JP2509062B2 - Function selecting method and function selecting device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an icon display method and an icon display device for displaying a picture representing a system function on a display screen such as a CRT display.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, when a system function is expressed by a design on a display screen, a stationary design such as an icon has been used. As the type of pattern, a pattern that the user can easily recall in consideration of the feature of the function is selected. However, with the progress of diversification of functions, there are cases in which the functions cannot be sufficiently expressed only by a still picture, and there is little confusion when operating the device. That is, with a static icon, it is difficult to understand the meaning of the icon, and when the user selects the icon and sees the execution result of the function corresponding to this icon, the function can be understood at the beginning and the function should be remembered. There is also. For this reason, when the execution function is different from the user's intention, there is a waste of time and effort such as returning to the original state and redoing the operation again.

On the other hand, a method has been developed in which the icon can be dynamically displayed when the cursor is moved to the area in which the icon is displayed, but with this method, at a glance, the function of the usable icon can be changed. It was difficult to understand and identify the meaning and difference.

Furthermore, even a function provided as a system function may or may not be available depending on the attribute of the processing target. In addition, availability will change dynamically during the dialogue with the computer.

Presently, displaying the icons that can be used and the icons that cannot be used in the same display form causes the user to perform unnecessary judgment operation. There is also a method of not displaying the icons that cannot be used, but this method may cause confusion in thinking when the situation of the device is known for each operation performed by the user because the display is not continuous. become.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to constantly display a group of icons to be used in units of tools or processing functions, and dynamically (movingly) display at a usable timing in a dialogue process. An icon that allows the user to positively recognize the available state while maintaining continuity on the display by stopping the movement when it becomes impossible and dynamically displaying it again when it becomes available A display method and an icon display device are provided.

According to the present invention, in a user interface in a GUI environment using a display, a keyboard, a mouse, etc., currently usable functions are dynamically displayed by icons, and unusable functions are statically (still image) displayed by icons. By doing so, an icon display device having an interactive control function that allows the user to make effective function selections at all times is provided.

According to the present invention, in an icon display method and apparatus for displaying a plurality of icons respectively representing system functions selectable by a user in an operating system having a graphic display, a moving image icon and a still image icon are included, The display of a plurality of icons displayed in a display mode that is either a moving image display mode indicating that a function that is available to the user or a function that is represented by the still image icon is a still image mode that is not available to the user. By designating a mode and storing a plurality of data representing a plurality of pattern constituent parts constituting each of the icons, and when a moving image mode is designated, the data representing the pattern constituent parts are sequentially read out from the storage means, thereby the icon Is displayed as a movie, and still image mode When specified, the icon is displayed as a still image, the consistency between the stored attribute knowledge of the icon and the attribute of the designated icon is inferred, and the valid / invalid of the icon that can be selected based on the internal attribute of the icon Is determined, and the designated display mode of one or more icons of the plurality of icons is changed from the moving image display mode to the still image display mode according to the determination result, and the function represented by the still image display icon is the result of the user's selection. There is provided an icon display method and device characterized by indicating to a user that the icon cannot be used.

[Brief Description of the Drawings] FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram conceptually showing a function selecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing function indicating elements, and FIG. 3 is a basic pattern. FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing characteristics of unit operation, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing dynamic display of functions, FIG. 6 is a block circuit diagram of a function selection device according to one embodiment of the present invention, 7 is a diagram for conceptually explaining the operation of the present invention, FIGS. 8A and 8B are flow charts for explaining the operation of the function selection device of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8C is another operation of the function selection device. Flowchart diagram, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an initial screen displayed on the display device, and FIG. 10A to FIG. 10I show knowledge information.

[Embodiment] A conceptual configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The function selection device is composed of a function instruction device 1, a picture basic unit 2, a unit operation characteristic circuit 3 and a display area circuit 4. The function instruction device 1 has a dynamic pattern (animated pattern: anima
It is provided to instruct the function of the system to be expressed by motion pictogram or motion pictogram), and the picture basic unit 2 corresponds to each function defined in advance for dynamically (movingly) expressing the function of the system. A picture element such as a picture component is stored. The unit operation characteristic storage circuit 3 stores a unit operation characteristic element defined in advance for each function as operation information of the picture basic element of the picture basic unit 2. The display device 4 visually displays a pattern representing the function to the user.
It is composed of a display device such as a DRT display.

