JPH11203000A - Information processor, information processing method, and storage medium for user interface - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to customize the arrangement of items of a user interface according to his or her level and taste. SOLUTION: A setting property for changing the arrangement of items of the user interface is opened. Then custom properties 801 and 802 of items selected from the setting property are opened and the user moves the items in the directions as shown by arrows 811, 812, and 813 and makes the the items non-display with a control 810 for switching the display and non-display of the items according to his or her taste, thus customizing the arrangement. Then the arrangement is reflected on the setting property with a registration button 821 and the setting property is stored to change the arrangement of the items of the user interface. A hide sheet may be used so that the items are not displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a user interface storage medium for specifying a desired function by designating an item on a user interface displayed on a display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When transferring information in contact with a computer, a user (user) uses a user interface displayed on a display of the computer. That is, the user interface defines the interaction between the user and the computer on the display of the computer.

[0003] The user interface includes a CGI (Character-based User) centered on the input of command commands and the output of messages by characters.
Interface and a GUI (Graphical User Interface) that displays pictures and icons (pictograms) on the screen so that they can be intuitively operated.
rface). When the icon is specified as an item, a desired function is specified, and the computer starts control according to the instruction.

[0004] Therefore, in the user interface of the GUI, the arrangement of items affects operability.

For example, when setting application software and device drivers in a computer system having a user interface, which is a GUI, conventionally, the user has made settings on a predetermined user interface displayed on a display. . The user interface is provided by being incorporated in an application or a device driver, and the arrangement pattern is fixed. Therefore, the arrangement of items in a property sheet or dialog box used as a user interface cannot be changed. The setting items belonging to the same category are arranged collectively in the same sheet or the same dialog, and the arrangement cannot be changed.

[0006]

In the user interface in which the arrangement of items is fixed as described above, there are items whose settings are rarely changed depending on the level of the user. Further, there are items that are frequently changed and items that are rarely changed, depending on the user's preference and the purpose of setting. Further, the degree of importance (frequency of use) of each setting item may differ depending on the usage. It is preferable that the items with high importance are located in a place where they can be easily set, and the items with low importance are usually located in a lift that cannot be operated or are not displayed. Therefore, a user interface with a fixed arrangement of items is not always easy to use for all users.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of customizing the arrangement of items on a user interface according to the level and preference of a user. An information processing method and a storage medium for a user interface are provided.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus according to the present invention, wherein a desired function is displayed by displaying a user interface and designating an item on the user interface. In the information processing device that controls the specified function, an item arrangement change unit that changes the arrangement of the items of the user interface, and an arrangement pattern of the items whose arrangement is changed by the item arrangement change unit. It is characterized by having an item arrangement pattern storage means for storing, and a user interface display means for displaying a user interface of the arrangement pattern stored by the item arrangement pattern storage means.

Preferably, in the first aspect, the user interface has a hierarchical tree structure.

Preferably, in claim 1 and claim 2, the arrangement pattern stored by the item arrangement pattern storage means is defined by a user level, a user name, and a user of a user who uses the information processing apparatus. The information is stored together with information associated with the name.

[0011] Preferably, in claim 3, the user interface display means displays a user interface of the arrangement pattern by referring to the associated information.

Preferably, in claim 4, the user interface display means has a user information acquisition means for automatically acquiring the associated information.

[0013] Preferably, in claim 1 and 2, the item arrangement changing means displays at least one sheet representing the arrangement of the items of the user interface, and displays an arbitrary item in the sheet and in the sheet. In the case of two or more sheets, movement, creation and deletion are performed between sheets, and the arrangement of items is changed.

Preferably, in claim 6, the item arrangement changing means displays at least one sheet representing the arrangement of the items of the user interface, and displays an at least one sheet for an arbitrary group head for layering the sheets. Move, create and delete items in the sheet and between the sheets if the sheet is more than one,
The arrangement of the group head items is changed.

[0015] Preferably, in claim 7, the item arrangement changing means includes non-display designation means capable of designating the item to be hidden.

