JPH06282401A - Menu display method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform parameter setting operation using a menu while confirming a selected element on a screen by displaying the menu at a position where the menu do not overlap with an object element. CONSTITUTION:The screen 11 consists of a figure display area 12, a main menu 13, and a message display line 14. The part encircled with a dotted line in the figure is the object element 15 to be edited. The object element 15 includes the element 16 selected to automatically recognize an end point distance, a cursor 17 for specifying the position of a size line, an auxiliary line 18 indicating the position of the dimension line, etc. Namely, the object element 15 includes all parts which change directly in editing operation and are objects of operation. Further, the dialog menu 19 for setting parameters regarding the object element 15 is displayed at a position where it does not overlap with the object element 15 in the figure display area 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of displaying a menu used for parameter setting after selecting a graphic element in a CAD system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a CAD system, parameters such as line type, character size, and scale may be set when instructing various operations and processes to the system. These types of parameters are usually not displayed at all on the display screen or are often displayed in a very small fixed area of the display screen. However, when there are many parameters to be set, it is difficult to display all the parameters. Therefore, when the target element related to parameter setting is selected, the parameter setting menu is displayed selectively. A system adapted to do so is also known. Conventionally, this type of menu is generally displayed at a fixed position on the display screen. There is also known a system in which a parameter setting menu is displayed near the position of the cursor in order to reduce the movement amount of the cursor used for parameter setting as much as possible.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional menu display method, since the menu for parameter setting is displayed at a fixed position on the display screen or near the cursor position, the selection element is placed below the menu. It may be hidden. Especially in the latter case, since the menu appears at the position where the element is selected, the selected element is inevitably hidden under the menu. Therefore, it is difficult to set parameters while checking the selected element on the screen.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and while confirming the selected element on the screen,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a menu display method capable of setting the parameters of the above-mentioned selected element by a parameter setting menu.

[0005]

The present invention provides a menu display method for displaying a menu for setting a parameter of a target element after selecting a target element related to parameter setting. It is characterized in that it is displayed in a position where it does not overlap. As one aspect of the present invention, it is considered that the menu is displayed in a line-symmetrical position with respect to a line that does not pass through the target element or in a point-symmetrical position with respect to an intersection of two lines that do not pass through the target element. To be Further, as another aspect of the present invention, the menu is displayed at a position line-symmetrical to the cursor with respect to substantially the center line of the display area or a position point-symmetrical with the cursor with respect to the substantially center point of the display region. Can be considered.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the menu is displayed at a position where it does not overlap the target element, so that the parameter setting operation can be performed using the menu while confirming the selected element on the screen.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a C according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is a functional block diagram of an AD system. The input device 1 is
It includes a pointing device such as a mouse and code input means such as a keyboard. The position information from the mouse or the like of the input device 1 is input to the cursor position identification unit 2 and the position of the cursor operated by the mouse or the like is identified. The position identification result of the cursor position identification unit 2 is given to the display control unit 3, and the cursor is displayed at the identified position on the display 4. The position identification result from the cursor position identification unit 2 is the element selection unit 5 and the command execution unit 6
Is also supplied. The element selecting unit 5 selects, from the CAD processing unit 7, a graphic element existing in the vicinity of the position of the cursor identified by the cursor position identifying unit 2, and sets the graphic element as a selected element. The command execution unit 6 executes the command displayed at the cursor position identified by the cursor position identification unit 2, and applies the designated processing to the CAD processing unit 7.

Further, the dialog menu position calculation unit 8
Identifies the existing area of the selected element from the information of the selected element provided from the element selection unit 5, and calculates the display position of the dialog menu for setting the parameter of the selected element. The calculated display position of the dialog menu is given to the dialog menu display control unit 9. The dialog menu display control unit 9 internally has display information of the dialog menu. Therefore, the display information and the display position information are given to the display control unit 3, and the dialog menu is displayed at the display position of the display 4. The output device 10 is a drawing device such as a plotter that outputs a drawing under the control of the CAD processing unit 7.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the display 4 of the CAD system. Screen 11
Includes a graphic display area 12, a main menu 13 and a message display line 14. This example shows a display example when a dimension line is added, and a portion surrounded by a dotted line in the drawing is a target element 15 to be edited. The target element 15 includes a selection element 16 selected for automatic recognition of the end point distance, a cursor 17 for designating the position of the dimension line, an auxiliary line 18 indicating the position of the dimension line, and the like. That is, the target element 15 includes all of the portions that directly change during the editing operation or are the operation target. Further, a dialog menu 19 for setting parameters for the target element 15 is displayed at a position in the graphic display area 12 where the target element 15 does not overlap.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the dialog menu 19. In this dialog menu 19, as the parameters of the dimension line to be entered, point selection for measuring the end point distance is automatically recognized, the pen number is white, and the display color is light blue. Yes, the pitch is the standard pitch, the line type is a solid line, the size format is "Value", the character size is 3.2 mm, and the terminal symbol is an open arrow 1. Is set. When changing these parameters, the required parameter of the dialog menu 19 may be selected with the cursor 17 and the setting value may be changed. When the parameter is changed, the display form of the target element 15 also changes accordingly.

