JPH04199093A - Window system and display device used therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an operator to find easily in the screen which is the applicable sub-window, by making reference to the master-sub relationship stored, and making display in such an arrangement that the currently active window and the master and sub-windows can be judged from other windows. CONSTITUTION:A window task control part 1 registers the master-sub relationship of windows in a window list 5, which is examined in case changing-over of window has been made, and a command for special display for sub-window is given to a window display control part 9. When this command for special display is sent from the window task control part 1, the window display control part 9 makes special display for master window and sub-window in a display part 7, i.e. a real screen memory 8. Thereby the operator can know easily in the screen which is the applicable sub-window, which is necessary in case the currently active window is to be closed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a window system that is used in word processors, personal computers, etc. and is capable of displaying a combination of several logical screens, and a display device used therein.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, some types of window systems in which windows have a parent-child relationship have forcibly closed child (including grandchild) windows when the parent window is closed. Note that the parent-child relationship of windows here relatively indicates which window is generated from which window, and the generated side is called a parent window, and the generated side is called a child window.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the window system mentioned above,
When a window is closed, all of its child (grandchild) windows are closed, so if a program is running in that child (grandchild) window and, for example, that program is writing data to disk, Problems such as data destruction occurred, and there were also inconveniences such as programs started by the operator being terminated without the operator's awareness.

To avoid the above problem, the operator should always be aware of the existence of child windows and manage them, but if there are many open windows, it is better to have the operator understand all the parent-child relationships. was difficult.

In addition, in order to reduce this management burden on the operator, the program manages the parent-child relationship of windows, and when a window closes and if this window has child windows, a message is issued to the operator. Another possibility is to call attention to this.

However, in many existing window systems,
The active window (the window that can currently be entered) can be distinguished from other windows by, for example, changing the color of its holder. ), so even when a message is output as shown above, the operator can tell which window is the corresponding child window based on the display. In this case, has the disadvantage that it is inefficient because it requires closing other windows (not necessarily child windows) one by one.

The present invention allows an operator to always easily recognize whether a certain window has a child window or not, and if there is a child window, which one is the child window, thereby allowing the operator to close the window. It is an object of the present invention to provide a window system and a display device used therefor that can effectively prevent problems that may occur due to accidentally closing a child window when closing a child window without imposing an operational burden on the operator. The purpose is

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a storage means for storing the parent-child relationship of windows, and refers to the parent-child relationship stored in the storage means to save the active window, the parent window and child window of the active window to other windows. The present invention is characterized by comprising a display means for displaying the information in a manner that is distinguishable from the window.

[Effect]

In the present invention, the parent-child relationship of windows is referenced and the active window is displayed in a way that can be distinguished from its parent window, child window, or other windows, so that the operator can, for example, close the current active window. In addition, you can easily recognize which of its child windows are on the screen.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a window system according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the window system of this embodiment includes a window task control unit 1 that controls the entire window processing, an input device 2 such as a keyboard, and input data from the input device 2 to user programs P1 to P1. , an input control section 4 for inputting data to the program section 3 and the window task control section 1, a window list 5 in which the parent-child relationship of windows is registered and saved, and each user program P1 to P. Virtual screen memories M1-M store display data from user programs P1-Pn, respectively.

, a display section 7 such as a CRT display, and a real screen memory 8 in which display data actually displayed on the display section 7 is stored.
and a window display control section 9 that synthesizes display data of each of the virtual screen memories M1 to Mn and outputs the synthesized data to the real screen memory 8 according to commands from the window task control section 1.

In this embodiment, in particular, the window task control unit 1 registers the parent-child relationship of windows in the window list driver, and when a window is switched, checks the window list 5 and selects the parent window.

A special display command for a child window is output to the window display control unit 9, and when a special display command is sent from the window task control unit 1, the window display control unit 9 outputs the command to the display unit 7. ．． That is, a special display is made in the real screen memory 8 for the parent window and child window. That is, it has a function of displaying the active window, its parent window, and child window so that they can be distinguished from other windows by referring to the window list 5 that stores the parent-child relationship of windows.

