the pen flag (step 303) and determining (step 304). When it is determined that there is no correction, the process returns to step 301 and the next command data is fetched. If it is determined that the line width command is corrected, the process proceeds to step 305, and it is determined whether the line width command is added or changed. If there is any addition or change, the line width command is rewritten to the changed line width or the line width command is added (step 306). After that, or if there is no addition or change in the line width command, it is judged whether or not there is any addition or change in the line type command (step 307). If there is any addition or change, rewrite the line type command in the changed line type. , Or a linetype command is added (step 308). After that, or if the line type command is not added or changed, it is determined whether or not the pattern command is added or changed (step 309). If there is addition or change, the pattern command is rewritten in the change pattern, or the pattern is changed. Add a command (step 310). After that, or if there is no addition or change to the pattern command, proceed to step 311, determine whether or not all the commands for all pen selection commands have been checked, and if it is determined that all have been checked, end this editing process. If there are still pen selection commands remaining, the process returns to step 301. According to the plotter device with an editing function configured as described above, by diverting part of drawing data or selecting the line width and line type with the selected pen, the exploded view, the part drawing, the processing drawing, and the assembly drawing Etc. can be easily obtained. For example, when creating an external view from a single sheet of drawing data, auxiliary dimension lines, dimensions, symbols, and characters must be deleted. Should the line width of these pens be deleted be set to "0"? Alternatively, a deletion command can be added to this pen to easily delete it. Also, drawing data can be created as a document by setting an appropriate line width for the line segment of the selected pen and replacing the line width or the range surrounded by the line with a set pattern (tiling pattern, etc.). It can also be used as a time chart. The raster plotter having such an editing function can be widely used, for example, from one piece of drawing data to an exploded view, an assembly drawing, and an explanatory view of a document. It should be noted that the above embodiment is applied to a raster plotter, but it goes without saying that it can also be applied to a pen plotter. The command associated with the pen selection command is not limited to the line width, the line type, and the pattern, but may include the line color and the character (character code, symbol code).

【The invention's effect】

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the plotter with the editing function of each command corresponding to the pen selection command, it is possible to realize the plotter that can effectively utilize the already created drawing data. Further, since the edit input work only needs to input the command on the operation panel of the plotter, there is an advantage that the correction work, the plot file creation and the data transfer time which have been conventionally required can be omitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of the essential parts of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining conventional editing work. is there. 1; Plot data input terminal 3; Plot data buffer memory 4; Command detection unit 11; Edit input operation panel 12; Change command registration unit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plotter apparatus for obtaining a drawing output based on drawing data, which includes line drawing data and command data for drawing, and in which the line drawing data is formed corresponding to a pen selection command, In response to a pen selection command, input means for performing edit input such as addition / change of the command data, and a pen selection command detected from the drawing data, and drawing data corresponding to the detected pen selection command, A discriminating means for discriminating whether or not there is an edit input, and when the discriminating means judges that there is an edit input, the command data of the drawing data corresponding to the pen selection command is corrected by the command data inputted by the edit. A plotter device provided with means for performing.