JP3965927B2 - Window control program - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an invention for assisting efficiency when a user works using a plurality of applications running on an OS in a window-based GUI (graphical user interface) format.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An OS (operating system) such as MS-Windows (trademark of Microsoft Corporation) or OS / 2 (trademark of IBM Corporation) provides a computer environment for manipulating objects using a GUI. In the GUI, a user can easily operate a plurality of applications by designating graphic objects such as icons and scroll bars representing operations and functions on a display with a pointing device such as a mouse.
[0003]
As a general operation of the conventional GUI, first, a registered file is searched from an object identifier by an event of a mouse click or the like, and an application icon is determined according to information stored in the file. Display is made. The file stores information related to the size and position of the application window. When the icon is clicked, a window indicated by the object is displayed, and the application is in a usable active state. At the same time, the GUI transfers all input information such as key operations from the keyboard to the application being executed in the window. The user can simultaneously open a plurality of applications and view them as a plurality of overlapping windows on the display screen. Moreover, it is also possible to perform swapping of a plurality of overlapping screens by placing a window screen arranged in a lower layer in the uppermost layer by clicking the mouse so as to be in an active state.
[0004]
Conventionally, the GUI is provided with three buttons, a minimize button, a maximize button, and a close button, in the title bar of the window. FIG. 2 shows the state of the window when a plurality of applications are activated. In FIG. 2, 201 indicates a minimize button, 202 indicates a maximize button, and 203 indicates a close button. The user generates an event by operating the minimize button 201 and the maximize button 202 with a mouse click or the like, and a predetermined display is performed respectively. When working with multiple windows as described above, in the example of minimization, the OS specifies that the window to be used is switched, temporarily saved as an icon display on the taskbar, and made invisible on the screen. It was minimizing to an area or displaying a fixed minimization window in the format specified by the application. Further, even in the maximization example, the display was performed in a fixed size that maximized the screen specified by the OS or application.
[0005]
For the user, the size can be changed by dragging a corner or side of a square window using a mouse or the like, and the position can be changed by dragging the title bar. It is a cumbersome and time-consuming work.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the computer environment using a plurality of applications on the OS of the window-based GUI, the window shape and the position when the minimize / maximize button is activated are arbitrarily set by the user. Thus, an efficient working environment for the user is realized.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The first invention controls the minimization of the window displayed on the display screen in a computer environment in which an operating system and application in the form of a graphical user interface are installed, and includes a CPU, a keyboard / mouse, and a display. A window control program realized by a computer, and setting information relating to a window shape display method when each window is minimized for each preset application by occurrence of an event when the minimization is activated A window control information acquisition means for acquiring window control information from the window control information table, and a window for each application in a predetermined shape according to the acquired window control information. As a window display means for displaying a window control program for causing a computer to function.
[0008]
According to a second invention, in the window control program according to the first invention, the window display when the minimization is started reduces the minimized window of the application to a predetermined size while maintaining the original shape. This is a reduced display to be displayed.
[0009]
According to a third invention, in the window control program according to the first invention, the window display when the minimization is activated is a minimized window of the application being used in an area designated on the display screen. It is a designated area display to be arranged.
[0010]
According to a fourth invention, in the window control program according to the first invention, the display of the window is activated by a drag operation of the pointing device to minimize the display of the drag start position and the message from the operating system to the window. This is a drag-and-drop display in which the window control information is obtained by hooking and a drop position is obtained by a drop operation, thereby displaying a minimized window at the position.
[0011]
A fifth invention is a window control device for controlling the minimization of a window displayed on a display screen in a computer environment in which a graphical user interface type operating system and an application are installed. A window control information table having setting information relating to a display method of a window shape when the window is minimized, and a window control information acquiring means for acquiring the set window control information when an event is generated when the minimization is activated And window display means for displaying a window for each application in a predetermined shape on the screen in accordance with the acquired window control information.
