JPH01114922A - Method for interpreting operation - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an operator to easily and surely understand and operating method concretely correspondingly to the contents of processing by successively displaying the execution results of a series of operation stages and operating interpretation in parallel by previously stored instructions and interpreting writings. CONSTITUTION:When an instruction for an operating interpretation is inputted from the operator, a state control means 19 switches an input switching means 21 to the side of an operation interpretation/execution control means 20. In addition, the means 19 interrupts the normal processing operation of a processing means 18 to save necessary data or information to a processing state file 11. Then, the means 19 executes control for the setting of the state of operation interpretation and the specification of an operation name by means of a file 12 and then executes the loading of a file 13 for necessary instructions and interpretation writings to a main memory, the start of the means, restoration to the normal processing operation, and so on. Instructions from the file 13 are successively inputted to the means 18 through the means 21 by the hardware control of the means 20 and interpretation writings are displayed or an operation interpretation message is outputted as voice by speech-synthesis.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for explaining the operation of an information processing apparatus that executes processing interactively using a display, a keyboard, or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, operating instructions for this type of information processing device have been basically provided by an operating manual attached to the device or processing program, but methods have also been adopted in which the operation is explained using a so-called help function. ing.

The help function is used when receiving instructions from an operator.
This function displays a simple explanation of the operation on the display screen.

Furthermore, a so-called demonstration function is known as a means for indirectly explaining an operation method, although it does not directly explain each operation method. This feature is
It continuously shows how the screen display changes during normal processing operations, and its original purpose is to help you understand the outline of the processing flow and contents.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, all of the above conventional methods have the following problems.

In the case of the method using the operating manual, the operating manual is often the bulk of the manual, and the explanation of one operation is often quoted from another, so it is difficult to learn the entire operation in detail. This is inconvenient when partially checking the operation method during operation.

The method using the help function is convenient for an operator who has some understanding of the operation method to easily check the operation method during operation, but only an extremely simple explanation is displayed, and it is difficult to understand the details of the process. Because the specific relationship between the two is unclear, it is often difficult to gain a sufficient understanding of how to operate the system.

The demonstration function does not provide direct instructions on how to operate, so it is often not very useful for explaining operations.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for specifically explaining the operation method of an information processing device in an easy-to-understand manner.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an information processing apparatus that executes processing interactively according to commands inputted by an operator, in a series of operation steps for processing execution. Corresponding commands and operation explanations are stored in advance, and when a request for operation explanation is input from an operator, processes are sequentially executed according to the stored instructions corresponding to the series of operation steps, and the execution results are displayed. , and in parallel, the stored operation explanatory text is sequentially displayed or audio outputted.

Effects of the present invention With the above-described configuration, when the operator inputs a request for operation explanation, the processing execution example and operation explanation are sequentially displayed step by step based on the previously stored commands and explanatory text. It is possible to easily and reliably understand the operation method of each operation step by specifically correlating it with the content of the process.

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an information processing apparatus to which an operation explanation method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, in which 1 is a central processing unit, and 2 is a secondary storage unit for storing programs, data, etc. Main memory, 3 is operation V-f ink system,
A node disk device stores processing programs, various files, etc., and 4 is a disk control device that controls the node disk device. The operating system stored in the hard disk drive 3 is loaded into the main memory 2 when the information processing device is powered on, and the processing program is loaded into the main memory 2 and executed with the support of the operating system.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a display device which is a man-machine interface, and is provided with a keyboard 6 and a mouse 7, and 8 is a display control device for controlling the same. Reference numeral 9 denotes a bus for transmitting data and control information between the above-mentioned sections.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a processing program (for example, a word processor) stored in the hard disk drive 3, which includes a control function related to the operation explanation operation. Furthermore, a processing state file 11, an operation explanation execution state file 12, and a command/explanation text file 13 are prepared in advance on the hard disk device 3 in connection with the operation explanation operation.

