JP5658805B2 - Operating system, program, information processing apparatus, and control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an operating system, a program, an information processing apparatus, and a control method, and more particularly to a technique for handling information related to a dragged object in a multi-window system.

  Currently, an operating system (OS) that realizes a multi-window system on a computer (for example, Windows (registered trademark)) is widely used. In the multi-window system, a plurality of windows 1801 and 1802 can be displayed on one display screen 1800 as shown in FIG.

  Here, it is considered that an object (for example, a file) displayed in the window 1801 is dragged and dropped on the display screen 1800 to move or copy the object to an application that manages the window 1802. In this case, the window 1802 is hidden under the window 1801, and an object drop cannot be accepted. Therefore, prior to the drag and drop, the user needs to adjust the position of each window so that the drag and drop target object in the window 1801 and at least a part of the drop area in the window 1802 are displayed without overlapping. (See FIG. 9).

  Several techniques for reducing the user's operation burden associated with drag and drop have been proposed.

  According to Patent Document 1, the OS notifies all windows that the drag operation of the icon displayed on the screen has started. Each window determines whether or not the drag operation can be performed based on the attribute information of the dragged icon, and sets the window to a non-display state or a display state.

  According to Patent Document 2, when a drag operation is started, a window corresponding to an application as a drop destination of the dragged object is displayed on the forefront of the multi-window environment and activated.

  According to Patent Document 3, when a drag operation of an icon on a file browser or a desktop is started, a drop target list window is displayed in the foreground near the drag start position.

JP-A-8-185301 JP 2003-108281 A JP 2000-56885 A

  In the conventional technique, the OS notifies all windows (at least all windows capable of processing this object) of information related to the drag target object. In other words, notification is also made to a program that does not wish to process the object to be dragged. Therefore, particularly when the number of windows managed by the OS is large, there is a problem that the processing load on the computer increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for more efficiently transmitting information about a dragged object in a multi-window system.

In order to solve the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention is an information processing apparatus that operates on a computer having a memory and operates according to an operating system that realizes a multi-window system having a display screen capable of displaying a plurality of windows. The drawing means for drawing a window of the first program that operates under the control of the operating system on the display screen, and the notification request process that is executed by the second program that operates under the control of the operating system. the drag information about the object and notification necessary Motomete stage for issuing a notification request for requesting the operating system to notify the second program when the object is dragged in the window of the first program, the notification the request, the notification Storage means for storing in said memory in association with the second program executes the determined processing, the drag information receiving means for receiving the drag information from the first program under the control of the operating system, the drag information received Notification means for notifying the second program corresponding to the notification request stored in the memory according to the operating system when the drag information is received by the means. A characteristic information processing apparatus is provided.

A second aspect of the present invention is an operating system that realizes a multi-window system that operates on a computer having a memory and has a display screen capable of displaying a plurality of windows. In accordance with a drawing means for drawing a window of the first program that operates under the control of the operating system and a notification request process executed by the second program that operates under the control of the operating system, an object in the window of the first program run but the notification necessary Motomete stage for issuing a notification request for requesting the drag information about the object to the operating system to notify the second program when it is dragged, the notification request, the notification request processing The second program Storage means for storing in association with arm in said memory, and drag information receiving means for receiving the drag information from the first program under the control of the operating system, the drag information in the drag information receiving means is received An operating system for functioning as a notification means for notifying the second program corresponding to the notification request stored in the memory in accordance with the operating system and notifying the drag information .

  Other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following description of the best mode for carrying out the invention.

  With the above configuration, according to the present invention, it is possible to more efficiently transmit information about a dragged object in a multi-window system.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a personal computer (PC) 100 that executes an OS and applications according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an outline of operations of an OS and an application in the first embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing in which the OS receives drag information and stores it in a shared area in the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an outline of operations of an OS and an application according to a second embodiment. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing in which an OS stores a drag information notification request and notifies an application of drag information according to the notification request in the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an operation of an application in the third embodiment. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of operation of an application in the third embodiment. It is a figure explaining background art. It is a figure explaining background art.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The individual embodiments described below will help to understand various concepts from the superordinate concept to the subordinate concept of the present invention.

  The technical scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the claims, and is not limited by the following individual embodiments. In addition, all combinations of features described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the present invention.