Preferably, in claim 8, the non-display designation means uses a control for hiding the item.

Preferably, in claim 8, the non-display designation means uses a hide sheet for non-display of the item.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method for specifying a desired function by designating an item on a user interface displayed on a display. An item arrangement changing step of changing the arrangement of the items on the user interface; an arrangement pattern storing step of storing the arrangement pattern of the items rearranged in the item arrangement changing step; and an arrangement pattern storing step of storing the arrangement pattern. Displaying a user interface of the arrangement pattern on a display.

Preferably, in claim 11, the user interface has a hierarchical tree structure.

Preferably, claims 11 and 12 are provided.
Wherein the arrangement pattern stored in the item arrangement pattern storing step is stored together with information associated with a user level of a user who uses the information processing method, a user name, and a name defined for the user. And

Preferably, in claim 13,
In the user interface displaying step, a user interface of the arrangement pattern is displayed with reference to the associated information.

Preferably, in claim 14,
The user interface display step includes a user information acquisition unit for automatically acquiring the associated information.

Preferably, claims 11 and 12 are provided.
In the item arrangement changing step, at least one sheet representing the arrangement of the items of the user interface is displayed, and any item is moved within the sheet and between sheets when there are two or more sheets, It is characterized by creating and deleting and changing the arrangement of items.

Preferably, in claim 16,
The item arrangement changing step includes displaying at least one sheet representing the arrangement of the items of the user interface, and displaying an item for an arbitrary group head for layering between the sheets in the sheet and the sheet.
When the number of sheets is equal to or more than the number of sheets, movement, creation, and deletion are performed between the sheets, and the arrangement of group head items is changed.

Preferably, in claim 17,
The item arrangement changing step includes a non-display designation step capable of designating the item to be hidden.

Also, preferably, in claim 18,
The non-display designation step uses a control for hiding the item.

Preferably, in claim 18,
The non-display designation step is characterized in that a hide sheet for hiding the item is used.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user interface storage medium storing a program for specifying a desired function by designating an item on a user interface displayed on a display. In the user interface storage medium, an item arrangement changing step of changing the arrangement of the items on the user interface, and an arrangement pattern storing step of storing the arrangement pattern of the items rearranged in the item arrangement changing step, A program for executing a user interface display step of displaying a user interface of the arrangement pattern stored in the arrangement pattern storage step on a display, and reading the program by computer means. And characterized by storing fine writable.

[0029] Preferably, in claim 21, the storage medium is detachable from an information processing apparatus having control means for controlling display.

Preferably, claims 21 and 22 are provided.
Wherein the storage medium is a floppy disk or hard disk, CD-ROM, MD, MO, or the like.

[0031]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a computer printing system which is an information processing apparatus using a user interface of a device driver for a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. .

As shown in FIG. 1, the computer printing system includes a printer 40 and a computer system 30. The computer system includes a keyboard 10, a CRT display 11, and a computer main body 20.

Next, the computer body will be described with reference to FIG.

The computer body 20 includes a CPU 1 for controlling the entire computer printing system, a RAM 2 connected to a main bus 6 of the CPU 1, a keyboard controller 3, a CRT controller (CRTC) 4, an external storage device 5, and an interface (I / F). ) 7. The RAM 2 functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like for the CPU 1. The keyboard controller 3 controls key input from a keyboard 10 or a pointing device (not shown), and enables a user to specify an item on a user interface. A CRT controller (CRTC) 4 controls the display of the CRT display 11, and enables a user interface to be displayed on the CRT display. The external storage device 5 can store a boot program, various application software and device driver programs, data files, and the like in a storage medium. For example, a hard disk (HD) drive, a floppy disk (FD) drive, a CD-ROM drive, It is composed of an MD drive, M0 drive and the like. The control program of the computer is stored in a storage medium by the external storage device 5, and is loaded from there at the time of execution, expanded on the RAM 2, and executed. In addition, floppy disk (FD), CD-R
Storage media such as OM, MD, and M0 are detachable from the external storage device 5. The hard disk (HD) is normally used without being detached, but can be detached.