The processing state file 11 is used to save text data, cursor position information, etc. that need to be saved when the normal processing operation of the processing program 10 is interrupted. The operation explanation execution state file 12 stores in advance text data, cursor position information, etc. necessary for starting an operation explanation operation. However, depending on the processing content, such data may not be necessary, and in this case, the operation explanation execution status file 12 can be omitted.

The command/explanatory text file 13 is a file that stores commands and explanatory texts necessary for executing processes other than operational explanations. The processing program gamer 10 generally has a plurality of functions (processing contents), and since it is more practical to explain operations on a function-by-function basis, a command/explanation file 14 is prepared for each function.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the data structure and contents of the command/explanation file 13. One set of the instruction section 14 and the explanation section 15 is unit data corresponding to one operation stage, and this unit data is arranged in the order of the operation stage. The contents of the command section 14 are commands that replace the commands that should be input by the operator in the response operation stage. The contents of the explanation section 15 are operation explanations for the corresponding operation stage. Note that the instruction section 14
Since each of the explanation portions 15 and 15 has a variable length, a symbol 16 indicating a break between each unit data and a symbol 17 indicating a break between the instruction portion 14 and the explanation portion 15 are inserted as shown.

FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart of the normal processing operation of the processing program 10 and its operational explanation operation. The process will be explained below with reference to this schematic flowchart.

The normal processing operation of this processing program 10 is as follows: Step 1
As shown in step 4, the operator repeatedly inputs commands and processes the commands.

Now, after starting the processing program 10, when the operator needs an operational explanation, he inputs a specific command predetermined for requesting an operational explanation from the keyboard 5. Step 2 is a step of determining whether or not the input command is a specific command for requesting an operation explanation. If it is determined that the input command is a specific command, the normal processing operation is interrupted.
The flow of processing switches to step 5, and an operation explanation operation as described below is executed.

In step 5, data and information necessary to resume normal processing operations, such as text data to be processed and cursor position information, are read from the main memory 2 and stored in the processing state file 12.

In the next step 6, an auxiliary menu is displayed on the screen of the display device 5. This auxiliary menu is a list of operation names (functions or types of processing contents) to be explained, and is incorporated into the processing program 10.

In step 7, the operator specifies the operation name selected from the auxiliary menu using the mouse 6 (or keyboard 5).

In step 8, information necessary to start the operation explanation operation of the process corresponding to the specified operation name is read from the operation explanation execution state file 12, and initial settings for the operation explanation operation are performed. That is, text data necessary for the operation explanation operation is displayed on the screen of the display device 5, and the cursor on the screen is set at a predetermined position.

In the next step 9, the command corresponding to the specified operation name
The contents of the explanatory text file 13 are read and written into the main memory 2.

In step 10, the contents of the explanation part (operation explanation text) are read out in order from the first unit data of the instruction/explanation text file on the main memory 2 and transferred to the display control device 8, and displayed on the screen of the display device 5. displayed in the message area above.

In step 11, the contents of the instruction part of the same unit data as in step 10, that is, the processing corresponding to the instruction is executed.

The contents of the command part are the same code as the command inputted by the operator's operation, and the processing program 10 executes the same process as when the command is inputted by the operator's operation.

That is, this step 11 is a step in which instructions prepared in the instruction/explanation file are input to the basic processing unit of the processing program 10 corresponding to step 3 instead of instructions input by the operator, and the processing is executed. be. The result of this process is immediately displayed on the screen as in step 3.

When this processing is completed, a message for confirming the progress to the next operation step is displayed in the message area on the screen in step 13. In step 14, the operator inputs confirmation using the keyboard 5 (or mouse 6) after understanding the operating method of the current operating stage.

When this confirmation is made, the process returns to step 10, and the contents of the explanation part of the next unit data in the command/explanation text file in the main memory 2 are displayed in the message area of the screen. Processing corresponding to the instruction part is executed.

Similar operation explanation operations are repeated, and when the processing is completed up to the last unit data of the command/explanation text file on the main memory 2, it is determined in step 12 that the process has ended. Then, in step 15, the data and information saved in step 5 are read from the processing state file 12 into the main memory 2, and the state at the time of interruption of the normal processing operation is restored. Thus, the processing program 10 resumes normal processing operations from the state at the time of interruption.