The function instructing device 1, the pattern basic unit 2, the unit operation characteristic unit 3 and the display device 4 are connected to the dynamic display control unit 5,
The dynamic display control unit 5 transfers the function instructed by the function instructing device 1 to the pattern basic unit 2 and the unit operation characteristic storage circuit 3.
Based on the picture basic element and the unit operation characteristic element read from, the control for displaying on the display device 4 is performed.

FIG. 2 shows functional elements designated by the function designating apparatus 1. These functional elements are a function name 11, a key code 12 for designating a function, and a memory of the picture basic unit 2 and the unit operation characteristic storage circuit 3. It includes pointers 13 and 14 which indicate areas. In FIG. 2, as an example, a function indicating element having a function of “storing” is shown.

FIG. 3 shows basic patterns stored in the basic pattern unit 2. In the same figure, the basic design unit 2 has a function (“store”).
Etc.) that dynamically express the components (main body P1, drawer P
2, Folder P3) The display form changes with each movement (pictgram segments) P11, P21, P22, P23, P31
And remember P32.

Further, the unit operation characteristic unit 3 has respective operation timings (five operation timings in this example) for each of the constituent parts P1, P2 and P3 of the pattern for dynamically (movingly) expressing the function as shown in FIG. Picture parts P11, P21 to P23 and P31
And P32 are defined. In this figure, "0" indicates that the picture of the component is not displayed at the operation timing. In addition, the unit operation characteristic unit 3 includes each component P
1, priority between P2 and P3 41 and number of dynamic display repetitions 42
Is defined. The priority 41 indicates a combination order when the respective pattern parts P11 to P32 are combined.

In the above-mentioned function selection device, the dynamic display control unit 5 constantly monitors the function instruction device 1, and when the key code 12 corresponding to the function in the function instruction device 1 is set, it corresponds to this key code 12. Based on the pointers 13 and 14, corresponding basic patterns and unit operation characteristics are read out from the pattern basic section 2 and unit operation characteristic section 3. That is, the constituent parts P1, P2 and P3 of the picture, the picture parts P11 to P32 for each of the constituent parts, the unit operation of the picture, the priority order 41 and the number of repetitions 42, which are necessary for dynamically expressing the function, are read out.
As a result, the pattern required when the function is dynamically expressed is repeatedly superimposed on the display device 4 according to the priority order,
Features are displayed dynamically. FIG. 5 shows this dynamic display, and each pattern is repeatedly displayed for the number of repetitions defined in the unit operation feature section 3 in the order from 1 to 5.

When the above dynamic display ends, the dynamic display control unit 5 again
It returns to the state of monitoring the function instruction device 1.

By displaying the function as a dynamic picture as described above, the user can easily understand the function to be executed.

Next, a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

According to this embodiment, the keyboard 21 and the mouse 22 are connected to the input / output (I / O) control unit 23. This I / O controller
The output terminal of 23 is connected to one input terminal of the selection icon specifying circuit 24. The other input terminal of the selected icon specifying circuit 24 is connected to one terminal of the icon coordinate definition file 25. The selected icon definition file 25 has the X and Y coordinates of the start and end points of the effective area for determining that the icon to be displayed on the display screen is selected and the icon name corresponding to the effective area as shown below. The other terminal is an icon display form control circuit 31
Connected to.

When the selection icon identification circuit 24 receives the cursor coordinates (X, Y) on the screen from the I / O control unit 23 as selection information when the mouse 22 is clicked, the icon coordinate definition file 2
The selection of the icon is determined by determining whether the icon effective area is specified by matching the table information including the icon effective area of 5 and the icon name with the selection information. The output terminal of the selection icon specifying unit 24 is connected to the input terminal of the inference unit 26, and the icon name specified by the selection icon specifying circuit 24 is sent to the inference unit 26.

The inference unit 26 has a valid / invalid icon inference circuit 27 and an icon control information inference circuit 28 connected to the output terminal of the icon inference circuit 27. These inference circuits 27 and 28 are an icon attribute knowledge circuit 29 and an icon display. Control knowledge circuit 30
Are connected to the output terminals of. The icon attribute knowledge circuit 29 is a knowledge for the inference circuit 27 to infer whether or not this attribute matches the internal attribute of the container icon when the icon name input from the selected icon identification circuit 24 is a form icon or a tool icon. Is stored.

The icon attribute knowledge of the icon attribute knowledge circuit 29 is
1. Attribute initialization knowledge (icon attribute status knowledge -1) (Fig.10C) for initializing attributes when the power is turned on and / or the tool is started, 2. From the received form icon or tool icon Attribute characteristic knowledge that identifies attributes (icon attribute knowledge-2) (Fig.10D) and 3. Valid and invalid container icons based on the consistency (compatibility) between the identified attributes and the internal attributes of the container icon. It includes the attribute matching judgment knowledge (icon attribute knowledge-3) (Fig. 10E) for the inference circuit 27 to infer.