[0012]
According to the above invention, for a plurality of application windows operating on the GUI OS, the window display shape and position are set for each application, stored in the storage area of the computer, and when used, Upon activation such as clicking, any customized window according to the set value can be displayed by acquiring the stored window information. The window can be displayed by reducing the original window to the specified size, displaying the minimized window in the specified area, or displaying it at the specified location by dragging and dropping with the mouse. And a method of displaying a reduced desktop window in the maximized window.
[0013]
According to the present invention, the display of various customizations as described above is realized, which is a significant improvement for the user who displays a plurality of windows and works, and reduces the work load.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration example of the present invention. The present invention includes a CPU 1, a display 2, a keyboard 3, and a mouse 4, and the CPU 1 has an environment in which applications 11 a, 11 b... 11 n that run on a GUI OS 28 are installed. The CPU 1 further includes a window control unit 12 that controls setting, storage, and display, and a storage unit 23 that stores setting information regarding customization of the minimization / maximization window in the application. The window control unit 12 generates an event when the mouse 4 is clicked, and acquires event information acquisition means 13 for acquiring information, window shape setting means 14 for performing customization settings regarding the shape and position of the applications 11a... 11n, The storage unit 23 stores the setting data, and the window display unit 15 acquires the set information and displays it on the display.
[0016]
Further, the window display means 15 includes an arbitrary icon display means 16 for reducing and displaying a customized arbitrary icon shape, and a cutout display means 17 for displaying a minimized window by cutting out a part of the original window. The reduced display means 18 for displaying the minimized window to a specified size, the specified area display means 19 for displaying the customized window in the case of minimizing the window, and the window are minimized. In this case, the drag-and-drop display means 20 displayed at a location designated by the mouse operation of the user and the screen is divided when the window is maximized, the maximized window is displayed on one side, and the maximized window is excluded on the other side. Maximize one by maximizing divided display means 21 for displaying a screen and a screen on which a plurality of windows are displayed. Occasionally, it consists desktop reduced display unit 22 for displaying by reducing the other windows. Further, in the storage unit 23 for storing the setting information, application setting information 24a... 24n, default setting information 25, designated area setting information 26 indicating the location of the designated area for displaying the minimized window, and desktop reduction Display location setting information 27 is stored. In the default setting, when the window minimization / maximization process is performed, if the application-specific setting is not performed, the minimization / maximization process is performed based on this setting.
[0017]
FIG. 3 shows an example of a setting information table for each application or default window shape. a) is a window control information table relating to a window display method, b) is a minimized window designation area information table, and c) is a desktop reduced display information table. In this embodiment, as a window display method, arbitrary icon display / cutout display / reduced display / minimized window designation area display / maximized divided display / desktop reduced display are prepared, and the table is stored in a binary format in the storage unit. 23 is stored. The application name in the table is the installed application a, b... N, or default. In the arbitrary icon display, a flag is set when used, and display is performed at a designated coordinate (X, Y) position in a shape arbitrarily set by the user, for example, IconABC.bmp. If the display 2 to be used is 640 × 400 dots, the coordinates (X, Y) are represented by a three-digit numerical value with (0, 0) at the upper left and (639, 399) at the lower right. Hereinafter, the flag, the cutout range, the display position, and the like are similarly set for other display methods such as cutout display. In the reduced display, a reduction rate is further set. The above settings will be described later. By pressing the minimize / maximize button by clicking the mouse, a pop-up message such as “Window shape setting (W)” is displayed at the click position, and the window shape is displayed. Start the setting program and change the shape and position.
[0018]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the window shape setting operation for each application. Right-click the minimize button for the currently open window. In step S401, the OS notifies the right-click window message to the application of the right-click window. In step S402, right-click information is acquired by the window event acquisition means, and information on the application running at the coordinate position is acquired at the same time. In step S403, a pop-up message such as “Window shape setting (W)” is displayed at the right click position, and in step S404, the window shape is set. The setting contents are stored in the storage unit 23 in step S405. At the end, the acquired window message content is notified to the corresponding window. Thereafter, the operation for minimizing and maximizing the window displayed by the application is performed according to the window shape setting information for the application.
