JPH02159662A - Man-machine interface - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive the unification of operability by executing an input operation by a man-machine interface, and thereafter, calling an application program and processing it. CONSTITUTION:By starting a system, first of all, a man-machine interface 2 is started, and by a command analyzing means 6, a command menue, an icon, etc., are called from an interactive operation prescription file group 5 and displayed on a screen, and an operator selects the command menue displayed on the screen by a input device 1. The command analyzing means 6 brings parameter data required for a command, and guide information to screen display, based on a command system which is obtained and necessary parameter information, and the operator executes an instruction of a numerical value or a model element from the input device 1, based on the displayed guide information. In such a way, the perfect unification of operability and the facilitation for generating an application program can be contrived.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a man-machine interface that is a point of contact between humans and computers.

(Prior Art) A computer system consists of hardware and software, and the system is operated by humans giving various commands from input devices.In order for the computer system to perform individual processing, Software, ie, an application program, is required to perform these individual processes.

For example, when drawing a rectangular figure with width length and height length H as shown in FIG. 5, an application program for drawing must be created.

Conventionally, this application program also included an input step. That is, as shown in FIG. 16, the ablation program 20 was programmed to first input the start position, then input the lateral dimension, and then input the height dimension H. It was also programmed to use a keyboard, light pen, or mouse as an input means.

Therefore, the selection of input means and the input order vary depending on the person writing the application program 20.

For example, in the drawing method in a program called A, a mouse is used as an input means, and the program is programmed to start position manually → coordinates of point 1 manually → coordinates input for point 2, and in the drawing method in a program called B, a keyboard is used as an input means. If programs A and B are used by the same user, the operator will have to refer to the manual each time to enter the data. There was a problem that I had to do.

That is, if the system is represented in a drawing as shown in FIG. 7, each application 20 has an ink face 2
1 is provided, and the interfaces 21 are individually disparate, which poses a problem in that unified operations cannot be achieved.

Furthermore, the interface section had to be programmed for each application program, making it difficult to create the program.

Therefore, methods have been proposed to achieve unified operability by creating a man-machine interface independently of the application program (for example, JP-A-63-1
(See Publication No. 75928).

That is, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, an application program 20 is used as a main program, and its input portion is standardized as a sub-program 21 to unify the interface.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the case shown in Fig. 8.9, in the interface of subprogram 2I, it is possible to unify what is used as an input means, whether the input is a dimension or a coordinate value, etc., but, for example, the input order is depends on the main program 20, so whether it is start position manual power → lateral input → height input, or whether it is start position manual power → height manual power → lateral input will differ depending on each application, and it is not completely accurate. There is a problem in that it is not possible to achieve uniformity.

Therefore, the present invention aims to change the way of thinking from the conventional one by making the interface part the main part and each application part as the sub parts, thereby achieving complete unification of operability.
Additionally, it has been made easier to create application programs. The purpose is to provide a man-machine interface.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention takes the following measures to achieve the above object.

That is, the feature of the present invention is that it is a man-machine interface that is independent of the application program, and includes menu files, messages, and screen displays that describe the names of command types that can be used in the system and the input parameter types that correspond to those commands. A command analysis means that interprets and displays on screen a group of interaction operation regulation files such as an interaction specification file that describes specifications at the time of execution; and a command analysis means that inputs commands and parameters based on the operation method and display specifications displayed on the screen by the analysis means. ,and,
A command input means for controlling change of screen display method and detection of a display model, and an application for calling the application program during interactive operation and passing necessary data obtained by the command input means to the application program. and a connecting means.

[For production]

According to the present invention, when the system is started, the man-machine interface is first started. Then, the command analysis means calls a command menu, icons, etc. from the dialog operation regulation file group and displays them on the screen.

The operator selects a command menu displayed on the screen using the input device. This selection goes to the command analysis means via the command input means, and the command analysis means displays the necessary parameter data and guide information for the command on the screen based on the obtained command system and necessary parameter information. do.

The operator instructs numerical values or model elements from the input device based on the displayed guidance information.

This instruction is read by the command input means, and when the input of necessary parameter data is completed, the application connection means calls the application program and passes the data to the application program.

Processing is then executed by the application program, and a series of processing is completed.