The icon display control knowledge circuit 30 stores knowledge for controlling the display of icons. This icon display control knowledge is: 1. Initialization knowledge for initializing the interactive state that has the icon selection waiting state / selected state corresponding to each icon when the power is turned on or the tool is started (icon Display control knowledge-1) (Fig.10A), 2. Power ON
And / or Initialize the display knowledge that has dynamic (moving image) display / static (still image) display and normal display / reverse display of each icon when the tool is activated. Display status initialization knowledge (icon display control knowledge-2) (Fig.10B), 3. For statically displaying statically (still image) invalid (False) container icons Icon display control knowledge-3 (Fig.10
F), 4. Icon display control knowledge for statically displaying valid (True) dynamically displayed container icons −
4 (Fig.10G), 5. Display control knowledge that normally displays the other selected already selected icons of the same kind and puts them in the selection waiting state-5 (Fi
g.10H), and 6. Highlight the selected icon,
It includes the display control knowledge-6 (Fig. 10I) that is in the selected state.

The output terminal of the icon control information inference circuit 28 is connected to the icon display mode control circuit 31. In the icon display form control circuit 31, the inference unit 26 executes the control knowledge so that the icon name and the display form or the icon name and the display mode are inferred.
When sent from, the information is written in the icon pattern information file 33. Using this writing information and the information in the icon coordinate definition file 25, the coordinates and pattern data for displaying the icon on the display screen are sent to the display display control circuit 34. That is, the icon pattern information file 33 has a display form corresponding to each icon as shown below, and a display mode includes file information (pointer PA, PB) of the icon pattern pattern and a display priority element PC. are doing.

However, the form icon is represented by a static picture (still picture: still pictogram) of one frame, and the tool icon and the container icon are 5 as shown in FIG.
One dynamic picture is represented by a frame, and these pictures are stored in the icon picture information file 33. For the tool icon and container icon, one of the dynamic patterns
The frame eye is a static icon (still image icon: still ico
n) used as a design. Further, each of the plurality of frames forming these dynamic patterns can be created by combining the basic patterns shown in FIG. Each frame is stored in a binary pixel memory.

Regarding the display form and display mode in the contents of the icon pattern information file 33, the icon display form control circuit
It will be changed at any time by 31. The other contents are not changed unless the contents of the icon or the pattern used are changed. (Unchanged in the example).

Note: PA, PB and PC pointers are used in the same way as the previously patented components. (However, except that the first frame is the pattern of the static icon).

When the inference unit 26 executes the control knowledge, the icon display form control circuit 31 receives the icon name and the display form or the icon name and the display mode, or the display form of the icon pattern information file 33 corresponding to the received icon name or A predetermined form or display mode is written in the position of the display mode. The icon display form control circuit 31 displays the coordinates and pattern data for displaying the icon at the display screen position stored in the icon coordinate definition file 25 according to the write information corresponding to each icon in the icon pattern information file 33. Send to 34.

The icon display form control unit 31 is a tool icon control circuit 35.
, And makes a tool icon selection request to the tool icon control circuit 35. When the tool icon control circuit 35 requests the tool icon selection process from the icon notation control circuit 31, the tool icon control circuit 35 uses the keyboard 21 or the mouse 22 to perform interactive control for creating characters, tables, and figures on the display screen.

Further, the icon display mode control circuit 31 is connected to the container icon control circuit 36, and requests the container icon control circuit 36 to process (store, print) a container icon. When the container antenna control circuit 36 requests the processing of the container icon from the icon display mode control circuit 31, it makes a file input / output request corresponding to the designated container icon to the file I / O control circuit 37.

The output terminal of the icon display form control circuit 31, the tool icon control circuit 35, and the output terminal of the display control circuit 34 connected to the I / O control unit 23 are connected to the display device 38. Upon receiving the X and Y coordinates of the cursor from the I / O control unit 23, the display control circuit 34 moves the cursor displayed on the display screen of the display device 38 according to the X and Y coordinates. Further, the display control circuit 34 displays the frame data of the icon pattern received from the icon display form control circuit 31 at the designated starting point coordinate position on the screen. Further, the display control circuit 34 displays the font pattern or the graphic element of the character code obtained from the tool icon control circuit 35 by the interactive control using the keyboard 21 and the mouse 22 in the document display / creation / edit area of the display device 38. .

