JP2923111B2 - Data processing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus such as a computer, and more particularly to a data processing method and apparatus suitable for executing, interrupting and resuming an application program, and a screen display method and apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, portable personal computers have become widespread, and most of these personal computers have applications when a power switch is turned off as described in, for example, JP-A-61-255440. It has a resume function that stores the state of the program in the backup memory and returns to the previous state when the power switch is turned on again.

[0003] This resume function is convenient, but if the time is opened between the time the power is turned off and the time the power is turned on again, the user forgets the contents of work and the progress of the application program. In some cases, the work cannot be easily resumed. If the user who turned off the power and interrupted the work has another person take over the work of the application program, write down the contents of the work of the application program and the progress of the work until the interruption, etc. Need to be explained.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned prior art, when the application program is resumed, the state of the data processing device is simply returned to the state at the time of interruption of the application program. If you do not remember, there is a problem that it is not easy to resume the work. In addition, when asking another person to continue the work, there is also a problem that the work cannot be succeeded because the work contents and the progress status at the time of interruption are often forgotten.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a data processing method and apparatus, and a screen display method and apparatus which enable smooth execution of work continuation and takeover when execution of an interrupted application program is resumed. It is in.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to interrupt an application program being executed by causing an operator to input the execution status of the application program at the time of interruption as a message and to save the input message to a memory. This is achieved by restoring the message and displaying it on the display device when the execution of the application program is resumed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a screen display of a data processing apparatus for executing, suspending, and resuming an application program, in which when the application program is suspended, a screen prompting an operator to input a message at the time of interruption is provided. This is achieved by displaying the message on the screen when the program is restarted.

[0008]

When the application program is interrupted, the contents of the work and the progress of the application program are input to the operator as a message, and when the application program is restarted, the message is confirmed by the user, so that the application program can be easily resumed. In addition, by letting another user confirm the message when the application program is restarted, it is easy to take over the application program.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a data processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101 is a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a CPU), 102 is a main body and an extended memory, 103 is a display memory, 104 is a ROM, 105 is a display device, and 106 is a storage device such as a flexible disk, a hard disk, or a RAM. , 107 are input devices, 108
Is a power supply device. The power supply device 108 has two switches, a power switch 109 directly operated by a user and an I / O switch 110 operated by a program. When both the power switch 109 and the I / O switch 110 are off, The power is turned off.

Now, as shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that this operation is interrupted while the application program for table creation is being started to create a grade table. The operator turns off the power switch 109 when interrupting. CPU1
When 01 detects that the power switch 109 has been turned off, first, as shown in FIG. 6, a screen display for prompting the operator to input a work status at the time of interruption as a message is performed. Then, in order to save the state of the application program, the register in the CPU 101, the contents of all the memories 102 and 103, and the state of the I / O are saved in the storage device 106.
7 is saved in the storage device 106,
Thereafter, the power is turned off by turning off the I / O switch 110.

When the operator turns on the power switch 109 to resume the operation, the I / O switch 110
Turn on. Then, the message is stored in the storage device 10.
6 and the message is displayed on the display device 105 as shown in FIG. When the operator performs a message confirmation operation, the state of the I / O, the entire memory 102,
The contents of 103 and the contents of the registers in the CPU 101 are restored from the storage device 106. This power switch 10
The program for performing the processing at the time of 9-off detection and the processing at the time of the power switch 109 being on is performed by a system program stored in the ROM 104.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when the power switch 109 is detected to be off, that is, when the application program is interrupted.
4 is a part of the system program. This program starts when the power switch 109 is detected to be off by a program that constantly monitors the power switch 109 (step 201). First, the CPU 101
Are saved in the storage device 106 (step 2).
02), a message prompting the operator to input a message is displayed (step 203). Here, the operator inputs a message, such as the work state and work environment of the application program, necessary for resuming the application program one by one from the input device 107 (step 204). The CPU 101 determines whether the input one character is a character indicating the end of the message input (step 205). If the input one character does not indicate the end of the message input, the process returns to the process of inputting one character of the message (step 204). If the input character is a character indicating the end of the message input, the input message is saved to the storage device 106 (step 206). Finally, the I / O address indicating the I / O switch 110
Information for turning off the / O switch 110 is written, and I / O
Turn off the switch 110 and cut off the power (20
7).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when the power switch 109 is turned on, that is, when the application program is restarted, and is a part of the system program in the ROM 104 described above. This program is
It starts when the power switch 109 is turned on (step 301). First, the message saved at the previous power-off is restored from the storage device 106 (step 30).
2) Display on the display device 105 (step 303).
Here, after confirming the message, the operator inputs a message confirmation from the input device 107 (step 3).
04). Next, in order to return to the state of the application program at the time of the previous power-off, the I / O
O state, contents of all memories 102 and 103 and CPU
Restore the contents of all registers in 101 (step 30)
5). With the above processing, the application program is restarted (step 306).

