JPH0827686B2 - Key display processing method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION [Overview] In a computer, a so-called programmable function key (PF) is used to specify a program to be executed.
Regarding the key display, the purpose of the key display processing method is to make it possible to easily display arbitrary figures, etc., on the screen of the display device in correspondence with the PF key by specifying by data. A computer that executes a predetermined program designated for the key by an input signal by pressing a predetermined key of the keyboard, and displays the corresponding state of the predetermined key. A key control data of a predetermined format having information defining a figure and a display position is provided, and the display control means displays the designated display figure for all the predetermined keys according to the designation of the key control data on the screen of the display device. It is configured to display at the display position specified above.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a processing system for displaying a so-called programmable function key (PF key) for designating a program to be executed on a computer.

[Problems to be Solved by Conventional Techniques and Inventions]

In a computer, a method of assigning a required program or command to each key of a specific key group and controlling to start execution of the program by pressing the key simplifies the key operation for requesting program processing. It is widely used as a method for improving operability and avoiding an input error caused by a large number of key inputs.

A specific key provided for such a purpose is generally called a programmable function key (abbreviated as PF key), and a general-purpose keyboard that is an input device of a computer often has a dozen or more PF keys. It is provided.

Although a certain function is usually assigned to these PF keys by a computer system management program, a user may change those assignments to execute a necessary program, for example, a certain function. In many cases, a function is provided so that pressing a PF key has the same effect as entering a specific required command.

In the case of a dedicated system such as computer-aided learning / education (CAL / CAI) operated by a non-specialist of a computer, it is especially desirable to improve the operability by utilizing the function of the PF key.

In such a dedicated system, a special command or program is assigned to each PF key, and the function of each PF key peculiar to each dedicated system realized by the PF key is displayed in a graphic form (so-called It is desired to display the icon) on the screen of the display device. However, since there is no means for easily realizing the PF key icon display that is determined for each such dedicated system, a program for processing the display must be created for each required system.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a key display processing system which can easily display an arbitrary figure or the like on a screen of a display device corresponding to a PF key by designating by data.

[Means for solving the problem]

 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention.

The figure shows a configuration of a key display processing system, which has a keyboard 1 and a display device 2, and executes a predetermined program 5 designated for the key by an input signal by pressing a predetermined key of the keyboard 1. In a computer, key control data 3 of a predetermined format having a display figure and information defining a display device is provided corresponding to a predetermined state of each of the predetermined keys, and all the key control units 4 as display control means are provided. According to the designation of the key control data 3 for the predetermined key, the designated display figure is displayed at the designated display position on the screen of the display device 2.

[Action]

With the above processing method, it is possible to easily display an arbitrary figure by designating the icons and the like that display the functions assigned to the PF keys by specifying the data without the need to create a new program. Like

〔Example〕

As shown in FIG. 1, the key control data 3 is composed of, for example, an environment data file 10, a function data file 11, a display data file 12, a coordinate data file 13 and a necessary image pattern data file 14. According to the invention, the control information for the display of the PF key, PF
It shall be defined together with information on key function assignment and its activation control.

That is, the contents of the environment data file 10 specify an end flag that specifies whether the function allocation to the PF key defined by the key control data 3 is valid, and whether the PF key is displayed. PF display flag, function data file
The content of 11 defines the function name assigned to each PF key and the program name or command name to be executed for each PF key.

The display data file 12 and the coordinate data file 13 are display definitions, and the display data file 12 is executing the specified program for each PF key before the key is pressed (initial display) and when it is pressed. (Display when pressed) and each display figure (including characters and blanks (no display or deletion)) and its display device are defined. The definition of the display device is a coordinate data file.
In 13, the coordinates are defined as the fixed position of each PF key.

The coordinate data file 13 defines the above-mentioned fixed positions for the display positions of the respective PF keys by indicating the upper left and lower right points of the rectangular display area by the X and Y coordinates of the screen of the display device 2.

A user who creates a dedicated system, etc., and defines the function allocation to the PF keys and the display, prepares the key control data 3 as each file by creating the data in the predetermined format with the above-mentioned contents by an appropriate editing program. In addition, when a so-called image is used for a display figure instead of a character string, the image pattern data is created as the image pattern data file 14 for each image, and the definition location of each display figure in the display data file 12 is defined. Then, each of the necessary image pattern data files 14 is designated.

FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams showing examples of contents of the function data file 11, the display data file 12, and the coordinate data file 13, respectively. In the function data file of FIG. 3 (a), for example, in the definition of the PF key "PF1", "A: MIND.COM" is the command name, and the subsequent "* parameter *" is the parameter entered by the user. Indicates that Also, in the case of "PF5", "* command *" indicates that the user arbitrarily inputs a command, and "equivalent" of "PF7" means that PF7 performs the same function as the previous PF6. Indicates.