When printing is performed by the computer printing system configured as described above, the user displays the user interface of the device driver for the printer on the CRT display 11, and displays items on the user interface on the keyboard 10 or a pointing device (not shown). Instructed by device, interface (I /
F) The computer system 30 controls the printer 40 via 7.

Next, a case in which the arrangement of items of the user interface of the printer device driver according to the first embodiment of the present invention is changed according to the level of the user will be described with reference to FIG. The arrangement of items in the user interface has a hierarchical tree structure called TreeView. Also,
Several types of standard configuration patterns in which the arrangement of items of the user interface are determined in advance according to the level of the user are stored in the storage medium by the external storage device 5, and for each configuration pattern, the position of the item on the interface and the display of the item are displayed. , And are stored in a database with hidden information.

In step S301, a user's level is obtained, and a configuration pattern suitable for the user's level is selected from the standard configuration patterns.

The user level is a user name (login name)
And the group to which the user belongs (Administrator)
r, Guest, etc.) as a key. The configuration pattern suitable for the user level is obtained via the above-described database.

In step S302, initialization is performed, which is the rearrangement of items according to the position of items on the interface of the selected configuration pattern, the display of the items, and the non-display information.

The initialization will be described with reference to FIG.
Note that initialization means preparing a setting property for changing the arrangement of items in the user interface of the device driver for the printer, and determining the configuration of items in the setting properties corresponding to the arrangement of items in the user interface. It is.

In step S501, all sheets having items in the setting properties are sequentially checked. For example, if there are two sheets, the first layer and the second layer,
Check and confirm that there are two sheets.

Next, in step S502, one of the checked sheets is selected, and all the items in the sheet are sequentially checked for the items belonging to the sheet.

In step S503, one of the checked items is selected, and the display flag for determining whether to display the item is checked for the selected item. If the setting of the display flag is On, step S5
At 04, the item is displayed. If the setting of the display flag is OFF, the item is not displayed in step S505.

In step S506, step S502
In, it is checked whether all checked items have been selected and the display flag has been checked. If there is a next item for which the display flag has not been confirmed, the steps from step S503 are repeated. If all of the sheets have been selected and the display flags have been checked, it is checked in step S507 whether or not all the sheets checked in step S501 have been checked. If there is a next sheet that has not been completed, the steps from step S501 are repeated. Step S50
If all the sheets checked in 1 are completed,
Initialization ends.

After the initialization is completed, a setting property 700 for changing the arrangement of items of the user interface of the printer device driver as shown in FIG. 5 is opened. The setting property 700 includes a printer name column 701, a UI (user interface) configuration pattern column 702, an item configuration pattern column 703, and a UI (user interface) configuration pattern change column 70.
4, OK button 705, cancel button 706, help button 707,? Button 708 and close button 7
09.

The printer name column 701 describes a printer name controlled by a device driver for the printer.
The UI configuration pattern name column 702 describes the name of the configuration pattern selected in step S301. It should be noted that several standard configuration patterns predetermined according to the level of the user are, for example, above the user level, during the user level, and below the user level described in the setting change column 704 of the user interface (UI) configuration pattern. In the UI configuration pattern name column 702, a user level is selected from among these standard configuration patterns. In the item configuration pattern column 703, the configuration of initialized items corresponding to the arrangement of items in the user interface of the device driver for the printer is described in a tree structure.

When the OK button 705 is selected, the contents of the setting properties 700 are reflected on the user interface of the device driver for the printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the processing ends. Cancel button 706
Is selected, the process ends without reflecting the contents of the setting property 700 on the user interface of the device driver for the printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention. When the help button 707 is selected, additional information on the operation method and the like is provided to the user. ? When the button 708 is selected and an item in the dialog box of the setting property 700 is selected, the help of the item can be displayed. When the close button 709 is selected, the setting property 700 ends.