  In addition, an operating system (OS) used in each of the following embodiments is Windows (registered trademark). However, even if another OS is used, the basic concept remains the same except that the program functions used are different. Therefore, the present embodiment is not limited to Windows (registered trademark), and any OS can be used as long as it realizes a multi-window system having a display screen capable of displaying a plurality of windows when operated on a computer. It doesn't matter.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a personal computer (PC) 100 (information processing apparatus) that executes an OS and an application according to the first embodiment.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the PC 100 includes a CRT 101, a VRAM 102, a BMU 103, a keyboard 104, a PD 105, a CPU 106, a ROM 107, a RAM 108, an HDD 109, an FDD 110, and a network I / F 111.

  A CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) 101 displays information such as a document being edited, graphics, images, other editing information, icons, messages, menus, and other user interfaces.

  In the VRAM 102, an image to be displayed on the CRT 101 is drawn. The image data drawn in the VRAM 102 is transferred to the CRT 101 in accordance with a predetermined rule, whereby an image is displayed on the CRT 101.

  The BMU (bit move unit) 103 is, for example, data transfer between memories (for example, between the VRAM 102 and another memory) or data between the memory and each I / O device (for example, the network I / F 111). Control the transfer.

  The keyboard 104 has various keys for inputting documents and the like.

  A PD (pointing device) 105 is used, for example, to instruct icons, menus, and other contents displayed on the CRT 101.

  The CPU 106 controls each device based on a control program stored in the ROM 107, HDD 109, or flexible disk (FD).

  The ROM 107 stores various control programs and data.

  The RAM 108 has a work area for the CPU 106, a data save area for error processing, a control program load area, and the like.

  The HDD 109 stores control programs executed in the PC 100 and contents.

  For example, the HDD 109 stores a browser, OS, application program, image file, document file, music file, electronic album data, electronic album editing program, and the like.

  The FDD 110 controls access to an FD represented by a floppy (registered trademark) or the like.

  A network I / F 111 communicates with other PCs, printers, and the like via a network.

  The CPU bus 112 includes an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus.

  The provision of the control program to the CPU 106 can be performed from the ROM 107, the HDD 109, and the FDD 110, or can be performed from another PC or the like via the network via the network I / F 111.

  In the following description, the operations executed by the OS, the browser, each application program, and their windows are realized by the CPU 106 reading these from the HDD 109 and starting them, and controlling the above-described modules.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of operations of the OS and applications in the first embodiment. In FIG. 2, a screen 200 is a display screen displayed on the CRT 101 by the OS. The window 201 is an application window and includes a drag target object 207 (for example, a file icon). Each of the window 202 and the window 203 is a window of a different application. The shared area 205 is a shared area assigned to a memory such as the RAM 108 by the OS, and is accessible from each application operating under the control of the OS.

  When the object 207 is dragged in the window 201, as indicated by an arrow 204, the application (first program) in the window 201 stores information (drag information) related to the object 207 in the shared area 205.

  As a result, another application, for example, the application (second program) in the window 203 can acquire the drag information by referring to the shared area 205 as indicated by the arrow 206.

  The drag information includes, for example, at least one of data associated with the object to be dragged and the type of the data (for example, a file type such as JPEG or TEXT).

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing in which the OS receives the drag information and stores it in the shared area in the first embodiment. The processing of each step in this flowchart is realized by the CPU 106 of the PC 100 executing an OS or an application (for example, an application in the window 201-203) unless otherwise specified. The same applies to the following flowcharts.

  When dragging is started in the window 201 in S301, the application in the window 201 (drag start application) determines whether or not an object to be dragged exists. For example, when dragging is performed to specify a range or the like, the process ends because there is no object to be dragged. Otherwise, the process proceeds to S302. In S302, the drag start application transmits drag information to the OS.

  In step S <b> 303, the OS receives drag information from the drag start application and allocates the shared area 205 to the RAM 108. The shared area 205 has security attributes that can be referenced from other windows. However, the allocation of the shared area 205 may be performed in advance. In step S <b> 304, the OS stores the drag information in the shared area 205.

  When the process of S304 is executed, the application of the window 203 (drag information acquisition application) detects an OS mouse event in S305 and determines whether or not a drag has been performed. If dragging has been performed, the application in the window 203 acquires drag information from the shared area 205 in S306.