[0019]
FIG. 5 shows an operation flowchart when the window shape setting program is directly started. When the window shape setting means is activated directly instead of right-clicking on the window, settings can be made not only for a specific application but also for an arbitrary application. In step S501, a window shape setting file is selected from the start menu. In step S502, the window control table is displayed, and in step S503, the window shape is set. The setting contents are stored in the storage unit 23 in step S504, and the process ends. Thereafter, operations for minimizing and maximizing windows that are not set for the application are performed according to the setting information.
[0020]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing when the window minimization button is clicked. By left-clicking the minimize button, a window event is obtained in step S601, and application window information is obtained in step S602. Then, it is determined from the acquired information whether there is application information in the window control table (step S603). If there is application information in the table, it is next determined in step S604 whether minimization has been performed. If the minimization process has been performed, the minimization operation designation is acquired from the window control table, and the minimization process designation method is determined (steps S605 and S607). If the display determination is reduced display, display data for minimizing reduction is acquired from the storage unit 23 in step S608. Similar processing is performed for the cut-out display and the arbitrary icon display (steps S609 and S610). In step S611, the process proceeds to determining whether to perform display within the designated area. When the display is performed in the designated area, the display area is acquired and displayed in the designated area (step S612). If the display is outside the designated area, the display area of the minimized window is acquired and displayed (step S613).
[0021]
On the other hand, if there is no application information in the window control information table in step S603, the minimization operation designation is acquired from the default window control information table in step S607. After the designation of the minimization process in step S608, the process procedure is the same as described above.
[0022]
FIG. 7 shows a flow of minimization processing by drag and drop operation. By dragging the minimize button with the mouse 3, the message from the OS to the window is hooked and the drag start position is acquired (S701, S702). Similarly, the drop of the mouse 3 hooks a message from the OS to the window to acquire the drop position, and the window is displayed by the drag and drop (S703 to S706). At the same time, if the drag start position and the drop position are equal to or longer than a certain distance, it is regarded as a minimization specification by drag and drop, and the corresponding items of the coordinates and flag of the setting information table are changed.
[0023]
FIG. 8 shows a processing flow when the window maximizing button is clicked. A window event is acquired by left-clicking the maximize button, and then window information of the currently opened application is acquired (steps S801 and S802). If there is application information in the storage table in step S803, and if maximization processing has been performed in the determination in step S804, the process proceeds to step S805, and the designation of the maximization operation is acquired from the window control information table. In step S807, it is determined whether or not the maximization display method is designated as the maximization operation of desktop reduction display or split display. If it is a reduced desktop display, information on the reduced desktop display is acquired from the window control information table and a window is displayed (steps S808 and S809). Further, if the split display is designated, the split display information is acquired and the window is displayed (S810, S811). On the other hand, if there is no application information in the setting table in step S803, the designation of the maximization operation is acquired from the default window control information table in step S806, and the same processing is performed thereafter (steps S807 to S811). The customized display by the user of the application window is executed by the processing flow described above.
[0024]
Below, the example of the display of the window in the display 2 is demonstrated. FIGS. 9 to 13 show examples of window display when the minimize button is clicked with the mouse 4, and FIGS. 14 and 15 similarly show the window when the maximize button is clicked with the mouse 4. FIG. A display example is shown.
[0025]
FIG. 9 shows an example of arbitrary icon display in minimization. The upper row is the current screen, and the lower row is the customization setting screen displayed by clicking the minimize / maximize button. An icon screen that is customized by the user is displayed at a predetermined position by the minimize action. In this case, the contents are not displayed due to the symbolic icon display, but for the user, the function is convenient for editing on the multi-screen by placing it in the corner of the main screen. FIG. 10 shows an example in which a part of the window is cut out and displayed. When the minimizing action is caused in the window on the current screen, a part of the characteristic figure, picture, text, etc. of the window is cut out and displayed in the corner of the work screen.