When the setting of the UI configuration pattern is to be changed, as shown in FIG.
A desired UI configuration pattern name is selected from the configuration patterns described in the I configuration pattern setting change column 704.

In step S402, the position of the item on the interface having the UI configuration pattern name selected via the database and the item position are initialized according to the display / non-display information of the item. The initialization of the item position is executed according to FIG. 4 as described above.

By changing the setting of the UI configuration pattern, the description of the UI configuration pattern name column 702 of the setting property 700 is changed to the selected UI configuration pattern name, and the content of the item configuration pattern column 703 is changed accordingly. Is done. When the OK button 705 is selected, the changed content of the setting property 700 is reflected on the user interface of the device driver for the printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The user interface according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be selected according to the level of the user. Further, the user can construct a user interface which is easy for each user to use by selecting an arrangement pattern suitable for the user level from the arrangement patterns of the icons of the user interface determined in advance according to the level of the user.

(Embodiment 2) In a second embodiment of the present invention, in a computer printing system using the same user interface of a device driver for a printer as in the first embodiment, a user displays a setting property. A method of customizing and storing the configuration pattern of the item to be performed according to the user's preference, and using the configuration pattern of the item is used.

As in the first embodiment, a setting property for changing the arrangement of items on the user interface of the device driver for the printer is opened. In the second embodiment of the present invention, a setting property 800 is opened as shown in FIG. Configuration properties 800
The configuration of the screen is the setting property 7 of the first embodiment.
Same as 00.

Next, the operation of customizing and storing the configuration pattern of the item displayed by the user in the setting property according to the user's preference will be described with reference to FIG.

The user selects an item to be customized from the item configuration pattern column 703 of the setting property 800 in advance. When an item is selected, custom property sheets 801 and 802 as shown in FIG. 9 are opened.

The custom property sheet shown in FIG. 9 is an example when the selected item is a double-sided printing item. This two-sided printing custom property is
It is shown that it is composed of a sheet 801 of the hierarchy and a sheet 802 of the second hierarchy. As described above, when there are a plurality of sheets for customizing an item, all the sheets are opened. The configuration pattern displayed in the configuration pattern column 841 of the custom property sheet is stored in the storage medium by the external storage device 5 in advance, and is selected and acquired from several types of standard configuration patterns in a database. . Further, in the setting change column 842 of the selected item, options can be set for each item. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, as an option of selecting double-sided printing or single-sided printing, a single-sided radio button 843 and a double-sided radio button 844 are provided in an item setting change column 842. I have. Also, a change column 84 of the setting of the selected item is provided.
2, a control 810 for switching between display and non-display of items to be described later is also arranged.

Note that the selected item may be a group head. The group head is an item that can be hierarchized by being created. The group head is, for example, an item 850 for the group head of the layout and an item 851 for the group head of the document option as shown in FIG. 9, and an item for the group head of the paper as shown in FIG. 852 and the like.

In step S101, the item selected by the custom property is dragged (Drag).
And it is determined whether or not to drop. The item is dragged and selected with a pointing device (not shown) or the like, and the item moves to the place where the item is dropped, so that the configuration pattern of the item is changed. The position where the item is dropped may be on the same sheet or another sheet, and may be on the same layer or another layer. On the open sheet, the user can freely move each item and change the configuration pattern of the item. As shown in FIG. 9, for example, an arrow 811,
It moves in the direction of 812 and 813.

Therefore, in step S102, when an item is dragged and dropped, the item is moved to the place where the item is dropped in the pattern of the item.

Next, in step S103, it is determined whether or not a control for switching the display / non-display of the item is repeated. As shown in FIG. 10, item display,
The control 810 for switching non-display sets the display flag to Off when the check box 811 is checked.
f. If the check box 811 is not checked, the display flag is turned on. Therefore, when the control for switching the display / non-display of the item is repeated, in step S104,
The display flag is changed. On the other hand, when the control 810 for switching the display / non-display of the item is not repeated,
In step S105, it is determined whether to create a group head.