  Although the application of the window 203 has been described as the drag information acquisition application in FIG. 3, the application of the window 202 may operate as the drag information acquisition application instead or in addition thereto.

  Accordingly, since only the application that needs the drag information acquires the drag information, the drag information is transmitted more efficiently and the processing load on the PC 100 is reduced. Also, drag information can be acquired even when the mouse cursor is not on the window of an application that requires drag information.

  Also in the second embodiment, the PC 100 of the first embodiment (see FIG. 1) is used.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an outline of operations of the OS and applications in the second embodiment. In FIG. 4, a screen 400 is a display screen displayed on the CRT 101 by the OS. A window 401 is an application window and includes a drag target object 409 (for example, a file icon). Each of the windows 402-405 is a window of a separate application.

  As indicated by an arrow 406, an application that desires to acquire drag information in another application (for example, an application in the window 403) performs event acquisition registration (notification request) to the OS. As a result, the window 403 is registered in the event acquisition list 407.

  When the object 409 is dragged in the window 401, as indicated by an arrow 408, the application in the window 401 transmits drag information to the OS. The OS that has received the drag information sequentially transmits the drag information to each application according to the event acquisition list 407. Thereby, the application of the window 403 can acquire drag information.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing in which the OS stores a drag information notification request and notifies the drag information to the application according to the notification request in the second embodiment.

  In step S501, the drag information acquisition application (for example, the application in the window 403) performs initialization processing necessary for execution. In step S502, the drag information acquisition application transmits a drag information notification request to the OS (that is, performs event acquisition registration). In step S <b> 503, the OS receives a notification request (notification request receiving unit) and stores it in the RAM 108.

  Although not shown, in addition to drag events, events include events such as keyboard and mouse input events and window generation and display. Therefore, it goes without saying that filtering can be set so that unnecessary events cannot be acquired. A plurality of applications may operate as the drag information acquisition application.

  Next, the drag start application performs the processing of S301 and S302, which is the same as in the first embodiment (see FIG. 3).

  After that, in S504, the OS receives the drag information (drag information receiving means), and acquires from the RAM 108 a notification request that is set to acquire the drag information based on the filter setting conditions.

  In S505, the OS sets a variable INDEX that refers to the notification request to 0, and sets the number of notification requests acquired in S504 to a variable COUNT. In S506, the OS determines whether or not the variable INDEX <variable COUNT. If Yes, the process proceeds to S507, and if No, the process proceeds to S511.

  In S507, the OS notifies the drag information acquisition application corresponding to the notification request indicated by the variable INDEX of the drag information. The drag information acquisition application receives this drag information in S508. In S509, the OS adds 1 to the variable INDEX and returns to S506.

  In addition, the drag information acquisition application can delete the notification request when the application ends, for example.

  First, in S510, the drag information acquisition application transmits a notification request deletion request (deletion request) to the OS. When the OS receives the deletion request (deletion request receiving means), in S511, the OS deletes the notification request corresponding to the drag information acquisition application that transmitted the deletion request from the RAM 108. Finally, in S512, the drag information acquisition application performs a termination process necessary for termination.

  Since the notification request is managed by the OS and the OS can know the end of the drag information acquisition application, the OS may automatically delete the notification request when the drag information acquisition application ends. In addition, the drag information acquisition application can transmit a deletion request at any timing other than the timing shown in FIG.

  With the above processing, only the application that needs the drag information such as the application in the window 403 can acquire the drag information.

  Accordingly, the drag information is transmitted more efficiently and the processing load on the PC 100 is reduced. Also, drag information can be acquired even when the mouse cursor is not on the window of an application that requires drag information.

  In this embodiment, loop processing is performed in S506 to S509. However, drag information is notified by chaining event acquisition information (notification request), or drag information is notified by threading for each notification request. May be.

  In the third embodiment, the PC 100 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment is used.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an outline of the operation of the application in the third embodiment. In FIG. 6, a screen 600 is a display screen displayed on the CRT 101 by the OS. The window 601 is an application window and includes a drag target object 604 (for example, a file icon). A window 602 is a window of another application.

  On the screen 600, as shown by an arrow 603, the application in the window 602 can acquire the drag information by inquiring the drag information from the window 601 that started the drag.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of application operations in the third embodiment.

