JP2511884B2 - Multiple screen display - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a screen display device, and more particularly to a multiple screen display device for simultaneously displaying a plurality of display data as a plurality of windows on the screen of a single display device. .

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, in personal-use devices such as personal computers, interactive processing based on a display device has become the main focus. In such a situation, displaying a plurality of data on a single display device has become an important issue for improving the operability and processability of the user. However, most of the conventional screen display systems cannot display a plurality of data on one display device at the same time. Therefore, a multi-screen display method called a multi-window method has appeared. This is to provide an area called a window on the display screen, allocate one data to each area, and display it, so that multiple data can be displayed on one display device at the same time. Is made possible. This situation is described in detail in the article entitled "Multi-windowing software that determines the operability of personal computers" in the January 30, 1984 issue of Nikkei Electronics. Also, a more specific example of multi-screen display is shown in "Lisa Computer System" in BYTE, February, 1983 (BYTE, Feb, 1983).
In "The Lisa Computer System").

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, even in the above-mentioned multi-screen display method, the following requirements are newly generated as the usage patterns have become more complicated and sophisticated in recent years.

One is to display a plurality of different parts in a certain display data in one window. This is necessary when referring to a certain part of a huge amount of text data and editing another part.

The other is to display a plurality of display data in one window. This is indispensable when displaying an integrated document in which texts, figures, graphs, etc. are mixed.

In the conventional display device using the multi-window method,
Only one display data was assigned to one window. Therefore, in order to display different portions of display data or display different display data in one window, the following method must be taken.

One is that the application program that uses windows can define a coordinate system on the screen independently of the coordinate system of the entire screen, and the data that protrudes from it cannot be displayed as a rectangular system. This is a method of assuming a display area and processing and displaying the display data uniquely there. Processing refers to the coordinate conversion processing required to display the display data at any position, and the cutout processing (called clipping) of the display data required to display only in any area on the screen. That is. However, with this method, the program must perform complicated processing for processing the display data, and problems such as insufficient memory capacity due to the enlargement of the program and increase in the number of program development steps occur. .

As another method, there is a method in which an application program using a window sets a display area in the window uniquely by using a display area setting function provided by the system to perform display. This is exactly what the system automatically processes the display data described in the previous section. Generally, such management of the coordinate system of the display area and clipping are performed by the hardware for screen drawing. However, this method also has the following problems. Generally, the number of display areas that can be set in the system is limited, and setting a plurality of display areas in a plurality of windows is mathematically impossible. Therefore, the display area of a window must be set in the system only when the window is in the foreground of the display screen, and deleted when it is behind another window. However, in order for this application program to perform this processing, it is also necessary to independently manage the window status such as the position of the windows on the display screen, the order of overlapping, and the timing of changing the overlapping manner. Therefore, in order for the application program to independently set the display area in the window and display by the second method, it must have a complicated program for managing the window and a large amount of management data. As in the case of the above-mentioned method, problems such as insufficient memory capacity due to program bloat and increase in man-hours for program development arise.

In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-screen display device in which a plurality of pieces of display data are superimposed on each other and displayed in a window in a multi-screen display device. On the other hand, it is possible to easily display different parts of the same display data or different display data as the display target area in one window by using simple commands with a unified interface. To provide a device.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a multi-screen display device that includes a processing device, a memory, and a display device, and displays a plurality of display data on the display device in a superimposed manner in a window. A first control table for managing the position and size of each target area and the relationship of overlapping display between the display target areas, the number of the display target areas existing in the window for each window, and the currently valid display target A second control table having information indicating an area and information for managing the first control table, a third control table for managing the status of each window and the second control table, and the third control table. A fourth control table for managing a control table is provided in the memory, and the processing device uses the first to fourth control tables of the memory to set a predetermined window. A plurality of desired display target areas are set and changed or deleted, and at least one of the display target areas is designated as a display valid target area, and when the window is changed or deleted, the display valid target area is also changed. A multi-screen display device is characterized in that it is changed or deleted and the processing results thereof are displayed on the display device.

[Action]

According to the present invention, when a program using a window displays different parts of display data or different display data in its own window, each means and management data are as follows. Act on.

A program that uses a window sets a display area associated with the coordinate system and type of display data in its own window by means of setting, changing, and deleting the display area. The means creates, changes, and deletes data for managing individual areas according to the contents, and changes data for managing the entire display area. Then, by setting the display area in the display system, the display area is actually set on the display screen. Here, the display system is a general term for screen drawing hardware and software that controls the screen drawing hardware. Next, the program using the window specifies the area to be displayed by using the means for specifying one of the areas as the display target. At this time, in the means,
Store it in the data that manages the entire display area. Finally, the program that uses the window issues a display instruction to display the data. In the portion that executes the display command, the data that manages the entire display area is referenced to check the data that manages the individual areas corresponding to the display target area. Then, the data is displayed in the display area of the display system corresponding thereto.

