JPH0812588B2 - Multi-window display controller - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-window display control device for controlling display of a plurality of windows displayed on a display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A multi-window is a function of displaying a plurality of images on a display screen at the same time. Normally, a cursor on the display screen is controlled by an operating device such as a mouse to display a required image. For example, FIG. 11 (a)
As shown in FIG. 3, various processing menus 2 are displayed on the CRT display 1 by pressing a switch provided on a mouse (not shown). Then, as shown in FIG. 11B, the cursor 3 is moved to a required menu position (“generation” in this case) in the menu 2 and the above-mentioned switch is released, whereby the state shown in FIG. To display one window 4.

Further, when other windows are displayed on the same CRT display 1, as shown in FIGS. 12 (a) and 12 (b).
The menu 2 is displayed as shown in FIG. 2, the cursor 3 is moved to a desired menu position in the menu 2, and the switch is released, so that the new window 5 is displayed in front of the window 4 as shown in FIG. 12C. Is displayed in.

As described above, in the conventional multi-window control device, when the windows are overlapped with each other, the overlap processing (overlapping processing) in which the newly generated window is in the forefront is performed. This overlap processing is performed not only in the window generation processing described above, but also in processing such as enlargement, reduction, and movement of each window.

[0005]

In the conventional multi-window control device as described above, for example, as shown in FIG.
When 7 and 8 are displayed, if the process of displaying the window 8 shown in FIG.
As shown in, the window 6 is completely invisible. Such a problem easily occurs in the case of window generation and other processing, and what kind of window exists on the display 1 is displayed on the CRT display 1.
At first glance, you won't know. An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily know what kind of window is displayed on the display.

[0006]

The means of the present invention are as follows. Window display control means for controlling a plurality of windows having display priorities to be displayed in an overlapping manner in accordance with the display priority, and when the menu display is instructed, the display state of each window is maintained. Menu display control means for controlling to display a plurality of menus, menu selection means for selecting a menu of window arrangement display among the plurality of menus, and display of each window by menu selection of the window arrangement display The titles of the individual windows are overlaid in order from the window with the lowest priority, and the individual windows are sequentially offset from the upper left position in the display area along the lower right direction at regular intervals. An organized display control unit that controls display so that the display area can be identified.

[0007]

The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows. A plurality of windows having display priorities are displayed in an overlapping manner in accordance with the display priority, and when a menu display instruction is given, a plurality of menus are displayed while maintaining the display state of each window. . If you select the window arrangement display menu from among these multiple menus,
The windows are stacked in the upward direction in order from the window having the lower display priority, and the individual windows are sequentially displaced from the upper left position in the display area along the lower right direction at regular intervals. The display is controlled so that the title display areas of the individual windows can be identified. Therefore, even if multiple windows are displayed in a mixed state, how many windows are currently open, what is the title of each window, and what is the display priority of each window? It is possible to immediately confirm on the display whether or not it is, and it is possible to display a plurality of windows in an organized state.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of a multi-window display control device of this embodiment. In the figure,
The mouse 10 is configured to be movable, and the mouse 10 is provided with a switch 10a. The movement data of the mouse 10 and the operation signals of the switch 10a are sent to the mouse controller 1
It is output to the CPU 12 via 1. In addition, an operation signal when operating a character key or a function key (not shown) of the keyboard unit 13 is C through the keyboard control unit 14.
It is output to PU12.

In addition to operation signals from the mouse 10 and the keyboard 13, the CPU 12 receives graphic window display data and window control data via an input / output (I / O) interface (not shown). CPU
12 operates according to a built-in program, window display data input from the keyboard 13 or I / O interface is output to the window memory 15, and window control data is output to the window management table 16. The window memory 15 stores all input window display data. In addition, the window management table 16 is
Data is stored in each area described later.

Further, the overlap control device 17 is CP
Driven according to the control signal from U12, the data of the display position of each window is taken out from the above-mentioned window management table 16 and the control data for displaying on the CRT display 23 described later is created.

For example, when there is one window displayed on the CRT display 23, the screen is divided into six rectangular areas S1 to S6 as shown in FIG. 2 (a), and each rectangular area S1 to The coordinates of the area, the coordinates of the logical area (not on the actual screen), the data of the title display area provided in each window, etc. are created for each S6. Also, if the windows overlap, the screens are displayed as shown in Fig. 2 (b).
It is divided into 12 rectangular areas 1 to S12, and the coordinates of the same area as described above, the coordinates of the logical area, the data of the title display area provided in each window, etc. are created for each rectangular area S1 to S12. .

