JP2603428B2 - How to display a popup menu - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and mechanism for displaying a graphical user interface, particularly a pop-up menu suitable for an input device used, in the use of a computer system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a computer system, a user interface is a technique and mechanism for a user to interact with the system using an input device.
The present invention provides a graphical user interface, in particular,
Provide a method and mechanism for displaying a pop-up menu suitable for an input device to be used. There are several types of input devices, and in the related art, it is necessary to display a pop-up menu representing a processing item in a form usable by all input devices without limitation. This method includes redundant and unnecessary processing items for the user, and may cause confusion in use.

[0003]

In a computer system, a user interface is a technology and mechanism that allows a user to interact with the system. Every device has a user interface, and a user interface suitable for the device is developed according to the needs and motivation of the user using the device. The user interface may be a push button such as a telephone or a video recorder, or a computer system may be a keyboard, a pointing device, or a processing item displayed on a display device. Thus, a user interface is a means by which a user interacts with a computer. While there are many types of user interfaces, an interface that is easier for the user to use is what is known as a graphical user interface. In a graphical user interface, a user uses a pointing device to point to and interact with process items on a screen. The graphical user interface incorporates processing items expressed in an object-oriented manner, where the user's attention is on the object and the contents of the application are hidden. Typically, an object such as an icon represents the program or instruction behind it as a symbol.

With a graphical user interface,
One technique used is a pop-up menu. The pop-up menu is a window that displays a list of processing items or selection means for a certain application. For example, the user selects two icons representing different types of objects.
Then, a pop-up menu including selection items related to the selected object appears on the screen. Because there are many different types of input devices (for example, pointing devices such as keyboards, mice, and joysticks),
Typically, pop-up menus have selection items that all input devices can use. A process item for an object may be simpler with one input device than another, but in many cases, extra instructions, i.e. The selection items are displayed. For example, using a mouse can directly manipulate an object, while using a keyboard may require several keystrokes. Thus, pop-up menus using the keyboard typically require more processing than using the mouse. Providing a sequence of processing items makes sense for keyboard users. However, for a mouse user, it is possible to directly process a certain processing item, and it may not make sense to display the same processing item provided for the keyboard. Therefore, a method and mechanism for displaying a pop-up menu suitable for the input device is required.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention substantially reduces the verbosity of pop-up menus according to the prior art.
A method for providing a pop-up menu suitable for an input device is disclosed. The present invention provides a pop-up menu suitable for the input device used rather than a single menu covering all possible input devices. The operating system contacts the application running on the computer to determine the type of input device used to request the pop-up menu. The application uses that information to pass a menu suitable for use with the input device used on the screen. It is an advantage of the present invention that a pop-up menu that more accurately reflects the type of input device can be displayed on the screen.

[0006] After initializing the computer system, the user requests the computer system to display a pop-up menu, for example, by clicking a mouse operation button or entering a number of keystrokes on a keyboard. The operating system sends information to the application about which input method was selected. The application determines whether the input device is a keyboard or a mouse. When the input device is a keyboard, a pop-up menu suitable for keyboard operation is displayed, and when the input device is a mouse, a pop-up menu suitable for mouse operation is displayed.

[0007]

FIG. 1 illustrates a data processing system 8 used to implement the present invention. As can be seen, the data processing system 8 can have a plurality of networks, for example, local area networks (hereinafter LANs) 10 and 32, and preferably each LAN has its own computer 12 and 30, respectively. Those who have become familiar with this technology can use multiple intelligent workstations (IWs) connected to the host processor.
It will also be appreciated that S) can be used in such networks. In such a data processing system, each computer usually has a storage device 1
4 and a printer output device 16 are connected. In addition, each computer may have not only a keyboard 13 but also a mouse 15 for handling objects represented by graphics.

Further, the data processing system 8
Has a plurality of mainframe computers, such as a mainframe computer 18, which are preferably connected to the LAN 10 via a communication link 22.
It is connected to the. Further, the mainframe computer 18 has a storage device 20 that plays the role of a remote storage device for the LAN 10. Similarly, the LAN 10 can be connected via a communication link 24 to a gateway server 28 via a subsystem control unit / communication controller 26 and a communication link 34. The gateway server 28 has a role of connecting the LAN 32 to the LAN 10 by an independent computer or IWS, if desired.