Also, when the way the windows overlap is changed, the system refers to the data that manages individual areas and the data that manages the entire display area for each window, using the means for deleting and resetting the display area. However, the display area of the window that has been relaxed is deleted from the display system, and the display area of the window newly appearing in the foreground is set to the display system.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 2 shows a computer system according to the present invention, for example,
It shows a configuration example of a system such as a word processor or a personal computer. The system consists of main processing unit (CPU) 20, main memory (MM) 21, display memory (F
M) 23, display display controller (CRTC) 24, display display (CRT) 25, magnetic disk controller (DC) 2
6, magnetic disk (DISK) 27, keyboard controller (KB
C) 28, keyboard (KB) 29, pointing device controller (PDC) 210 such as mouse, pointing device (PD) 211, printer controller (PRC) 212, printer (PR) 213, common bus 214, etc. Composed of.

The display method will be briefly described with reference to FIG. CPU20
When a graphic or character is displayed on the CRT 25 by the program P being executed in, the graphic or character data to be displayed (these are generally graphic drawing command strings or character code strings) is programmed. Created by P, then issue an execution request to GP22. Upon receiving the execution instruction, the GP22 takes out the graphic or character data, expands the data into dot data corresponding to each display point on the CRT25, and displays the dot data at a location corresponding to the display position on the FM23.
Store the data. On the other hand, CRT25 display controller CRTC24
Scans FM23 at regular intervals and CR
Displayed on T25. Therefore, the dot data stored in the FM23 will be immediately displayed on the CRT25 by the CRTC24.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a display method in a multiple screen display system according to the present invention. Application program
12 (hereinafter referred to as AP) sets the window 10 on the display screen 11 at an arbitrary position and size. However, one
AP can only set one window
APs always have a one-to-one correspondence. This window 10
Information such as the position and size of the AP and the corresponding AP are managed by the window control data 6, and the number of windows 10 existing on the display screen 11 is determined by the window management data 5.
It is managed by. Further, the AP 12 freely sets or deletes the display area 9 in the window 10 on the display screen 11 by using the area setting program 1 and the area deleting program 2 prepared as system programs. The position and size of the display area 9 in the window 10 are managed by the display area control data 8, and the number of the display areas 9 existing on the window 10 are managed by the display area management data 7. Further, the display area management data 7 is
It is managed by the window control data 6.

Here, when the AP 12 attempts to display its own display data 13 in the display area 9 that has already been set, the procedure is as follows. First, AP is the display area designating program 3
Is used to specify one of the display areas 9 to be displayed. Then, a display command of the display data 13 desired to be displayed in the display area 9 (hereinafter referred to as the display target area) which is the display target is issued. When the system issues a display command,
Refer to the window management data 5 and the window control data 6 to check the window used by the AP, and
The display target area is checked with reference to the display area management data 7 and the display area control data 8 managed by the window control data 6 related to the corresponding window. Then, corresponding display is performed in the display area set in the display system. The AP can perform the display shown in the figure by repeatedly specifying the display target area and issuing the display command as described above.

Further, when the overlapping manner of the windows 10 on the display screen 11 is changed according to an instruction from a user who is using the system, the system uses the display area switching program 4
To display the window management data 5, the window control data 6, the display area management data 7, the display area control data 8 and the like, and display the display area 9 set in the window which has been relaxed on the display screen 10 The display area 9 which has been erased from the top and newly set to the frontmost window is notified to the display system and displayed on the display screen 10.

FIG. 3 shows management data of the display area in the multi-window display method according to this embodiment. As described with reference to FIG. 1, management data includes window management data (WMD) 5 for managing the entire window and window control data (WC for managing individual windows).
D) 6, display area management data (DAMD) 7 for managing the entire display area existing in the window, display area control data (DACD) 8 for managing individual display areas, and the like. Note that these management data are stored on the fourth, third, second, and first control tables, respectively. Less than,
Each data will be described in detail.

In WMD5 stored in the fourth control table, WRV51, which has the maximum number of windows that can be set on the display screen,
Has the number of windows currently set on the display screen
WOP52, pointer TOP53 indicating the address of WCD6 of the window displayed on the top of the display screen, unused WCD
There is a pointer EMPW54 that points to the address of 6. If there are no windows, TOP53 is zero, but unused W
If CD6 is not present, EMPW54 is set to zero.

