PURPOSE: To facilitate the retrieval and reuse of figure components and obtain flexibility by classifying and controlling a figure component group according to a hierarchic classification system and performing retrieval, addition, or deletion in stages along the individuality.
CONSTITUTION: On the menu bar 302 of a figure component control screen window, a mouse button is pressed at a character display part and then various editing operation commands appear. When an operation button 303 is selected, an aimed position is moved to a classification item in the layer directly above the current position. A display frame 306 is divided into eight partial frames, wherein lower-layer elements are displayed respectively. When the number of lower-layer elements at the aimed position is >8, they are handled in plural pages. Operation buttons 304 and 305 are used, so the aimed position is moved between their pages, whose contents are displayed in the display frame 306. Thus, a user moves the aimed position along the tree structure of the classification system to retrieve and reuse the figure components for plotting.
HIROTA ATSUHIKO
YANAGI KUNIHIRO
