JPH0782473B2 - User interface management device and method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a computer device that advances processing interactively with a user according to an application program, and particularly, from a menu, an icon, etc., independently of the application program. The present invention relates to a user interface management apparatus and method suitable for constructing and executing another user interface.

[Prior art]

Conventionally, processing related to user interfaces such as menus and icons has been incorporated into application programs.

For this reason, when changing the user interface and the input / output device for realizing it, it is necessary to change the application program itself. Also, when the same processing is executed by different user interfaces, it is necessary to create separate application programs.

Therefore, regarding the menu, as described in JP-A-60-168226, the display contents of the menu and the data regarding the display device are stored in the menu file, and the application program displays the menu display on the menu display. On request, a method has been proposed in which the menu indicator displays the menu according to the data in the menu file.
This makes it possible to display different menus without changing the application program.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, the above-mentioned prior art does not consider changing the type of the dialogue means such as changing the menu to the icon, and in this case, it is necessary to change the application program itself.

Further, the above-mentioned conventional technology considers only the display process, does not consider that the entire interactive process including input is separated from the application program, and does not consider the input / output of character strings or numerical data. , It was impossible to change the entire user interface independently of the application program.

An object of the present invention is to provide a user interface management apparatus and method capable of constructing and changing a user interface including interactive means such as menus, icons, graphs, tables, and meters independently of an application program. Especially.

[Means for solving problems]

 Next, the basic principle of the present invention will be briefly described.

The above-mentioned objects are (i) user interface means for performing interactive processing of menus, icons, graphs, etc., and (ii) application program interface means for performing data input / output in application programs, procedure calling, etc. And
This is achieved by providing the data independently of the application program and (iii) passing intermediate data according to a predetermined format between the user interface means and the application program interface means.

As a concrete configuration for applying the above principle to practical use, the management device according to the present invention is provided with a display means and an information input means, and a computer for a user to execute the processing of the application program through the dialogue means. And (a) a function of displaying an image of the dialogue means on the display means, a function of interpreting a user's input operation regarding the dialogue means and converting it into intermediate data, and a dialogue of converting the intermediate data. User interface means having a function of displaying data by means, and (b) a function of converting the intermediate data into data of a format suitable for the application program, and a function of converting the intermediate data into data in the application program according to the intermediate data. An application program that has a function of activating a processing procedure and a function of converting data output from the application program into intermediate data. It is provided with a Tafuesu means.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, when inputting data using an interactive means such as a menu, an icon, and a graph, or invoking a processing procedure in an application program, the user's operation with respect to the interactive means is changed to the user's operation. The interface interprets and creates intermediate data in a predetermined format. The intermediate data is sent to the application program interface means, converted into a data type suitable for the application program and then passed to the application program, or the processing procedure in the application program is activated according to the intermediate data.

On the other hand, in outputting data, the application program interface means receives the data output by the application program, converts the data into intermediate data of the predetermined format, and outputs the intermediate data to the user interface means. The user interface means can draw graphs, tables,
Display in the form of interactive means such as meters.

As described above, the input and output data are once converted into the intermediate data, but if the intermediate data has the same functional format in the same dialogue means, if the dialogue means has the same function,
The application program can be replaced without any change, and the user interface can be changed.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. This embodiment is an application program that advances processing while interacting with a user on a workstation.

(A) Overall configuration FIG. 1 is a block diagram of this embodiment. The output device includes a CRT display 1, and the input device includes a keyboard 2 and a mouse 3, which are controlled by an input / output device driver 4. The user interface means 5 converts the input data d from the input / output device driver 4 into intermediate data e1, e2, ... En and outputs it to the application program interface means 6, or conversely from the application program interface means 6. The supplied intermediate data is converted into output data and output to the input / output device driver 4.

The application program interface means 6 calls a procedure in the application program 7 according to the intermediate data given from the user interface means 5 or converts the intermediate data into data f1, f2, ... And pass it to the application program 7. Alternatively, conversely, the output data of the application program 7 is converted into intermediate data and output to the user interface means 5.

The user interface of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 (A) is a display example of the CRT screen. On the screen 10, a menu 111, a meter figure (hereinafter, simply meter) 112, a message input / output area 113 are displayed. Also,
The coordinates specified by the mouse cursor 11 are
It can be confirmed on the screen by the tip 110 of 11.

(B) Input / Output Operation First, the input operation will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The user uses the keyboard 2 and the mouse 3 while inputting data or activating the processing of the application program while looking at the displayed objects such as menus and icons on the CRT display 1.
Buttons are attached to the mouse 3. The key information data b of the keyboard 2, the coordinates of the mouse coordinate system input by the mouse 3 and the data c of the button information are sent to the input / output device driver 4, and the character code, the coordinates of the screen coordinate system (hereinafter simply referred to as coordinates), It is converted into input data d such as a button code and sent to the user interface means 55. For example, on the screen 10 of FIG. 2A, when the mouse cursor is moved into the display area of the item of the menu 111 and the mouse button is pressed, the button code of the pressed button and the coordinates at that time are input data by the user. It is input to the interface means 5.

