Graphic editing apparatus for adding or deleting curve to/from graphics by interactive processing

A graphic editing apparatus for editing a two-dimensional graphics including at least one curve in accordance with an operation done by an operator, said graphic editing apparatus comprising:

• graphic storing means for storing two-dimensional data of said graphics to be edited;
• graphic displaying means for displaying an image of the graphics stored in said graphic storing means;
• coordinate inputting means for inputting coordinate data of a plurality of points in a two-dimensional space where said graphics exists in accordance with the image displayed by said graphic displaying means;
• coordinate storing means for storing coordinate data of the plurality of points inputted by said coordinate inputting means;
• addition/deletion determining means for determining whether a new curve should be added to said graphics or a curve included in said graphics should be deleted based on coordinate data of the plurality of points stored in said coordinate storing means and data of the graphics stored in said graphic storing means by determining whether there is a curve which is traceable from the starting point to the ending point;
• graphic editing means for performing either processing for adding a new curve to two-dimensional data of the graphics stored in said data memory or processing for deleting a curve from two-dimensional data of said graphics based on the determination result of said addition/deletion determining means.

A graphic editing method for editing a two-dimensional graphics including at least one curve in accordance with an operation done by an operator, said graphic editing method comprising:

• inputting coordinate data of a plurality of points in a two-dimensional space where said graphics exists;
• determining whether a new curve should be added to said graphics or a curve included in said graphics should be deleted with reference to the position of said inputted coordinate data of the plurality of points on said graphics by determining whether there is a curve which is traceable from the starting point to the ending point;
• and
• performing either processing for adding a new curve to said graphics or processing for deleting a curve therefrom based on said determination result.

A computer-readable recording medium having a program for editing a two-dimensional graphics including at least one curve in accordance with an operation done by an operator recorded thereon, said program causing a computer to execute steps of:

• storing two-dimensional data of said graphics to be edited in a memory;
• displaying an image of the graphics stored in said memory on a display device;
• inputting coordinate data of a plurality of points in a two-dimensional space where said graphics exists from an input device in accordance with the displayed image of graphics to be edited;
• determining whether a new curve should be added to said graphics or a curve included in said graphics should be deleted based on coordinate data of the plurality of points and data of the graphics stored in said memory by determining whether there is a curve which is traceable from the stalling point to the ending point;
• performing either processing for adding a new curve to two-dimensional data of the graphics stored in said memory or processing for deleting a curve from two-dimensional data of said graphics based on a determination result of said determining step.

A carrier wave having a data signal of a program for editing a two-dimensional graphics including at least one curve in accordance with an operation done by an operator superimposed thereon, said program causing a computer that receives said carrier wave to execute steps of:

• storing two-dimensional data of said graphics to be edited in a memory;
• displaying an image of the graphics stored in said memory on a display device;
• inputting coordinate data of a plurality of points in a two-dimensional space where said graphics exists from an input device in accordance with the displayed image of graphics to be edited;
• determining whether a new curve should be added to said graphics or a curve included in said graphics should be deleted based on coordinate data of the plurality of points and data of the graphics stored in said memory by determining whether there is a curve which is traceable from the starting point to the ending point;
• performing either processing for adding a new curve to two-dimensional data of the graphics stored in said memory or processing for deleting a curve from two-dimensional data of said graphics based on a determination result of said determining step.

A graphic editing apparatus comprising:

• a program memory for storing a program;
• a data memory for storing data;
• a display device for displaying an image;
• a coordinate input device for inputting two-dimensional coordinate data;
• and
• a processor, which is connected to said program memory, said data memory, said display device and said coordinate input device, for executing a predetermined calculation in accordance with the program stored in said program memory and for controlling said data memory, said display device and said coordinate input device, wherein said graphic editing apparatus edits a two-dimensional graphics including at least one curve in accordance with an operator's operation of said coordinate input device,
• said data memory including:
• an area where two-dimensional data of the graphics to be edited is stored;
• and
• an area where coordinate data inputted from said coordinate input device is stored,
• said program including:
• a graphic storing step of storing data of said graphics in said data memory;
• a graphic displaying step of displaying an image of the graphics stored in said data memory on said display device;
• a coordinate inputting step of inputting, from said coordinate input device, coordinate data of a plurality of points in a two-dimensional space where said graphics exists in accordance with said displayed graphics to be edited;
• a coordinate storing step of storing said inputted coordinate data of the plurality of points in said data memory;
• an addition/deletion determining step of determining whether a new curve should be added to said graphics or a curve included in said graphic should be deleted based on said coordinate data of the plurality of points and data of the graphics stored in said data memory;
• and
• a graphic editing step of performing either processing for adding a new curve to two-dimensional data of the graphics stored in said data memory or processing for deleting a curve from two-dimensional data of said graphics based on a determination result in said addition/deletion determining step,
• wherein said adding curve and said deleting curve are displayed in real time in colors different from each other before addition of curve and deletion of curve are performed.