When the input and processing of one command is completed in this way, the system returns to the state of waiting for input of the next command.

That is, according to the present invention, input operations are performed using a man-machine interface, and then the obtained data is processed using an application program.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

What is shown in Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a computer system. In the figure, 1 indicates input/output devices such as a keyboard, mouse, and display knob box, 2 indicates a man-machine interface, and 3 indicates each process. An application program 4 is an application interface for connecting the man-machine interface 2 and the application program 3.

The man-machine interface 2 is mainly composed of a group of interaction regulation files 5, a command analysis means 6, a command input means 7, a data storage means 8, an application connection means 9, and a control means 10.

The dialog operation regulation file group 5 is configured as an external file. The file group 5 includes various commands such as a command definition file, message file, cursor shape file, icon file, help message file, default definition file, icon menu file, panel format definition file, and time memory point instruction parameter file. Contains definition and screen display specification definition files.

That is, this file group 5 includes a menu file that describes the menu and command system, a message file that specifies the contents of the displayed message, an icon file that determines the display contents on the screen, a cursor shape file, a character shape, and a display color. This is a dialog method and display content instruction file group consisting of display content specification files and the like.

The command analysis means 6 reads the file group 5, interprets it, and displays menus and icons on the screen.

The command input means 7 sequentially inputs data while displaying a guidance message for necessary parameters corresponding to each command when the operator operates the input device 1 according to the command menu on the screen displayed by the command interpretation means 6. It is something to do.

The data storage means 8 stores input command data obtained by the command input means 7.

The application linking means 9 connects the application program 3 based on the command inputted by the command inputting means 7 and its accompanying parameters.
or calls the display content processing unit and model detection processing unit of the application program 3 in order to change the model display content requested by the operator or to detect the displayed model using the mouse while the command input means 7 is running. It is something.

The control means 1O controls the man-machine interface function and the calling of each of the means 6,7,8.9 in response to any request from the operator during program execution.

The operation of the computer system will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, when the system is started, the man-machine interface 2 is started, and the control means 10 executes the command analysis means 6 to display a command menu, icons, etc. from the file group 5 on the calling screen (steps (a) to (a). Ha)).

The operator selects a command menu using the input device 1. This selection is interpreted by the analysis means 6 via the input means 7, and the analysis means 6 displays guidance information of necessary parameter data for the command based on the obtained command system and necessary parameter information. and prompts the operator for input (steps (d) to (g)).

The operator operates the input device 1 to make necessary inputs. This input is taken in via the manual means 7, and when the data input of the necessary parameters for the selected command is completed, the application linking means 9 calls the corresponding function processing section of the application program 3 and transfers the data. , make it execute (steps (g) ~ (su)).

In this way, when the input and processing of one command is completed, the system returns to the state of waiting for input of the next command.

It should be noted that during the parameter input (step (g)), parts that differ depending on the application used, such as changing the model display content, detecting model elements, and specifying the - time virtual point, are handled by the application linking means 9. , the corresponding function processing section of the application program 3 is called and executed. The application linking means 9 and the application interface 4 define a versatile data transfer method so that the man-machine interface 2 can be used by various applications.

Next, the above operation will be explained using a more specific example.

That is, an example of executing a drawing application command that specifies the starting point and length and width of a rectangle and draws a corresponding rectangle on the screen will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, by starting the control means 10, the command analysis means 6
, the initial processing of the application program 3 is executed through the application linking means 9, and a command menu is displayed on the screen (-40 from a to b-+).

The operator selects a command menu to draw a rectangle (C). The command analysis means 6 analyzes necessary parameters corresponding to the command to draw the selected rectangle (a). This necessary parameter information is written in file group 5 (p). Based on the obtained parameter information, an input request guide text is displayed and parameter input is waited for (d).

The operator tried to specify the starting point of the rectangle, but
The display on the screen was small and difficult to see, so I ordered it to be enlarged. At this time, the display of the model is enlarged according to the flow of the program from a-+r to f-+d. That is, the command analysis means 6 interprets the input for enlarged display, and based on this interpretation, the control means 10 operates the application connection means 9 to call and execute the program for changing the model contents of the application program 3. Alternatively, the input means 7 itself can judge the input and call the application program 3 through the connection means 9.