[0026]
FIG. 11 shows a display example when the original window is reduced as it is. By the minimizing action in the window on the current screen, the reduced window is displayed at a predetermined position set by the user. FIG. 12 shows a display example when a plurality of minimized windows are inserted into a kept area in the main screen. A display screen created by a plurality of minimizations is juxtaposed in a specified area by a window minimization action of the current screen. In this case, it is desirable that the size of the minimized screen of each window is the same. Since a plurality of windows are placed on the main screen, a multi-window editing provides a very convenient function for the user. FIG. 13 shows a display example of minimization by drag and drop. By dragging the minimize button of the window on the current screen with the mouse and dropping it at an arbitrary position on the main screen, the window can be reduced and displayed.
[0027]
FIG. 14 shows an example of split display of the maximized screen. When the maximization action is performed on the two windows displayed overlapping the current screen, the screen is divided into two, and each window is displayed in a state where the horizontal axis is reduced. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which two screens are divided equally, but the ratio of screen sizes can be changed. Also, it is possible to deal with a plurality of screens instead of two screens. FIG. 15 shows an example of desktop reduction display. By the action of maximizing the window of the current screen, the other windows are reduced in the screen where the main window is maximized and arranged at a predetermined position.
[0028]
As described above, in this embodiment, the case where the minimize / maximize button displayed in the window is activated by clicking the pointing device or the like has been described. However, in addition to the above-described embodiment, the button is currently set. As a method of representing the display state, minimized display such as reduced display, specified area display, iconized display, partial cut-out display, drag and drop display, and maximized display such as split display and desktop reduced display are possible. It is also possible to display the icon as a task bar of each application and to display the window screen described so far by clicking the setting display state icon displayed on the task bar. This provides greater ease of use for the user.
(Additional remark 1) In the computer environment where the operating system and application of the graphical user interface form were installed, the window control program which implement | achieves control of the minimization of the window displayed on a display screen by a computer,
Window control information is obtained from a window control information table having setting information related to a window shape display method when each window is minimized for each preset application by the occurrence of an event when the minimization is activated. Window control information acquisition means for acquiring;
In accordance with the acquired window control information, as a window display means for displaying a window for each application in a predetermined shape on the screen,
A window control program that allows a computer to function.
(Supplementary note 2) In the window control program according to supplementary note 1, when the minimization is activated, the window display is reduced so that the minimized window of the application is reduced to a predetermined size while maintaining the original shape. A window control program characterized by being a display.
(Supplementary Note 3) In the window control program described in Supplementary Note 1, the window display when the minimization is activated is designated to place the minimized window of the application in use in the designated area on the display screen. A window control program characterized by being an area display.
(Supplementary note 4) In the window control program according to supplementary note 1, the window display obtains a drag start position simultaneously with hooking window information by minimizing by a drag operation of a pointing device, and obtains a drop position by a drop operation. A window control program characterized by a drag-and-drop display for displaying a minimized window at the position.
(Supplementary Note 5) In a computer environment in which a graphical user interface type operating system and application are installed, a window control program for realizing control of maximization of a window displayed on a display screen by a computer,
Window control information is obtained from a window control information table having setting information related to a window shape display method in the case of maximizing each window for each preset application by the occurrence of an event when the maximization is activated. Window control information acquisition means for acquiring;
In accordance with the acquired window control information, as a window display means for displaying a window for each application in a predetermined shape on the screen,
A window control program that allows a computer to function.
(Additional remark 6) In the window control program according to additional remark 5, when the maximization is activated, the window display is a window obtained by maximizing the window of the application and reducing the other windows to display the desktop window. A window control program characterized in that it is a reduced-size desktop display.
