JPH04155432A - Menu display system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain optimum display by comparing window width with the sum of lengths of menu items used in the window and selecting a menu display format. CONSTITUTION:This menu display system is provided with a comparing means 22 for comparing the window width L with the sum M of the lengths of menu items used for the window and a selecting means 23 for selecting the menu display format based upon the compared result and menu display based upon the selected menu display format is controlled by a menu display control means 24. When L>=M is formed as the result of comparison, the means 23 selects the 1st display format, e.g. a count-up type, and in the case of L<M, selects the 2nd display format, e.g. the combination of the count-up type and a pull- down type. Consequently, an optimum display format corresponding to the window width or the number of items is displayed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a menu display selection method in a window nostem.

[Prior Art] Generally, in an overlapping multi-window system, the size of the window displayed on the display can be freely changed to any size. Each window also displays menu items for executing commands and selecting attributes. Menu item display methods include an enumerated type that displays items side by side at appropriate locations on the window, and multiple menu items as one set, a menu title for that menu item set, and a menu that is normally displayed on the window. A pull-down type is known in which only the icon of the menu title is displayed, and by selecting the icon, menu item sets belonging to the menu title are displayed vertically (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-38
(See Publication No. 325). [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The enumeration type menu display method has the advantage that all menu items are displayed in a window and that an item can be selected immediately in step (2). But when I reduce the size of the window. Sometimes it exceeds the window width and you can't display everything. Also, if there are a large number of menu items, it may not be possible to display all of them. Furthermore, when the number of items is one, the menu is displayed unnecessarily long in the horizontal (or vertical) direction, which tends to waste the user's item selection action. Additionally, as mentioned above, the size of the window can be changed and the number of menu items may also change depending on the situation, so it is not always possible to display everything in the window when displaying an enumerated menu. Have difficulty. On the other hand, in the pull-down menu display method, only the menu title that represents each menu item set is displayed, so the displayed menu title area always has a constant width, but as the number of items increases, all items cannot be displayed. In some cases, the user's selection action always requires two steps. An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the conventional menu display methods as described above, and to provide a menu display method that can perform optimal display according to the window width and the number of items. It is.

[Means to solve the problem]

The menu display method of the present invention includes a comparison means (FIG. 1, 22) that compares the window width and the total length of menu items used within the window, and selects a menu display format based on the comparison result. selection means (first
23) and menu display control means (FIG. 1, 24) for controlling the menu display according to the selected menu display form.

[Effect]

When the window width is determined, the comparing means compares it with the total length M of the menu items to be displayed in the window. When displaying menu items horizontally, the window width is the width of the window; when displaying menu items vertically, the window width is the height of the window. Similarly, the length of the menu item is either the vertical length or the horizontal length. Based on the results of the comparison, the selection means selects the first display format, such as an enumerated type, when L≧M, and selects the second display format, such as a combination of an enumerated type and a pull-down type, when L<M. do. The menu display control means controls the menu display according to the menu display form selected by the selection means. For example, in the first display mode, the display is controlled to be enumerated as shown in FIG. 2A. In the second display mode, as shown in FIG. 2B, some of the items and the pull-down menu title are displayed in an enumerated format, and the remaining menu items that are not displayed in the enumerated format are represented by the pull-down menu title. When a pull-down menu title is selected, the pull-down menu items are displayed as shown in FIG. 2C.

