JPH05204577A - Menu display control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute a clear and neat screen display, and to obtain the menu display system agreeable to a user by setting combination of a menu bar and a pull-down menu as a fundamental unit, and using a system for using plural units thereof. CONSTITUTION:(a) shows an initial state, and on a screen, a selection area in which three menu items of M1, M2 and M3 are arranged horizontally is displayed. In such a state, when a mouse button is positioned (b) in a target menu item M2, and the mouse button is pushed, the menu item M2 is subjected to black-and-white inversion, and a selection area in which menu items M21, M22 and M23 of the lower rank of M2 are arranged vertically is displayed (c). In such a way, when a mouse pointer is dragged in the lower direction, the corresponding menu item is subjected to black-and-white inversion. Subsequently, the mouse button is pushed and positioned in (e), (f), (g) and (h), and a target menu item 2233, and in (h), the menu selection is finished. In such a way, the menu is not subjected to dispersion display extending over a wide area, and a clear and neat image display is obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an information processing device such as a personal computer or a workstation,
A method for performing menu selection with good operability.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a method of using a menu bar has been known as a method of performing the above menu selection. This is a method of horizontally displaying a plurality of commands selectable by the user in the upper part of a window or display screen in a window system, and allowing the user to select a desired command from these.

[0003]

However, it cannot be said that the above-mentioned conventional techniques have been sufficiently considered from the viewpoint of improving operability from the viewpoint of the user.

Generally, the menu has a multi-tiered hierarchical structure.
The pull-down menu was displayed in the second row, the vertical menu adjacent to the pull-down menu in the third row, and the vertical menu adjacent to the vertical menu in the fourth and subsequent rows. A display example is shown in FIG.

In the prior art as described above, when the number of hierarchical menus is increased, pull-down menus and vertical menus adjacent to the hierarchical menus are distributed and displayed over a wide area. Was a cause of discomfort in.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new menu display control system that solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention uses a combination of a menu bar and a pull-down menu as a basic unit and uses a plurality of them. The display example is shown in FIG.

In order to realize the above new method, the present invention is
Hierarchical menu display control means, mouse input reception means, menu bar display means, pull-down menu display means,
A hit determination means is provided.

[0009]

The hierarchical menu display control means activates the menu bar display means to display the menu bar on the display screen and activates the mouse input acceptance means to accept the mouse input. The mouse input is repeated until the mouse button is pressed, but when the mouse button is pressed, the hit determination means is activated and the mouse pointer is
It is determined whether the displayed menu item is hit.

As a result of the judgment, when the menu item being displayed is not hit, the process returns to the reception of the mouse input, but when hit, the pull-down menu display means is activated to display the pull-down menu. The menu item included in the pull-down menu is a subordinate menu item of the hit menu item. Then, the mouse input receiving means is activated to receive the mouse input.
While the mouse button is being pressed, the above hit judgment is returned, and when hit, a display corresponding to the change of the selected menu item such as deletion of the old pull-down menu, display of the new pull-down menu, etc. Repeat the update. When the mouse button is released, it is determined whether or not there is a menu item lower than the selected menu item, and if there is, the menu bar display means is activated and that menu item is displayed in the menu bar. .. The menu bar is displayed below, and adjacent to, the previously displayed menu bar. After that, the same operation as above is performed, and the operation is repeated until there are no lower-order menu items. When there are no more subordinate menu items, the menu selection is complete.

Since each means operates as described above, the menu bar and pull-down menu are not distributed and displayed over a wide area, and a comfortable operating environment for the user is provided.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the system configuration of an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer or a workstation to which the menu display control system of the present invention can be applied.

The information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 3 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 10, a memory 20, a hard disk 30, a flexible disk 40, a printer 50, and a keyboard 6.
0, a mouse 70 and a display 80. These are all well-known conventional devices,
It is connected via the bus 90.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the overall structure of a program for realizing the method of the present invention.

