Patent Application
20210089595
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-172297 filed Sep. 20, 2019.
The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program.
There is a system in which electronic documents are sorted based on character strings contained in the electronic documents as their attributes and the sorted electronic documents are stored in areas provided depending on their attributes. When any attribute is changed, the electronic documents are re-sorted based on the changed attribute.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-144027 describes a file management system in which a CPU receives an instruction for a common attribute (template) when documents are registered and collectively registers attributes of one or more documents by using the template when the documents are registered.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-288417 describes a document management system. In the document management system, digitized documents are sorted based on document attributes and are stored in folders provided depending on the attributes used for the sorting. The document management system includes an inputter that divides attribute data into a plurality of pieces of sub-attribute data, provides a hierarchical structure for the pieces of sub-attribute data, and inputs the pieces of sub-attribute data, an editor that links the plurality of pieces of sub-attribute data in the hierarchical structure and associates the pieces of sub-attribute data with sorting folders, an attribute data holding area that stores the plurality of pieces of input sub-attribute data in the hierarchical state, and a holding area that stores attribute data edited by the editor.
Aspects of non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the following circumstances. When electronic documents are re-sorted, a user does not easily grasp a storage area that stores the electronic documents.
It is desirable to provide an information processing apparatus and the like in which, when attributes of electronic documents are changed and the electronic documents are re-sorted, a user may grasp more easily a storage area that stores the re-sorted electronic documents than in a case where the storage area of the electronic documents is not displayed.
Aspects of certain non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure overcome the above disadvantages and/or other disadvantages not described above. However, aspects of the non-limiting embodiments are not required to overcome the disadvantages described above, and aspects of the non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure may not overcome any of the disadvantages described above.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing apparatus comprising a processor configured to sort electronic documents to a predetermined storage area based on attributes assigned to the electronic documents, receive an operation of changing the attributes, and control, based on the changed attributes, displaying of a storage area that stores the electronic documents when the electronic documents are re-sorted.
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
An information processing apparatus 10 of this exemplary embodiment manages, for example, electronic documents.
The “electronic document” is digitized information. The type of information, format, and data structure are not particularly limited as long as the electronic document may be handled by the information processing apparatus 10. Examples of the “electronic document” include character information, image information, software such as a program, and software-related information such as setting information. In this exemplary embodiment, the electronic document is print information to be used for printing a paper document called “estimation sheet”, “order sheet”, or “invoice”. For example, the electronic document is image information obtained by scanning the paper document.
Examples of the information processing apparatus 10 include a general-purpose personal computer (PC), a mobile computer, a mobile phone, a smartphone, and a tablet. The information processing apparatus 10 manages electronic documents by operating various types of application software under control of an operating system (OS).
For example, the information processing apparatus 10 may be a server computer that manages the entire system in which electronic documents are handled. In this case, the information processing apparatus 10, for example, authenticates a user who operates a terminal apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus 10 and transmits an electronic document to the terminal apparatus so that the user may view the electronic document. Further, the information processing apparatus 10 receives and stores an electronic document created at the terminal apparatus. If the information processing apparatus 10 is provided in a cloud system, the information processing apparatus 10 may be a cloud server that provides management services for electronic documents.
The information processing apparatus 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) serving as a calculator, a memory such as a main memory, and a storage such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The CPU is an example of a processor, which executes various types of software such as an OS (basic software) or application software. The main memory is a storage area that stores various types of software and data to be used for executing the software. The storage is a storage area that stores data input to various types of software and data to be output from the software.
The information processing apparatus 10 includes a communication interface (I/F) for external communication, a display mechanism including a video memory and a display, and an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch panel.
The information processing apparatus 10 assigns attributes to electronic documents and manages the electronic documents based on the attributes.
The setting screen is displayed as a window W1. A thumbnail screen G1 of an electronic document whose attributes will be set is displayed at the left of the window W1. A thumbnail screen G1 of an order sheet is displayed as the electronic document. An input field R1 to be used for inputting attributes is displayed at an upper right part of the window W1. A user inputs attributes in the input field R1 by using the input device.