Next, the window control processing operation in such a configuration will be explained.

In addition, as for how to actually display parent and child windows, it is possible to color the holder or display it with text on the holder.In the following, we will assume that the holder is displayed with a pattern, and for the active window. The holder is displayed as a filled color, the holder is displayed as a diagonal line for the parent window, the holder is displayed as a vertical line for the child window, and the holder is displayed as white for other windows.

First, we will explain the process when opening a window.

Now, as shown in FIG. 2, one window A is opened on the display unit 7, and at this time, window A
For example, suppose that window B is opened. In this case, the window task control unit 1 performs window processing by opening window B and making it the active window, as shown in FIG.

Next, the window task control unit 1 writes in the window list driver that window B has been opened as a child window of window A, and thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4, window A is the parent window of active window B. A display is made for the parent window to indicate that it is present.

Next, processing when switching windows will be explained. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing flow in this case. Referring to FIG. 5, the window task control unit 1 first determines whether or not the active window has been switched (step S1), and when the active window has been switched, it checks the window list 5 (
Step S2), it is determined whether a parent window exists or not (Step S3), and it is determined whether a child window exists (step S5). As a result, if a parent window exists, a display for the parent window is performed (step S4), and if a child window exists, a display for the child window is performed (step S6). After the child window display is performed, it is further determined whether or not there are child windows in the pond (step S7), and if there are, the child window display is also performed for these child windows. (Step S6).

The processing at the time of window switching will be described in more detail. There are now six windows A, B, C, D, E, and F on the display section 7 as shown in FIG.
Assume that windows B and C are opened from window A, window D is opened from window B, and windows E and F are opened from window D.
Assume that the active window at this point is window C.

Here, if a window switching command from window C to window D is input from the input device 2, the input control section 4 passes the switching command to the window task control section 1. As a result, the window task control unit 1 performs window processing, making window D the active window and returning the display of window A to the normal display, as shown in FIG. Next, the window task control unit 1 checks whether window D has a parent window or a child window using the window reseller. In this case, window D has window B as a parent window and windows E and F as child windows, so the window task control unit 1 sets window B as the parent window, as shown in FIG. and display windows E and F for child windows.

As a result, when the operator closes window D, which is currently the active window,
From the display on the display unit 7, it can be easily recognized that this window D has child windows E and F.
For example, by checking the status of these child windows E, F and then closing window D, you can avoid the time U (for example, if child windows E, F are writing data to disk) that would normally occur when window D is closed. , problems such as data corruption) can be prevented.

In other words, in this embodiment, the operator can easily know whether the active window has a child window or not, and if there is a child window, which child window it is. It becomes possible to effectively prevent the above-mentioned problems that could occur in the past without placing an operational burden on the operator.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the parent-child relationship of windows is referenced and the active window, its parent window, child window, and other windows are displayed so that they can be distinguished from each other. When closing an active window, you can easily identify its child windows on the screen.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a window system according to the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 4 are diagrams showing specific display examples when a window is opened, and FIG. 5 is a process when switching windows. Flowcharts showing the flow, FIGS. 6 to 8 do not show specific display examples when switching windows. 61... Window task control unit, 2...
- Input device, 3... Program section, 4... Input control section, 5... Window list, 7... Display section, 8.
...Real screen memory, 9...Window display control section, P
1~Pn...User program, M1~Mn...Virtual screen memory Patent applicant Rico Co., Ltd. - Figure 4 Figure 2 Figure 3/'''' Figure 5 Figure 8/' 61! ! Figure 7

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A storage means for storing the parent-child relationship of windows, and an active window and a parent window of the active window, with reference to the parent-child relationship stored in the storage means;
A window system comprising: display means for displaying a child window so that it can be distinguished from other windows. 2) A display device that displays a combination of several logical screens, characterized in that the active window, parent window, and child window of the active window are displayed so as to be distinguishable from other windows. display device.