JP4331272B2 - Multi-window display control device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multi-window display control device , and in particular, it is possible to specify a display priority according to the display contents of a window, and an operation frequency or a highly important window is not completely hidden by other windows, and is easy. The present invention relates to a multi-window display control device that can perform operations on the screen.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, in the overlap type multi-window display system, the last operated window is displayed on the top. If the operator wants to refer to or operate another window, the window of the specified window is displayed at the top by performing an operation such as clicking the frame of the window with the mouse.
[0003]
In this case, the specified window is the highest of all displayed windows. For example, when three windows A, B, and C are overlapped as shown in FIG. 6A, the mouse cursor (indicated by an arrow) is moved onto the frame of window C and the mouse button is clicked. As shown in b), the window C is displayed at the top.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art, for example, in the case of “I want to make the window where the image is displayed higher than the window where the text is displayed in the window where the image is displayed”. In order to change the display order of the windows, there is a problem that the operation of the window must be repeated several times with the mouse.
[0005]
In addition, when a window is completely hidden by another larger window, the upper window is reduced or moved so that a part of the hidden window can be seen before operations on that window are performed. Therefore, there is a problem that a quick operation cannot be performed.
[0006]
Furthermore, if the operator does not know how to overlap the windows, there is a problem that even if the operator does not recognize the presence of a completely hidden window, even an erroneous operation occurs.
[0007]
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-window display control device can specify the display priority of the window by the display.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a multi-window display control device overlapping method of displaying overlapping windows at one display screen, at least the operation panel information and the image information of the plurality of windows 2 By dividing the group into which the operation panel information belongs and assigning a display priority higher than the group to which the image information belongs, a priority assigning unit, and by referring to the display priority giving unit, one screen Although the direction indicated between the windows belonging to the same group is displayed higher in the overlapping manner of the plurality of windows displayed above, the group to which the image information belongs is higher than the group to which the operation panel information belongs. and display control means for controls in each group unit according to the display priority so as not to be displayed It is characterized in that.
[0016]
According to the present invention, for example, an operator wants to display a window on which an image is displayed at the top of the windows on which an image is also displayed, but is lower than an interactive window such as a so-called operation panel. You don't have to repeat the mouse operation many times when you want to display it.
[0017]
Further, a certain window is not completely hidden by another larger window, and an operation of searching for a hidden window by reducing or moving a higher-level window becomes unnecessary.
[0018]
Thus, by employing the present invention in a multi-window display system, troublesome operations are unnecessary, and the operability of windows can be improved as compared with the prior art.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of a multi-window display method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system to which the multi-window display method of the present invention is applied. 3. A nonvolatile mass storage device 5, a keyboard 7, a mouse 9, a display control unit 11, and a CRT monitor 13 for displaying a window.
[0020]
In the main memory 3, a window attribute data area 17 for specifying attribute data for each window is provided. The window attribute data area 17 includes an area 19a for specifying a group ID for each window and an overlap attribute. An area 19b to be designated is provided.
[0021]
Here, the group ID is a non-negative integer indicating the display priority given to each group of windows, and the smaller the numerical value, the higher the display priority. Group ID = 0 is the group with the highest display priority. The overlap attribute is always given a display attribute when it is desired to automatically move so that a part of the window can be seen when it is hidden by another window.
[0022]
FIG. 2 is a configuration example in which the priority is not indirectly specified by the group ID, but is indirectly specified via the group ID-priority conversion table 21. That is, the group ID bears only the grouping information of the window, and the priority for each group is configured to convert the group ID into the priority with reference to the group ID-priority conversion table 21. According to this configuration example, the priority of the entire group can be changed and the control can be given flexibility only by rewriting the group ID-priority conversion table in one place.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is a process chart showing the flow of processing of the multi-window display method according to the present invention, in which the first window (W1) whose display is always designated as the overlap attribute is completely replaced by the second window (W). In this case, the operation of moving the display position of the first window (W1) and displaying a part of the frame will be described. It is assumed that the coordinates of at least four corners of each window are known in advance.