(Supplementary note 7) The window control program according to supplementary note 1, wherein the display of the window is an arbitrary icon display for displaying the minimized window of the application in an arbitrary icon shape set by the user. program.
(Supplementary note 8) The window control program according to supplementary note 1, wherein the display of the window is a cut-out display that cuts out and displays a part of the original window of the minimized window of the application.
(Supplementary note 9) In the window control program according to supplementary note 5, when the display of the window maximizes the windows of two or more applications, the screen is equally divided, the maximized window is displayed on one side, and the other is displayed on the other side. A window control program characterized by being a split screen display for displaying a screen excluding the maximized window.
(Supplementary Note 10) A window control method for controlling the minimization of a window displayed on a display screen in a computer environment in which a graphical user interface type operating system and an application are installed,
Window control information is obtained from a window control information table having setting information related to a window shape display method when each window is minimized for each preset application by the occurrence of an event when the minimization is activated. A window control information acquisition stage to be acquired;
In accordance with the acquired window control information, a window display step for displaying a window for each application in a predetermined shape on the screen,
A window control method characterized by comprising:
(Supplementary Note 11) A window control method for controlling the maximization of a window displayed on a display screen in a computer environment in which an operating system and application in a graphical user interface format are installed,
Window control information is obtained from a window control information table having setting information related to a window shape display method in the case of maximizing each window for each preset application by the occurrence of an event when the maximization is activated. A window control information acquisition stage to be acquired;
In accordance with the acquired window control information, a window display step for displaying a window for each application in a predetermined shape on the screen,
A window control method characterized by comprising:
(Supplementary note 12) A window control device for controlling minimization of a window displayed on a display screen in a computer environment in which an operating system and an application of a graphical user interface type are installed,
For each application, a window control information table having setting information regarding a window shape display method when each window is minimized, and
Window control information acquisition means for acquiring the set window control information by an event occurrence when the minimization is activated;
Window display means for displaying a window for each application in a predetermined shape on the screen according to the acquired window control information;
A window control device comprising:
(Supplementary Note 13) A window control device for controlling maximization of a window displayed on a display screen in a computer environment in which an operating system and application in a graphical user interface format are installed,
For each application, a window control information table having setting information regarding a window shape display method when maximizing each window;
Window control information acquisition means for acquiring the set window control information by an event occurrence when the maximization is activated;
Window display means for displaying a window for each application in a predetermined shape on the screen according to the acquired window control information;
A window control device comprising:
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the window minimization / maximization function, which has been fixed in the past, can be customized by the user, so that a plurality of windows can be displayed on the same screen to perform multitasking. Inconvenience, that is, in the case of maximization, the lower layer screen is covered with the upper layer screen and cannot be seen. Efficiency can be greatly improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a basic configuration according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state of a window in which a plurality of applications are activated on the same screen.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a window setting information table;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a setting operation for each application.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation flowchart when a window shape setting program is directly started.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing when the minimize button of the window is clicked.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of minimization processing by a drag and drop operation.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing when the maximize button of the window is clicked.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of an arbitrary icon display at the time of minimization.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a partial cut-out display of a window at the time of minimization.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a reduced window.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a display example of a minimized window in a designated area.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of reduced display by drag and drop.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of screen division at the time of maximization.
FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of desktop reduction display.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: CPU
2: Display
3: Keyboard
4: Mouse
11a to 11n: Applications a to n
12: Window control unit
23: Storage unit
28: OS

Claims (1)

A window control program for controlling the minimization of windows graphical user interface format operating system and applications are displayed on the de Isupurei screen Te computer environment smell installed,
A window control information acquisition means for acquiring a drag start position at the same time as hooking window information by activation of minimization by a drag operation of the pointing device, and acquiring a drop position by a drop operation of the pointing device ;
As a window display means for displaying a minimized window at the drop position when the distance between the drag start position and the drop position is a certain distance or more ,
Lou guiding control program causes a computer to function.

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