In the WCD6 stored in the third control table, a pointer LNKP61 indicating the address of the WCD6 of the window immediately behind the window on the display screen, a WNO62 having a window number for identifying the window,
WTYPE63, which indicates the type of window, indicates the address of the program (one of the APs) that uses the window
TKNO64, X of the coordinate on the display screen of the upper left corner of the window
WSTX65 with component value, WSTY66 with Y component value, WEDX67 with X component value of coordinates on the display screen at the lower right corner of the window, WEDY68 with Y component value, DAMD corresponding to that window There is a pointer AMTP69 that points to the address. LNKP61 is set to zero if there is no overlapping window directly behind it on the display screen. In the unused WCD6, LNKP61 indicates the address of another unused WCD6, WNO62, WTYPE63, TKNO6
4, WSTX65, WSTY66, WEDX67, WEDY68 are set to zero. LNKP61 is set to zero if there are no other unused WCD6s.

DAMD7 stored in the second control table has DMAX71, which has the maximum number of display areas that can be set in the window, and DNUM which has the number of display areas currently set in the window.
72, a pointer HEAD73 indicating the address of DACD8 corresponding to the display area set at the end, a pointer OBJA74 indicating the address of DACD8 corresponding to the display target area, and an unused DAC
There is a pointer EMPA75 that points to the address of D8. If there is no display area, HEAD73 is set to zero, if there is no display target area, OBJA74 is set to zero, and if there is no unused DACD8, EMPA75 is set to zero.

In the DACD8 stored in the first control table, a pointer ALNK81 indicating the address of the DACD8 indicating the display area set immediately before the display area, an ANO82 having a display area number for identifying the display area, ASTX83, which has the X component value of the coordinates in the window at the upper left corner of the display area, ASTY84, which also has the Y component value, AEDX85, which has the X component value of the coordinates in the window at the lower right corner of the display area, and Y There is AEDY86 with component values. If there is no display area set after the display area, ALNK81 is set to zero. In the unused DACD8, ALNK81 indicates the address of other unused DACD8, ANO82, ASTX83, ASTY84, AE
DX85 and AEDY86 are set to zero. ALNK81 is set to zero if there are no other unused DACD8s.

Next, a display procedure and an operation regarding the display area 9 in the present embodiment will be described.

In this embodiment, one program (AP) corresponds to one window, and only the program using the window in the foreground is allowed to display. actually,
When a program using a window tries to display data on the display screen 11, the procedure is as follows.
For programs that use windows, first
Set the display area 9 within 10. Next, the program that uses the window (one of the APs) specifies the display area in which data is to be displayed as the display target area. The designation of this display target area is valid until the next other display area is designated as the display target, and the program that uses the window (one of AP) does not specify the display area each time. , Can be continuously displayed in the same display area. Finally,
A program (AP) using a window issues a display command to display data. When a display command is issued, the system checks whether it is the command for the frontmost window, and if so, finds the display target area of that window and displays it in that display target area.

Also, when the program that uses the window issues the above request or instruction to the system, the system determines which program executes the request or instruction, and the program that uses the window passes the request or instruction. After preparing the parameters and other parameters required for each program, control is passed to the program that performs each process. Next, the analysis of this instruction and the setting of parameters will be described in detail.

FIG. 9 shows a processing procedure relating to control of the instruction resolving unit according to the present embodiment. In this figure, only the part relating to the request regarding the window is shown. The instruction analysis program 900 is executed when the AP issues a request to the system. Here, first, in process 901, it is determined whether or not it is a request (display command) to the display control program 800, and if so, process 902 is performed, and if not, process 903 is performed. In process 902, the parameters passed from the AP and the window number of the window currently in the foreground are prepared as parameters for the display control program 800. Then, the display control program 80
Pass control to 0. Hereinafter, similar processing is repeated for each request. (Processes 903 to 910) However, in the process 910, the area control program 4 does not have a parameter passed from the AP, and therefore the process related thereto is not performed in the process 910.

Next, the control regarding the display command will be described in detail.

FIG. 8 shows a processing procedure relating to display control according to the present embodiment. The processing procedure of the display control program 800 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 8.

The display control program 800 is executed when a program (AP) that uses windows issues a display command, and the window number is given as a parameter.
Here, first, in process 801, in order to determine whether the given window number is equal to the window of the frontmost window, the given window number and WMD5
Check whether the values of WNO6 of WCD6 indicated by TOP53 are equal. If they are different, the process is ended, and if they are the same, process 802 is performed. In process 802, WMD5
Referring to AMPT69 in WCD6 indicated by TOP53, DAMD7 is checked, and the display region number of the display target region is checked from ANO802 in DACD8 indicated by OBJA75. Next, in process 803, the display area number of the display target area and the display command issued by the program using the window are notified to the display system, and the display is actually performed in the display target area. Then, the process ends.

FIG. 4 to FIG. 7 show the processing procedure regarding the control of the display area according to the present embodiment. Here, the processing procedure of the area setting program 1, the area deleting program 2, the display target area specifying program 3, and the area switching program 4 is shown.

Each processing procedure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 to 7.

(I) Area Setting FIG. 4 shows a processing procedure of the area setting program 1. When the area setting program 1 is executed, as parameters, an instruction as to whether it is a new setting or a change, window number, display area number, coordinates of the position of the display area in the window, size of the display area in the window, etc. Data is given. In the area setting program 1, first, in process 101, it is determined whether the input parameter indicates new setting or change, and subsequent processes are determined. In the case of new setting, processing 102 is performed. In process 102, to prevent the number of display areas from exceeding the maximum set number, DA
It is determined whether DNUM72 in MD7 is equal to DMAX71, and if they are equal, the process ends. If they are different, process 103
Perform In the process 103, the unused DACD8 is obtained by referring to the EMPA75 in DAMD7 to obtain the unused DACD8. Then, the value of ALNK81 in the unused DACD8 is set to EMPA75.

Next, in process 104, the display area number given as a parameter to ANO82 in DACD8 is set to STPX83, STPY84, ENPX8.
5. Set the value obtained from the coordinates of the position of the display area in the window and the size of the display area in the window given to the ENPY86 parameter. Then, the process 105
Then, in ALNK81 in the DACD8, the value of HEAD73 in DAMD7,
In HEAD73, an address indicating the head of the DACD8 is set. Next, in process 106, the value of DNUM72 in DAMD7 is incremented by one. Finally, in process 107, the AN set in DACD8 is set.
The graphic display processing unit (GP) 22 is notified of the values of O82, ASTX83, ASTY84, AEDX85, and AEDY86, so that the display area 9 is actually displayed on the display screen 11. Then, the execution of the area setting program 1 ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in processing 101 that the area has been changed, processing 108 is performed. In process 108, ANO82
Where DACD is the same value as the area number given by the parameter
Find out eight. In process 109, according to process 108, it is determined whether there is a DACD8 having the same area number, and if not, the process ends. If there are equal DACD8, perform processing 110,
Change the value of STPX83, STPY84, ENPX85, ENPY86 in the DACD8 to the value given by the parameter. After that, the process 107 is performed as in the case of the new setting, and the process ends.

(II) Area deletion FIG. 5 shows the processing procedure of the area deletion program 2. When the area deletion program 2 is executed, data such as a window number and a display area number of an area to be printed are given as parameters. In the area deletion program 2, first, in processing 201, the ANO 82 searches for the DACD8 having the same value as the area number given by the parameter in order to search for the DACD8 to be deleted. In process 202, according to process 201, it is determined whether there is a DACD8 having the same area number, and if not, the process ends. If there are equal DACD8, process 203
Perform In process 203, the DACD8 having the ALNK81 indicating the DACD8 to be deleted is searched for, and the ALNK81 of the DACD8 to be deleted is added to the ALNK81.
Set the value of. However, delete DACD8 from HE in DAMD7.
In some cases, AD73 is pointing, and in this case, in HEAD73,
Set the value of ALNK81 of DACD8 to be deleted. Then, the process 204
So, remove DAC D8 ANO82, ASTX83, ASTY84, AEDX8
5, set zero to AEDY86 and ALNK the value of EMPA75 in DAMD7
Set to 81. Then, the start address of DACD8 to be deleted is set in EMPA75. Next, in process 205, in DAMD7
Decrement the value of DNUM72 by one. Also, OBJA74 in DAMD7
If pointed to DACD8 to be deleted, set OBJA74 to zero. Finally, in process 204, the AN in DACD8 to be deleted is deleted.
The GP22 is notified of the value of O82, so that the display area 9 is actually erased from the display screen 11. Then, the execution of the area deletion program 2 ends.

