JPH02121025A - Display controlling system for multiwindow - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily pop up a hidden window by displaying selection guiding information related to all windows being displayed at present in a vacant area on a picture, and popping up the selected window to the topmost position of the picture. CONSTITUTION:A window symbol information area 10 is provided in a memory in addition to a window information area 13, and window symbol information (selection guiding information) related to all the windows being displayed on a display screen 1 at present is stored in the area. Then, if prescribed operation is executed correspondingly to the selection guiding information, the selected window is popped up immediately to the topmost position of the picture. Thus, the hidden window is easily popped up.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides a multi-window display that makes it possible to easily hop up any window even when a large number of windows are overlapped. Regarding control method.

(Prior Art) Multi-window systems are widely used in workstations for software development to improve man-machine interfaces.

In a multi-window system, as shown in FIG. 8, a rectangular area (window>
You can display 2.3.4 on top of each other and perform different tasks in each window.

For example, you edit a source program in area 2, compile another source program in area 3, and edit a source program in area 4.
You can also run executable programs with

To facilitate the development of source programs, the multi-window system is equipped with a function to create and delete windows so that multiple modules can be mutually referenced, or to expand the window to widen the reference range. Boat fishing is the way to do it.

Control the window using a pointing device.

In particular, specify the window border using the mouse, generate it,
This is done by selecting functions such as moving, enlarging, reducing, deleting, and hop-up.

In this way, by using the multi-window system, a computer environment with a good man-machine interface can be realized.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Although the multi-window system can provide a good division-like environment with a man-machine interface as described above, the following problems arise in use.

In order to generate new windows, the number of windows will increase one after another unless you delete the windows already displayed on the screen.

Therefore, some windows are hidden behind other windows and cannot be seen from the screen at all, and as a result, the overlapping state of the windows as a whole becomes unclear.

To hop up a window that is completely hidden behind another window and bring it back onto the screen,
The windows covering this window must be deleted one after another, which takes time and reduces processing efficiency.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a multi-window display control system that allows hidden windows to be easily popped up and displayed.

[Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a system for specifying the frame line of each multi-displayed window on the screen using a pointing device or the like. , in a multi-window display control method that allows processing of windows related to the frame line, means for displaying selection guide information regarding all currently displayed windows in an empty area on the screen; It is characterized by comprising means for detecting the selected window based on an operation performed by an operator in response to selection guide information, and means for hopping up the detected selection window to the top of the screen. It is something to do.

The selection guide information also illustrates the overlapping state of all windows on the screen.

(Function) According to such a configuration, even if a window becomes completely invisible on the screen due to another window displayed on top of it, all the currently displayed windows will be displayed in the free area on the screen. Since selection guide information regarding the window is displayed separately, if a predetermined operation is performed in accordance with this selection guide information, the selected window can be instantly hopped up to the top of the screen.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The multi-window display control method of this embodiment is applied to, for example, an engineering workstation. Here, the hardware configuration of the engineering workstation is well known in various documents, etc., and as shown in FIG. 1, a CRT display 100. Keyboard 101, mouse 102, controller (CPU,
ROM.

(RAM, etc.) 103.

Next, a general configuration of a multi-window display control method will be briefly explained.

As shown in FIG. 2, a window information area 13 is provided in the memory of an engineering workstation to which this type of display control method is applied. #n
Window information 14 is sequentially stored corresponding to each of the windows.

Each window information 14 includes at least window position information, window size information, and display priority information.

Then, a predetermined image display control unit displays a window 6.0 on the display screen 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 7.8 are displayed one after the other.

At this time, the window 6 at the bottom of the display screen 1 becomes completely invisible due to the window 7.8 superimposed above it.

The above is a conventional general configuration of this type of display control method.

In contrast, in this embodiment, in addition to the window information area 13 shown in FIG. 2, a window symbol information area 10 shown in FIG. Stores window symbol information for all windows that are

Each window symbol information includes information indicating the window position and window size, but does not include information regarding display priority.