In FIG. 4, the hierarchical menu display control unit 6
Reference numeral 00 is a part for performing display control of the hierarchical menu. An example of the hierarchical menu is shown in FIG. Now, consider selecting the menu item M2233 on this hierarchical menu. For that purpose, M2 at level 1, M22 at level 2, M223 at level 3, and M2233 at level 4 may be sequentially selected (marked with *). FIG. 6 shows this selection operation in association with the screen display.

FIG. 1A shows an initial state, and a selection area (referred to as a menu bar) in which the three menu items M1, M2 and M3 are arranged side by side is displayed on the screen. In this state, when the mouse pointer is positioned at the target menu item M2 ((b) in the figure) and the mouse button is pressed, the menu item M2 is inverted in black and white, and the menu items M21, M22, M23 subordinate to M2 are vertically displayed. A selection area (referred to as a pull-down menu) is displayed (see (c) in the figure). Dragging the mouse pointer down inverts the corresponding menu item in black and white. When the mouse button is moved to the target menu item M22 and the mouse button is released ((d) in the figure), the menu bar in which the menu items M221, M222 and M223 subordinate to M22 are arranged side by side is displayed in the pull-down menu. It is overlaid and displayed ((e) in the same figure).

Thereafter, the target menu item M223 is positioned on the menu bar in the same manner as described above ((f) in the figure), and when the mouse button is pressed, the menu item M2 is selected.
23 is reversed in black and white, and the menu item M2 below M223 is displayed.
A pull-down menu in which 231, M2232, and M2233 are vertically arranged is displayed ((g) in the same figure). Dragging the mouse pointer down inverts the corresponding menu item in black and white. Position to the target menu item M2233, and release the mouse button here ((h) in the figure)
Menu selection ends.

The hierarchical menu display control unit 600 shown in FIG.
This is a part that controls the display of the menu bar and pull-down menu as described above in response to the user's selection operation of the hierarchical menu.

Selected menu item registration table 1300
Is a table for storing the menu item selected by the user on the hierarchical menu. A configuration example is shown in FIG. This table consists of the following items.

(1) Selected Menu Item No. The number of the selected menu item.

In the header of the table, (2) Number of registrations The number of registered menu item numbers.

Is provided.

Menu item display management table 1400
Is a table for managing the menu items displayed on the screen. A configuration example is shown in FIG. This table consists of the following items.

(1) xmin, ymin, xmax, ymax x, y coordinates of menu item rectangle diagonally opposite points of the displayed menu item.

(2) Menu item No. In the header section of the displayed menu item number table,

(3) Number of registered items The number of registered menu items. Is provided.

Menu bar display status table 1500
Is a table for storing the display state of the menu bar on the screen. A configuration example is shown in FIG. This table consists of the following items.

(1) Menu bar display status flag An identification flag indicating whether or not the menu bar is being displayed.

In the header section of the table, (2) number of registrations The number of registered menu bars is provided. .

The hierarchical menu definition table 1600 is a table for storing the structure of the multi-level hierarchical menu as shown in FIG. A configuration example is shown in FIG. This table consists of the following items.

(1) xmin, ymin, xmax, ymax x, y coordinates of both diagonal points of the menu item rectangle.

(2) Menu item character string The name of the menu item displayed on the screen.

(3) Menu item level The position of the menu item on the menu hierarchy.

(4) Upper Menu Item No. The number of the upper menu item to which the menu item belongs.

(5) Total number of lower menu items The number of lower menu items included in the menu item.

(6) Lower Menu Item fp The number of the first lower menu item.

(Fp: forward pointer) (7) Subordinate menu item bp The number of the last subordinate menu item.

(Bp: backward pointer) (8) Same level menu item fp The number of the next same level menu item.

(9) Same level menu item bp The number of the previous same level menu item.

In the header part of the table, (10) Number of registrations Number of registered menu items. Is provided.

The save / recovery management table 1700 is a table for managing the contents of the graphic RAM to be saved / recovered when a menu bar or pull-down menu is displayed on the screen or erased from the screen. A configuration example is shown in FIG. This table consists of the following items.

