JPH01251216A - Menu display system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To exactly understand a flow of a work even when many menus exist by selecting the next menu, while confirming the menus before and behind in accordance with a processing flow chart. CONSTITUTION:When a system is started and enters into a menu selection processing, the contents of a processing flow chart storage module 3 are displayed on a screen of a display device 2. Subsequently, an operator selects a menu in a processing flow by a keyboard 5. As a result, whether a position on a screen on which a menu processing module 6 is selected is within a range which is defined in a menu display position storage module 4 or not is decided, and when said position is within its range, the next processing is executed, and when a menu of a subordinate hierarchy exists and its selection is necessary, a processing flow chart consisting of the menu of the subordinate hierarchy is displayed. On the other hand, when it is unnecessary to select the next menu, a menu execution module 7 is started. In such a way, what is necessary as a preparation work, and what a work to be executed in the next time is can be understood exactly and the work can be executed smoothly without causing an error.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a menu display system for an apparatus that executes a predetermined task according to interactive processing via a screen of a display means.

(Prior Art) Devices such as workstations have been known for performing tasks such as circuit design and document editing in accordance with interactive processing via a screen such as a CRT display.

Forms of interactive processing in this type of device include a manual command method in which the command name is entered directly from the keyboard, a menu selection method in which the command name or menu (work item) is displayed as text on the screen in advance and you can select it arbitrarily. There is an icon method where a figure corresponding to the command name or menu text is displayed and you can select it arbitrarily.

(Section WJ to be solved by the invention) By the way, in the menu selection method and the icon method, the commands or menus have a hierarchical structure, and when the operator selects a certain menu, related lower-level menus are displayed, The operator repeatedly selects menus in the lower hierarchy, but according to this process, when there are many menus, it is difficult to understand the work flow and what to do in advance to process a certain task. Or, in many cases, you don't know what to do next.

The present invention was made under these circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a menu display system that allows a user to accurately understand the flow of work even when there are many menus.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a menu display system for an apparatus that executes a predetermined work according to interactive processing via a screen of a display means, which comprises: means for displaying on the screen a processing flow diagram of a higher hierarchy representing the entire flow of work; means for displaying on the screen a processing flow diagram belonging to a lower hierarchy of each menu in the processing flow diagram; and each of the processings. It includes means for selecting an arbitrary menu in the flowchart, and means for executing an operation corresponding to the selected menu.

(Function) In the menu display system of the present invention, first, a high-level processing flow chart representing the entire flow of work is displayed on the screen of the display means, and the operator is allowed to select an arbitrary menu in this processing flow chart. Since the process flow diagram belonging to the lower hierarchy of the selected menu is displayed, it is possible to proceed with the selection of each menu while always checking the previous and next menus.

(Example) Hereinafter, details of an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a CPU that controls the entire system, and 2 is a display such as a CRT display that displays a processing flow diagram (described later) and a lower-level processing flow diagram when a menu in this processing flow diagram is selected. 3 is a processing flow diagram storage module in which image data of a processing flow diagram to be displayed on the screen is stored; 4 is a module that stores selectable ranges of menus in the processing flow diagram storage module 3;

Further, 5 is an input device such as a mouse or keyboard for the operator to specify a menu in the process flow diagram, and 6 is a menu execution module that determines the menu selected in the process flow diagram and displays the next process flow diagram or is described later. 7 is a menu processing module that starts the menu, and 7 is a menu execution module that executes the menu.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a processing flow diagram in the system of this embodiment.

This process flow diagram shows a box-shaped menu 101 and menu names 102 such as data terminal, assemble, link, etc.
and a flow symbol (arrow) 103.

Menu 101 represents input/output media, processing, etc.
It is similar to a flowchart figure in program design. Further, the menu name 102 indicates what the input/output medium and processing specifically represent, and this becomes the upper layer menu name. A flow symbol 103 represents the flow of data and processing.

The system of this embodiment displays a processing flow chart showing the flow of work and data on the screen of the display device 2, and the operator selects each menu in the processing flow chart by operating the input device '5. be.

First, when the system starts up and enters the menu selection process,
The contents of the processing flow diagram storage module 3 are displayed on the screen of the display device 2. Next, the operator selects a menu in the processing flow diagram using the mouse or keyboard.

Then, the menu processing module 6 determines whether the selected position on the screen is within the range defined in the menu display position storage module 4, and if it is within the range, moves to the next process.

First, if there is a menu in a lower hierarchy and selection thereof is required, a processing flow diagram consisting of menus in the lower hierarchy is displayed.

On the other hand, if there is no need to select the next menu, the menu execution module 7 is activated.

In the menu processing module 6, if there is no need to display the next work flow or data flow, it is not necessary to display the lower hierarchy selection menu using a processing flow diagram.

As described above, according to the system of this embodiment, by providing means for displaying a processing flow diagram representing the flow of work and data on the screen, and means for selecting an arbitrary menu in the processing flow diagram, The operator can select a menu while checking the previous and next menus.

Therefore, it is possible to clearly understand where the current work corresponds to in the overall work, what preparation work is required to perform a certain work, and what work should be done next. This allows work to proceed smoothly and without errors.

The present invention can be widely applied to menu displays in devices that process tasks that proceed in a certain predetermined order, including programming tasks.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the menu display system of the present invention, the next menu is selected while checking the previous and next menus according to the processing flow diagram, so even when there are many menus, the work flow can be accurately controlled. can be grasped.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a processing flow diagram displayed by the system according to the embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... CPU, 2... Display device, 3... Process flow diagram storage module, 4... Menu display position storage module, 5... Input device, 6... Menu processing module, 7... ...Menu execution module. Applicant Toshiba Corporation Patent Attorney Sasa Suyama - Figure 1 M2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A menu display system for a device that executes a predetermined work according to interactive processing via a screen of a display means,
means for displaying on the screen a processing flow diagram of a higher hierarchy representing the overall flow of the work; means for displaying on the screen a processing flow diagram belonging to a lower hierarchy of each menu in the processing flow diagram; 1. A menu display system comprising: means for selecting an arbitrary menu in a process flow diagram; and means for executing an operation corresponding to the selected menu.