(III) Designation of Display Target Area FIG. 6 shows the processing procedure of the display target area designating program 3. When the display target area designation program 3 is executed, data such as a window number and a display area number to be displayed is given as parameters. In the display target area designation program 3, in process 301, ANO82
Where DACD is the same value as the area number given by the parameter
Find out eight. In process 302, according to process 301, it is determined whether or not there is a DACD8 having the same area number, and if not, the process ends. If there is an equal DACD8, the process 303 is performed.
In process 303, the start address of DACD8 is set to OBJ in DAMD7.
Set to A74.

(IV) Area switching FIG. 7 shows the processing procedure of the area switching program 4. When the area switching program 4 is executed, data such as the number of the window that has been in the forefront and the window number that is newly in the foreground until now are given as parameters. In the area switching program 4, first, in process 401, WNO62 searches for WCD6 having the same value as the window number that was in the foreground and was given by the parameter, and refers to AMTP69 in WCD6 to check DAMD7. Next, in process 402, ANO82 of DACD8 indicated by HEAD73 in DAMD7.
Is notified to GP22, and thereby the display area 9 corresponding to the DACD8 is actually erased from the display screen 11. next,
In process 403, it is checked whether ALNK81 of DACD8 processed in process 402 is set to zero, and if so, it is determined that all the display areas set in the window have been erased, and process 404 is performed next. If not, the ALNK8
For DACD8 indicated by 1, control is similarly returned to the process 402 to erase the area.

In process 404, WNO62 finds WCD6 having the same value as the number of the new frontmost window given by the parameter, and refers to AMTP69 in WCD6 to check DAMD7.
Next, in process 405, ANO of DACD8 indicated by HEAD73 in DAMD7.
The GP22 is notified of the values of 82, ASTX83, ASTY84, AEDX85, and AEDY86, so that the display area 9 corresponding to the DACD8 is actually displayed.
Is set on the display screen 11. Next, in process 406, process 4
It is checked whether ALNK81 of DACD8 processed in 05 is set to zero, and if so, it is determined that all display areas set in the window have been set, and execution of the area switching program 4 ends. Otherwise, for DACD8 indicated by the ALNK81, process 4 in order to set the area in the same manner.
Return control to 05.

As described above, in the present embodiment, in a computer system of a multi-screen display method, a program that uses windows does not have to be aware of how windows are overlapped and uses simple commands to By freely setting the display area, it is possible to easily display different portions of the display data or different display data in one window.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, in a multi-screen display device for displaying a plurality of display data on a display device in a window by superimposing the display data, a program using the window does not have to be aware of the window and a unified interface for the program. It is possible to easily display different parts of the same display data or different display data as the display target area in one window using simple commands with, and this allows the program to convert the coordinates of the display data. There is no need to manage the display area or the display area, the structure is simplified, the memory capacity is reduced, and the productivity of the program can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a multiple screen display system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a computer system according to the present invention,
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing management data of a display area in the multiple screen display system according to the present embodiment, and FIGS. 4 to 7 show a processing procedure relating to control of the display area according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 and FIG. 8 are diagrams showing a processing procedure regarding the display command according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing procedure regarding instruction analysis according to the present embodiment. [Explanation of Codes] 1 ... area setting program, 2 ... area deleting program, 3
... display target area designation program, 4 ... area switching program, 5 ... window management data, 6 ... window control data, 7 ... display area management data, 8 ... display area control data, 9 ... display area, 10 ... window, 900 ... Instruction analysis program.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazunari Suzuki 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Inside Hitachi Micro Software Systems Co., Ltd. (72) Sadaji Kuwahara 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Hitachi, Ltd. Microelectronics Equipment Development Laboratory (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Koreeda 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Hitachi Microelectronics Equipment Development Laboratory (72) Inventor Naomichi Nonaka Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Hitachi, Ltd. Microelectronics Equipment Development Laboratory (72) Inventor Tamura et al. 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki Hitachi Ltd. Taga factory (56) References 61-132988 (J , A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A multi-screen display device comprising a processing device, a memory, and a display device, wherein a plurality of display data are superposed on the display device and displayed in a window, and the position and size of each display target area in the window. And a first control table for managing the relationship of overlapping display between the display target areas, the number of the display target areas existing in the window for each window, the information indicating the currently effective display target area, and the first control table. Second having information for managing one control table
Control table, a third control table for managing the status of each window and the second control table, and the third control table
And a fourth control table for managing the control table of the memory, and the processing device uses the first to fourth control tables of the memory to set a plurality of desired display target areas in a predetermined window. Is set and changed or deleted, at least one of the display target areas is designated as the display valid target area, and when the window is changed or deleted, the display valid target area is also changed or deleted, and these processings are performed. A multi-screen display device, characterized in that the result is displayed on the display device.