The file I / O control circuit 37 is connected to the small printer 39 and the laser printer 40, and also the disk I / O control circuit 4
Connected to the disk file 42 via 1. Disk file 42 is A4-File cabinet disk area 42
-1 and A3-file cabinet disk area 42-2.

Next, the operation of the function selection device having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8C.
The operation of this embodiment will be conceptually described with reference to FIG. 7 prior to this.

It is assumed that the icons used in this embodiment are a form icon group, a tool icon group and a container icon group as shown in FIG. Of these icons, the document icon group corresponding to the paper includes A4, A3 or a predetermined fixed form, the tool icon group includes the character creation tool icon, the table creation tool icon and the drawing creation tool icon, and the container icon group is A4. And cabinet icons representing A3 size cabinets and printer icons representing miniature printers and laser printers.

In these icons, icons other than form icons are dynamically displayed in the initial stage, but the icons that are dynamically displayed according to the designation of the icon are selectively statically displayed (still display: still display). be changed.
For example, if an A4 form icon is specified, the container icon that can be used for this is the A4 size cabinet, and the A3 cabinet cannot be used. Therefore, the A4 size cabinet icon remains displayed dynamically, while other icons, such as the A3 size cabinet icon, are changed to static display. Similarly, if the drawing tool icon is specified, if the drawing created by this drawing tool can be printed only by the laser printer, the laser printer will be displayed dynamically and other icons will be displayed statically. Can be changed to Tools or devices that can be used in this way are indicated by dynamic icons, and tools or devices that cannot be used are indicated by static icons. Such usable and unusable items are separately displayed into a dynamic display and a static display, and the user is actively informed of what can and cannot be used.

Next, the function display operation conceptually described above will be described with reference to the block circuit of FIG. 6 and the flowcharts of FIGS. 8A and 8B.

In FIG. 8A, when the power is turned on in step 1, the initialization screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the display device 38 in step 2. In this initialization screen,
The above-described form icon group, tool icon group, and container icon group are displayed. At this time, the control unit 32 initializes the inference unit 26. This makes it possible to
Icon display control knowledge as shown in 10C-1,
The icon attribute knowledge and the display control are initialized based on the display control initialization knowledge including the icon display control knowledge-2 and the icon attribute state knowledge-1. In the initialization of the display control, the following control information (a) to (d) is sent from the inference unit 26 to the icon display form control circuit 31 according to the control knowledge to be executed.

In step 3, the I / O control unit 23 waits for the selection of an icon. At this time, when the mouse 22 is moved, the two-dimensional coordinates on the display screen generated by the movement of the mouse are displayed on the display control circuit. Sent to 34. When the mouse 22 is clicked while the mouse cursor is designating the A4 form icon, the I / O control unit 23 sends the cursor coordinates at this time to the selection icon specifying circuit 24 as selection information. Upon receiving the cursor coordinate (X, Y) information as the selection information, the selection icon specifying circuit 24 compares this coordinate information with the above-mentioned table information including the icon effective area and the icon name of the icon coordinate definition file 25, It is determined whether the effective area of the icon is designated and the selected icon is identified, and the identified icon name is sent to the inference unit 26.
When the icon name received from the selection icon specifying circuit 24 is a form icon or a tool icon, the valid / invalid icon inference circuit 27 of the inference unit 26 fires the next attribute knowledge corresponding to this icon, and the icon attribute knowledge- 2 (Fig.10D) and icon attribute knowledge-3 (Fig.10
Based on E), infer whether the internal attribute of the container icon matches the specific icon name. That is, the inference unit 26 infers whether the received icon is a valid container icon or an invalid container icon. The relationship between the received icon name and the fire knowledge is shown as follows.

Icon control information inference circuit 28 based on the above inference results
By executing the icon display control knowledge-3 to the icon display control knowledge-6 (Figs. 10F to 10I), the inference unit 26 informs the icon display form control circuit 31 of the following control information (a) to (d). ) Is sent.

If the inference result of the valid / invalid icon inference circuit 27 is that the A3 file cabinet icon is an invalid icon, the icon display control knowledge-3 based on this inference result.
(Fig. 10F), the icon control inference circuit 28 sends to the icon display mode control circuit 31 information for statically displaying the dynamically displayed invalid container icon, that is, the A3 file cabinet icon. The icon display form control circuit 31 inputs this information to the display control circuit 34, thereby statically displaying the A3 file cabinet icon on the display screen (step 5).