The user interface means 5 comprises a plurality of dialogue means 51, 52, ... 5n for performing processing relating to menus, icons and the like.
For example, in the example of the screen of FIG. 2 (A), there are dialog means corresponding to the menu 111, menu 112, message input / output area 113.

The user interface means parses the input data and assigns it to the appropriate interaction means. Generally, it is assigned to an interactive means corresponding to a display object on the screen including the coordinates when the user's input operation occurs. For example, in FIG. 2 (A), when the button is pressed while the tip of the cursor 11 on the screen 10 is in the display area of the menu 111, the input data including the coordinates and the button code is the dialog for performing the process related to the menu. Means, for example 51.

The dialogue means 51 to 5n interpret the assigned input data d, generate intermediate data e1, e2, ..., En and output it to the application program interface means. In this embodiment, a menu (FIG. 2 (A) 111) and an icon (FIG. 2 (B) 121, 12) are used.
2,123), meter (Fig. 2 (a) 112), counter (second)
(B) 125), a message input / output area (113 in FIG. 2), and other interactive means.

There are three types of intermediate data of the present embodiment: number, real number and character string. The dialogue means of the menu and the icon group is the intermediate data of the number, and the dialogue means of the meter and the counter is the intermediate data of the real number. The area interaction means handles intermediate data of character strings. In the example of the menu selection described above, the intermediate data e1 of the number representing the item number is generated, and the details of the interaction means will be described later.

The application program interface means 6 comprises a plurality of input / output means 61, 62, ..., 6n, and each input / output means is connected to the dialogue means 51, 52, ..., 5n in the user interface means. In this embodiment, procedure calling means, set data input, output means, integer input, output means, real number input, output means,
There are input / output means such as character string input / output means.

The input / output means 61 to 67 convert the input intermediate data e1 to en into application program data f1, f2, ..., Fn of a data type suitable for the application program 7 and output the same, or the application program according to the intermediate data. Or start the procedure in. In the above-mentioned example of menu selection, if the menu dialogue means is connected to 51 procedure calling means, for example 61, the procedure calling means seeks the procedure corresponding to the intermediate data e1 of the inputted number, and the procedure in the application program is searched. To call the process.

The above is the input processing from the user, but regarding the output, the basic idea is the same although the data flow and the data conversion processing are reversed. For example, when the application program 7 outputs an integer value, if the application program data to be output, for example f2, is sent to the input / output means 62 (in this case, integer input / output means) in the application program interface means, integer input / output means Is converted into real number intermediate data e2 and output to the dialogue means 52 in the user interface means 5. If the interactive means is a meter interactive means, the meter interactive means displays the input intermediate data in a meter,
The graphic output data d of the meter display is converted and output to the input / output driver. The input / output driver outputs the display data a to the CRT display 1 and the 112 shown in FIG. 2 (A) is displayed on the screen of the CRT display. It is displayed in a form like.

In this embodiment as described above, since the input and output of the data of the application program and the activation of the procedure in the application program are interactively performed, the processing of the specific user interface portion such as the menu, the icon, the meter, etc. The user interface means executes the processing that depends on the application program such as procedure call and integer input / output, and the application program interface means executes the processing, and the input / output data exchanged between them does not depend on the input / output device or the application program. It is the intermediate data of a predetermined format.

(C) Dialogue means and input / output means Next, the details of the operations of the dialogue means and the input / output means will be described with reference to FIGS. As described above, in the present embodiment, various kinds of interactive means in the user interface means execute the processing of the part related to the specific user interface, and the processing of the part depending on the application program is executed by the various kinds of the application program interface means. Input / output means executes. Therefore, the user interface can be changed simply by changing the dialogue means connected to each input / output means.

For example, the user interface shown in FIG.
The procedure is started by 111, the integer data is output by the meter 112, the character string is output by the message input, and the output area 113 is output. As shown in FIG. 2 (B), this is started by the icon group 121, 122, 123.
To change the input / output of the integer data by the counter 125 and the input / output of the character string by the message input / output area 126, change the dialog means in the user interface means to another dialog means. Good.