The control data of the screen created in this way is transferred from the overlap control device 17 to the display control memory 1
8 is output. When the above-mentioned control data is sequentially written in the display control memory 18 and the control data for one screen is written, the control data for one screen is written to the window display device 1.
9 is output.

The window display device 19 outputs the control data for each rectangular area divided as described above to the bit mover 20 for each area. The bit mover 20 extracts the window display data from the window memory 15 for each rectangular area and outputs it to the display memory 21. When the display data of all the rectangular regions divided by the bit mover 20 (display data for one screen) is output to the display memory 21, the display control device 22 displays the display data for one screen written in the display memory 21 on the CRT display. 23. The CRT display 23 displays one or a plurality of windows according to the input display data.

On the other hand, the above-mentioned window management table 16
Is composed of a management table area as shown in FIG.
Further, the management table area of this configuration is provided for each window stored in the window memory 15 described above. In this management table, the width of the window, the height of the window, the X coordinate of the screen, the Y coordinate of the screen, the character size, the pitch between the characters, the pointer of the next window when multiple windows are displayed, and the previous window Pointer, first subwindow, last subwindow, parent window pointer, title bar data (tit
le), active title bar (atbp), and inactive title bar (dtbp) data are written. For example, in the above description, the width of the window to the pitch between the lines will be explained in comparison with the specific position on the display. As shown in FIG.
The width of A) is indicated by bpw, and the height of the window is bph.
, The X coordinate on the screen at point a of window A is pb
Similarly, the Y coordinate of the point a on the screen is indicated by bpy, and the sizes of the characters b and b'in the window A are csi.
The distance between the letters b and b'is indicated by pitch.

Further, the pointer from the next pitch to the last subwindow will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 5 showing the relationship between the windows (parent windows winA to winC). The data of the window located after the window is written.
For example, if the windows A → B → C are displayed in this order as shown in FIG. 4, the address data of the window B (pointer position) is displayed in the pointer area (fp) of the window next to the window A. ) Is written, and the address data (pointer position) of the window C is written in the pointer area (fp) of the window next to the window B. Further, since there is no window after the window C, the pointer area of the window next to the window C is NILL.

On the other hand, the pointer area (b
Contrary to the above, the data of the window located before the window is written in p). For example, if windows A → B → C are displayed in this order in the same manner as described above, the data of window A is stored in the pointer area (bp) of the window before window B as shown in FIG. The data of the window B is written in the pointer area (bp) of the window before the window C. Further, since there is no window in front of the window A, the pointer area of the window in front of the window A becomes NILL.

In the area (swsp) of the first subwindow of the parent window (CRT) having the entire screen of the CRT display 23 as one window, the data of the front window displayed on the CRT display 23 is written. It is embedded. Meanwhile, the parent window (CRT)
In the area of the last sub-window of, the data of the window on the last surface displayed on the CRT display 23 is written. For example, according to the example of FIG.
The address data of window A is written in the first subwindow area (swsp), and the address data of window C is written in the last subwindow area (swep).

Further, address data of the parent window (CRT) is written in the pointer area (parent) of the parent windows of the windows A to C.

The operation of the multi-window display control device of this embodiment having the above construction will be described below.

First, it is assumed that windows D to G (however, window G is hidden by windows D to F) are displayed on the CRT display 23, as shown in FIG. In such a state, not only is it impossible to know what the title of the window G is, but also the title of the window F is almost hidden and cannot be clearly confirmed.

From this display state, first, the mouse 10 described above is displayed.
To move the mouse cursor 2 by sending an operation signal to the CPU 12,
4 is moved to a position where windows D to G are not displayed on the CRT display 23. Next, by operating (pressing) the switch 10a, a control signal is similarly sent from the CPU 12 to display the processing menu 25 on the CRT display 23 as shown in FIG. Further, the mouse 10 is operated while operating the switch 10a to move the mouse cursor 24 to the position of the rearrangement display processing in the processing menu 25 as shown in FIG. Then, the rearrangement display processing is selected from the processing menu 25 and the switch 10a is released.

When the rearrangement display processing is selected in this way, the CPU 12 causes the window D on the CRT display 23 to be displayed.
The mode shifts to the rearrangement display mode in which G is arranged in order and displayed. FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the processing of the CPU 12 in this organized display mode. In the figure, for explanation of the flow, the left upper end of the screen of the CRT display 23 is the base point (0, 0) of the coordinate system, the left direction is the positive direction of x, and the downward direction is the positive direction of y.

First, the CPU 12 fetches the data written in the last subwindow (swep) of the parent management table (CRT) into the pointer (p) in the CPU 12 (step ST1). The data written in the area of the management table (CRT) is the management table of the window G as in the case shown in FIG. Therefore,
The CPU 12 selects the management table of the window G in the window management table 16 as the last window.

Next, initial width (X, Y) screen width W and screen height H for displaying a window on the CRT display 23 are initialized (step ST).
2). With this setting, the initial position of the pointer is X = 0,
Y = (size + pitch).

Next, the CPU 12 outputs X-coordinate data (bpx) and Y-coordinate data (bpy) of the screen to the management table of the window G selected as described above, and FIG.
As shown in, the starting point g of the window G on the rear surface is set (step ST3). At this time, the data sent to the management table of the window G is the X and Y data set as described above. Therefore, the X coordinate (bpx) of the window G is 0 and the Y coordinate (bpy) is C siz on the screen.
e + pitch.

Next, the CPU 12 fetches the data in the pointer area (bp) of the previous window in the management table of the window G and selects the window F. Then, the starting point f of the window F for displaying the positions X and Y of the pointer next
(Step ST4). The position of the starting point f is obtained by adding C size to the X coordinate of the starting point g and adding C si to the Y coordinate.
ze + pitch width is added.

Next, the coordinates of the right edge of the window G are CRT.
It is checked whether the width (W) of the display is exceeded (step ST5), and if it is exceeded (W <bpy + bp
h) The width of the window G is corrected (step ST
6) Similarly, the lower end of the window G is also checked (step ST7) If the height (H) of the CRT is exceeded (H <
bpy + bph) The height (H) of the window is corrected (step ST8).

Next, it is judged whether the pointer (bp) of the window before the window G is NILL (step ST
9) In this embodiment, since the window F exists, the pointer is set to the address of the front window management table F (step ST10). Similarly, for window F, the numerical values of X and Y are substituted in step ST3, and thereafter, in the same manner, steps ST4 → ST5 → ...
Repeat for the number of windows displayed on the RT display 23. Therefore, the sequential windows F, E, as shown in FIG.
The starting points f, e, d of D are designated, and the data necessary for the organized display is written in the window management table. When the data is written in the required area of the window management table in this way, the data in the window management table 16 is sent to the above-mentioned overlap control device 17. The data sent to the overlap control device 17 is divided into screens as described above, and the window display device 19 and the bit mover 2 are used.
A value such as 0 is displayed on the CRT display 23 as shown in FIG.

If the title bar has icons or menus, the title bar of each window is displayed so that the icon and menu of the target window can be easily operated.

[0030]

According to the present invention, a plurality of windows displayed on the display area can be displayed in the title display area of each window only by selecting and ordering window arrangement display from the plurality of menus. Also, since it is possible to arrange and display the windows by overlapping them while maintaining the display priority of each window, no matter how many windows are open even if multiple windows are displayed in a mixed state. You can immediately check on the display what the title of each window is, what the display priority of each window is, and in a state where multiple windows are organized. Can be displayed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of a multi-window display control device of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a method of dividing overlap control of the multi-window display control device according to the present exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a window management table.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a window management table.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between windows.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of a multi-window according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example of a multi-window according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a multi-window according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example of a multi-window according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the multi-window display control device of this embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram illustrating the operation of a conventional example.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram illustrating the operation of a conventional example.

FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram illustrating an operation of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 CPU 15 Window memory 16 Window management table

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A window display control means for controlling a plurality of windows having display priorities to be displayed in an overlapping manner in accordance with the display priority, and the display of each window when a menu display instruction is given. The menu display control means for controlling to display a plurality of menus while maintaining the state, the menu selection means for selecting a menu of the window arrangement display among the plurality of menus, and the menu selection of the window arrangement display, By stacking the windows in the upward direction in order from the window having the lower display priority, and arranging the individual windows in the display area sequentially from the upper left position in the lower right direction at regular intervals, Organized display control means for controlling display so that the title display area of each window can be identified, Multiwindow display control apparatus characterized by comprising.