[0024]
In FIG. 3, when the mouse cursor is moved onto the frame of the window W and the mouse button is clicked, the attribute data of the window W designated by clicking the mouse button is read from the window attribute data area 17 in the main memory 3, and the window The group ID of W is obtained (step S11).
[0025]
Next, the window W0 displayed at the top of the windows of the same group having the same group ID as the window W is obtained (step S13).
[0026]
Next, the window W is displayed with the display priority immediately above the window W0 (step S15).
[0027]
Next, it is checked whether or not there is a completely hidden window W1 due to the display of the window W at the top (step S17). If there is no corresponding window, the process ends.
[0028]
If the corresponding window W1 exists, the overlap attribute in the attribute data of W1 is checked (step S19). Here, if the display is not always set in the overlap attribute, the process is terminated.
[0029]
When the display is always set in the overlap attribute of the window W1, the minimum movement amount M necessary for making a part of W1 visible is obtained (step S21).
[0030]
Next, the window W1 is moved by M (step S23), and the process returns to step S17 to check whether there is another window completely hidden by the window W.
[0031]
Information relating to the display priority of the multi-window and a program for managing the information and controlling the window display are stored in the main memory 3 and executed by the CPU 1.
[0032]
Further, for example, if the upper left corner of the screen is the coordinate origin, the x coordinate is taken in the right direction, and the y coordinate is taken in the lower direction, the positions of the four corners of each window on the screen are clockwise (x1, y1) from the upper left. (X2, y1), (x2, y2), (x1, y2). Here, the positions of the four corners of the window A are {(x1A, y1A), (x2A, y1A), (x2A, y2A), (x1A, y2A)}, and the positions of the four corners of the window B are {(x1B, y1B), (x2B, y1B), (x2B, y2B), (x1B, y2B)}, the conditions under which window A is completely covered by window B are x1B ≦ x1A, x2A ≦ x2B, y1B ≦ y1A, This is a case where y2A ≦ y2B holds.
[0033]
FIG. 4 shows an example of a display screen in the overlapped multi-window system, which is displayed in the order of windows A, B, and C from the top. Here, it is assumed that an operation panel for dialogue is displayed in window A, and images are displayed in windows B and C.
[0034]
In the present embodiment, the operation panel has a higher display priority than the image, and the group ID of window A = PL1 and the group IDs of windows B and C = PL1 + 10. When the frame of window C is clicked with the mouse from the state of FIG. 4A, the result is as shown in FIG. Window C is displayed higher than window B belonging to the same group, but does not come higher than window A belonging to a group having a higher display priority.
[0035]
FIG. 5 shows another example of the display screen, which is displayed in the order of windows A, B, and C from the top in the same manner as in FIG. It is assumed that an image is displayed. Further, it is assumed that display is always set in the overlap attribute of window A.
[0036]
When the frame of window C is clicked with the mouse in the state of FIG. 5A, window C is displayed higher than window A belonging to the same group, as shown in FIG. It becomes completely hidden. However, according to the above process, the window A is moved so that a part of the window A can be seen, and the state shown in FIG.
[0037]
FIG. 6 is a process chart showing the processing flow of the multi-window display method according to the present invention. The first window (W1) in which the display is always designated in the overlap attribute is completely replaced by the second window (W). In this case, the operation of moving the display position of the second window (W) to display a part of the frame of the first window (W1) will be described.
[0038]
In FIG. 6, the operation up to step S19 is exactly the same as in FIG. If it is determined in step S19 that the display is always set in the overlap attribute of the window W1, then the minimum movement amount M of W necessary for making a part of W1 visible is obtained (step S19). S31).
[0039]
Next, the window W is moved by M (step S33), and the process returns to step S17 in order to check whether there is another window completely hidden by the window W.
[0040]
If the window W1 completely hidden by W does not exist or if the always display attribute is not set even if it exists, the process is terminated.