The method of changing the dialogue means will be described in detail when the menu is changed to the icon group. FIG. 3 shows the connection between the dialogue means and the input / output means. Menu dialogue means
54 is a menu dialogue processing unit 541 and a menu data storage unit 542.
The menu dialogue processing section reads out the menu data in the menu storage section and executes the processing relating to the menu. An example of the menu data is shown in FIG. The menu data 543 includes the number of items, item character string, display device, size, and the like. When the user or the mouse moves the cursor 11 into the display area of the menu 111 and presses the button to execute menu selection, the menu dialogue processing unit displays the input coordinate data and the number of stored menu data items, the display position, The item number of the menu item selected by the user is calculated from the size data. For example, when the item "stop" is selected, item number 3 is obtained. This number becomes the intermediate data.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the icon group dialogue means 55 comprises an icon group dialogue processing section 551 and an icon group data storage section 552, and as shown in FIG. 4 (B), icon group data 553.
Consists of the number of icons and each icon data, and the icon data consists of graphic data, display position, size and the like.
Now, when the user moves the cursor 11 to the display area of the microcomputer 123 with the mouse as shown in FIG. 2 (B) and presses the button, the icon group interaction means displays the input coordinates, the display position of the icon, and the size data. The number of the icon selected from is calculated. When the icon 123 is selected, the icon number 3 is obtained and this becomes the intermediate data.

The procedure call means 64 comprises a procedure call processing unit 641 and a procedure data storage unit 642. As shown in FIG. 6A, the procedure data 643 stores the procedure name in the application program to be called. Then, when the intermediate data, that is, the data of the number is input, the procedure name corresponding to the number is obtained, and the procedure in the application program is called.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, by switching the dialogue means connected to the procedure calling means 64 by the switch 80 to the menu dialogue means 54 or the icon group dialogue means 55,
You can change the user interface to menu or icon. This is because the intermediate code e4 output by both is exactly the same format. In this way, a plurality of types of interaction means for handling intermediate codes of the same format can be connected to one input / output means, and the user interface can be easily changed by exchanging the interaction means.

When changing the display position or size on the screen,
For example, the data of the menu data 543 in FIG. 4 (A) may be rewritten.

By the way, on the contrary, it is possible to connect one dialogue means to a plurality of types of input / output means. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the menu dialogue means 54 should be connected to the collective data input / output means 65. You can When the set data input / output means receives the intermediate data e4 of the number, the set data input / output processing unit 651 refers to the set data 653 in FIG. 6 (B) stored in the set data storage means 652, The element data corresponding to the input intermediate code number is output.

The input processing has been described above, but the output is converted in the opposite direction. For example, when element data is output from the application program to the collective data input / output means 65 of FIG. 5, the collective data input / output means calculates a number corresponding to the element data, and uses this as intermediate data to the menu dialogue means. Output.

The menu dialogue means highlights and displays the item corresponding to the intermediate data.

Further, a plurality of dialogue means may be connected to one input / output means. For example, in the example of FIG. 7, one integer input / output means 66
A meter dialogue means 56 and a counter dialogue means 57 are connected to the. Thereby, one integer data can be displayed in two forms of a meter and a counter.

According to this embodiment, the specific user interface is determined by the interactive means that can be defined independently of the application program. Therefore, the user interface can be constructed independently of the application program, and there is an effect that the development efficiency of the user interface is improved.

Further, if the format of the intermediate data is the same, the type of interaction means can be freely changed, so that there is an effect that the user interface can be changed without modifying the application program.

Data such as a display shape, a display position, and a size used by the dialogue means for displaying are stored in each dialogue means itself. Therefore, it is possible to define and change the display shape, display position, size, etc. of the dialogue means independently of the application program.

Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, one application program uses one application program interface means and one user interface means to carry out interactive processing. However, it is also possible to use a computer device capable of simultaneously executing a plurality of application programs by a multi-process. An embodiment in this case will be described with reference to FIG. Generally, since only one input / output device exists in one computer, one user interface means 501 is provided in one computer system. This is executed as the user interface process 500 independently of the application program. Each application program 701,702
Respectively have application program interface means I and II, and are executed in parallel as a plurality of application processes 900 and 901. The basic operation is the same as that of the above embodiment, but the intermediate data e71 and e72 are transferred to and from one user interface means by interprocess communication. That is, a plurality of application programs share one user interface means and proceed with the dialogue with the user.

According to the present embodiment, since a plurality of application programs use one user interface means, there are effects that the system configuration becomes simple and the load at the time of execution is reduced.

Further, the present invention can be applied to a computer device including a host computer and a plurality of terminals. This embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. There are a plurality of application program processes 911 and 912 on the host computer 910. Each application program process consists of application programs 711 and 712 and application program interface means 611 and 612. On the other hand, each terminal 510, 520, 530 has user interface means 511, 521, 523 for transferring the intermediate data e81, e82, e83 with the host computer and advancing the interactive processing between the user and the application program. As shown in the figure, one application program process 911 is used by multiple terminals 510, 5
It is also possible to use 20.