Referring to LAN 32 and LAN 10, a plurality of documents and resource objects are stored in storage device 20, and mainframe computer 18 manages such stored resource objects as a resource manager or library service. Of course, if you are familiar with this technology, the mainframe computer 18 will be
10 is geographically remote, and similarly LAN 10 is L
It will be understood that it may be located far from the AN32. For example, LAN 32 may be in California, LAN 10 may be in Texas, and mainframe computer 18 may be in New York.

The present invention is used to provide the user with a context menu suitable for the input device used, where the input device signal is captured by the application program via information provided to the operating system. It describes the method. In the present invention,
For each situation, one finite combination of input devices is associated with one finite combination of context menus in a one-to-one relationship. Is a straightforward method of choosing At the level of the graphical user interface, the mechanism for pulling up the pop-up menu differs depending on the input device such as a keyboard and a mouse. For example, a general method for a mouse to bring up a pop-up menu is performed by clicking a mouse operation button on an object representing a process desired by a user. On the other hand, with a keyboard, this is performed by inputting a combination of a plurality of keys, for example, a fast path such as “control and F6”. The underlying operating system can identify how the pop-up menu display request was entered, and pass this information on to the application, which displays the appropriate menu.

A description will be given with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 for comparison. Figure 2 shows keyboard invocation
Is a pop-up menu 40 used for 3 and 4 show pop-up menus 50 and 52 for use with a mouse call. Since the keyboard does not have a function of directly handling objects like a mouse, it is necessary to prepare processing items such as moving and copying as shown in a pop-up menu 40. Since the mouse can directly handle objects, the pop-up menu 50
It is unnecessary, or redundant, to provide such a process in the system. Further, the pop-up menu 52 is not suitable for use with a keyboard. Therefore, preparing a pie chart type menu such as the pop-up menu 52 for a user who uses only the keyboard greatly reduces the efficiency for the user. Similarly, providing a menu in the form of a pop-up menu 40 for a user using a mouse loses the versatile advantage of a mouse pointer that can move quickly and in multiple directions. Therefore, the present invention provides different pop-up menus to the user depending on the type of input device used.

A pop-up menu often has more processing items than those shown in FIGS. Therefore, the processing items of one menu may not be able to fit in the space of one display screen. In such a case, a separate screen, that is, a scroll bar is required to display all the processing items. This is possible because, in the prior art, all processing items must be listed, no matter what is used on the input device. In the present invention,
This has the advantage of not displaying extra processing items as much as possible, and saves space on the screen.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the present invention. After the start, the system is initialized at block 60. At block 62, the user requests the system to display a pop-up menu, for example, by clicking a mouse button or entering some keystroke on a keyboard. At block 64, the operating system sends information to the application as to which input method was selected.
At decision block 66, it is determined whether the input device is a keyboard. If the answer in decision block 66 is "yes", block 68 displays a pop-up menu appropriate for keyboard operation. If the answer is no, block 70 displays a pop-up menu appropriate for mouse operation. After blocks 68 or 70, at block 72 the user selects a menu or exits without selecting a menu. The present invention closes at block 74.

[0014]

As described above, the present invention provides a method and mechanism for displaying a pop-up menu suitable for an input device. This eliminates the display of redundant and unnecessary processing items for the user, reduces the confusion in use, and provides a better user interface.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a data processing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a pop-up menu when using a keyboard.

FIG. 3 illustrates a pop-up menu when a mouse is used.

FIG. 4 illustrates another pop-up menu when using a mouse.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

8 Data Processing System 10, 32 Local Area Network 12, 30 Computer 13 Keyboard 14, 20 Storage Device 15 Mouse 16 Printer Output Device 18 Mainframe Computer 22, 24, 34 Communication Link 26 Subsystem Control Unit / Communication Controller 28 Gateway Servers 40, 50, 52 Popup Menus 60 System Initialization 62 User Requests Popup Menus 64 Operating System Sends Information About Selected Input Device to Application 66 Input Device Is Keyboard or 68 Displays Popup Menu Suitable for Keyboard 70 Display of pop-up menu suitable for mouse 72 Menu by user Select or end menu

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Thomas Earl. Haynes United States 76039 Euless, Texas Forests Crest County 806 (56) References JP-A-3-217902 (JP, A) JP-A-1-191224 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] Claims 1. In the use of a computer system,
A method of displaying a pop-up menu suitable for an input device, the method comprising: responding to a request for displaying a pop-up menu, identifying an operating device type of the requesting input device in an operating system, and informing an application; Processing suitable for the input device according to the input device
Displaying a different pop-up menu including an item by the application, a pop-up menu displaying method comprising: