JPH06161698A - Window system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a window system with superior workableness which can execute command selection freely from any coordinate on a display screen and can reduce the moving quantity of a mouse at the time of command selection. CONSTITUTION:The window system is used in a computer provided with a display device 2 which displays a command menu 24 a window 22 and an icon 23 and a cursor 31, characters and graphics on it display screen 21, a mouse 3 provided with a switch 32, which obtains the position of the cursor 31 displayed on the display device 2 and inputs an instruction, and a key board 4 for inputting characters, a neumerical value and a command. The window system is also provided with a command menu moving means which moves a command menu 24 by letting it interlock with the mouse 3 by fixing the cursor 31 when the switch 32 is pushed down and opening the command menu 24 at the position of the cursor 31 at the same time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a window system used in a computer for simultaneously and independently displaying a plurality of virtual screens (hereinafter referred to as windows) on a display screen of a display device of the computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the capacity of external storage devices of computers such as personal computers and workstations has increased, and the number of files stored in the external storage devices has also increased. Along with this, file management in a computer operating system (hereinafter abbreviated as OS) is performed using a hierarchical structure. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a hierarchical structure in a general OS. The highest-level directory in this hierarchical structure is called a root directory, and the root directory can have a group of subdirectories and a group of files.

In a computer using such a hierarchical structure, it is necessary to operate a plurality of files, directories, etc. at the same time. Therefore, in order to improve the work environment, a plurality of data are arranged in parallel in a data display method. A window system capable of displaying has been adopted.

This window system can independently display a plurality of windows on the display screen at the same time, and each window is represented by a pattern (hereinafter referred to as an icon) representing the contents of a directory group or a file group. It enables to display a lot of information that is displayed. To execute a file, operate the mouse to align the mark indicating the position on the display screen (hereinafter referred to as the cursor) with the icon representing the file to be executed, and press the switch of the mouse. This will open a window and start the application program with the file,
Start execution.

As a result, the user can run completely different application programs for one data, see from various viewpoints, or read various data into one application program and combine the results into one data. As a result, the working environment of the computer can be significantly improved.

Further, in order to handle such a window system, each computer provides an independent user interface. The user interface is roughly divided into two. One is CUI (Character User)
Interface) and the other is GUI (Graphical User I)
nterface).

The CUI mainly has a keyboard as an input device, and basically operates a window by inputting a command from the keyboard or selecting a command by a function key. However, there are many inconveniences such as having to remember which command each key corresponds to only by key operation, and the current situation is that workability is lacking. Therefore, the GUI is currently the mainstream.

The GUI mainly has a pointing device represented by a mouse as an input device. The cursor is
It provides a means to indicate the visual position to the user by operating the mouse. By freely moving the cursor on the display screen, you can move between windows displayed on the display screen, resize the window. , You can switch windows or select commands. Unlike the operation of the cursor keys and function keys, the operation with the mouse is to move the data by operating the symbol such as the icon near the data you want to operate on the display screen to move the data intuitively. Since it has easy characteristics and excellent workability, operation using a mouse is the basis of a window system using a GUI. Also, an application program running on a window system is generally based on mouse operation for the purpose of unifying the operability with the window system.

On the other hand, as a method for selecting a command in the window system, a pull-down menu method in which the command menu is always displayed at a fixed place on the display screen, and a command menu when the switch is pressed There are generally two types of pop-up menu methods that open at the cursor position.

As an advantage of the pull-down menu method,
Advance what commands but may be mentioned that seen whether it is prepared, often command menu is positioned at the top of each window, in such a case where continuously performs command operations, frequently moving the mouse There was a problem that it had to be worked and lacked in workability.

As an advantage of the pop-up menu method, the command menu can be opened at the position of the cursor by pressing the switch, and the movement amount of the mouse at the time of command operation is reduced, so that the workability is improved. There are points. Therefore, in terms of workability,
The pop-up menu method has come to be mainly used as a command selection method.