According to the present embodiment, the processing of the application program is performed by the host computer, and the interactive processing with the user is performed by the terminals I to III, so that the computer system can be efficiently used. Further, since the user interface means of the terminal depends on the input / output device of the terminal, but does not depend on the intermediate code, there is an effect that terminals of different types and functions can be used without changing the application program. Furthermore, since the specific user interface is decided on the terminal side, the construction of the user interface on the terminal side independently of the host computer,
The effect is that it can be changed.

Next, an embodiment of a plurality of computers connected to the network will be described with reference to FIG. A plurality of computers 920 and 930 are connected by a network 800. User interface means 541 and 551 operate on each computer. There is one user interface process 540, one user interface process 550. Further, the application programs 721, 722, 731 and the application program interface means 621, 622, 631 are executed as application program processes 921, 922, 931. The application program process is not limited to the computational user interface process in which the application program process exists. For example, the application program process 922 is the user interface means 551 of another computer.
By transferring the intermediate data e93 through the network 800 and the network 800, execution of the application program and interaction with the user can be performed by another computer. Further, one application program process 21 is used by the user interface means 54 of two computers.
By transferring intermediate data to and from 1,542,
One application program can also interact using two different computer input / output devices. As described above, there is an effect that the computer can be effectively used, such as executing the application program on a plurality of computers and displaying one application program on a plurality of computers while interacting with the one computer.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, since the user interface means does not depend on the application program, the user interface can be constructed independently of the application program, and the user interface construction efficiency is improved. Further, there is an effect that the user interface can be modified only by changing the user interface means without changing the application program.

Also, the application program interface means can efficiently input and output data in a data type suitable for the application program and directly call procedures in the application program, so that the application program can be constructed efficiently without being aware of the user interface. The effect is that you can do it.

In the present invention, the input / output device and the specific dialogue means such as menus and icons are related only to the user interface means and do not affect the application program interface means and the application program. Therefore, there is an effect that the same application program can be used even if the input / output device and the interactive means are changed.

Generally, application programs are written in various programming languages, and the data types they handle differ. When the present invention is applied, if the application program interface means suitable for each programming language is prepared, the same user interface means can be used, and an effective user interface can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining a user interface screen of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS.
The drawings are block diagrams for explaining the dialogue means and the input / output means of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are block diagrams of other embodiments of the present invention. 1 ... CRT display, 2 ... keyboard, 3 ... mouse, 4 ... input / output driver, 5 ... user interface means, 6 ... application program interface means, 7 ... application program, 51,52 …, 5n …… Means of dialogue,
61,62, ..., 6n ... Input / output means.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A computer apparatus comprising a display means and an information input means, in which a user executes processing of an application program through the dialogue means, (a) a function of displaying an image of the dialogue means on the display means, User interface means having a function of interpreting a user's input operation concerning the dialogue means and converting it into intermediate data and a function of converting the intermediate data and displaying the data by the dialogue means, and (b) the above It has a function of converting intermediate data into data of a format suitable for the application program, a function of activating a processing procedure in the application program according to the intermediate data, and a function of converting data output from the application program into intermediate data. User interface management device characterized by having an application program interface means 2. The computer device is capable of executing a plurality of processes in parallel and has a function of executing the user interface means by one user interface process, and the application program interface means. 2. The user interface management device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface management device has a function of executing an application program in a process different from the above, and transfers the intermediate data by interprocess communication. 3. A plurality of application program processes are provided, and a single user interface process is provided, and a single user interface means performs interactive processing with users of a plurality of application programs. The user interface management device according to claim 2. 4. The computer system comprises a host computer and a terminal computer, the user interface means is provided in the terminal computer, and the application program interface means and application program are provided in the host computer. The user interface management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate data is transferred by a communication line connecting a host computer and a terminal computer. 5. A plurality of the terminal computers are provided, and the application program interface means and the application program interact with a user by user interface means provided in the plurality of terminals. The user interface management device according to claim 4. 6. The computer device comprises a plurality of computers connected by a network, the user interface means is provided in each of the plurality of computers, and the application program and application program interface means on each computer are: 2. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate data is transferred to a user interface unit on another computer via a network to perform an interactive process with a user. Management device. 7. A computer apparatus which executes processing of an application program according to an interactive input instruction using a menu display or icon display with a user, converts the input instruction into intermediate data by a user interface, and outputs the intermediate data. The data is converted into data of a format suitable for the application program by the application program interface and passed to the application program, and the data output as a result of the processing of the application program is converted into intermediate data by the application program interface, and the intermediate data A user interface management method comprising: converting data into display data by the user interface and displaying the data on a screen.