JPH0319019A - Menu display system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To display an operating environment suitable for each user by displaying a part among those menu items corresponding to a previously prepared total process as a partial display and providing an instruction item to the partial menu to urge the display of a total menu. CONSTITUTION:An information processor is provided with a display device 201, an input device 202, a main storage device 203, a CPU 204, and an external storage device 205. Also the processor is provided with a menu initialization method to set the initial state of a menu, a menu display state control method which controls the display states of a partial menu and a hierarchical menu, a partial menu item editing method, a hierarchical menu item editing method, and a menu attribute data control method. Thus a user himself/herself can change the menu items to be displayed as a partial menu or a submenu. Then a menu matching with a desired operating environment of a user can be displayed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a menu display method for an information processing device that selects various processes using a menu, and in particular, the present invention relates to a menu display method for an information processing device that selects various processes using a menu. This relates to partial menus that display some menu items partially, and hierarchical menus that divide the entire menu item into several submenus, give appropriate menu item names, and display them hierarchically. be.

[Conventional technology]

When inputting operation instructions using the menu-only method, a menu to which menu items are assigned in advance for various processes is displayed on the display screen, and menu item numbers can be input using the keyboard, or operations can be performed using cursor movement keys or the mouse. allows you to select and input each process displayed on the menu.

If there are many processes for which one selection is required in a single-menu system, there are problems such as not being able to display all of the menu items on the display, making the menu difficult to see on the screen, and complicating the operation for selecting menu items.

As a way to solve these problems, the menu can be divided into several submenus and displayed in a F7 N'J style to reduce the number of menu items displayed at each time.
There is an M menu display method. Also, for example, 46
Publication No. 3-101928 describes a learning-based menu item selection table processing method that stores the number of times each menu item has been used and extracts and displays frequently used menu items as partial menus. There is.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, according to the conventional method, the items displayed as a partial menu or the items displayed as a submenu cannot be changed to suit the user's own work environment, habits, and preferences.

A first object of the present invention is a menu display method that allows the user to independently change the menu items displayed as the above-mentioned partial menus or submenus, and displays a menu that suits the user's desired operating environment. The goal is to provide the following.

In addition, when there is only one set of menu items displayed as a menu, when multiple users take turns using the same device, it is possible to create an optimal work environment for each user on the display device. The items displayed as a menu will not necessarily be appropriate.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a menu display processing method that stores information regarding menu items to be displayed as a partial menu or hierarchical menu for each user and realizes an optimal man-machine interface for each user. It is in.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the first object of the present invention, a display device for displaying a menu, an input device for specifying a menu item to be processed from the displayed menu, and a main device for storing programs and data are provided. A storage device, a central processing unit that reads and executes programs from the main memory, an external storage device that stores data and various programs necessary for displaying menus, a program execution control and input device, a display device, and a storage device. In an information processing device, the information processing device includes a device basic control method for managing input/output with a device, and a menu item execution control method for displaying a menu, reading input data from an input device, and executing processing corresponding to the menu item.
Menu initialization method to set the initial state of the menu,
A menu display state control method that controls the display state of partial menus and hierarchical menus, a partial menu item editing method that changes items to be displayed as a partial menu according to user specifications, and a menu item editing method that changes menu items according to user specifications. A hierarchical menu item editing method that divides the main menu into multiple items and sets corresponding main menu item names, and a menu attribute data management method that stores menu attribute data in an external storage device as part of a partial menu that has been changed according to the user's specifications. provided.

In order to achieve the second object of the present invention, in the menu attribute data management method for storing menu attribute data in an external storage device, menu attribute data changed and set by the user is stored for each user. A user menu information management method is provided.

[Effect]

In the menu item execution method described above, the menu is initialized using a menu initialization routine provided with a menu initialization method using the necessary menu identification number, menu type, and user identification number as arguments. The menu initialization routine searches the external storage device based on the user identification number, the menu type, and the menu identification number, and reads the corresponding menu attribute data.If the menu type is a partial menu, the usage # Identification number, menu identification number,
The display coordinates, display range, and menu item name of the two-part menu for each menu type, and the display coordinates, display range, and menu item name of the entire menu are set in the menu display status table on the main storage device.