(1) xmin, ymin, xmax, ymax Bi-diagonal point x, y coordinates of the save rectangle on the screen.

(2) Save start address In the header part of the store start address table on the save memory, (3) number of registrations The number of save rectangles registered.

Is provided.

Now, referring to FIG. 4, the overall control unit 100
Activates the hierarchical menu display control unit 600 to allow the user to select a menu. FIG. 12 shows a processing flow of the hierarchical menu display control unit 600.

At step 605, it is determined whether the menu bar is being displayed. For the determination, the menu bar display state table 1500 is referred to. If the result of determination is that it is not being displayed, a menu bar is displayed in step 610. Specifically, after saving the contents of the rectangular area occupied by the menu bar on the screen to the save memory 1900, the menu bar display unit 700 is activated and the menu
Show the bar. If the menu bar is being displayed, the display is unnecessary, so the flow advances to step 615.

In step 615, a mouse input is accepted, and in step 620, it is determined whether the mouse button is on or off. If the result of determination is that the button is off, step 615.
Proceed to and accept mouse input again. Also, the button
If it is on, proceed to step 625.

In step 625, a hit test is performed on the mouse pointer when the mouse button is turned on and the menu item rectangle. For the hit test, the menu item display management table 1400 is referred to. In step 630, the result of the hit test is determined, and if the mouse pointer does not hit any of the displayed menu items, the mouse input is accepted again in step 6
Go to 15. When any of the displayed menu items is hit, the process proceeds to step 635 to update the screen display.

A more detailed processing flow of step 635 is shown in FIG. First, in step 635-10, the selection state of the menu is determined. For the determination, the selected menu item registration table 1300 is referred to.

In the new menu selection, step 635-
In step 20, the black and white of the selected menu item is reversed, the rectangular area on the screen occupied by the pull-down menu to be displayed is saved, the pull-down menu is displayed, and the menu selection state is updated.

When a menu item is being selected and there is a transition of menu items, the process proceeds to step 635-30. FIG. 14 shows a more detailed processing flow of step 635-30.

First, in step 635-30-10, the type of transition between menu items is determined. That is, it is determined whether to move to an upper / lower menu item or to a different menu item within the same level. To judge,
The selected menu item registration table 1300 and the hierarchical menu definition table 1600 are referred to.

At the time of shifting to the upper / lower menu item, the process proceeds to step 635-30-20 to judge whether to shift to the lower menu item or to the higher menu item, and step depending on the judgment result. 635-30-4
0, go to steps 635-30-50.

When moving to a different menu item in the same level, the process proceeds to step 635-30-30 to move to another menu item in the menu bar or to another menu item in the pull-down menu. It is determined whether or not the transition is made, and in accordance with the determination result, step 635-3
0-60, and proceeds to steps 635-30-70.

Step 635-30-40, Step 6
At 35-30-50, Steps 635-30-60, and Steps 635-30-70, the corresponding screen update processing is performed. First in steps 635-30-40,
Inverts the selected menu item in the pull-down menu, and updates the menu selection status. Next, in step 635-30-50, depending on whether to move to an upper menu item including the currently selected menu item or to another upper menu item, in the case of the former,
Cancels the black / white inversion of the selected menu item in the pull-down menu and updates the menu selection status. In the latter case, the old pull-down menu is erased (saving memory 190
(Recovering from 0 to the screen), canceling the black / white inversion of the old menu item in the menu bar, black / white inversion of the new menu item in the menu bar, saving the rectangular area on the screen occupied by the new pull-down menu to be displayed, new Display pull-down menu and update menu selection status. Further, in step 635-30-60, the old pull-down menu is erased (restoration of the screen from the saved memory 1900), the old menu item in the menu bar is released from black and white, and the new menu item in the menu bar is inverted to black and white. , Save the rectangular area on the screen occupied by the new pull-down menu to be displayed, display the new pull-down menu, and update the menu selection state. Finally step 6
In 35-30-70, the black-and-white inversion of the old menu item in the pull-down menu, the black-and-white inversion of the new menu item in the pull-down menu, and the menu selection state are updated.