When a group head is created, FIG.
The group head creation button 823 is selected as shown in (1), and an item for the group head is inserted into the tree structure of the tree view. The name of the item for the group head can be arbitrarily assigned by the user. The group head item can be moved by dragging and dropping, and the display or non-display of the group head item can be switched. On the other hand, when the group head is not created, it is determined in step S107 whether or not the existing group head is to be deleted.

When deleting an existing group head,
Select the group head to be deleted. As shown in FIG. 12, for example, an item 852 for a group head of paper is selected and highlighted. Next, when the group head creation button 860 is selected, in step S108, the item for the group head is deleted from the TreeView tree structure. On the other hand, if the group head is not to be deleted, in step S109, the user determines whether to end all customization and register.

If the user's customization has not been completed and registration is not to be performed, a cancel button 822 shown in FIG. 11 is selected in step S112, and unless a customization by the user is reflected, the new button is not updated. Items may be repeatedly customized in the steps from step S101.

On the other hand, if all the user customizations are completed and the registration is performed in step S109, the registration button 821 as shown in FIG. 11 is selected in step S110, and the user inputs the name of the configuration pattern. The input configuration pattern name is stored in step S11.
In 1, the information is stored in a storage medium by the external storage device 5 together with the arrangement information of the configuration pattern of the item customized by the user, is converted into a database, and the processing ends.

Therefore, when the user opens the setting property 800 after the user customizes and stores the configuration pattern of the item displayed by the setting property, basically, as shown in FIG. 3 in the first embodiment of the present invention. The processing is the same as shown. However, as shown in FIG.
Since the setting property 800 can be stored in the database in association with the name of the configuration pattern of the customized item and the user name (S451), the second embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment, in step S301 shown in FIG. 3, not only the level of the user but also the configuration pattern associated with the user name (login name) can be acquired via the database.

Therefore, the user interface according to the second embodiment of the present invention can be selected for each user.

When the setting of the UI configuration pattern is changed, the configuration pattern stored by the user can be selected from the UI configuration pattern setting change column 704 of the setting property 800. For example, Pattern1 and Pattern2.

Therefore, in the user interface according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the position of the item can be changed according to the user's preference. The user can construct a user interface that is easy to use for each user by selecting a desired one from the stored configuration patterns of the user interface. Further, the selection of the configuration pattern can be changed not only for each user but also for each purpose. (Embodiment 3) In the third embodiment of the present invention, the first
In a computer printing system which is an information processing apparatus using the same user interface of a device driver for a printer as in the second embodiment, the configuration of items to be displayed by the user in setting properties by a customization operation different from that in the second embodiment A method is used in which the pattern is customized according to the user's preference, stored, and the configuration pattern of the item is used.

Therefore, points different from the first and second embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

When changing the arrangement of items in the user interface according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the operation of customizing and storing the configuration pattern of the items displayed by the user in the setting properties according to the user's preference. This will be described with reference to FIG.

The user selects an item to be customized from the item configuration pattern field of the setting property in advance. When an item is selected, custom property sheets 801 and 802 as shown in FIG. 15 are opened. Further, one hide sheet 803 is added and opened.

In the third embodiment of the present invention, instead of the check box for the control for switching the display / non-display of the item used when customizing the interface of the second embodiment of the present invention, A hide sheet 803 as shown in FIG. 15 is used.

In step S 201, the item selected by the custom property is dragged (Drag).
And it is determined whether or not to drop. The item is dragged and selected with a pointing device (not shown) or the like, and the item moves to the place where the item is dropped, so that the configuration pattern of the item is changed. The position where the item is dropped may be on the same sheet or another sheet, and may be on the same layer or another layer. On the sheet opened here, each item can be freely moved and the configuration pattern of the item can be changed. The item moved to the hide sheet 803 is hidden in the setting property. As described above, it is possible to select display or non-display of an item by the same operation as the operation of changing the arrangement of items. Note that it is also possible to hierarchize in the hide sheet, and to hide and arrange the items.