The information processing apparatus 10 may determine storage areas of electronic documents by setting rules using the attributes. The storage area is a storage destination of an electronic document, as typified by a folder. By setting the rules, electronic documents may be sorted and stored in desired folders.
The rule may be preset by a user who operates and manages the information processing apparatus 10.
The information processing apparatus 10 includes a receiver 11 that receives user-s instructions, a setter 12 that sets attributes of electronic documents, a sorter 13 that sorts electronic documents, a memory 14 that stores electronic documents, a display controller 15 that controls a display screen on a display 16, and the display 16 that displays electronic documents.
In this exemplary embodiment, the receiver 11 receives an operation of setting attributes on the screen illustrated in
The setter 12 sets attributes. That is, when the receiver 11 receives an operation of setting attributes, the setter 12 assigns the set attributes to an electronic document. When any attribute is changed, the setter 12 collectively changes the attributes of target electronic documents. For example, the setter 12 corresponds to the CPU.
When an operation of setting attributes is received on the screen illustrated in
The memory 14 stores electronic documents. The memory 14 also stores set attributes. The memory 14 may store dates of creation, dates of modification, or records of modification for electronic documents. For example, the memory 14 corresponds to the main memory and the storage.
Although details are described later, the display controller 15 controls, based on a changed attribute, displaying of storage areas that store electronic documents when they are re-sorted. For example, the display controller 15 corresponds to the CPU.
The display 16 displays images of electronic documents and the setting screen illustrated in
When any attribute is changed, the sorter 13 re-sorts electronic documents as described above. This operation is described below in detail.
First, a user searches for electronic documents whose attributes will be changed (Step 101).
The search screen is displayed as a window W2 on the display 16. An input field R2 is displayed as a search field at an upper part of the window W2 in
An input field R3 to be used for inputting attributes is displayed at a lower part of the window W2 in
The user pushes a search button Bt1 to search for electronic documents based on the search criteria input by the user.
Referring back to
The search results show electronic documents in which the document categories are “order sheets” and the divisions are “development divisions”. The search results are displayed as a window W3 on the display 16. A list H1 is displayed in the window W3 as the search results. The list H1 includes a file name, a document category, a due date, an amount, a division, and a representative. File names of electronic documents in which the document categories are “order sheets” and the divisions are “development divisions” are displayed. The due date, amount, division, and representative are attributes. If the electronic documents are assigned those attributes, the attributes are displayed in the list H1. If the electronic documents are not assigned the attributes, the fields are left blank. In this case, the attributes “due date” and “amount” are not assigned to each electronic document. The attribute “representative” is assigned and representatives A to C are displayed.
Referring back to
The following description is directed to a case where a representative is changed as the attribute. The user selects a representative to be changed from the representative fields and inputs a changed representative as a substitute. In
The user selects an item “collective attribute change” from a menu (not illustrated) (Step 104) and a collective change screen is displayed (Step 105).
The collective change screen is displayed as a window W4 on the display 16. A field R4 showing an attribute to be changed is displayed at an upper left part of the window W4 in
A folder structure F1 associated with the attribute to be changed is displayed at a lower left part of the window W4 in
A folder structure F2 associated with the changed attribute is displayed at a lower right part of the window W4 in
In this case, the electronic documents related to the representative A that are displayed as the search results in the window W3 of
In this case, the sorter 13 determines the re-sorting folder based on the rule described above. Therefore, the rule needs to be preset. In actuality, when any attribute is changed, the sorter 13 searches for a rule associated with the attribute change. If the rule exists, the electronic documents are re-sorted.
If no rule exists, the electronic documents are not re-sorted and only the attribute value is changed. In this case, the folder structures F1 and F2 at the lower part of the window W4 are not displayed, or are displayed in the same way with no emphasis of folders with color or the like.
When the user inputs the changed attribute (Step 106), the re-sorting folders of the electronic documents are displayed one by one. When the user pushes an OK button Bt2, the attributes of the target electronic documents are collectively changed and the electronic documents are re-sorted (Step 107).