If the menu type is a hierarchical menu, the user identification number,
Menu type, menu identification number, main menu display coordinates, display range, menu item name, display coordinates, display range, menu item name, and corresponding main menu item number of each submenu. The menu can be initialized by zero or more procedures set in the display status table.

The menu item execution program displays a partial menu or a hierarchical menu using a menu display state control routine that includes a menu display state control method. When called, the menu display state control routine examines the menu display state table set by the menu initialization routine.

If the menu type is a partial menu, the partial menu is displayed according to the display information in the menu display status table, and input data is read from the next keyboard or mouse.

In the case of a keyboard, the input data is a character code and a control code, and in the case of a mouse, it is the button number, button press/release state, and its coordinates. For example, if the read input data is the first button pressed, its coordinates are partial menu item 1.
1, the display color of the menu item at the coordinates where the first button was pressed is inverted. If the read input data is a press of the first button and its coordinates are on an item such as an instruction to display the entire menu, the entire menu is displayed and the menu display state is changed to the entire menu display state. When the first button of the mouse is released, the coordinates where the first button was released are checked, and if it is on a menu item, an item identification number for identifying that item is returned to the menu item execution programmer 11 and the menu is closed.

If the menu type in the menu display state table set by the menu initialization routine is a hierarchical menu, l! according to the display information in the menu display state table! ! Display the layer menu, change the menu display state table to the main menu display state, and read 1 input data. If the read input data is the press of the first button on a layer menu item, the coordinates of the press of the first button are displayed. Inverts the display color of menu items. If the read input data is a press of the first button and its coordinates are on a main menu item, a submenu corresponding to the main menu is displayed. When the first mouse button is released, the item number of the submenu item at the coordinates where the first button was released is returned to the menu item execution program, and the menu is closed.

The above procedure makes it possible to control the menu display state.

For example, when the menu item execution program returns an item identification number of an item such as a partial menu change instruction from the menu display state control routine, the menu item execution program uses a partial menu item editing routine equipped with a partial menu item editing method. Then, change the partial menu item.

When called, the partial menu item editing routine displays the entire menu. At this time, the display color of the item set as one-part menu is inverted and displayed. Next, the partial menu item editing routine reads the next input data, and if the input data read is 1, for example, the first button of the mouse is pressed, the display color on the menu item at that coordinate is inverted, and the display color of the menu item at that coordinate is inverted. Set whether to display menu items as partial menu items in the menu display status table. If the read input data is a press of the first mouse button and its coordinates are on an item such as an end designation, the menu is closed and the program returns to the menu item execution program.

By the above procedure, it becomes possible to edit the partial menu display items.

For example, when the menu item execution program returns an item identification number of an item such as a hierarchical menu change instruction from the menu display state control routine, the menu item execution program uses a hierarchical menu item editing routine having a hierarchical menu item editing method. Then, change the hierarchical menu items.

When called, the hierarchical menu item editing routine displays a hierarchical menu editing screen and reads input data, for example, one for the N-level menu editing screen.

It consists of an area for displaying the entire submenu, an area for entering the main menu item name, and an area for instructing to finish editing the hierarchical menu, and each item in the entire submenu displays the corresponding main menu number. . If the read input data is a press of the first mouse button and its coordinates are on a submenu item, the display color of that submenu is inverted. In this state, if the read input data is a numeric string, it is set in the menu display state table as the new main menu item number corresponding to that submenu. If the read input data is a press of the first mouse button and its coordinates are an area where a main menu item name is to be written, the main menu item name is displayed in reverse video.

In this state, if the read input data is a character string, it is set in the menu display state table as a new main menu item name. The read input data is the 12th mouse
When the button is pressed, if the coordinates are above the area designated as end, the hierarchical menu editing screen is closed and the menu item execution program returns.