The processing after step S203 is the same as step S10 shown in FIG. 8 in the second embodiment of the present invention.
This is the same as the processing after step 5.

When a setting property is opened, basically the same processing as in the second embodiment of the present invention is performed. However, in step S302 shown in FIG. 3, the initialization of the item arrangement is performed because a hide sheet exists.
The processing is as shown in FIG.

In step S601, all sheets of the setting property are sequentially checked. In the third embodiment of the present invention, for example, two sheets on the first level and the second level and a hide sheet are checked and confirmed.

In step S602, one of the checked sheets is selected, and it is determined whether the selected sheet is a hide sheet. If the selected sheet is not a hide sheet, in step S603, all items in the sheet are sequentially checked for items belonging to each checked sheet. In step S604, one of the checked items is selected and displayed.

In step S605, it is confirmed whether or not the display has been completed for all items. If there is a next item to be displayed on the selected sheet in step S602, the steps from step S604 are repeated.

On the other hand, if the selected sheet is a hide sheet in step S602, the display processing is skipped in order to hide all items in this sheet.

If the display has been completed for all the items in step S605, or if the target sheet is a hide sheet in step S602, it is determined whether or not all the sheets have been completed in step S606. Confirm. If there is a next sheet that has not been completed, the steps from step S601 are repeated. If all sheets have been completed, the initialization ends.

Therefore, in changing the arrangement pattern of the items on the user interface according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the operability of hiding the items according to the user's preference can be further improved.

The above-described first to third embodiments are also executed by reading a program from the user interface storage medium according to the embodiment of the present invention into the computer system 30 by the external storage device 5. . That is, with respect to a program for specifying a desired function by designating an item on the user interface displayed on the CRT display 11 of the computer system 30, the arrangement of items on the user interface is changed, and the arrangement of the changed items is changed. Floppy disk or hard disk, CD-RO storing a procedure for storing a pattern and displaying a user interface of the stored arrangement pattern on a display
The present invention can be applied to a case where the program is executed by reading the program from the storage medium such as M, MD, and MO into the computer system 30 by the external storage device 5. In this case, a storage medium storing such a program uses a computer means to construct an information processing apparatus and an information processing method, thereby constituting the present invention.

[0084]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the user interface can be customized to freely change the arrangement of items in the user interface according to the user's level, preference, and purpose, an environment that is easier to operate can be constructed.

Further, it is possible to automatically determine and provide a customized user interface based on the level of the user and the name of the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a computer printing system using a user interface of a device driver for a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a computer main body using a user interface of a device driver for a printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a case in which the arrangement of items of a user interface of a printer device driver according to the first embodiment of the present invention is changed according to a user level;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining initialization of item arrangement according to the first embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram for describing setting properties for changing the arrangement of items of a user interface of the device driver for the printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a case of changing a setting of a user interface (UI) configuration pattern according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing setting properties for changing the arrangement of items of a user interface of a device driver for a printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a case where a user customizes and stores a configuration pattern of an item displayed in a setting property according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a case where an item selected by a custom property is dragged and dropped according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a control for switching between display and non-display of items according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for describing creation of a group head according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for describing group head deletion according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining a case where setting properties according to the second embodiment of the present invention are stored in a database in association with the name of a configuration pattern of a currently selected item and a user name.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a case where a user customizes and stores a configuration pattern of an item displayed by setting properties according to the third embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 15 is a view for explaining a hide sheet according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart for describing initialization of the position of an item when a hide sheet is present according to the third embodiment of this invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CPU 2 RAM 3 Keyboard controller 4 CRT controller 5 External storage device 6 Main bus 7 Interface 10 Keyboard 11 CRT display 20 Computer body 30 Computer system 40 Printer 700, 800 Setting properties 801, 802 Custom properties 803 Hide sheet

