Patent ID: 7805672

Claim:
A layout processing method for changing a layout of a template having a plurality of data areas in accordance with content data to be inserted in each of the plurality of data areas, the layout processing method comprising: a setting process of, by setting means, setting a priority on each data area; a selection process of, by selection means, selecting (1) a difference between a content size of the content data and a basic size of a data area associated with the content data or (2) a difference between the content size of the content data and a size of a data area which is decided based on the content data and the priority set in the setting process, as a condition to change the priority; wherein at least one of the plurality of data areas has condition (1) selected as a condition to change the priority, and at least one of the plurality of data areas has condition (2) selected as a condition to change the priority a first specifying process of, by first specifying means, specifying the difference between the content size of the content data and the basic size of the data area associated with the content data in a case where (1) the difference between the content size of the content data and the basic size of the data area associated with the content data is selected in the selection process; a second specifying process of, by second specifying means, specifying the difference between the content size of the content data and the size of the data area which is decided based on the content data and the priority set in the setting process in a case where (2) the difference between the content size of the content data and the size of the data area which is decided based on the content data and the priority set in the setting process is selected in the selection process; a changing process of, by changing means, changing, in a case where the difference specified in the first specifying process or the difference specified in the second specifying process between a content size of content data and a size of a data area associated with the content data meets a predetermined condition, the priority set on the data area; a determining process of, by determining means, determining an area size of each data area in accordance with the priority changed in the changing process; and an output process of, by output means, laying out the content data in accordance with the area sizes of the plurality of data areas determined in the determining process, and outputting laid-out content data.