The display position of such a dialog menu 19 is displayed by the dialog menu position calculating unit 8 as shown in FIG.
It is determined according to the process shown in. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, first, a circumscribing horizontal line L circumscribing the target element 15 on all sides is provided.
1, L2 and circumscribing vertical lines L3, L4 are obtained (S1).
Next, a distance a from the circumscribing horizontal line L1 to the upper end of the display area
And the distance b from the circumscribing horizontal line L2 to the lower end of the display area is larger (S2).
1 is selected (S3), and when b is large, L2 is selected (S4). Next, it is determined which of the distance c from the circumscribing vertical line L3 to the left end of the display area and the distance d from the circumscribing vertical line L4 to the right end of the display area is larger (S5). Select (S6), L when d is large
4 is selected (S7). And, these tangent lines L1 to
Among the four corner areas surrounded by L4, the dialog menu 19 is displayed in the area surrounded by the circumscribing line having the larger distance from the end of the display area (S8). At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the dialog menu 19 is arranged at the innermost side of the four corner areas to be displayed. As a result, the dialog menu 19 is displayed at a position close to the target element 15 and so as not to overlap the target element 15.

In this embodiment, the dialog menu 19 is displayed so as to be point-symmetrical to the target element 15 with respect to the intersection of the external tangents, but the dialog menu 19 is displayed in any external tangent or display area. You may make it display so that it may become line-symmetrical with the target element 15 with respect to a centerline. In short, the dialog menu may be displayed in a line-symmetrical position with respect to the line that does not pass through the target element or in a point-symmetrical position with respect to the intersection of two lines that do not pass through the target element. Also, as a simpler process, display the menu at a position line-symmetric with the cursor position about the center line of the display area, or at a position point-symmetric with the cursor position about the center of the display region. You may In this case, it is necessary to perform processing that does not move the menu position when the cursor is moved into the menu and the operation is performed.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the menu is displayed at a position that does not overlap the target element, so that the parameter can be set using the menu while confirming the selected element on the screen. There is an effect that the operation can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a CAD system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen in the system.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a display example of a dialog menu on the display screen.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for determining a display position of a dialog menu in the system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the display position determination procedure.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Input device, 2 ... Cursor position identification part, 3 ... Display control part, 4 ... Display, 5 ... Element selection part, 6 ... Command execution part, 7 ... CAD processing part, 8 ... Dialog menu position calculation part, 9 ... Dialog menu display controller, 10 ...
Output device, 11 ... Screen, 12 ... Graphic display area, 13 ... Main menu, 14 ... Message display line, 15 ... Target element, 16 ... Selection element, 17 ... Cursor, 18 ... Auxiliary line, 19 ... Dialog menu.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A menu display method for displaying a menu for setting parameters of a target element after selecting a target element for parameter setting, wherein the menu is displayed at a position not overlapping the target element. A menu display method characterized by the above. 2. A menu display method for displaying a menu for setting parameters of a target element after selecting a target element related to parameter setting, wherein the menu is the target for a line that does not pass through the target element. Position that is axisymmetric to the element or does not pass through the target element 2
A menu display method characterized in that it is displayed at a position symmetrical with respect to the target element with respect to the intersection of the line of the book. 3. A menu display method for displaying a menu for setting parameters of a target element after selecting a target element related to parameter setting with a cursor, wherein the menu is displayed with respect to a substantially center line of a display area. A menu display method characterized in that the menu is displayed at a position line-symmetrical to the cursor or at a position substantially point-symmetrical to the cursor with respect to the center point of the display area.