[0041]
FIG. 7 shows an example of a display screen corresponding to the present embodiment, which is displayed in the order of windows A, B, and C from the top as in FIG. It is assumed that an image is displayed on the panel and window B. Further, it is assumed that display is always set in the overlap attribute of window A.
[0042]
When the frame of window C is clicked with the mouse in the state of FIG. 7A, window C is displayed higher than window A belonging to the same group as shown in FIG. It becomes completely hidden. However, according to the above process, the window C is moved so that a part of the window A can be seen, and the state shown in FIG.
[0043]
In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the interactive operation panel and the image are taken up as the contents to be displayed in the window. However, the display target is not limited to these and is arbitrary. Which group a window belongs to depends on the group ID set by the user in the attribute data of the window.
[0044]
In addition, since it may be difficult to always move such a window, the window moving function can be enabled only when necessary by mode setting.
[0045]
For example, when the display flag for setting the mode is set (set to 1), the first window can be specified by moving the window or displaying the lower window at the top regardless of the window attribute designation. Is completely covered or overlapped by the second window and completely hidden, at least one of the windows is automatically moved so that a part of the first window is displayed. can do. When the display flag is reset (set to 0), it is assumed that the window is not moved.
[0046]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the window automatic movement function by mode setting. In FIG. 8, for example, when the mouse cursor is moved onto the frame of the window W and the mouse button is clicked, the attribute data of the window W designated by the click of the mouse button is read from the window attribute data area 17 in the main memory 3. The group ID of the window W is obtained (step S41).
[0047]
Next, the window W0 displayed at the top of the windows of the same group having the same group ID as the window W is obtained (step S43). Next, the window W is displayed with the display priority immediately above the window W0 (step S45).
[0048]
Next, the value of the display flag is determined (step S47). If the value is 0, the process ends without doing anything. If the value of the display flag is 1, it is checked whether or not there is a completely hidden window W1 due to the display of the window W at the top (step S49). If there is no corresponding window, the process ends.
[0049]
If the corresponding window W1 exists, the minimum movement amount M necessary for making a part of W1 visible is obtained (step S51). Next, the window W1 is moved by M (step S53), and the process returns to step S47 to check whether there is another window completely hidden by the window W.
[0050]
In accordance with the mode set as the value of the display flag in this way, it is possible to control whether to enable or disable the window automatic movement function.
[0051]
Depending on the purpose of multi-window display, if a display flag is not provided and another window is hidden by a large window, always move one of the windows to display a part of the hidden window. Also good.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, when the apparatus of the present invention is used, the display priority is determined for each group in the overlap type multi-window system, so that a window having display content with a high display priority is always displayed at the top. There is an effect that can be kept.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a multi-window system to which a multi-window display method of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a case where a group ID-priority conversion table is referred to by a group ID read from a window attribute data area stored in a main memory.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an operation in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an example of a screen display for showing a change in display priority within the same group of windows.
FIG. 5 is an example of a screen display when a window is completely hidden by another larger window.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an operation in another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an example of a screen display when a window is completely hidden by another larger window.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment for controlling validity / invalidity of a window moving function by a mode flag.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a conventional multi-window display method.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CPU, 3 ... Main memory, 5 ... Mass storage device, 7 ... Keyboard, 9 ... Mouse, 11 ... Display control part, 13 ... CRT monitor, 15 ... Bus, 17 ... Window attribute data area, 19a ... Group ID , 19b ... Overlap attribute.

Claims (1)

In the overlap type multi-window display control device that displays a plurality of windows on a single display screen,
Priority giving means for dividing the plurality of windows into at least two groups of operation panel information and image information , and giving a display priority higher than a group to which the image information belongs to a group to which the operation panel information belongs ;
By referring to this display priority assigning means, the method of overlapping the plurality of windows displayed on one screen is displayed higher in the direction indicated by the windows belonging to the same group. A multi-window display control apparatus, comprising: display control means for controlling each group unit according to the display priority so that the group to which the information belongs is not displayed above the group to which the operation panel information belongs .

Images