In the display data file of FIG. 3 (b), the first designation "S or G" indicates whether the display figure is a character string or an image. For example, "PF1" is defined as a character string and the initial display is a character. In the column "Compiler", the display color is "6", the background color is "1", and the display when pressed is the character string "Compiler", the display color is "1", the background color is "6", and the display The position indicates that the position is defined as the fixed position of "PF1" in the coordinate data file.

Also, in the case of "PF6", it is an image, the file name of the image pattern data file of the image initially displayed is "Hierarchy Tool 1.PAT", and the file name displayed when pressed is "Hierarchy Tool 2.PA".
The display position in this case is across the position defined as the fixed position of “PF6” and “PF7” in the coordinate data file (from the upper left of the fixed position of PF6 to the lower right of the fixed position of PF7). ) It is a designation to display (an example of double display in which PF6 and 7 have the same function as described above).

In the coordinate data file of FIG. 3 (c), the fixed position of the rectangle for each PF key is indicated by the upper left coordinate and the lower right coordinate as in the example of the figure.

In the key control unit 4, first, the initialization processing unit 15 reads the data of each file of the key control data 3 described above, and generates a predetermined control information block 16 corresponding to the definition contents thereof in the main memory. In addition, the image pattern is read from the image pattern data file 14 and saved in each image pattern area 17 designated from each required entry of the control information block, and also for the character string, an image pattern is generated and similarly saved. .

Also, depending on the contents of the environment data file 10, after setting the PF display flag 18 and the end flag 19 provided in a predetermined area,
The control information block 16 is passed to the key control processing unit 20 and activated.

The key control processing unit 20 first tests the PF display flag 18 in processing step 30 according to the flow of processing shown in FIG. 4, for example, and if it is on, controls information block 16 in processing step 31.
According to, process the initial display for all PF keys. As a result, the control information block 16 based on the key control data 3 having the contents illustrated in FIG. 3 outputs a display as shown in FIG. 2 on the screen of the display device 2. If the PF display flag is off, the above display will not be performed.

Then in process step 32 the end flag 19 is tested. In this example, the end flag is normally turned off by the initialization processing unit 15, and is turned on by executing the end command designated by "end.COM" assigned to the PF12 key shown in FIG. 3 (a). The flag is set to, and the processing of the key control processing unit 20 is ended if ON is detected.

If the end flag 19 is off, the key input is made in the processing step 33, and if there is a key input and it is a signal by pressing any one of the PF keys, in the processing step 34, the control information block 16 According to the specification corresponding to the definition of the display data file 12, the display of the PF key is changed to the push-down display. For example, according to the definition of FIG.
When PF1 is pressed, the colors of the background and characters in the leftmost "Compiler" display area in Fig. 2 are displayed in reverse of the initial display.

Then, in process step 35, this PF is specified according to the specification corresponding to the definition in the function data file 11 of the control information block 16.
Call and run the required program to perform the function assigned to the key. When a command or parameter input from the user is designated, a message requesting those inputs is sent, and after receiving the input, the program is called.

When the execution of the called program is completed and control is returned to the key control processing unit 20, the display of the PF key is returned to the previous initial display in process step 36, and then the process returns to process step 32.

If it is determined in process step 33 that the key input is not the PF key, process step 37 identifies whether it is an escape key (abbreviated as ESC key). This key is a known key used for various controls, but in this example, the user uses it as a key for controlling the display of the PF key as described below.

That is, if the ESC key is pressed, the value of the PF display flag 18 is inverted in processing step 38, and if it is on, it is reset to off, and if it is off, it is reset to on. If is turned on, the initial display of the PF key is performed in process step 40, and if it is turned off, the display is erased in process step 41 and the process returns to process step 32.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when it is necessary to display the function display of the PF key that specifies the program to be executed in the computer, the display contents such as arbitrary figures correspond to the PF key. Since the display can be easily realized by creating the data defined by the above, there is a remarkable industrial effect that the development of the dedicated system and the like is facilitated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of key control data, and FIG. 4 is a flow chart of processing of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a keyboard, 2 is a display device, 3 is key control data,
4 is a key control unit, 10 is an environment data file, 11 is a function data file, 12 is a display data file, 13 is a coordinate data file, 14 is an image pattern data file, 15 is an initialization processing unit, 16 is a control information block, Reference numeral 17 is an image pattern, 18 is a PF display flag, 19 is an end flag, 20 is a key control processing unit, and 30 to 41 are processing steps.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H03M 11/04

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A keyboard (1) and a display device (2) are provided, and a predetermined program (5) designated for the key is executed by an input signal by pressing a predetermined key of the keyboard. The computer is provided with key control data (3) of a predetermined format having information defining a display figure and a display position corresponding to a predetermined state of each of the predetermined keys, and the display control means (4) controls all of the keys. For a given key,
A key display processing method characterized in that the designated display figure is displayed at the designated display position on the screen of the display device (2) in accordance with the designation of the key control data (3). .