JPH0695832A - Menu interface system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an arbitrary user interface corresponding to a state, and to unify the user interface. CONSTITUTION:When command programs 1-3 are designated and a menu program 7 is actuated on a character terminal 10 and a graphics terminal 11, a menu program 7 displays a menu by a menu format of a character base on a screen of the character terminal 10 and the graphics terminal 11, based on parameter information corresponding to the command programs 1-3 of menu files 4-6, respectively. When a user designates the command programs 1-3 and actuates menu programs 8, 9 on the graphic terminal 11, the menu programs 8, 9 display the menu of a graphics base on the screen of the graphics terminal 11, based on the parameter information corresponding to the command programs 1-3 of the menu files 4-6, respectively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a menu interface system, and more particularly to a method for creating a user interface of a program using a menu.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a user interface of a program is made into a menu, a routine for a character-based menu and a routine for a graphics-based menu are separately prepared, and those routines are stored in the program. Inserted directly.

In such a conventional program user interface creating method, a menu routine is directly inserted into each program to be executed, and a character-based user interface and a graphics-based user interface are provided. Since it is created, if the program needs to be modified, there is a problem that the modification takes time.

Further, since the routine for the character-based menu and the routine for the graphics-based menu are directly inserted in the program, the execution program itself becomes large and the user interface is not completely unified. However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to provide a plurality of user interfaces for one execution program.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned problems of the conventional ones, and can provide an arbitrary user interface according to the situation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a menu interface system capable of unifying user interfaces.

[0006]

A menu interface system according to the present invention is a menu interface system including a plurality of terminal devices capable of operating a plurality of programs each in a command format. The menu interface system is provided when each of the plurality of programs is activated and Parameter information storage means for storing a plurality of parameter information corresponding to each of the programs, and a menu format that can be started from each of the plurality of terminal devices and that is different on the terminal device based on the contents of the parameter information storage means. A plurality of menu programs for displaying a menu, and when one of the plurality of terminal programs is designated by one of the plurality of terminal devices and one of the plurality of menu programs is activated. On the terminal device based on the parameters corresponding to the program Characterized in that so as to display the menu in a menu format that corresponds to the menu program.

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, command programs 1 to 3
Is a command-type execution program. The menu files 4 to 5 are provided corresponding to the command programs 1 to 3, respectively, and store argument and option parameter information which are parameters when the corresponding command programs 1 to 3 are activated.

The menu programs 7 to 9 are commonly provided to the character terminal 10 and the graphics terminal 11, and the character terminal 10 and the graphics terminal 11 are provided.
Each can be started freely. Further, the menu programs 7 to 9 display the menu based on the parameter information stored in the menu files 4 to 5.

Here, the menu program 7 is a menu program for displaying a menu in a character-based menu format. The menu program 8 is a menu program that displays a menu in a graphics-based menu format. The menu program 9 is a menu program that displays a menu in a graphics-based menu format different from the menu program 8.

The character terminal 10 and the graphics terminal 11 can operate command programs 1 to 3, respectively. The character terminal 10 can display a character-based menu by the menu program 7. The graphics terminal 11 includes a character-based menu by the menu program 7, a menu program 8,
It is possible to display a graphics-based menu with 9.

Creation of a user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First,
Prior to executing the command programs 1 to 3, the menu file 4 is provided with parameter information of arguments and options which are parameters at the time of starting the command programs 1 to 3.
It is described in ~ 6.

In the character terminal 10, when the user specifies the command program 1 and starts the menu program 7, the menu program 7 is displayed on the screen of the character terminal 10 based on the parameter information corresponding to the command program 1 of the menu file 4. Display the menu in a character-based menu format.

When the user designates the command program 1 on the graphics terminal 11 and starts the menu program 8, the menu program 8 is based on the parameter information corresponding to the command program 1 of the menu file 4 and the graphics terminal 11 is started. Display a menu in a graphics-based menu format on your screen.
At this time, the user can set parameters while using the mouse 12 connected to the graphics terminal 11.

In addition, the user can use the graphics terminal 11
When the menu program 9 is started by designating the command program 1 above, the menu program 9 displays a menu by the menu program 8 on the screen of the graphics terminal 11 based on the parameter information corresponding to the command program 1 of the menu file 4. Displays menus in different graphics-based menu formats.

When the user activates the menu program 9 by designating the command program 2 on the graphics terminal 11, the menu program 9 is executed in the same manner as the above-mentioned operation.
Displays the menu in the graphics-based menu format on the screen of the graphics terminal 11 based on the parameter information corresponding to the command program 2 of the menu file 5.

In this case, the user interface is unified as long as the menu program 9 is used.
When the user activates the menu program 7 on the graphics terminal 11, the user interface is basically the same as that on the character terminal 10.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a menu screen of a character-based menu format created by the menu program 7 of FIG. In the figure, an example of the menu screen for the standard UNIX command ls is shown. a is the title of the menu screen 13, and the command name and the function of the command are displayed.

The display of "display in long format" in b is an explanation for the option parameter of the command, and "-l" in c is its actual parameter character string. The fact that parts b and c are reversed indicates that this row is currently selected. In the figure, the inverted state is indicated by diagonal lines.

The reversing unit can be moved up and down by the cursor keys on the keyboards of the character terminal 10 and the graphics terminal 11, and the detailed description of each parameter is displayed in the column of f accordingly.

The state of each parameter changes depending on the left and right cursor keys on the keyboard. For example, b,
If you press the right cursor key while the part c is highlighted, the display b will be "display in normal format".
And the parameter character string of c disappears.

The part d is an execution instruction, and when this part is highlighted and the return key of the keyboard is pressed, the command is executed. If the right cursor key is pressed even in the portion of d, the display of d changes to "stop". e
In the column of, is a command format program "COMMAND> ls -l-" that is actually executed as a result of parameter setting.
m ”is displayed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a menu screen of a graphics-based menu format created by the menu program 8 of FIG. Similar to FIG. 2, the figure shows an example of a menu screen for the UNIX standard command ls. In the figure, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in FIG.

The square button g indicates that this item has two states. Each time the square button is pressed, the two states are reversed. The diamond button of h indicates that this item has three or more types of states. When the diamond-shaped button is pressed, a submenu in which a plurality of selection items are arranged is displayed, so that the user can select an arbitrary item from the plurality of selection items.

I indicates a command to be activated, and this item can be input / edited. f is a message area in which a detailed description of the command on the line currently pointed to by the mouse cursor is displayed. The button of j is a button for instructing execution, and can be pressed at any timing. If you do not change the parameters, you can immediately execute by pressing this button. In addition, if you want to cancel the execution,
Execution can be stopped immediately by pressing the "it" button.

As described above, the parameter information corresponding to each of the command programs 1 to 3 is converted into the menu files 4 to 6
Stored in the character terminal 10 or the graphics terminal 11 based on the parameter information corresponding to each of the command programs 1 to 3 of the menu files 4 to 6 when the menu program 7 to 9 is activated from the character terminal 10 or the graphics terminal 11. By displaying the menu in the character-based or graphics-based menu format on the screen of the graphics terminal 11, it is possible to provide an arbitrary user interface depending on the situation. Further, as long as the same menu programs 7 to 9 are used, the user interface can be unified.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of command format programs are stored in advance, and a plurality of parameter information corresponding to each program are stored. When a menu program that can be activated from a plurality of terminal devices capable of operating the above program is activated, a menu is displayed on the terminal device in a menu format corresponding to the menu program based on the stored parameter information. As a result, it is possible to provide an arbitrary user interface according to the situation, and it is possible to unify the user interfaces.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a menu screen of a character-based menu format created by the menu program of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a menu screen of a graphics-based menu format created by the menu program of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-3 Command program 4-6 Menu file 7-9 Menu program 10 Character terminal 11 Graphics terminal

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A menu interface system including a plurality of terminal devices capable of operating a plurality of programs each in a command format, wherein a plurality of menu interfaces are provided when each of the plurality of programs is activated and correspond to each of the plurality of programs. Parameter information storage means for storing parameter information, and a plurality of menu programs that can be activated from each of the plurality of terminal devices and that display menus in different menu formats on the terminal device based on the contents of the parameter information storage means. And when one of the plurality of programs is designated by one of the plurality of terminal devices and one of the plurality of menu programs is activated, a parameter corresponding to the program is set. Based on the menu format, the menu format corresponding to the menu program is displayed on the terminal device. A menu interface system characterized by displaying a menu. 2. The plurality of menu programs include at least a menu program that displays a menu in a character-based menu format and a menu program that displays a menu in a graphics-based menu format. The described menu interface system.