The display method for the folder structures F1 and F2 at the lower part of the window W4 in
First, the sorter 13 determines whether a re-sorting folder associated with a changed attribute already exists (Step 201). In the example of
If the re-sorting folder does not exist (“NO” in Step 201), the sorter 13 creates a new re-sorting folder (Step 202). Then, the process proceeds to Step 205 and electronic documents are moved to the re-sorting folder.
If the re-sorting folder exists (“YES” in Step 201), the sorter 13 determines that the re-sorting folder exists (Step 203).
If any electronic document in the re-sorting folder has the same file name, the sorter 13 prompts the user to decide whether to overwrite the electronic document (Step 204).
The screen is displayed as a dialog D1. A radio button Rb1 and a radio button Rb2 are displayed and the user may choose to overwrite the file or move the file by changing its name. When the user selects the radio button Rb1 or the radio button Rb2 and pushes an OK button Bt3, the selected process is executed.
Referring back to
If the user selects the radio button Rb2 to change the file name in
Next, the sorter 13 determines whether any file remains in the original folder as a result of moving the electronic documents (Step 207).
If any file remains (“YES” in Step 207), the sorter 13 terminates the series of processes. That is, the sorter 13 keeps the original folder.
If no file remains (“NO” in Step 207), the sorter 13 prompts the user to decide whether to delete the original folder (Step 208).
The screen is displayed as a dialog D2. A radio button Rb3 and a radio button Rb4 are displayed and the user may choose whether to delete the folder or not. When the user selects the radio button Rb3 or the radio button Rb4 and pushes an OK button Bt4, the selected process is executed.
Referring back to
If the user selects the radio button Rb4 to delete the folder (“YES” in Step 208), the sorter 13 deletes the original folder (Step 209).
In this case, the collective change screen is displayed as a window W4 similar to that of
In this case, the folder X exists in the original folder structure F1. Therefore, the same folders are displayed in the folder structure F1 and in the folder structure F2 after re-sorting. That is, the folders A to C and X are displayed in both the folder structures.
The folder A in the folder structure F1 and the folder X in the folder structure F2 are colored or boxed.
In this case, the folder X exists in the original folder structure F1. Therefore, the same folders are displayed in the folder structure F1 and in the folder structure F2 after re-sorting. Since a file remains in the original folder A, the folder A is not deleted but kept.
The folder A in the folder structure F1 and the folder X in the folder structure F2 are colored or boxed.
In this case, the folder A is deleted in the folder structure F2 after re-sorting. As a result, the folder A is not displayed.
The folder A in the folder structure F1 and the folder X in the folder structure F2 are colored or boxed.
As demonstrated with reference to the collective change screen of
As demonstrated with reference to the collective change screens of
The sorter 13 determines the storage area that stores the electronic documents when they are re-sorted based on a preset rule showing the relationship between the attributes and the storage area.
If no rule exists in association with the attribute change, the sorter 13 avoids displaying the storage area that stores the electronic documents when they are re-sorted, and avoids re-sorting the electronic documents.
As demonstrated with reference to the collective change screen of
As illustrated in
The processes to be performed by the information processing apparatus 10 of this exemplary embodiment are prepared as a program such as application software. The processes are implemented in cooperation between software and hardware resources.
In this exemplary embodiment, the program for executing the processes to be performed by the information processing apparatus 10 may cause a computer to implement a sorting function for sorting electronic documents to a predetermined storage area based on attributes assigned to the electronic documents, a receiving function for receiving an operation of changing the attributes, and a display control function for controlling, based on the changed attributes, displaying of a storage area that stores the electronic documents when they are re-sorted.
The program that implements this exemplary embodiment may be provided not only by any communication method but also by being stored in any recording medium such as a CD-ROM.
In the embodiment above, the term “processor” refers to hardware in a broad sense. Examples of the processor includes general processors (e.g., CPU: Central Processing Unit), dedicated processors (e.g., GPU: Graphics Processing Unit, ASIC: Application Integrated Circuit, FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array, and programmable logic device).
In the embodiment above, the term “processor” is broad enough to encompass one processor or plural processors in collaboration which are located physically apart from each other but may work cooperatively. The order of operations of the processor is not limited to one described in the embodiment above, and may be changed.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the disclosure be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-172297 | Sep 2019 | JP | national |