Then, in the image display section, based on this window symbol information, a window status display window 9 is provided in the empty area of the display screen 1, as shown in FIG. Only the frame lines corresponding to all the windows in the window are displayed as solid lines to illustrate the overlapping state of all the windows.

Here, since all the window symbols in the window status display window 9 are drawn with solid lines, the window stacked at the bottom is also displayed without being hidden by the window stacked above it.

In this way, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. Selection guide information 5 regarding all currently displayed windows is displayed in the empty area.

This selection guide information 5 is configured as a reduced image that reveals the overlapping state of each window 6, 7, and 8 in the window status display window 9. Specifically, window 6 is displayed as a window symbol 10, window 7 is corresponds to window symbol 11, and window 8 corresponds to window symbol 12, respectively.

Next, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing details of the mouse interrupt processing, and the operation of this embodiment will be systematically explained below with reference to this flowchart.

Now, hypothetically, based on the basics of the display control method described above, three windows 6.
Assume that 7.8 is displayed in multiple overlapping formats.

In this state, if you specify the frame line of window 6, 7, or 8 with the mouse, which is a pointing device, and perform a click operation in that state, the selection of the window will be recognized in the flowchart in Figure 4. (Step 401 YES) After that, processing such as deletion, enlargement, reduction, etc. is allowed for the selected window.

That is, by specifying the frame line of each multi-displayed window on the screen using a pointing device, processing of the window related to the frame line is allowed.

Also, if you click the mouse without specifying any of windows 6.7.8 (step 401 NO)
, step 403 NO), the window manager is called, and functions such as creating a new window can be selected.

The above-mentioned functions are conventionally provided in this type of device for boat fishing.

Next, the window pop-up function, which is the main part of the present invention, will be explained in detail.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom window 6 is completely hidden by the window 7.8 superimposed on it, so that its existence cannot be known.

In such a case, in order to pop up the window 6 to the top of the display screen 1, the user specifies the window symbol 10 corresponding to the window 6 with the mouse and clicks it.

Then, the selection of the window to be popped up is recognized (step 401N0, 403YES), and the designated window 6 is immediately popped up at the top of the display screen 1 as shown in FIG. 6 (step 404).
).

This hop-up process (step 404) can be performed by rewriting the display priority of the corresponding window to the highest priority in the window information area 13 shown in FIG.

In this way, if the display priority in the window information 14 is rewritten to the highest priority, the window will be raised to the top of the display screen 1 by the conventional multi-window display processing (not shown). It will be displayed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the selection guide information 5.

In this embodiment, instead of displaying a reduced image of the window, the file name of the source program being handled within the window is displayed, especially during source program development.

According to this embodiment, the user can immediately start editing the desired source program by simply specifying the file name with the mouse, without being aware of the physical shape of the window.

According to the above embodiment, even if the number of windows is too large and the overlapping relationship between the windows becomes complicated,
The user can confirm the layout of the entire window based on the selection guide information 5, and can immediately hop up windows that are hidden behind other windows.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, hidden windows can be easily popped up in this type of multi-window system.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the basic configuration of an engineering workstation, Figure 2 is a memory map showing the configuration of window information set in the memory, and Figure 3 is a diagram showing the window symbol information set in the same memory. A memory map showing the configuration, Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the mouse interrupt processing routine in software that manages a multi-window system, Fig. 5 is a front view showing the screen before hop-up, and Fig. 6 shows the screen after hop-up. FIG. 7 is a front view showing another display example of selection guide information;
FIG. 8 is a front view showing an internal example of a multi-window screen. 1... Display screen 5... Selection guide information 6.7.8... Window

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a multi-window display control method that allows processing of windows related to the frame line by specifying the frame line of each multi-displayed window on the screen using a pointing device etc., means for displaying selection guide information regarding all windows currently displayed in an empty area on the screen; and means for detecting the selected window based on an operation performed by an operator in response to the selection guide information. A multi-window display control method, comprising: a means for hopping up the detected selection window to the top of the screen. (2) The multi-window display control method according to claim 1, wherein the selection guide information illustrates an overlapping state of all windows on the screen.