JPH0830418A - Editing system for constituent component of graphical user interface - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a user to alter the arrangement of GUI constituent components of application software of an information processor by providing a component editing part which changes the arrangement of the constituent component of a specified GUI to a specified position. CONSTITUTION:When a mode management part 4 is placed in editing mode, a component to be changed in position thereafter through an input part 8 is indicated and when the position of the change destination is indicated, an input processing part 3 performs a process for recognizing respective inputs, and data from the processing part 3 are supplied to a component editing part 6 according to the current mode (editing mode) of the management part 4. The editing part 6 performs a process for changing the contents of a table 5a containing the layout of the current component to the position indicated with the inputted data. When data on respective components to be edited (changed) are inputted, they are edited and the contents set in the table 5a are altered, and the respective editing results are supplied to an output processing part 7, whose processing result is outputted to an output part 9 and displayed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a GUI for an application having a graphical user interface (GUI).
The present invention relates to a user interface editing method for editing a component.

In recent years, the number of applications having a graphical user interface has increased. According to these applications, the user can perform efficient processing by inputting buttons and input fields on the screen with a simple operation and obtaining an output screen. However,
In such an application, since the arrangement of buttons and input fields on the screen is fixed, some users have desired to change and use them.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a conventional example, and FIG. 8 is a display example of a screen by an application. In FIG. 7, 5
0 is a processing unit (CPU & memory), 51 is an application unit having a graphical user interface (GUI), 52 is a keyboard, 53 and mouse, 54
Is the display.

In the processing device 50, the application section 51 operates, and the GUI provided in the application section 51 operates the input processing section 51a, the basic processing section 51b, and the output processing section 51c to display the application section on the display 54. The screen corresponding to the function is displayed. An example of this screen is shown in FIG.

In the case of FIG. 8, a plurality of selection buttons 61 to 63 and an input field 64 for data (text data, image data, etc.) are displayed on the screen 60 of the display as GUI components of the application section 51. . When selecting one of the buttons 61 to 63 on this screen 60, the cursor on the screen is moved by operating the mouse 53, and the mouse button is clicked at the position of the desired button. The displayed function or the like is selected. Also, input field 6
When inputting data to 4, the mouse 53 is operated to select the input field 64, and then the data is input from the keyboard 52, the input data is displayed in the input field 64.

As described above, in the conventional application having the GUI, the GUI component parts on the screen are
It is designed so that the user can perform processing efficiently by performing a simple operation using a pointing device such as a keyboard or a mouse.

[0007]

However, the conventional GUI
In the application having, the placement of the GUI components is not necessarily convenient for some users even if it is convenient for some users. That is, in the case of the screen shown in FIG. 8, it may be felt that it is better to arrange the selection buttons 61 to 63 in the lower part of the screen and the input field 64 in the upper part.

In this case, in order to change the arrangement of the GUI component parts, the developer side has to perform the work of changing the component arrangement again. However, if the number of users increases, the kind of arrangement desired will increase, and uniformly. It was difficult to respond.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an editing system of components of a graphical user interface which allows a user to change the arrangement of GUI components of an application in an information processing apparatus.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a processing device, 2 is an application section, 3 is an input processing section for converting input information from an input means into a form that can be recognized in the application, and 4 is a basic processing mode or a parts editing mode of the application. The mode management unit 5 is provided with a function to pass information input from the input processing unit 3 to the basic processing unit or the component editing unit according to which mode is set. Reference numeral 6 is a basic processing unit, 6 is a component editing unit that edits the layout of GUI component parts, 7 is an output processing unit, 8 is an input unit, and 9 is an output unit that displays a screen.

According to the present invention, as an operation mode of an application, in addition to a normal input / output processing mode, an edit mode for changing the layout (layout) of GUI constituent parts is provided, and which mode is to be used. The mode is set by externally inputting to the mode management unit that manages.

[0012]

When the application unit 2 of the processing device 1 operates, the mode management unit 4 is initially set to the processing mode,
When the input from the input unit 8 is processed by the input processing unit 3, the basic processing unit 5 performs the corresponding basic process (starting the process corresponding to the selected button, inputting into the input field, etc.). After that, the output processing unit 7 processes the data to be output, and the output unit 9 displays the data. GUI components such as buttons and input fields (hereinafter referred to as components) are displayed on the screen displayed by the output unit 9, and buttons for selecting an operation mode are displayed. The buttons include a button for selecting an edit mode (displayed in the processing mode) for editing the layout of components and a button for selecting the process mode (displayed in the edit mode).

Instead of displaying the edit mode or processing mode button and operating the button, a key for designating each mode can be provided in the keyboard of the input unit 8.

When an edit mode button on the display screen of the output section 9 is designated by the input section 8, the input processing section 3 identifies this instruction and notifies the mode management section 4 of it. Upon receiving this, the mode management unit 4 sets the operation mode to the edit mode and holds it, and activates the component editing unit 6.

When the mode management unit 4 is set to the edit mode, the input unit 8 thereafter designates the component whose position is to be changed, and when the position of the change destination is further designated, the input processing unit 3 recognizes each input. The data from the input processing unit 3 is supplied to the component editing unit 6 in accordance with the current mode (editing mode) of the mode management unit 4. Parts editor 6
Performs a process of changing the contents of the table 5a storing the current layout of parts to the position designated by the input data.

When data is input for each part to be edited (changed), the editing is performed for each part and the contents set in the table 5a are changed, and each edit result is supplied to the output processing unit 7. , Output processing is performed, and the result is output to the output unit 9 and displayed.