For example, it is assumed that an operator has been working to input a large amount of data. It is assumed that the operator cannot input all data within the day and needs to carry over to the next day. Conventionally, it was necessary to leave a memo or the like to remember how much data was input.However, in this embodiment, when the operator turned off the power, that is, when the application program was interrupted, the data You will always be given the opportunity to enter what you have entered as a message, so by entering this message, you will be able to check this message and work when you turn on the power the next day, that is, when you restart the application program, Work can be easily resumed.

For example, suppose that the operator is absent the next day and needs to take over the work to another operator. It is necessary to explain the work content and progress to another operator, but conventionally, this was done orally, or a memo was given. However, in most cases when explaining or taking notes, the memory is ambiguous because a certain amount of time has passed since the work was interrupted. However, in this embodiment, when the power is turned off by the operator, that is, when the application program is interrupted, it is required to input the work content / progress status as a message, so the message content is accurate, and the power is turned on the next day. Sometimes, when the application program is resumed, another operator checks this message and enters the work, so that the work can be easily taken over.

Next, an embodiment in which the present invention is incorporated in a so-called shell process for transferring control to another application program without destroying the state of the application program will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the shell, which is a part of an application program operating on the memory 102. This program is started by an operation in which the operator transfers control to another application program during operation of the application program, that is, interruption of the application program (step 401). First, a screen display prompting the operator to input a message is performed (step 402). Here, the operator inputs a message, such as the work state and work environment of the application program, necessary for resuming the application program, one character at a time from the input device 107 (step 403). It is determined whether the input character is a character indicating the end of the message input (step 4).
04) If the input character does not indicate the end of the message input, the process returns to the process of inputting the message one character at a time (step 403). If the input character is a character indicating the end of the message input, the input message is saved to the storage device 106 (step 405).

Thereafter, the application program to which control is transferred is loaded into the memory 102 (step 406), and the application program is executed (step 407). When the application program ends, the process proceeds to a process of resuming the suspended application program. The message saved in the storage device 106 is restored (step 408), and the display device 105
(Step 409). Where the operator
After confirming the displayed message, the user inputs a message confirmation from the input device 107 (step 410). Finally, control is transferred to the original application program processing, and the interrupted application program is resumed.

For example, suppose that an operator interrupts the work of a word processor during the work of an application program, and starts the word processor by a shell command of the application program. In the conventional case, it is necessary to leave a memo or the like in order to remember the work state of the application program to be interrupted, but in this embodiment, the operator always has a chance to input the work state of the application program as a message. Since this message is given, if this message is left, this message can be confirmed when the work of the word processor is completed, and the work of the application program can be easily restarted.

[0019]

According to the present invention, the operator can check the message such as the work content and the progress status input when the application program is interrupted when the application program is restarted, so that the application program operation can be easily restarted. Further, handover of the application program work to another operator becomes easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a data processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when an application program is interrupted.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when an application program is restarted.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a shell.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an operation of an application program.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display for prompting a message input when an application program is interrupted.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen display for confirming a message when an application program is restarted.

[Explanation of symbols]

101: central processing unit (CPU), 102: memory, 1
03: display memory, 104: ROM, 105: display device, 106: storage device, 107: input device, 108: power supply device, 109: power switch, 110: I / O switch.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G06F 1/00 370 G06F 1/00 390 G06F 3/14 340 G06F 17/00

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. When an application program being executed is interrupted, an operator inputs the execution status of the application program at the time of interruption as a message, saves the input message in a memory, and executes the application program. A data processing method, wherein the message is restored and displayed on a display device when restarting. 2. A means for interrupting an application program being executed, means for prompting an operator to input an execution status of the application program at the time of interruption when the interruption is instructed by the means, and an input message And a means for saving the message in a memory, and a means for restoring the message and displaying the message on a display device when the execution of the application program is resumed. 3. A data processing device having a resume function, wherein when an application program being executed is interrupted while the resume function is operated, means for allowing an operator to input the execution status of the application program at the time of interruption as a message, Means for displaying the message on the screen when the application program is restarted and notifying the execution status of the application program at the time of interruption. 4. A screen display method for a data processing apparatus for executing, suspending, and resuming an application program, comprising: displaying a screen prompting an operator to input a message at the time of suspending the application program when suspending the application program; A screen display method, wherein the message is displayed on the screen at the time of restart. 5. A means for performing a screen display for prompting an operator to input a message at the time of interruption of an application program in a screen display device of a data processing device for executing, suspending and resuming the application program, Means for displaying the message on the screen when the program is restarted.