In step 6, the icon control information inference circuit 28 is shown in FIG.
Using the icon display control knowledge -5 and -6 shown in 10H and 10I, the information for displaying the selected A4 form icon in reverse video is sent to the icon display form control circuit 31. As a result, the A4 form icon is highlighted.

In step 7, the icon display form control circuit 31 sets the A4 form icon to the selected state. This step 7
Is positioned at the last step of the corresponding processing steps 4 to 7 after selecting the A4 form icon in the selection waiting state of step 3. That is, after performing the check and the related display regarding the consistency in steps 4 to 6,
Step 7 is a step of saving the internal state that the A4 firm icon is being selected.

The above operation shows the A4 form icon selecting operation, and the graphic creating tool icon selecting operation is performed in the same manner as the above operation. That is, in step 8, the I / O control unit 23 waits for the selection of the icon, and when the drawing tool icon is selected by the mouse 11, the I / O control unit 23 uses the cursor coordinates at this time as the selection information. Send to the selection icon identification circuit 24. That is, step 8 includes the process of waiting for icon input again after the completion of the A4 firm icon selection processing of steps 4 to 7, and selecting the figure icon in that state.

When the selection icon specifying circuit 24 receives the cursor coordinate (X, Y) information, it compares this coordinate information with the table information of the icon coordinate definition file 25, determines whether the effective area of the icon is designated, and selects the icon. It specifies and sends the specified icon name to the inference unit 26. Effectiveness of inference unit 26 /
The invalid icon inference circuit 27 infers whether the received icon is a valid container icon or an invalid container icon (step 9).

If the inference result of the valid / invalid icon inference circuit 27 is that the small printer icon is an invalid icon, the icon control inference circuit 28 provides information for statically displaying the invalid small printer icon that is dynamically displayed. Send to the icon display form control circuit 31. The icon display form control circuit 31 inputs this information to the display display control circuit 34 to statically display the A3 file cabinet icon on the display screen (step 10).

In step 11, the icon control information inference circuit 28 uses the icon display control knowledge -6 to send information for reversing the display of the selected graphic creation tool icon to the icon display form control circuit 31.

In step 12, the icon display form control circuit 31 sets the drawing tool icon to the selected state. This step 12
Includes the processing corresponding to step 8, that is, the processing related to steps 9 to 11.

Next, the laser printer container icon selection operation is Fi
This is done according to the flowchart in g.8B.

That is, in step 13, the I / O control unit 23 waits for the selection of an icon, and when the laser printer icon is selected by the mouse 11, the icon display form control circuit 31 is selected via the inference unit 26. The highlighted laser printer icon is highlighted (step 14). Next, the icon display form control circuit 31 sets the laser printer icon to the selected state (step 15).

In step 16, the container icon control circuit 36 receives the processing request for the laser printer icon and issues an output request to the laser printer 40 corresponding to the laser printer icon designated by the file I / O control circuit 37. That is, the printout process is executed. After that, the laser printer icon is switched to Normal display (step 17), and the laser printer icon is set to the selection waiting state (step 18), and the process ends.

In the above steps, the container icon requires steps 4 and 5 as well as steps 9 and 10 because the icon selection is related to the attribute (A4 / A3, character / table / figure) like the form icon and tool icon. Since the processing relating to the consistency is not necessary, only the processing of step 15 and step 4 corresponding to step 7 and step 12 and step 14 corresponding to step 11 are performed. Also, in the laser printer icon, step 15
After the printing process of step 16 is completed after the icon is selected, the process enters the selection waiting state.

As described above, the form icon and the tool icon are switched between the selection waiting state and the selection state by the user's operation, but the container icon such as the laser printer is normally changed from the selection waiting state to the selection state by the user. Although it can be performed by operation, the change from the selected state to the selected state is automatically performed when the processing such as printing on the computer side is completed. However, situations such as interruption of a user instruction such as a print interruption request are excluded.

 Next, another display control operation will be described with reference to FIG. 8C.

When the power is turned on in step 21, the initialization screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the display device in step 22.
Displayed at 38. On the initialization screen, the form icon group, the tool icon group, and the container icon group described above are displayed. At this time, the control unit 32 initializes the inference unit 26.

In step 23, the I / O control unit 23 waits for the selection of the icon, and when the mouse selects the icon, the I / O control unit 23
Confirms whether the selected icon is a container icon or a form icon (step 24). If the selected icon is a form icon, the cursor coordinates are sent to the selected icon specifying circuit 24 as selection information, and if it is a container icon, the operation proceeds to step 29.

When the selection icon specifying circuit 24 receives the cursor coordinate (X, Y) information, it compares this coordinate information with the table information of the icon coordinate definition file 25, determines whether the effective area of the icon is designated, and selects the icon. It specifies and sends the specified icon name to the inference unit 26. Effectiveness of inference unit 26 /
The invalid icon inference circuit 27 infers whether the received icon is a valid container icon or an invalid container icon (step 25).

If the container icon is invalid according to the inference result of the valid / invalid icon inference circuit 27, the icon control inference circuit
28 sends information for statically displaying the invalid icon that is dynamically displayed to the icon display form control circuit 31. The icon display form control circuit 31 inputs this information to the display display control circuit 34 to statically display the invalid container icon on the display screen (step 26).

If the container icon is valid in the result of the valid / invalid icon inference circuit 27, the icon control inference circuit
28 sends the information for dynamically displaying the statically displayed effective icon to the icon display form control circuit 31. The icon display form control circuit 31 inputs this information to the display display control circuit 34 to dynamically display the effective container icon on the display screen (step 27).

In step 28, the icon display form control circuit 31 changes the icon selected before being the icon of the same kind as the selected icon to the normal display. Next, the icon display form control circuit 31 reversely displays the selected icon (step 29). Then, the selection icon is set to the selected state (step 30).

In step 31, it is determined whether the selected icon is a form icon or a container icon. If the determination result is a container icon, in step 32, after the process corresponding to this container icon, that icon is Normal.
It is displayed and set to the input waiting state, and the process returns to step 23 again.

As described above, according to the present invention, usable tools and devices are displayed with dynamic icons, and unusable tools and devices are displayed with static icons. By displaying such usable and unusable things by dividing them into a dynamic display and a static display, the user can surely recognize the usable tools and equipment and the unusable tools and equipment, and unnecessary tools and equipment. The use of can be prevented.

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. An icon display method for displaying a plurality of icons respectively representing system functions selectable by a user in an operating system having a graphic display, wherein a plurality of icons constituting each of the plurality of icons representing system functions in the operating system are provided. Storing in the storage means the data indicating the picture component of the above, and that the function represented by the moving picture icon or the still picture display icon indicating that the function represented by the moving picture icon is available to the user is not available to the user. A step of designating an icon display mode, which is one of the still image modes shown, and, when a moving image mode is designated in the display mode designating step, by sequentially reading data representing the picture component from the storage means. Is displayed as a video When the still image mode is specified, the step of displaying the icon as a still image and the consistency between the stored attribute knowledge of the icon and the attribute of the designated icon are inferred, and selection is made based on the internal attribute of the icon. And a step of changing the designated display mode of one or more of the plurality of icons from the moving image display mode to the still image display mode according to the determination result. How to display icons. 2. The icon according to claim 1, wherein the moving image icon is formed by sequentially displaying a plurality of picture elements, and the picture element is formed by combining a plurality of basic picture elements. Display method. 3. An icon display device for displaying a plurality of icons respectively indicating system functions selectable by a user in an operating system having a graphic display, including a moving image icon and a still image icon, and a function represented by the moving image icon. The display mode of a plurality of icons is displayed in a display mode that is either a moving image display mode indicating that the user is available to the user or a still image mode indicating that the function represented by the still image icon is not available to the user. A display mode designating means for designating a plurality of picture data representing a plurality of picture components forming each of the icons; and a storage mode when a moving picture mode is designated by the display mode designating means. From the means, the picture data representing the picture constituent parts A display means for displaying the icon in a moving image by sequentially reading out and displaying the icon as a still image when a still image mode is designated; and stored attribute knowledge of the icon and attribute of the instructed icon. A determination unit that infers consistency and determines the validity / invalidity of an icon that can be selected based on the internal attribute of the icon; An icon including a display mode updating unit for changing from the moving image display mode to the still image display mode, and indicating that the function represented by the still image display icon cannot be used by the user as a result of the selection by the user. Display device. 4. The icon according to claim 3, wherein said storage means includes a memory for storing basic pattern element information representing a plurality of basic pattern elements used for assembling each of said pattern constituent parts. Display device. 5. The storage device according to claim 4, wherein the storage means stores a display form corresponding to the icon, a display mode, file information of a picture pattern of the icon, and a display priority element. Icon display device. 6. The icon display device according to claim 3, wherein said display means has means for performing interactive control for creating characters, tables and figures.