The conventional window system will be described below. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional window system. Reference numeral 1 is a central processing unit (hereinafter abbreviated as CPU) for processing input information, 2 is a display device, and a window 22 for displaying data and the like independently on a display screen 21, a window 22 and the like are symbolized. Icon 2
3, a command menu 24 showing a list of commands that can be executed, graphics, characters, etc. are displayed, and 3 is a mouse which controls a cursor 31 indicating a position on the display screen 21 to display arbitrary position information and display. A command or the like to be selected, the position information and the selected command or the like are determined by the switch 32, the command menu 24 is displayed, and 4 is a keyboard for inputting characters and numerical values, and 5 is O.
The external storage device stores S, application programs, and the like.

The method of using the window system configured as described above will be described below with reference to the concrete examples shown in FIGS. 7 to 11.

First, the window system prepares a command menu 24 in the form of a pop-up menu in which various commands for operating a computer are listed. For example, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a command menu operating method using a cursor in a conventional window system. In FIG. 7, when the switch 32 of the mouse 3 is pressed, "file" or "edit" is performed at the position of the cursor 31.
The command menu 24 regarding
It is possible to open the command menu 24 under the hierarchy by moving the mouse 3 while pressing. As described above, by operating the mouse 3 while pressing the switch 32, the cursor 31 is aligned with a desired command on the command menu 24, and by releasing the switch 32, the command is selected and executed.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an operation method for moving an access right to a window in a conventional window system. In FIG. 8, the window 22 can be freely created, and a plurality of windows 22 can be simultaneously displayed on the display screen 21. Therefore, the windows 22 are often operated in parallel, and the movement of the access right between the windows is complicated. In such a case, the cursor 31 is moved to the desired window 22 by operating the mouse 3, and the access right is instantly moved by pressing the switch 32.

Next, in the window 22, a function for operating the window 22 itself is prepared. As typical examples of this, the window size conversion as shown in FIG. 9A, the window movement as shown in FIG. 9B,
There are functions such as switching between windows and icons as shown in FIG. 9C. These functions can be easily realized by operating the mouse 3 to move the cursor 31 to the command bar of the window 22 and pressing the switch 32, or by moving the cursor 31 while pressing the switch 32. .

Next, in the icon 23, the window 22
There are functions such as moving between. For example, FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an operation method for moving an icon in a conventional window system. In FIG. 10, the mouse 3 is operated to move the cursor 3
The icon 23 can be moved by aligning 1 with the icon 23 and moving the cursor 32 together with the switch 32 while pressing the switch 32. A hierarchical structure of this situation is a diagram showing a method of moving a file in accordance with an icon moving operation in the conventional window system shown in FIG.

As described above, the operation methods of the application programs are unified according to the window system, and the operation of the application programs can be realized by using the mouse 3 as well as the operation of the windows 22 and the icons 23.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which a command menu is opened by a mouse operation in a conventional popup system type command selecting method in a conventional window system, and FIG. 13 is a popup menu type command selecting method in a conventional window system. It is a figure showing the state where a command menu under a hierarchy was opened by mouse operation. In this way, by pressing the switch 32 of the mouse 3, the command menu 2
4 appears and by moving the mouse 3 while pressing the switch 32, new command menus 24 under the hierarchy can be opened one after another, and desired commands can be selected and executed.

[0020]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the cursor 31 must be moved to the right in order to open the command menu 24 below the hierarchy in order to prevent an erroneous operation. When the command selection is started from the right side of, if the command menus 24 are lined up in multiple layers, the cursor 31 is displayed before the desired command menu 24 is reached.
It comes to the right end of 1, making it impossible to select more commands. In such a case, command selection must be interrupted, the cursor 31 must be moved to the left side of the display screen 21 and command selection must be redone, and the coordinates when the command menu 24 was opened by first pressing the switch 32. A new coordinate (X + αΔX, Y) when the switch 32 is released to execute the command from (X, Y)
The distance to + αΔY) (the square root of the square of αΔX plus the square of αΔY) is large, and the distance to move the mouse 3 becomes large when performing continuous command operations, which is troublesome and troublesome. There was a problem that it lacked.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it is possible to freely select a command from any coordinates on the display screen and to reduce the amount of movement of the mouse when selecting a command. The purpose is to provide an excellent window system.

[0022]

In order to achieve this object, the window system of the present invention is such that the cursor is fixed at the coordinates of the cursor when the switch of the pointing device is pressed and the command menu is opened at that position. And a command menu moving means for moving the command menu in association with the apparatus.