Claims (23)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus which displays a user interface, specifies a desired function by designating an item on the user interface, and controls the specified function, wherein the arrangement of the item on the user interface is performed. Item arrangement changing means for changing the item arrangement; an item arrangement pattern storing means for storing an arrangement pattern of the items whose arrangement has been changed by the item arrangement changing means; and a user of the arrangement pattern stored by the item arrangement pattern storing means. An information processing apparatus comprising a user interface display unit for displaying an interface. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface has a hierarchical tree structure. 3. The arrangement pattern stored by the item arrangement pattern storage means is stored together with information associated with a user level of a user who uses the information processing apparatus, a user name, and a name defined for the user. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the user interface display unit displays a user interface of the arrangement pattern by referring to the associated information. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the user interface display unit includes a user information acquisition unit that automatically acquires the associated information. 6. The item arrangement changing means displays at least one sheet representing the arrangement of the items on the user interface, and displays an arbitrary item in the sheet or between sheets when there are two or more sheets. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus moves, creates, deletes, and changes the arrangement of items. 7. The item arrangement changing means displays at least one sheet representing the arrangement of the items of the user interface, and displays an item for an arbitrary group head for layering between sheets in the sheet and the sheet. When there are two or more sheets,
7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information is moved, created, and deleted, and the arrangement of the group head items is changed. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the item arrangement change unit has a non-display designation unit capable of designating the item to be hidden. 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the non-display designation unit uses a control for hiding the item. 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the non-display designation unit uses a hide sheet for hiding the item. 11. An information processing method for specifying a desired function by designating an item on a user interface displayed on a display, wherein: an item arrangement changing step of changing an arrangement of the item on the user interface; An arrangement pattern storing step of storing an arrangement pattern of the item whose arrangement has been changed in the item arrangement changing step; and a user interface displaying step of displaying a user interface of the arrangement pattern stored in the arrangement pattern storage step on a display. An information processing method, comprising: 12. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the user interface has a hierarchical tree structure. 13. The arrangement pattern stored in the item arrangement pattern storage step is stored together with information associated with a user level of a user who uses the information processing method, a user name, and a name defined for the user. 13. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein: 14. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein in the user interface displaying step, a user interface of the arrangement pattern is displayed by referring to the associated information. 15. The information processing method according to claim 14, wherein the user interface display step includes a user information acquisition unit that automatically acquires the associated information. 16. The item arrangement changing step includes displaying at least one sheet representing the arrangement of the items on the user interface, and displaying an arbitrary item in the sheet or between sheets when there are two or more sheets. 13. The information processing method according to claim 11, further comprising: moving, creating, deleting, and changing the arrangement of items. 17. The item layout changing step includes displaying at least one sheet representing the layout of the items on the user interface, and displaying an item for an arbitrary group head for layering between sheets in the sheet and the sheet. When there are two or more sheets,
17. The information processing method according to claim 16, wherein the method moves, creates and deletes, and changes the arrangement of the items for the group head. 18. The information processing method according to claim 17, wherein the item arrangement changing step includes a non-display designation step capable of designating the item to be hidden. 19. The information processing method according to claim 18, wherein the non-display designation step uses a control for hiding the item. 20. The information processing method according to claim 18, wherein the non-display designation step uses a hide sheet for hiding the item. 21. A user interface storage medium storing a program for specifying a desired function by designating an item on a user interface displayed on a display, wherein an item for changing an arrangement of the item on the user interface is provided. An arrangement change step; an arrangement pattern storing step of storing the arrangement pattern of the item whose arrangement has been changed in the item arrangement change step; and a user displaying a user interface of the arrangement pattern stored in the arrangement pattern storage step on a display. A storage medium for a user interface, wherein a program for executing the interface display step is readably and writable by computer means. 22. The storage medium for a user interface according to claim 21, wherein said storage medium is detachable from an information processing apparatus having control means for controlling display. 23. The storage medium for a user interface according to claim 21, wherein said storage medium is a floppy disk, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an MD, an MO, or the like.