JPH0667835A - Multiwindow display system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a multiwindow display system capable of clearing relation among many windows to be used and easily checking and accessing the positional relation of overlapped windows. CONSTITUTION:A window control part 5 for controlling the size of a window, the change of a display position, the transfer of data among windows, etc., is connected to a central processing unit(CPU) 1 and an window information recording part 6 for recording window information and an window overlapped state detecting part 7 for detecting the positional relation of all windows are connected to the control part 5. On the other hand, an image memory part 8 for recording much image data and a display part 9 for synthesizing window display and the point display of a mouse pointer 3 and displaying the synthesized result are connected to the CPU 1 and a superposed window existing on any position can also be displayed on the uppermost (top) position by specifying the symbol of the window.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-window system using a display screen, and more particularly to a display system for overlapping windows.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, there is a multi-window system in which a plurality of display screens called "windows" are provided on the display screen in order to effectively use a limited display screen space. The multi-window method includes a division method in which the screen is divided into a certain area and used, and an overlap method in which the screens are overlapped depending on the display method. In the division method, when the number of divided areas is large, the amount of information that can be displayed in one area is limited. Therefore, it is necessary to frequently perform the scroll operation.

On the other hand, in the overlap method, an overlapping window in the lower layer of one window is hidden, but by calling the window at the top, it can be displayed in the upper layer and more information can be listed.

In the overlap method, the size and display position of windows can be freely changed by a user or a program, and if data is freely exchanged between windows, work efficiency is significantly improved. It is a thing.

However, in this overlap-type window, when a window that overlaps and becomes a lower layer (hereinafter referred to as an overlapping window) is called, the display position of the upper layer window is changed, the display size is changed, and the window is closed. The number of windows in the upper layer must be performed, which reduces work efficiency. As a solution to this problem, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-647
There is a display system disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 97.

In this system, the hidden image data portion is called according to the vertical relationship by pointing with a pointer to the hidden portion where the windows overlap.
When the pointer is separated from the read image data portion, the original image is restored.

[0007]

However, in the screen situation in which the display system according to Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-64797 mentioned above can be used, a part of the screen must be displayed even if the images of the windows overlap. That is, in a completely overlapping situation, the hidden overlapping window cannot be pointed to by the pointer and cannot be used.

Therefore, when a large number of windows are used, it is necessary to search for overlapping windows that completely enter the lower layer by the same procedure as in the conventional system.

As another display method, there is also known a system in which the name of a window is displayed on the screen, and even a window hidden in the lower layer can be displayed by selection, but the operation is performed. In many cases, it is erroneously called unless the contents and relations of all windows are grasped, and the desired window may not be called immediately. Therefore, this method is not suitable for work using many windows.

Therefore, the present invention provides a multi-window display system which makes it easy to clarify the relationship between a large number of windows to be used, and to confirm the positional relationship of overlapping windows and to display them at the top (top). To aim.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a multi-window display system for displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen, and an overlapping state detecting means for detecting an overlapping state of the plurality of windows. And a means for displaying the overlapping state of the plurality of windows detected by the overlapping state detection means as a window cross-section display window arranged in the depth direction of the display screen with a predetermined symbol representing each window,
There is provided a multi-window display system including means for displaying a desired window as the topmost window of the display by selecting a symbol corresponding to the desired window in the window cross-section display window.

[0012]

In the multi-window display system having the above-described structure, the overlapping positions, the order, and the relationship between the windows of the multiple windows that are stacked in multiple layers are displayed by the symbols determined so as to correspond to the windows. The overlapping window is displayed at the top by specifying the symbol corresponding to the desired window.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a multi-window display system as an example according to the present invention, and will be described.

In this display system, there is a central processing unit (CPU) 1 for controlling the operation of each component, and a keyboard 2 or a mouse pointer 3 as an input device and a pointer detection unit for detecting pointer input. 4 is connected.

Further, the CPU 1 is connected to a window control section 5 for controlling the size and display position of windows and the transfer of data between windows, and the window control section 5 is used as the window control section 5. A window information recording unit 6 that records information such as the relationship between many windows
And the window overlapping state detection unit 7 for detecting the positional relationship of all the windows being used are connected.

Further, an image memory unit 8 for recording a large number of image data and a display unit 9 composed of a cathode ray tube or a flat display for combining and displaying the window display and the pointer display of the mouse pointer 3 are connected.
Next, the operation of the multi-window display system having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2 and the display image example of FIG.

On the display screen of FIG. 3, FIG. 3A shows a normal multi-window display, and FIG. 3B shows a window cross-section display window showing a cross section viewed from the horizontal direction. In FIG. 6C, the window cross-section display window viewed from the vertical direction is displayed on the upper side. First of all, when using multi-window,
Normally, the image shown in FIG. 3A is displayed on the screen of the display unit 9.

Then, the display request of the window cross section display window is confirmed (step S1), and if there is a request, the window cross section display window is displayed by clicking the desktop window with the mouse pointer 3 (step S2). .

This display is shown in FIG. 3 by a single click.
The window cross-section display window viewed from the horizontal direction (arrow m) shown in (b) is displayed, and the window cross-section display window viewed from the vertical direction (arrow n) shown in FIG. 3C is displayed by double-clicking. This display request can also be executed in correspondence with the command of the keyboard 2.

Next, the selection instruction (click) of the desired window is judged (step S3). In this determination, if a selection instruction, for example, the symbol of window C is clicked with the mouse pointer (YES), the selected window C is displayed at the top (top) (step S
4) The window cross-section display window is deleted (step S6). The screen in this state is shown in FIG.

However, if it is determined in step S3 that there is no selection instruction and nothing is clicked (NO), it is confirmed whether or not there is a request to erase the window cross-section display window (step S5). If there is no such deletion request, the process returns to step S3 to wait for a window selection instruction, and if there is an deletion request (YES), the desktop window is deleted by clicking the desktop window with the mouse pointer.

Further, by double-clicking the symbol with the mouse pointer, the upper layer windows of the relevant window can be made into icons at once. The screen in this state is shown in FIG. Further, a window title name may be displayed instead of the symbol at the position of the symbol in the window cross-section display window shown in FIG.

Further, it is also possible to display the relation of windows such as whether the data are related windows or irrelevant windows by the color of the symbol or the like (however, it is shown by hatching in the drawing).

As described above, according to the multi-window display system of the present embodiment, the overlapping positions, the order, and the relationship between windows of a plurality of overlapping windows can be clearly shown, so that they can be recognized at a glance. By specifying the window symbol, it is possible to display the overlapping window at any position at the top (top).
Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications and applications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0025]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is easy to clarify the relationship between a large number of windows to be used, and to confirm the positional relationship of overlapping windows and display them at the top (top). A multi-window display system can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a multi-window display system as an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the multi-window display system shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a multi-window and a window cross-section display window displayed on a display screen of a display device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a multi-window displayed on a display screen of a display device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a multi-window displayed on a display screen of a display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Central processing unit (CPU), 2 ... Keyboard, 3 ... Mouse pointer, 4 ... Pointer detection part, 5 ... Window control part, 6 ... Window information recording part, Window overlapping state detection part 7, 8 ... Image memory part, 9 ... Display section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A multi-window display system for displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen, comprising: an overlapping state detecting means for detecting an overlapping state of the plurality of windows; and a plurality of windows detected by the overlapping state detecting means. A means for displaying the overlapping state as a window cross-section display window arranged in the depth direction of the display screen with a predetermined symbol representing each window, and a symbol corresponding to a desired window in the window cross-section display window are selected to select the desired window. A multi-window display system, comprising: means for displaying as a topmost window of a display.