As is clear from the explanation so far, according to this embodiment, when the operator instructs a request for operation explanation, operations similar to normal processing operations are performed sequentially in the order of operation steps according to the instructions in the instruction/explanation file 13. The process is executed and the results are displayed on the screen, as well as explanations for each step of the operation.

Therefore, the operator can easily and reliably understand the operation method while following the operation steps and specifically associating the operation method with the content of the process.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram functionally expressing the operation described above, in which 18 is a processing means, 19 is a state control means,
In addition, numeral 21 is an operation explanation execution control means, and 21 is an input switching means. Note that 12 is the processing state file in FIG. 1, and similarly 13 and 14 are the operation explanation state file and the command
This is a description file.

The processing means 18 corresponds to step 3 in FIG. 3, and is realized on the hardware of the information processing apparatus by the basic processing section of the processing program 10.

The state control means 19 performs step 2 in FIG. 5. It is a means corresponding to 6°8.9.15, and the processing program 1
This is realized on hardware by the operation explanation control section built into 0. When the operator inputs a command to request an operation explanation, the state control means 19 switches the input switching means 21 to m operation explanation execution control means, interrupts the normal processing operation of the processing means 18, and transfers necessary data and information. Saving to the processing state file 11, setting the state of the operation explanation operation, controlling for specifying the operation name, loading the necessary command/explanation file 13 into the main memory 2, starting the operation explanation execution control means, normal processing Perform actions such as returning to operation.

The operation explanation execution control means corresponds to steps 9 to 14 in FIG.
This is realized on Shibirdware by the operation explanation control section built into the system. Under the control of this means, commands are sequentially inputted from the command/explanatory text file 13 to the processing means 18 via the input switching means 21, and explanatory texts are displayed.

In the above embodiment, the explanation of the operation is displayed on the screen, but the explanation of the operation may be output as a voice by voice synthesis.

In the above embodiment, the operator instructs the transition from the operation explanation of each operation step to the operation explanation of the next operation step. The operating steps may be automatically advanced at a speed that is set. In this case, a function (pause function) may be added to temporarily stop the operation at an arbitrary operation stage by the operator's operation.

Files such as command/explanation files in the above embodiments may be loaded into the main memory when the program is started. Further, it is also possible to incorporate the contents of the operation explanation execution state file and the command/explanation text file into the processing program.

In the above embodiment, a function for explaining operations is incorporated into the processing program, but it is also possible to provide this function as a program independent of the processing program.

Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the functions related to operational explanations are realized by programs, but they can also be realized by software.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the present invention shows the execution results and operation explanations of a series of operation steps of the process in parallel and sequentially, thereby explaining the operation method in concrete association with the process contents. In order to explain, the operation method can be easily and reliably understood, and the operability of the information processing apparatus can be improved.

[Brief Description of the Drawings] Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information processing device to which an operation explanation method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and Fig. 2 shows an example of the data structure and contents of an instruction/explanation text file. 3 is a schematic flowchart showing the normal processing operation and operation explanation operation of the information processing apparatus, and FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram functionally expressing the operation of the information processing apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Central processing unit, 2... Main memory, 3... Node disk device, 5... Display device, 6...
...Keyboard, 7...Mouse, 10...Processing program, 11...Processing status file, 12...Operation explanation execution status file, 13...Instruction/Explanation text file, 14...Instruction Part, 15...Storytelling part. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and one other personjI
l Figure 1g2 Figureg3

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an information processing device that interactively executes processing according to commands input by an operator, commands and operation explanations corresponding to a series of operation steps for processing execution are stored in advance, and a request for operation explanation is received from the operator. When instructed, the process is executed sequentially according to the instructions corresponding to the series of stored operation steps, the execution results are displayed, and in parallel, the stored operation explanatory text is sequentially displayed or audio output is performed. An operation explanation method characterized by: