JP2007280091A - Window control method and plotting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and surely control the display/non-display of a window for plotting assistance by an icon operation. <P>SOLUTION: This window control method for controlling the display/non-display of windows 24 to 27 for plotting assistance by operating icons 28 to 31 on the picture of a personal computer in which plotting software is installed includes applying display colors to the icons 28 to 31 and the windows 24 to 27 corresponding to the operation of the icons 28 to 31 so that they can be associated with each other in the case of operating the icons. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a window control method in which each window on a screen is selectively displayed / hidden by each icon operation. This drawing assistance window is a window that is displayed on the editing screen on the display screen of the personal computer and used for drawing assistance. In the present invention, when a plurality of such drawing assistance windows are displayed on the editing screen, an arbitrary icon selection operation is performed when the plurality of drawing assistance windows are controlled to be displayed / hidden by the window control icons. Is related to making it easy to execute.

In a computer installed with drawing software that runs on an operating system in the form of a graphical user interface, an editing screen is displayed on the computer screen, and the user can independently create screen data on the editing screen. When an object list or other drawing support window is required for drawing or is hidden when it is no longer needed for drawing in the drawing area on this editing screen, it is displayed / hidden on the toolbar. The window control icon used in the above is placed, the cursor is moved to the display position of the window control icon, and when the cursor is positioned on the display position of the window control icon, the pointing device operation such as clicking the mouse ( Display / hide by icon operation) (Patent Document 1). However, when multiple drawing assistance windows are displayed on the editing screen, it takes time to find out which window control icon corresponds to the drawing assistance window to be displayed / hidden. In addition, there is a case where a window control icon corresponding to a drawing assisting window that is not displayed / hidden is mistakenly operated, and it takes effort to draw.
JP-A-10-293678

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to enable easy and reliable control of display / non-display of the drawing assistance window by icon operation.

  The window control method according to the present invention is a window control method for controlling display / non-display of a window on the display screen by operation of an icon. Both of the icon and the window displayed / non-display by operation of the icon include the window control method. It is characterized in that display colors that associate the two are attached.

  The method of attaching the display color is not particularly limited, but may be a part or the whole of an icon or window. A pattern may be included in this display color, but it is not necessary to include a pattern, and it is preferable that the portion to be associated be solidly colored with a single display color in a simple pattern as a whole.

  According to the present invention, when the user controls the display / non-display of the window by operating the icon, the icon and the display color of each corresponding window are associated with each other. When a plurality of windows are displayed, an icon having a display color corresponding to the display color of the desired window can be selected from the plurality of windows and displayed / hidden from the editing screen. A selection operation may be performed based on visual display color distinction, and a desired window display / non-display selection operation based on visual intuitive determination can be performed, thereby reducing the burden of drawing.

  For example, there is a pattern for associating an icon with a window, but in the case of a pattern, it takes time to determine the identity of the pattern, and the work is tired.

 It is preferable that the same display color is used for both the icon and the window. The same display color is preferable for user operation.

  It is preferable that the display color pattern attached to the icon and the display color pattern attached to the window have the same shape. If the pattern is the same pattern, it is more preferable for user operation.

  Multiple windows on the display screen are individually displayed / hidden with a plurality of corresponding icons, the corresponding windows and icons are associated with the same display color, and the non-corresponding windows and icons are displayed with different display colors. It is preferable to associate. When there are a plurality of windows and display / non-display control of these windows with different icons is performed, when display / non-display control of a desired window is performed, an icon having the same display color as the display color of the window window is operated. Therefore, user operation for window control can be greatly facilitated.

  According to the present invention, since a desired window can be displayed / hidden by operating a display color icon corresponding to the display color attached to the window, the window display / hidden operation is facilitated. To do.

  Hereinafter, a window control method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  With reference to FIG. 1, a personal computer (external PC) 1, a display 2, a programmable controller (PLC) 3, and an external device 4 are shown. Thus, a control system for controlling the external device 4 is constructed. As the external PC 1, a normal control system PC equipped with a desktop, a keyboard and a mouse can be used. The display device 2 is a display device such as a programmable display device or a panel computer as an HMI device. The display 2 is connected to the PLC 3 that controls the external device 4. On the display screen 2a, the display 2 displays a component 2b or the like for displaying the operation status of the external device 4 or operating the external device 4. The component 2b is an HMI component that forms an interface between the external device 4 and the operator. The PLC 3 performs a required control operation on the external device 4 according to the sequence program. The external device 4 includes a sensor, a relay, and other devices. Data indicating the status of the external device 4 is input from the external device 4 to the PLC 3. The PLC 3 can transmit the data to the display device 2 and to the external PC 1 via the display device 2.

  In the above, the external PC 1 can function as a drawing tool for designing the display screen of the display 2 in addition to the function as a host computer in the control system. Note that the drawing tool may be constituted by a separate personal computer instead of the external PC 1, and the screen data drawn by this drawing tool may be transferred to the display 2. Further, the drawing software may be stored in the display 2 so that the drawing software 5 can be installed in the external PC 1. The drawing software is drawing software that runs on an operating system in a graphical user interface (GUI) format.

  With reference to FIG. 2, a block diagram in the case where the external PC 1 is a drawing device for drawing on the editing screen by the drawing software will be described. This drawing software has a GUI format, for example, X-WINDOW of Macintosh, MS-Windows (registered trademark), UNIX (registered trademark). These GUIs provide an interface through which a user can operate a computer with a feeling close to a real work environment.

  The drawing device includes a CPU 11, a display unit 12, a mouse 13, a keyboard 14, a window memory 15, and an icon memory 16. The CPU 11 can display and control an editing screen on the display screen of the display unit 12 according to the drawing software, and can display and control a drawing area and a plurality of windows (multi-windows) on the editing screen. The window memory 15 stores screen information of a plurality of windows shown in FIG. The icon memory 16 stores screen information of a plurality of icons shown in FIG. In the window screen information and icon screen information, the window memory 15 and the icon memory 16 store display color information for associating a plurality of windows and a plurality of icons on the editing screen shown in FIG. Yes. The CPU 11 controls the display / non-display of the window as shown in FIG. 3 and subsequent figures according to the operation of the mouse 13 and the keyboard 14 and event input corresponding to the operation. The form of the memories 15 and 16 is not particularly limited. The mouse 13 and the keyboard 14 are pointing devices and are used for icon operation. However, if the touch panel is used, a touch operation by the user can be included in the icon operation device.

  With reference to FIG. 3, creation of screen data using an editing screen displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 by the CPU 11 will be described.

  FIG. 3 shows an editing screen 20 displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 of the external PC 1. A menu bar 21 is displayed at the top of the editing screen 20. The menu bar 21 includes file, edit, display, tool, object, screen, database, setup, panel, window, and help menu items. When a desired menu item is selected, a pull-down list is opened and a list of commands included in the item is displayed. Select a desired command from the command list and execute it. In the embodiment, the list of commands is not shown. A toolbar 22 is displayed below the menu bar 21. When an icon included in the toolbar 22 is clicked, a desired command can be activated. In particular, the toolbar 22 has a language setting, and a desired language can be set from among multiple languages.

  Further, the editing screen 20 has a drawing area 23 at the center thereof, and drawing assistance windows 24, 25, 26, 27 can be displayed / hidden on both sides of the drawing area 23. The window 24 is a navigation window as a function window, and includes a preview unit 24a and a setting operation unit 24b. The preview unit 24a previews the screen and the background screen. Although not described in detail, the setting operation unit 24b includes a screen setting operation unit, a background screen setting operation unit, and a background color setting operation unit. As a result, the final state in which the three screen elements of the screen, the background screen, and the background color are combined can be displayed on the same drawing area 23, and the above-described display state can be viewed on the drawing area 23. It is possible to edit the screen, display / hide and set / change the background screen, and display / hide and select / change the background color without selecting a function from the menu and without opening a separate window. Thus, a state in which all screen elements (screen, background screen, background color) are combined and finally displayed can be seamlessly edited on the same editing screen.

  The navigation window 24 has a close button in the upper right corner and is displayed in red with a rectangular frame pattern in the upper left corner. This red pattern becomes a corresponding portion RW corresponding to the icon for displaying / hiding the window 24.

  The windows 25, 26, and 27 are an object list display window, a parts list display window, and an object help display window as function windows, respectively.

  The object list display window 25 displays a list of objects such as lines, squares, and buttons used for drawing editing. The object list display window 25 has a close button in the upper right corner, and green is displayed as a display color in a rectangular frame pattern in the upper left corner. This green pattern serves as an association portion GW associated with an icon for displaying / not displaying the window 25.

  The parts list display window 26 displays a list of parts (not shown) such as buttons, labels, input areas, scales, switches, radio boxes, menus, separators, etc. used for drawing editing. The parts list display window 26 has a close button at the upper right corner, and blue is displayed as a display color in a rectangular frame pattern at the upper left corner. This blue pattern is a corresponding portion BW that is associated with an icon for displaying / hiding the window 26.

  In the object help display window 27, when the function of the object displayed in the drawing area 23 during drawing editing is unknown or in other cases, the object description is selected by specifying the object by a handle display or the like. This is the area to be displayed in the set language. The object help display window 27 has a close button in the upper right corner, and yellow is displayed as a display color in a rectangular frame pattern in the upper left corner. This yellow pattern becomes an association portion YW that associates the window 27 with an icon for displaying / hiding.

  The display colors of the corresponding portions RW, GW, BW, and YW of the windows 24 to 27 correspond to the icons 28 to 31 for controlling the display / non-display of the windows 24 to 27, respectively. The display color of the portion serves as a mark for associating the window that is the target of the icon operation.

  In the above configuration, in the present embodiment, a plurality of window display / non-display control icons 28, 29, 30, and 31 are arranged in parallel on the toolbar 22.

  The navigation window control icon 28 is a rectangular frame pattern with a red display mark, and is used for display / non-display control of the navigation window 24. This display color portion is an association portion RI that associates the icon 28 with the window 24.

  The object list control icon 29 is displayed in a rectangular frame pattern with a green display color, and is used for display / non-display control of the object list display window 25. This display color portion is an association portion GI that associates the icon 29 with the window 25.

  The parts list control icon 30 is displayed with a rectangular frame pattern and a blue display color, and is used for display / non-display control of the parts list display window 26. This display color portion becomes an association portion BI that associates the icon 30 with the window 26.

  The object help control icon 31 is displayed in a rectangular frame pattern with a yellow display color, and is used for display / non-display control of the object help display window 27. This display color portion is an association portion YI that associates the icon 31 with the window 27.

  Note that red, green, blue, and yellow are distinguished by different hatching for convenience of illustration.

  As described above, in the embodiment, the icons 28 to 31 for controlling each window and the windows 24 to 27 corresponding to the operations of the icons 28 to 31 are handled with the same display color when the user performs the icon operation. It is characterized by having attached.

  Hereinafter, display / non-display of each of the windows 24 to 27 will be described with reference to FIG.

  4 to 6 show a case where the object help display window 27 is displayed / hidden by operating the icon 31. FIG. 4 shows only the icon 28-31 in an enlarged manner for the sake of understanding the explanation. FIG. 5 shows that the icon 31 is turned off and the object help display window 27 is not displayed. In FIG. 6, the object help display window 27 is displayed when the icon 31 is turned on. When the cursor is positioned on the icon 31 by operating the mouse 13 or the keyboard 14, the user displays the display color “Yellow” corresponding to the display color “Yellow” of the upper left corresponding part YW of the object help display window 27. Selects the icon 31 with “yellow”.

  When the CPU 11 receives the operation signal of the icon 31, it determines whether or not the object help display window 27 is displayed / hidden. If the object help display window 27 is not displayed as shown in FIG. Assuming that it is off, the object help display window 27 is displayed as shown in FIG. If the object help display window 27 is displayed as shown in FIG. 6, the icon 31 is turned on, and the object help display window 27 is controlled to be hidden as shown in FIG.

  7 to 9 show cases where the navigation window 24 is displayed / hidden by operating the icon 28. FIG. 7 shows only the icon 28-31 in an enlarged manner for the sake of understanding of the explanation, and FIG. 8 shows that the icon 31 is turned off and the navigation window 24 is not displayed. In FIG. 9, the icon 31 is turned on and the navigation window 24 is displayed. When the cursor is positioned on the icon 28 by operating the mouse 13 or the keyboard 14, the user sets the display color “red” corresponding to the display color “red” in the upper left of the navigation window 24 to “ The “red” icon 31 is selected and operated.

  When the CPU 11 receives the operation signal of the icon 28, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the navigation window 24 is displayed / hidden. If the navigation window 24 is not displayed as shown in FIG. 8, the icon 28 is assumed to be off. The navigation window 24 is displayed as shown in FIG. Further, if the navigation window 24 is displayed as shown in FIG. 9, it is determined that the icon 28 is on, and the navigation window 24 is controlled to be hidden as shown in FIG.

  10 to 12 show cases where the icon 29 is operated to display / hide the object list display window 25. FIG. FIG. 10 shows only the icon 28-31 in an enlarged manner for the sake of understanding. FIG. 11 shows that the icon 29 is turned off and the object list display window 25 is not displayed. In FIG. 12, the icon 29 is turned on and the object list display window 25 is displayed. When the cursor is positioned on the icon 29 by operating the mouse 13 or the keyboard 14, the user displays the display color “green” corresponding to the display color “green” on the upper left of the object list display window 25. Is selected and operated with the “green” icon 29.

  When the CPU 11 receives the operation signal of the icon 29, the CPU 11 determines whether the object list display window 25 is displayed / hidden. If the object list display window 25 is not displayed as shown in FIG. Assuming that it is off, an object list display window 25 is displayed as shown in FIG. If the object list display window 25 is displayed as shown in FIG. 12, the icon 29 is determined to be on, and the object list display window 25 is controlled to be hidden as shown in FIG.

  13 to 15 show a case where the icon 30 is operated to display / hide the parts list display window 26. FIG. 13 shows only the icon 28-31 in an enlarged manner for the sake of understanding the explanation, and FIG. 14 shows that the icon 30 is turned off and the parts list display window 26 is not displayed. In FIG. 15, the icon 30 is turned on, and the parts list display window 26 is displayed. When the cursor is positioned on the icon 30 by the operation of the mouse 13 or the keyboard 14, the user displays the display color of the corresponding part BI corresponding to the display color "blue" of the upper left corresponding part BW of the parts list display window 26. Is selected and operated.

  When the CPU 11 receives the operation signal of the icon 30, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the parts list display window 26 is displayed / hidden. If the parts list display window 26 is not displayed as shown in FIG. Is off, a parts list display window 26 is displayed as shown in FIG. Further, if the parts list display window 26 is displayed as shown in FIG. 15, it is determined that the icon 30 is on, and the parts list display window 26 is controlled to be hidden as shown in FIG.

  According to the present embodiment, when the user performs a control operation to display / hide the windows 24 to 27 by icon operation, the display colors of the icons 28 to 31 and the corresponding windows 24 to 27 are associated with each other. So, for example, when multiple drawing assistance windows are displayed on the editing screen, when displaying / hiding a desired window from the editing screen, it is easy to select and operate the corresponding icon with the display color. In addition, it is possible to reduce display / non-display of the window for assisting drawing that is not displayed / hidden by mistake, thereby reducing the labor for drawing.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a control system including an external PC, a display, a PLC, and an external device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram when the external PC of FIG. 1 is a drawing device. FIG. 3 is an editing screen on the external PC, showing a display state in which a drawing area and all windows are displayed. FIG. 4 is an editing screen on the external PC, and is an enlarged view of icons when displaying / hiding the object help display window. FIG. 5 is a diagram in which the object help window is hidden by the icon being turned off in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an object help window displayed when the icon is turned on in FIG. FIG. 7 is an editing screen on the external PC, and is an enlarged view of icons when the navigation window is displayed / hidden. FIG. 8 is a diagram in which the icon is turned off in FIG. 7 and the navigation window is hidden. FIG. 9 is a diagram in which the navigation window is displayed with the icon turned on in FIG. FIG. 10 is an editing screen on the external PC, and is an enlarged view of icons in the display / non-display of the object list display window. FIG. 11 is a diagram in which the object list display window is hidden by the icon being turned off in FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram in which the object list display window is displayed with the icon turned on in FIG. FIG. 13 is an editing screen on the external PC, and is an enlarged view showing icons in the display / non-display of the parts list display window. FIG. 14 is a diagram in which the icon is turned off in FIG. 13 and the parts list display window is not displayed. FIG. 15 is a diagram in which the icon is turned on in FIG. 13 and the parts list display window is displayed.

Explanation of symbols

1 External PC
2 Display 2b HMI component 3 PLC
4 External equipment

Claims (5)

  In a window control method for controlling a window to be displayed / hidden by operating an icon on a display screen, both the icon and a window to be displayed / hidden by operating the icon are provided with display colors corresponding to the two. The window control method characterized by the above-mentioned.   2. The window control method according to claim 1, wherein the display colors assigned to both the icon and the window are the same display color.   3. The window control method according to claim 1, wherein the display color pattern attached to the icon and the display color pattern attached to the window have the same shape.   Multiple windows on the display screen are individually displayed / hidden with a plurality of corresponding icons, the corresponding windows and icons are associated with the same display color, and the non-corresponding windows and icons are displayed with different display colors. The window control method according to claim 1, wherein the window control method is associated with each other. An editing screen is displayed by drawing software that runs on an operating system in the form of a graphical user interface, a drawing area is generated on this editing screen, and multiple windows can be displayed / hidden to support drawing in this drawing area. In a drawing device that can be individually displayed / hidden by operating a plurality of icons corresponding to each of the windows,
A drawing device characterized in that both corresponding windows and icons are given the same display color, and both non-corresponding windows and icons are given different display colors.

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