The above procedure enables hierarchical menu item editing.

When the above menu item execution method terminates processing, a menu attribute data management routine with a menu attribute data management method is used.

The attribute data management routine updates menu attribute data for each user identification number from the contents of the current menu display state table and stores it in an external storage device. This enables a menu attribute data management method.

C Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail using the drawings.

In this embodiment, the menu display method is positioned as a software library in a computer program. By doing so, the menu display method according to the present invention can be easily used by a plurality of user programs.

FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of a workstation for implementing the present invention. 201 in FIG. 2 is a display device for displaying a menu; 202 is an input device for selecting a menu item to be processed from the displayed menu; 2;
03 is a main storage device that stores programs and data; 20
4 is a central processing unit that reads and executes programs on the main storage device; 205 is an external storage device that stores menus, programs, etc. necessary for displaying the menus;

Menu item data 207 is stored in the external storage device w1205.
, menu attribute data 208, menu item execution program 209, and menu table library 210 are stored. The main storage device includes a non-volatile memory 206 in which a basic control program 211 including a basic device control method is stored.

The basic control program 211 is the menu item execution program 209. The menu display library 210 is stored in the main memory [
203 to control reading execution.

FIG. 3 shows basic programs and control programs 211. Menu item execution program 209
．． A configuration diagram of the menu display library 210 is shown. 3
01 is a menu display state control routine that manages the display state of partial menus and hierarchical menus by updating a menu display state table; 302 is a partial menu item editing routine that sets items to be displayed as a partial menu; 3
03 is a hierarchical menu item editing routine for setting the main menu name and submenu terminal of the hierarchical menu; 30
4 is a menu initial setting routine that reads menu attribute data and menu item data.

305 is a menu attribute data management routine that stores display information of updated partial menus and hierarchical menus in menu attribute data.

Figure 4 is an example of the data structure of menu item data.
Item names are stored in the external storage device in the order of item numbers as files having menu identification numbers as file names.

Figures 5 (a) and (b) show menu attribute data 2 according to the type of partial menu or hierarchical menu, respectively.
This is an example of the data structure of 08. 501 is a user identification number, 502 is a menu type, 503 is a menu identification number,
504 is a menu item identification number of a menu item to be displayed as a partial menu, and 505 is a main menu item name of a hierarchical menu.

506 is a menu item identification number of a menu item displayed as a submenu.

FIG. 6 is an example of the data structure of the menu item identification number that uniquely determines a menu item for each user. 6
The upper 8 bits of 01 are the menu identification number, and the lower 8 bits of 602 are the menu item number in the order stored in the menu item data. However, in the menu display library, the menu item identification number O means that nothing was selected, the menu item identification number 1 is a partial menu editing request, and the menu item identification number 2 is a hierarchical menu editing request. means.

FIGS. 1(a) to 1(f) use flowcharts to show the operation of the menu item execution program 209 to display a menu using the menu display library.

Menu item execution program processing.

Step 101: Menu identification number, user identification number,
Call the menu initial value setting routine with the menu type as an argument.

Step 102: Read input data such as keyboard and mouse.

Step 103: Check whether there is a termination request from the input data.

Step 104: Check whether the input data is a press of the first mouse button.

Step 105: Call the menu display state control routine using the pressed coordinates of the first mouse button of the input data as an argument, and obtain the menu item identification number.

Step 106: Check whether the menu item identification number is 0.

Step 107: Check whether menu item 111ra) 111#1 is selected.

Step 108: Check whether the menu item identification number is 2.

Step 109: Call the menu attribute information management routine.

Step 110: Perform processing corresponding to other input data.

Step 111: Call the partial menu item editing routine.

Step 112: Call the hierarchical menu item editing routine.

Step 113: Perform processing corresponding to the menu item identification number.

Processing of menu initialization routines.

Step 114: Read the corresponding menu attribute data from the user identification number, menu identification number, and menu type passed as arguments.

