JPH0242485A - cursor control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease cursor moving operations by providing plural cursors for a display part and displaying the cursors selectively in accordance with the operation of an operator. CONSTITUTION:Plural cursors 4 and 5 are provided, the cursors 4 and 5 are assigned by corresponding to operational units (command selection 1, screen point indication 2, etc.), the cursors 4 and 5 are switched by corresponding to the operation to be inputted next by an automatic switching by a program by the proceeding of the operation or a cursor switching control operation from the operator. Thus, a cursor moving range can be narrowed, and even when a mouse, a joy stick, etc., which are cheap coordinate input devices are used, they can be used without lowering their operability.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a display device, and particularly to a device suitable for indicating a screen position using a cursor.

[Background of the invention]

When drawing a figure or the like on the screen of a display device, a cursor is used to select a drawing command and specify a position on the screen. There are tablet digitizers, light pens, mice, joysticks, etc. as input devices for moving this cursor, but mice, joysticks, etc. are devices that input the amount of movement from the current cursor position, and when the amount of movement increases, Operation time and number of operations increase, and operability deteriorates. Generally, in display devices using a multi-window system, the command menu is set in an area near the edge of the screen (Nikkei Electronics January 30, 1984 issue,
"Multi-window software that is the decisive factor in improving the operability of personal computers"), command selection/screen point (
(Command Execution Position) Operations that require repeated instructions require a lot of cursor movement control, and use of a device that inputs the amount of movement deteriorates operability.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a means for reducing cursor movement operations between positions on the screen/groups of commands when using a cursor to indicate a position on the screen or a group of commands displayed on the screen. .

[Summary of the invention]

In the present invention, a plurality of cursors are provided, and the cursors are operated in units of operations (
(command selection, screen point instruction, etc.), and the cursor is automatically switched by a program as the operation progresses, or the cursor is switched to the one corresponding to the next operation to be input by the operator's cursor switching control operation, reducing the amount of cursor movement. , which can improve operability.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a display screen when drawing a figure. The operator selects a command from a group of drawing commands 1, designates a drawing point 2 on a drawing area, and performs drawing.

This operation can be performed by moving the cursor on the screen to the corresponding position using a coordinate input device such as a grid for each drawing command selection 1 drawing point input, and by pressing the control key on the coordinate input device or the keyboard. This is done by inputting . For example, when drawing a circle centered on drawing point 2, move the cursor to circle command 3 in drawing command group 1.
By moving the cursor to the position , inputting a command by pressing the control key, then moving the cursor to the drawing point 2 and pressing the control key, a circle can be drawn with the drawing point 2 as the center.

When drawing one figure by repeating these operations, it is necessary to move the cursor between the drawing command group 1 and the drawing area each time, and when using a coordinate input device such as a mouse or joystick that inputs the amount of movement, the cursor must be moved. Operability is significantly lower than with tablet digitizers, etc., where the cursor position can be input directly.

In the embodiment of the present invention, two cursors are provided, a cursor 4 for selecting a drawing command and a cursor 5 for specifying a drawing position.The cursor corresponds to the input of a command and the input of a drawing position, and either one of the cursors is selected by a program or an operator's cursor switching operation. Enable.

A desired operation can be performed by moving the cursor within each area. This makes it possible to omit the operation of moving the cursor between command groups/drawing areas, resulting in improved operability.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the display section of the present invention. The drawing data on the screen is written to the display memory 21 through the drawing data line 11, and then sent to the display 23 via the cursor synthesis circuit 22.
will be displayed. The positions of the two cursors are set in the first cursor address register 24 and the second cursor address register 25, and which cursor is displayed is determined by the cursor control register 2 through the cursor control line 14.
This is done by setting the control data to 6. The control unit 28 moves the displayed cursor according to the cursor movement amount input from the coordinate input device 27, but which way the cursor is moved depends on the state of the program (waiting for command input, waiting for drawing point input, etc.). , the corresponding cursor is moved according to one of the instructions specified by the operator, and the position of the cursor is recognized.

Another embodiment of the present invention is to make the active cursor color different from other cursor colors.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, a mouse is an inexpensive coordinate input device that can narrow the cursor movement range.

Even if a joystick or the like is used, it can be used without compromising operability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a screen display diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a hardware block diagram of a cursor display. 1... Drawing command group, 2... Drawing point, 3... Circle command input position, 11... Drawing data line, 21...
・Display memory, 22...Cursor synthesis circuit, 23...
・Display monitor, 27...Coordinate input device, 28
...Control unit, 29...Control key

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An interactive device having a display section, a coordinate input device, and a control section, characterized in that a plurality of cursors are provided on the display section, and these cursors are selectively displayed or color-coded according to operator operations. A cursor control device.