【Example】

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an apparatus for implementing the menu display method of the present invention. This device includes a storage device l for storing a basic window system, a program describing processing procedures for display format selection and menu display control of the present invention, and necessary data, and various types stored in the storage device l. It includes a central processing unit 1!2 that executes a program, an input device 3 that includes a pointing device, and a display device @4 that displays a window that includes a menu display. By executing the program, the central processing unit 2 includes a window system 21, a display format selection means 22 that selects a menu display format based on the window state and the number of menu items, and the selected menu display format. This realizes each function of the menu display control means 23 that controls the menu display. The window system holds information regarding windows displayed on the display, such as window size, character strings and fonts used for each menu item, and distances between menu item frames. When displaying a specific file in a window based on an instruction from the input device 13, the window is determined by the function of the window system 21. However, regarding the display of the menu, the display format selection means 22 and the menu display control means 23 exhibit functions unique to the present invention. The display format selection means 22 first selects the window system 2.
Based on information regarding the window such as the character string of each menu item, the font used, and the distance between menu item frames held by 1, calculate the total horizontal length M when menu items are listed horizontally. . Furthermore, the display form selection means 22 compares the calculated sum M with the information on window curvature maintained by the window system. When the sum M is less than or equal to the window width (
When L≧M), all the items can be displayed side by side in the window as shown in FIG. 2A, so the display format selection means 22 selects the enumeration type as the menu display format. In response to the selection, the menu display control means 23 extracts information regarding the menu items from the window information and controls so that all menu items are displayed in an enumerated format. When the user selects a desired item from the displayed enumerated menu using the Bointinog device, the window 7 stem 21 detects that the item has been selected and performs functions such as commands corresponding to that item. Start. When the sum M exceeds the window width (when L<M)
Since it is not possible to display all items side by side in a window, the display format selection means 22 selects a combination of an enumeration type and a pull-down type as the menu display format. In a menu that is a combination of an enumerated type and a pull-down type, in this embodiment, the last item displayed in the enumerated type is the default title of the pull-down menu. For example, the title is ``rothersJ'' (Figure 2B). The menu display control means 23 allocates the portion of the menu items that can be displayed in the enumerated type to the enumerated type, and allocates the rest to the pull-down menu. First, the first display is an enumerated menu, and the last item is the title of the pull-down menu (rothersJ).
Figure C). When the user selects the title item "rothersJ", the remaining items that are not displayed in the enumerated format are displayed in a pull-down format. When the user selects an item from the pull-down menu, the function corresponding to the item is executed via the window system 21. At the same time, the menu display control means 23 changes the display of the pull-down menu title to the selected item name (Fig. 2D).
. This changed item will now be immediately selectable in the enumerated type. When an enumerated item other than the changed item is selected, the pull-down menu title returns to the default title rothersJ (Figure 2E).
. According to this embodiment, the maximum number of displayable items is calculated based on the window width and window information regarding menu items, an enumerated menu is displayed to the extent possible, and pull-down menus are displayed for items exceeding the maximum number of displayable items. Display as an item. that time,
When an enumerated item is selected, a default title name is displayed in the pull-down menu title, and after a pull-down menu item is selected, the item name is displayed. Therefore,
The advantage of enumerated types is that the user's selection action is small, and even if the number of items is large compared to the window width, all items can be displayed in the window, and the distance to move the Bointinog device is constant. Taking advantage of the advantage of the pull-down menu, which can fit within the range of
They can compensate for each other's shortcomings. Note that although this embodiment shows a case where enumerated items are displayed side by side in the horizontal direction, the items may be displayed side by side in the vertical direction. In this case, the item length and window width are those in the vertical direction. [Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, the optimal display format is selected and displayed according to the window width and the number of items, thereby eliminating the disadvantages of the conventional menu display method that uses only one display format. Can be removed. In other words, even if the window width becomes narrower or the number of menu items increases, and the length of the items becomes longer relative to the window width, all menu items can still be displayed within the window. Moreover, the moving distance of the pointing device for selection is within a certain range, making selection operations easier.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 2A to 2E are diagrams showing examples of menu displays for explaining the present invention in detail. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Storage device, 2... Central processing unit, 21... Window system, 22... Comparison means, 23 Display form selection means, 24... Menu display control means, 3... Input device (Bointing device), 4...Display device. Patent Applicant: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Agent: Patent Attorney: Iwa Ueki - 2 others Figure 2B Figure 2C Figure 2D Figure 2E

Claims (1)

[Claims] Comparison means for comparing a window width with the total length of menu items used within the window; selection means for selecting a menu display form based on the comparison result; 1. A menu display selection method, comprising: menu display control means for controlling display of a menu in a menu display format.