When the processing in the edit mode is completed, the mode managing section 4 is set to the basic processing mode by instructing the input section 8 to return the processing mode to the basic processing mode. At this time, the basic processing unit 5 supplies the components to the output processing unit 7 according to the table 5a holding the edited contents and is displayed on the output unit 9, and the information input from the input unit 8 is input to the input processing unit 3. Is converted and passed to the basic processing unit 5, and the basic processing of the application is executed for each component.

[0018]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment. In FIG. 2, 20 is a processing device (CPU and memory), 21 is an operating system, 22 is an application unit, 2
3 is an input processing unit, 24 is a mode management unit, 24a is a mode holding unit, 25 is a basic processing unit, 26 is a parts table, 27
Is a parts editing unit, 28 is an output processing unit, 29 is a keyboard,
Reference numeral 30 denotes a mouse and 31 denotes a display. In the configuration of FIG. 2, reference numerals 22 to 25, 27 and 28 correspond to the above 2 to 7 of FIG. 1 respectively and have the same functions. The keyboard 29 and the mouse 30 of FIG. The input unit 8 of FIG. 1 and the display 31 of FIG. 2 correspond to the output unit 9 of FIG.

The operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to a concrete example shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. This concrete example is an application for accessing a file system, and creates / updates / deletes / references a specified file. The above basic processing is performed by using the buttons and input fields on the screen.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an initial state screen.
Is an application screen, 41 is a button for terminating the application, 42 is an input field for specifying a file name, 43 is a list field for displaying a list of files corresponding to the file specified in the input field,
44 is a button for creating a new file, 45 is a button for updating a file, 46 is a button for deleting a file, 47 is a button for referring to file information, 48 is a text field for displaying various information, and 49 is a mode switch. It is a button.

In the initial state, the application unit 22 of the processing apparatus 20 of FIG. 2 is in a state in which the mode holding unit 24a of the mode management unit 24 is set to the processing mode and executes the application, and the basic processing unit 25 stores in the parts table 26. The stored components are processed by the output processing unit 28, and the contents shown in FIG. 3 are displayed on the display 31.

On the screen of the application shown in FIG.
When the user changes the arrangement of parts, the mode of the application is switched from the processing mode to the editing mode by instructing and switching the mode switching button 49 with the mouse 30 or the keyboard 29. In the edit mode, the parts are moved by using the movement keys (not shown) on the keyboard 29 or the mouse 30 to arrange the parts. In particular,
Move the cursor to indicate the part you want to change, move the cursor as it is, and give a release instruction at the destination position.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the procedure for changing the component arrangement, and FIG. 5 shows the screen after changing the component arrangement. In the example of FIG. 4, the file name input field 42 and the list field 43, which are components arranged at the left end of the screen, are moved to the right side, and the function buttons 44 to 47 arranged at the right end are moved to the left side. In addition, the information button 47 arranged at the bottom of the button group is moved to the uppermost part on the left side, and the other buttons 44 to 46 are information buttons 47 as indicated by dotted arrows.
To the bottom of. When the mode switching button 49 is operated at the time when the moving operation is completed, the processing mode is restored.

FIG. 5 shows the screen after changing the parts layout, which is the state after the parts are changed as shown in FIG. Since this information is stored in the parts table (26 in FIG. 2) after the arrangement of the GUI component parts is changed in this way, in the subsequent processing modes, display is performed according to the contents of the parts table.

FIG. 6 is a process flow of part editing, and FIG.
It is executed in the component editing section of the application section of. First, it is determined whether the operation mode is the edit mode or not based on the state of the mode holding unit 24a (FIG. 2) of the mode management unit 24 (FIG. 2) (S1 in FIG. 6), and when it is not the edit mode (in the processing mode) Ends the process. In the case of the edit mode, it is determined based on the input information from the mouse whether the dragging by the mouse 30 is started thereafter (S in FIG. 6).
2). This dragging is an operation in which the mouse cursor is positioned on the change source part by the mouse 30, the mouse is moved while the mouse button is pressed, and the mouse cursor is moved to the desired position. Release the button to finish.

When the dragging is started, it is then determined whether the dragging is in operation (S3 in FIG. 6). When the dragging operation is completed, it is determined whether or not there is a component at the dragging start position (S4 in FIG. 6). If there is a component at the start position, the placement information of the component is changed to register that the component has moved to the drag end position (S5 in FIG. 6). This change is stored in the parts table 26 (FIG. 2), the display process is performed based on the information of the parts table 26 (S6 in FIG. 6), and the display is displayed according to the changed placement information as shown in FIG. When the processing mode is changed to the processing mode, the processing of the component editing unit ends.

[0027]

According to the present invention, the application GUI
Since the I component can be changed, the user can efficiently operate the application at his or her own convenience.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an initial state screen.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure for changing a component layout.

FIG. 5 shows a screen after the component layout is changed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing flow of component editing.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a screen by an application.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Processor 2 Application part 3 Input processing part 4 Mode management part 5 Basic processing part 6 Parts editing part 7 Output processing part 8 Input part 9 Output part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method of editing a component of a graphical user interface (GUI) in an application unit of a processing apparatus, wherein the operation mode is a processing mode or an edit mode according to a mode designation from input means in the application unit. The component editing unit includes a mode management unit to be set, a basic processing unit that performs application processing that is activated corresponding to the processing mode and the editing mode of the operation mode set in the mode management unit, and the component editing unit. Is a method of editing a component of a graphical user interface characterized by performing a process of changing the arrangement of the component of the GUI designated by the input means to the designated position when activated. 2. The basic processing unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a table for storing preset arrangement information of component parts of the GUI, and the component editing unit stores the arrangement of the component parts input in the edit mode. The basic processing unit that changes the arrangement information of the table according to the information to be changed and is activated by setting the processing mode after the edit mode outputs the component according to the arrangement information of the table changed by the edit mode. A method for editing the components of the characteristic graphical user interface.