Step 115: Read menu item data from the menu identification number.

Step 116: A menu display state table as shown in FIG. 7 is set from the read menu attribute data and menu item data.

FIG. 7(a) shows a menu display state table in the case of a partial menu, and FIG. 7(b) shows a menu display state table in the case of a hierarchical menu. 7th (
a) In the figure, 701 is a user identification number, 702 is a menu identification number, 703 is a menu type, 704 is the number of items in a partial menu, and 705 is an array in which item numbers of menu items to be displayed as a partial menu are stored; 706 is an array in which the number of items in the entire menu is stored, and 707 is an array in which item names in the entire menu are stored. The subscript of this array corresponds to the item number of the stored item name. In FIG. 7(b), 708 is the number of main menu items in the hierarchical menu, 709 is the main menu item name, 710 is the submenu item number, and 711 is an array storing the submenu item names. The subscript of this array corresponds to the item number of the stored item name.

Step 117: Return to the menu item execution program.

Processing of menu display state control routine.

Step 118: Read the menu display status table and check whether the menu type is a partial menu.

Step 119: Check the item name to be displayed as a partial menu from each value in the partial menu item number array 705 of the menu display status table, and display a partial menu on the screen as shown in FIG. 8(a), for example. In FIG. 8(a), a portion 801 is a partial menu item, and a portion 802 is an item for instructing display of the entire menu.

Step 120: Set a menu screen layout table as shown in FIG. 9(a), and store the layout of the menu displayed on the screen. FIG. 9(b) shows the positional relationship of each element in FIG. 9(a) on the screen. 901 stores any of the following as the menu display state: 1 partial menu table>I'i state, entire menu display state, main menu display state, or submenu display state. 902 is the horizontal width of one menu item, and 903 is its vertical width.

904 is a layout table for a partial menu, a whole menu, or a main menu depending on the state of the menu display state 901, and 905 is a layout table for a submenu. 906 and 907 are display start point coordinates, 908 and 909 are display end point coordinates, and 910 are item numbers of menu items whose display colors are being inverted.

911 is the number of items. 912 and 913 are the display start point coordinates of the submenu, 914 and 915 are the end point coordinates of the submenu table, 916 is the item number of the menu item of the submenu whose display color is inverted, and 917 is the number of items in the submenu. .

Step 121: Read input data.

Step 122: Check if the input data is the first mouse button released.

Step 123: Check whether the input data is a press of the first mouse button.

Step 124: Call the selection item investigation routine using the coordinates where the first button was pressed as an argument.The 1 selection item investigation routine checks whether there is a menu item at the coordinates passed as an argument and returns the item number of that menu item. .

Step 125: Check to see if it is the item returned from the selected item check routine. 8th rJ! In the case of I, if it is a request to display the entire menu, 4 is returned from the selection item investigation routine.

Step 126: Check whether the item number returned from the selection item check routine is a partial menu item.

Step 127: Check the menu display state table from the item number returned from the selection item investigation routine and the value of the menu display state 901, and calculate the menu item identification number of the selected menu item. In the partial menu display state as shown in Figure 8(a), if the selection item investigation routine returns O to 3, the menu item identification number is 5AO0 in hexadecimal.
,5AO1,5AO3゜5A06, otherwise O
becomes. If the entire menu table is in the state as shown in Figure 8(b), if a value from 0 to 8 is returned, it will be 5AOO to 5 in hexadecimal.
If 9 is returned in A08, it becomes 1 because it is a menu item editing request, and otherwise it becomes O.

Step 128: Close the menu and return the menu item identification number to the menu item execution program.

Step 129: Check the name of the item to be displayed as the entire menu in the menu display status table, and display the entire menu as shown in FIG. 8(b) on the screen. In FIG. 8, a portion 803 is a general menu item, and a portion 804 is an item for instructing a menu editing request.

Step 130: Set the menu display state 901 of the menu screen layout table to the entire menu display state, and update each item in 904 for the entire menu.