  In S701, the drag information acquisition application (application in window 602) detects that the object 604 has been dragged in the drag start application (application in window 601), which is another program.

  In step S702, the drag information acquisition application requests drag information from the application detected in step S701. In step S703, the drag start application returns drag information in response to the request.

  In this embodiment, the drag information acquisition application and the drag start application can communicate with each other using a window message defined by the OS. Alternatively, communication may be realized using inter-process communication technology constructed using a mechanism such as a semaphore.

  With the above processing, only the application that needs the drag information, such as the application in the window 602, can acquire the drag information.

  Accordingly, the drag information is transmitted more efficiently and the processing load on the PC 100 is reduced. Also, drag information can be acquired even when the mouse cursor is not on the window of an application that requires drag information.

[Other Examples]
In order to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments, a recording medium in which a program code of software embodying each function is recorded may be provided to the system or apparatus. Then, the function of each embodiment described above is realized by the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the recording medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the recording medium on which the program code is recorded constitutes the present invention. As a recording medium for supplying such a program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like can be used. Alternatively, a CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, or the like can be used.

  The configuration for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is not limited to executing the program code read by the computer. Including the case where the OS (operating system) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. It is.

  Further, the program code read from the recording medium may be written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Thereafter, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized by the processing. Is included.

Claims (7)

An information processing apparatus that operates on a computer having a memory and operates according to an operating system that realizes a multi-window system having a display screen capable of displaying a plurality of windows,
A drawing means for drawing a window of a first program operating under the control of the operating system on the display screen;
In accordance with notification request processing executed by the second program operating under the control of the operating system, when an object is dragged in the window of the first program, the drag information related to the object is notified to the second program. and notification necessary Motomete stage for issuing a notification request for requesting the operating system,
Storage means for storing the notification request in the memory in association with the second program that has executed the notification request processing ;
Drag information receiving means for receiving the drag information from the first program under the control of the operating system ;
Notification means for notifying the second program corresponding to the notification request stored in the memory according to the operating system when the drag information is received by the drag information receiving means;
An information processing apparatus comprising: A deletion request receiving means for receiving a deletion request for deleting the notification request corresponding to the second program from the second program;
A deletion unit that deletes the notification request corresponding to the second program from the memory when the deletion request is received from the second program by the deletion request reception unit;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   Detecting means for detecting the end of the second program according to the operating system;
  A deletion unit that deletes the notification request corresponding to the second program from the memory when the detection unit detects the end of the second program;
  The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the drag information includes at least one of data associated with the object and a type of the data.   The said 2nd program which performed the said notification request | requirement process exists with two or more, The said notification means notifies the said drag | drug information sequentially with respect to the said several 2nd program. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1. A control method executed by an information processing device according to an operating system that realizes a multi-window system that operates on a computer having a memory and has a display screen capable of displaying a plurality of windows,
A drawing step of drawing a window of a first program that operates under the control of the operating system on the display screen;
Notification necessity Motomete stage, according to the notification request process second program operating under control of said operating system to execute the drag information relating to the object the first when an object is dragged in the window of the first program and more notification necessary Motomeko to issue a notification request for requesting the operating system to notify 2 program,
A storage step of storing the notification request in the memory in association with the second program that has executed the notification request processing ;
A drag information receiving step for receiving the drag information from the first program under the control of the operating system ;
When the drag information is received in the drag information reception step, the notification means notifies the drag information to the second program corresponding to the notification request stored in the memory according to the operating system. A notification process;
A control method comprising: An operating system for realizing a multi-window system that operates on a computer having a memory and has a display screen capable of displaying a plurality of windows, the computer comprising:
A drawing means for drawing a window of a first program operating under the control of the operating system on the display screen;
In accordance with notification request processing executed by the second program operating under the control of the operating system, when an object is dragged in the window of the first program, the drag information related to the object is notified to the second program. and notification necessary Motomete stage for issuing a notification request for requesting the operating system,
Storage means for storing the notification request in the memory in association with the second program that has executed the notification request processing ;
Drag information receiving means for receiving the drag information from the first program under the control of the operating system ;
Notification means for notifying the second program corresponding to the notification request stored in the memory according to the operating system when the drag information is received by the drag information receiving means;
Operating system to function as.

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