[0023]

With this configuration, even if the command menus are overlapped in layers, the command menus under the hierarchy are always opened at the fixed cursor position, so commands can be freely issued from any coordinates on the display screen. Selection can be performed, and the amount of movement of the mouse when selecting a command can be reduced.

[0024]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a window system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a display device, 21 is a display screen, 22 is a window, 23 is an icon, 24 is a command menu, 3 is a mouse, 31 is a cursor, 32 is a switch, 4 is a keyboard, 5 is an external storage device, and these are conventional. Since it is the same as the example, the same reference numerals are given and the description is omitted. 6 is the command menu 24
It is a CPU for processing a window system and the like in one embodiment of the present invention, which has a command menu moving means for moving the mouse in conjunction with the mouse 3.

The operation of the computer using the window system having the above-described configuration according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below. 2 is a flow chart of a window system in an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a command menu moving operation before moving a mouse in the window system in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram of a command menu moving operation after moving the mouse of the window system in one example.

First, it is checked whether or not the switch 32 is pressed (S1). If the answer is no, the cursor 31 is moved in association with the mouse 3 as in the conventional example (S2 to S4). If the answer is yes, the cursor 31 is moved.
The coordinates (X, Y) on the display screen 21 are read and the cursor 31 is fixed (S5). Next, as shown in FIG.
The command menu 24 is displayed at the coordinates (X, Y) read in (S6). Next, the movement amount (ΔX, ΔY) of the mouse 3 per unit time is read (S7). Next, S6
The command menu 24 displayed by is displayed at coordinates (X + αΔX,
Y + αΔY) (S8). Here, α is a proportional constant. At this time, the moved command menu 24
If there is a command menu 24 of a new layer under the hierarchy of, the new command menu 24 under the layer is opened at the coordinates of the cursor 31, as shown in FIG.

Since the cursor 31 is fixed, the new command menu 24 under the hierarchy is always opened at a fixed position (coordinates of the cursor 31) on the display screen 21. As a result, even when the command selection is started from the right side of the display screen 21, the cursor 31 does not come to the right end of the display screen 21, and the command menu 24 below the hierarchy is set.
Can be opened one after another. When selecting a command, the mouse 3 can be moved up and down to move a new command menu 24 so that a desired command is displayed under the fixed cursor 31, and the command can be freely selected. it can.

[0028]

As described above, the present invention is provided with the command menu moving means for fixing the cursor when the switch of the mouse is pressed, opening the command menu at the position of the cursor, and moving the command menu in conjunction with the mouse. As a result, the command menu under the hierarchy is always opened at the fixed cursor position, so you can freely select commands even from the right side of the display screen, reducing the amount of mouse movement when selecting commands. It is possible to realize a window system with excellent workability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a window system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a window system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a command menu moving operation before moving the mouse of the window system in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a command menu moving operation after moving the mouse of the window system in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a hierarchical structure in a general OS.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional window system.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a method of operating a command menu with a cursor in a conventional window system.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an operation method of moving an access right to a window in a conventional window system.

FIG. 9A is a diagram showing an operation method for window size conversion in a conventional window system. FIG. 9B is a diagram showing an operation method for moving a window in the conventional window system. FIG. 9C is a diagram in the conventional window system. Diagram showing how to switch windows and icons

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an operation method for moving icons in a conventional window system.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a method of moving a file in accordance with an operation of moving an icon in a conventional window system.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which a command menu is opened by a mouse operation in a popup menu method command selection method in a conventional window system.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a command menu under a hierarchy is opened by a mouse operation in a conventional pop-up menu method command selection method in a window system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 6 central processing unit (CPU) 2 display device 3 mouse 4 keyboard 5 external storage device 21 display screen 22 window 23 icon 24 command menu 31 cursor 32 switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pointing device having a display device for displaying a command menu, a window, an icon, a cursor, characters, and graphics on a display screen, and a switch for determining the position of the cursor displayed on the display device and inputting an instruction. And a keyboard for inputting characters, numerical values and commands, the window system being used for fixing the cursor when the switch is pressed and for displaying the command menu at the position of the cursor. 1. A window system comprising: a command menu moving unit that opens and moves the command menu in association with the pointing device.