Step 131: If the partial menu is displayed, restore the display color of the item stored in 910 of the menu screen layout table, store the item number returned from the selected item investigation routine, and change the display color of the item. If the display state is an inverted zero-level menu, it is checked whether the selected item number is a submenu or a main menu, and the same process as above is performed for either menu.

Step 132: Check the main menu item name in the menu display status table, and display the main menu as shown in FIG. 10(a) on the screen, for example. In FIG. 10(a), a portion 1001 is a partial menu item, and a portion 1002 is an item for instructing a hierarchical menu editing request.

Step 133: Store the layout of the main menu on the screen in the menu screen layout table. Step 1
34: Check whether the coordinates where the first mouse button was pressed are on the main menu.

Step 135: If the submenu is displayed,
Close that submenu.0 Next, the submenu corresponding to the main menu corresponding to the item number returned from the selection item investigation routine is checked from the menu display state table and displayed, for example, as shown in FIG. 10(b). Finally, the display range of the submenu is stored in the menu screen layout table in the menu display range table.

Step 136: Processing of selection check routine with submenus displayed.

Step 137: Set the menu display start point coordinates 906, 907 in the menu screen layout table (Xl, Yl).

Menu display end point coordinates 908, 909 (X2.Y2)
, the coordinates passed as arguments are (x, y), (
x+y) is (Xi.

Check whether it is within the range from Yl) to (X2.Y2).

Step 138: Check whether a submenu is being displayed based on the menu display status 901 of the menu screen layout table.

Step 139: Set the submenu display start point coordinates 912, 913 in the menu screen layout table as (X3°Y3), and the menu display end point coordinates 914, 915 as (X4.Y4),
Check whether (x*y) is within the range from (X3.Y3) to (X4.Y4).

Step 140: If the display range is the main menu, partial menu, or entire menu, y - Y 1, where the vertical width 903 of the menu item in the menu screen layout table is set as yl.
/y The calculation result of 1 is the item number. If the submenu table is within the range, y - Y 3 / y 1
Let the calculation result be the item number. However, / is integer division with truncated decimals.

Step 141: Since this is a non-menu area, set -1 to the item number.

Processing of partial menu editing routines.

Step 142: Whole menu 7 of menu display status table
Add the "end r" item to the end of 07.

In step 143, the 11th
Display the entire menu as shown.

11 is an overall menu item, and 1102 is an item for instructing to finish editing the menu item.

Step 144: Change the menu table state of the menu display layout table to the partial menu item editing state.

Step 145: Create an array for the number of items in the entire menu, check the menu display state table, set array elements whose index is the item number of the item set as a partial menu to 1, and set the others to 0.

Step 146: Check whether the item with the item number returned from the second selection item investigation routine is "completed".

Step 147: Invert the most significant bit of the array element with the item number as a subscript, and invert the display color of the menu item with that item number.

Step 148: The subscript of the array element in which 1 is stored in the above array is stored again in the partial menu item 705 of the menu display state table as the item number to be displayed as a partial menu.

Processing of hierarchical menu editing routines.

Step 149: Create a main menu configuration table as shown in FIG. 12 from the menu display status table.

1201 in Figure 12 is the number of the main menu item to be edited, the initial value is 0.1202 is the main menu item name, 1203 is the array of item numbers of the submenus included in the main menu, and 1204 is the main menu item number. The element numbered 0 in the menu, 1205, is the number 13r1 from the step 150: Menu Display Status Table and Main Menu Configuration Table! Display a hierarchical menu editing spreadsheet such as I. 1301 in FIG. 13 is a list of submenu item numbers and names that display the submenu items 712 of the menu status table, and 1302 is a main menu item name input area that displays the contents stored in the main menu item name 1202. , 1303 is a list of submenu item numbers included in the main menu item displayed in the main menu item name input area, and an array 1203 of submenu item numbers is displayed. Reference numeral 1304 denotes an editing end button for ending editing of the hierarchical menu.