Next, if you specify one point on the screen as the writing point using the mouse of input device 1, d −+,, g→m→h→
Information on the writing start point is stored in the storage means 8 through the flow d. That is, the input from the input means 7 is interpreted by the analysis means 6 as a model element detection instruction, and the data is thereby sent to the model element detection calculation section of the application program 3 via the connection means 9 and processed. Processed data is transferred via the connection means 9 and stored in the storage means 8.

Next, input the length and width using the keyboard of the input device 1 (d). At this time, the input data is processed only by the input means 7 according to the interpretation of the analysis means 6, and the input data is stored in the storage means 8 (q).

In this way, when all parameters are input (e), the command name and input parameter information input so far (
h, j, q) are connected to the command processing unit (0) of the application program 3 through the application connection means 9.
The command is sent to , the processing corresponding to the command is performed, and a rectangle is displayed on the screen.

When command processing is completed in this way, the process moves to the manual state for the next command (0→C).

What is shown in FIG. 4 is a more specific embodiment using the man-machine interface 2 of the present invention.

This system uses UNIX (V, BSD) as the operating system (O8) and X Window (Ver. 11) as the window system.

The program flow and data control itself is in the man-machine interface 2. The application computer 3 is called by the man-machine interface 2 as necessary. This allows the configuration style of the entire system to be defined uniformly.

In addition, as a utility library, routines necessary for interaction operations and model display are provided, and by calling these libraries from application 3, more detailed interaction methods and operability unique to each application can be realized. Can be done.

Application interface 4 includes CAD, CA
M. Portions that are commonly necessary for CAE software and that differ in processing are defined as functions.

This application interface 4 will be coded by each application based on determined specifications. These include program initialization, command processing, model display, and discovery (
Big operations), etc.

According to the above configuration, each application program 3 becomes software independent of the man-machine interface 2, and it can be organically improved by unifying operability, screen specifications, enriching the interface between each program, and using it under a multi-window system. It functions as a linked integrated CAE system.

In other words, the system environment (hardware,
By separating the user interface section that is most dependent on the O81 graphics or window system from the application program 3 as the man-machine interface 2, the portability and flexibility of the entire system can be improved.

In this way, by completely separating the user interface section and the application section,
The large amount of development man-hours required to realize the user interface is reduced, and software developers can concentrate on realizing the original functions of the application, without being influenced by the system environment as much as possible. In addition, porting work of existing software that is already in possession can proceed smoothly.

Furthermore, in order to unify operability, it is not enough to simply agree on standards for operating procedures; however, by using the man-machine interface 2 according to the present invention as a development tool, thorough unification of operability can be achieved. It becomes possible.

Furthermore, by running multiple programs under a multi-window with the same screen specifications and operability, separate and independent software can be organically combined.

In addition, in order for applications to realize more detailed individual interaction processing, by using Man-Machine Interface 2, a utility library can be prepared so that programmers can develop software without being particularly aware of O3 or the window system. .

In order to accommodate customization for each application or at the end-user level, the system can be made more flexible by converting parts that are expected to change into external files as much as possible.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments,
For example, file group 5 is not limited to external files.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, input operations are performed using a man-machine interface, and then an application program is called for processing, so that unification of operability is achieved.

Further, since the application program only needs to be able to process the function, programming becomes easy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a computer system, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation, FIG. 3 is a more specific flowchart, and FIG. System configuration diagrams of other embodiments, FIG. 5 to FIG. 9 show a conventional example, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a screen for operation explanation, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing of the conventional example,
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a conventional system, FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing of the conventional example, and FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the conventional system. 2-man-machine interface, 3--application program, 5--file group, 6-analysis means,
7-Manual means, 9-connection means. Prisoner No. 1 3'1 Figure 1 (7) No. 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A man-machine interface that is independent of the application program, such as a menu file that describes the names of command types that can be used in the system and the input parameter types that correspond to those commands, and an interaction specification file that describes the messages and screen display specifications. command analysis means for interpreting and displaying on screen a group of interaction operation regulation files during execution; inputting commands and parameters based on the operation method and display specifications displayed on screen by said analysis means;
A command input means for controlling changes in the screen display method and detection of a display model, and an application connection for calling the application program during an interactive operation and passing necessary data obtained by the command input means to the application program. A man-machine interface characterized by comprising means.