In step 635-10 of FIG. 13, when a menu is being selected and there is no transition of menu items,
do nothing.

Returning to FIG. 12, the mouse input is accepted again in step 640, and it is determined in step 645 whether the mouse button is on or off. If the result of determination is that the button is still on, processing returns to step 625 to perform a hit test again. If the button is turned off, it means that the drag operation for menu selection is completed, and the step 6
Go to 50.

In step 650, it is determined whether or not the selected menu item has a subordinate menu item. For the determination, the selected menu item registration table 130
0, refer to the hierarchical menu definition table 1600. If there is a subordinate menu item as a result of the judgment, step 605 is performed again to display it in the display style of the menu bar.
Return to. If there is no subordinate menu item, the menu selection is completed. In step 655, only the first level menu bar display is left and all other menu bars and pull-down menus are erased (save memory 19
From 00 to the screen). Since the menu item is not selected in the first level menu bar display, the black and white inversion of the old menu item is canceled.

The processing in the hierarchical menu display control unit 600 is completed, and the control is transferred to the overall control unit 100. The overall control unit 100 activates the menu processing units 200 to 400 to execute the process corresponding to the selected menu item. After the processing is completed, the hierarchical menu display control unit 600 is activated again. Hereinafter, the same processing as described above is performed.

The above is the description of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0062]

As described above, according to the present invention, menu items located at odd (first, third, ...) Levels in a hierarchical menu are displayed in a menu bar, and each menu item of the upper level is displayed. Since it is displayed almost adjacent to the bar, pull-down menus and vertical menus are not dispersedly displayed over a wide area as in the conventional case, and a neat screen display is provided, which provides the user with a comfortable operating environment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a display example in a conventional menu display control system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example in the menu display control system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram of an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer and a workstation to which the menu display control system of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a program that realizes the method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a hierarchical menu.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a menu selection operation method showing a selection operation of a hierarchical menu by a user in association with screen display.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a selected menu item registration table 1300.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a menu item display management table 1400.

9 is a configuration diagram of a menu bar display state table 1600. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a hierarchical menu definition table 1600.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of an evacuation recovery management table 1700.

FIG. 12 is a processing flowchart in the hierarchical menu display control unit 600.

FIG. 13 is a more detailed processing flow chart of step 635 (hit correspondence display update) in the processing flow of the hierarchical menu display control unit 600.

FIG. 14 is a step 635-30 in the processing flow in the hierarchical menu display control unit 600 (menu transfer processing).
6 is a more detailed processing flow chart in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... CPU, 20 ... Memory, 30 ... Hard disk, 40 ... Flexible disk, 50 ... Printer, 60 ... Keyboard, 70 ... Mouse, 80 ... Display, 90 ... Bus, 100 ... Overall control section, 200, 300, 400 ... Menu Processing unit, 500 ... Hit determination unit, 600 ... Hierarchical menu display control unit, 700 ... Menu bar display unit, 800 ... Pulldown menu display unit, 900 ... White / black reversing unit, 1000 ... Mouse input receiving unit, 1100 ... Evacuation unit , 1200 ... Recovery unit, 1300 ... Selected menu item registration table, 1400 ... Menu item display management table, 1500 ... Menu bar display status table, 1600 ... Hierarchical menu definition table, 1700 ... Evacuation recovery management table, 1800 ... Graphic RAM , 190 0 ... Save memory.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A menu having a multi-tiered hierarchical structure,
It is characterized in that menu items located at odd (first, third, ...) Levels are displayed in the menu bar, and menu items located at even (second, fourth, ...) Levels are displayed in a pull-down menu. Menu display control method. 2. The menu display control system according to claim 1, wherein each of the menu bars is displayed substantially adjacent to its upper level menu bar.