In the main menu item name input area 1302, the display color of the number stored in the edit target number 1201 is inverted.

Step 151: Check whether the input data is a character string.

Step 152: Using the character string of the input data, rewrite the main menu item name corresponding to the number stored in the main menu item number 1201 to be edited in the main menu composition table 0 For example, in Fig. 12, the item number 1201 to be edited is 0 and the input character string is "style", the "font" stored in the main menu item name 1202 is rewritten to "style".

Step 153: Check whether the pressed coordinates of the mouse button are on the edit end button 1205.

Step 154: Check whether the mouse button is on the item list 1301 of the submenu.

Step 155: Edit target number 1 in menu display status table
The number of the submenu item list 1301 displayed on the pressed coordinates of the mouse button is stored in the array of submenu item numbers corresponding to the numbers stored in 201.

However, if it is already stored, it will be deleted.

Step 156: Check whether the pressed coordinates of the mouse button are on the main menu item name input area 1302.

Step 157: Edit the number of the main menu item name input area on the mouse button press coordinates to 1201
Store in.

Step 158: Update the menu display status table from the contents of the main menu configuration table.

Processing of menu attribute data management routines.

Step 159: Update menu attribute data from the contents of the menu table status table.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, each user can set and partially display the items he/she thinks necessary as a partial menu, and the user can select the items to be displayed as a submenu and display them on the appropriate main menu. Name the item,
In addition, by being able to display the menus hierarchically, and by managing the menus set by these users on a per-user basis, it is possible to provide an operating environment suitable for each user, and the menus set by these users can be managed by each user. It is convenient because it can display a menu that is suitable for the environment.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing the operating principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a workstation for implementing the invention, and Fig. 3 is an example of the configuration of a program for implementing the invention. 4 is a configuration diagram of the data format of menu item data, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the data format of menu item ρ≦value data, and FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of menu item identification number data. Figure 7 is a configuration diagram of the data in the menu table and status table, Figure 8 is a diagram showing the display of a partial menu, Figure 9 is a data structure diagram of the menu screen layout table, and Figure 1 is a diagram showing the data structure of the menu screen layout table.
0 is a diagram showing an example of display of a hierarchical menu, and FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a display when editing a partial menu item 101... Menu initialization routine, 105... Menu display state control routine, 109... Menu attributes Data management routine, 111...Partial menu item editing routine, 112
...Hierarchical menu item editing routine, 201...Display device, 202...Input device, 203...Main storage device, 204...Central processing unit, 205...External storage device, 211...・Basic control program, 209...
Menu execution program, 210...menu display library.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A display device for displaying a menu, an input device for specifying a menu item to be processed from among the displayed menus, a main storage device for storing programs and data, and a program A central processing unit that reads and executes data from the main memory, an external storage device that stores data and various programs necessary for displaying menus, program execution control, and input/output management between input devices, display devices, and storage devices. In an information processing device equipped with a device basic control method that performs the following operations, and a menu item execution control method that displays a menu, reads input data from an input device, and executes a process corresponding to the menu item, By displaying a part of the menu items corresponding to the process as a partial menu, and providing an instruction item in the partial menu to prompt the display of the entire menu, the entire menu can be displayed and the user can select the items to be displayed as the partial menu. A menu display method characterized in that a menu item can be selected from the entire menu according to a user's specification, and a menu item to be displayed as a partial menu changed according to a user's specification is stored in a storage device as part of menu attribute data. . 2. On the information processing device according to claim 1, a menu corresponding to the entire processing prepared in advance is hierarchically displayed as a plurality of submenus, and a main menu corresponding to the plurality of submenus is displayed. The menu item name is set by the user, the menu corresponding to the above overall process is newly divided into multiple separate submenus according to the user's specifications, and the above changed by the user is A menu-editable hierarchical menu display method characterized by storing main menu item names, sub-menu item names, and the relationship between the main menu and sub-menus in a storage device as part of menu attribute data. 3. A menu display method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that menu attribute data changed and set by the user is stored for each user.