JPH0281094A - Cursor controlling system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make operations performed by using a designating device and operations performed by using a keyboard to match each other by providing a means which saves and restores the positional information of a mouse cursor and another means which positions the mouse cursor on a menu. CONSTITUTION:Input data from a keyboard 2 enter an input controlling program 6. The program 6 stores the content of cursor position data 8 in a cursor saving area 14. A cursor position setting program 12 sets the coordinate value of the position on a display screen in the data 8. A cursor controlling program 9 adds the moving quantity of a designating device 3 obtained from the device 3 to the coordinate value of the data 8 and requests a display control 5 to display a mouse cursor. When the menu operation is terminated by an instruction from the keyboard 2 or device 3 thereafter, a cursor data restoring program 13 clears the area 14 by setting the coordinate value stored in the area 14 in the data 8. The coordinate value of the data 8 is reflected on the mouse cursor on the screen.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention displays a command menu on the screen.

Pertains to a computer system in which a user selects a command to instruct a computer to operate, and in particular controls a cursor displayed on a display device in conjunction with an instruction device such as a device called a mouse. Regarding cursor control method.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, interactive processing based on a single display device has become central to devices for personal use such as personal computers.

Such equipment uses a command menu system in which commands that instruct system operations are displayed on a display device, and the system operates when the user selects them using the instruction device. In general, this one-sided command menu displays multiple basic commands at the top of the two-display screen (hereinafter referred to as the basic menu), and when the user specifies one of them, that command is displayed. In this system, a group of related commands are displayed on the display screen (hereinafter referred to as submenus), and the user again instructs one of them to determine the operation of the system.

In addition, in such devices, as a means for the user to easily select the above-mentioned commands, a pointing device typified by a device called a mouse is used, and the pointing device is moved on the display screen in conjunction with the pointing device. There are many methods for specifying a command, etc. by displaying a mark called a mouse cursor that indicates the specified position, and placing the mouse cursor over the command, etc. to be selected on the display screen.

Generally, such indicating devices are often provided with several buttons for indicating points on one display screen, and these buttons are used when specifying the above-mentioned commands, etc. For example, a user places a mouse cursor over a command, etc., and then presses a button to inform the system that the command has been specified.

This method is described in A, Gold-b published by Ohmsha.
'SMALLTALK-80 Interactive Progeramig Environment 1', pages 32-33, by J. E. Erg.

Now, in the one-sided command/menu system as described above, the method of operation has a great influence on the usability of the entire device. In general, this operation becomes simpler and easier to use as the number of operating steps is reduced.

Conventionally, when operating a menu using a pointing device such as a mouse, the procedure was as follows.

First, in order to start menu operation, the user moves the mouse cursor over the basic menu, presses and releases the button provided on the pointing device (hereinafter referred to as "the button").

This action is called a click), at which time the system displays a submenu corresponding to the specified basic menu.Next, the user moves the mouse cursor over the submenu he or she wishes to specify and clicks. , move the mouse cursor over the execution command in the submenu and click. When the execution command is clicked, the system clears the submenu, terminates the menu operation, and performs the operation corresponding to the previously specified command. When the operation is canceled, move the mouse cursor over the Cancel command, which is one of the submenus, and click it.

can be terminated. At this time, the system only deletes the submenu. Since this operation method requires a large number of steps to select and execute the basic and submenus, a new operation method that reduces the number of operation steps is recommended. Conceivable.

This new method eliminates the initial click action and instead displays submenus when the mouse cursor hovers over the basic menu. Also, the click operation at the time of a cancellation operation is eliminated, and by moving the mouse cursor outside the basic menu and submenu, the submenu is erased, canceled, and ended. For submenu selection, when a submenu is clicked, it clears the submenu and ends the menu operation,
Make it unnecessary to click the execution command. These changes reduce the number of operational steps and create an easy-to-use command/menu system.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, here is a command that reduces the number of operation steps mentioned above.
When considering the conventional case where a keyboard is used in conjunction with the pointing device in a one-menu operation, the following problems arise.

First, let us consider a case in which a user attempts to specify a basic menu using a keyboard and subsequently specify a submenu using a pointing device. In this case, when a specific key on the keyboard is pressed, a submenu related to the basic menu corresponding to that key is displayed. In most cases, the mouse cursor is not on the basic menu or submenu. However, when using a mouse, moving the mouse cursor outside the basic menu or submenu is an interrupted operation.

There is one problem when the mouse cursor is positioned outside the basic/submenu when a submenu is displayed. In other words, there will be a mismatch between the operations using the keyboard and the operations using the pointing device.

Second, in the first case, consider a case where the mouse cursor is automatically moved to the basic menu or submenu when a submenu is displayed by an instruction from the keyboard to eliminate inconsistencies in operation. . Generally, operations on command menus are often performed as part of some kind of editing operation such as creating a document.
After completing an operation on a command menu, the editing operation is often restarted. In such cases, even if you try to operate the menu using only the keyboard,
Since the mouse cursor moves automatically, when the editing operation is restarted, it is necessary to move the mouse cursor to the position before the menu operation in order to use it again for the editing operation. In other words, due to the consistency, the overall operation procedure increases and the operability deteriorates.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to eliminate inconsistencies between operations using a pointing device such as a mouse and operations using a keyboard in a one-sided command/menu system using a pointing device such as a mouse, and , provides a cursor control method that makes it possible to realize a one-sided command/menu system with good operability.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above purpose is to provide a control table that stores the position information of the mouse cursor at the start of menu operation, a means for saving the position information of the mouse cursor to the table at the start of menu operation, and a control table that stores the position information of the mouse cursor at the start of menu operation. This is accomplished by providing means for positioning the mouse cursor on top of the mouse cursor, and means for restoring the position information of the mouse cursor from the control table at the end of the operation and redisplaying the mouse cursor at that location.

[Operation] In operation using a command/menu method using a pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard, each of the above-mentioned means and data operates as follows.

First, when the start of menu operation is instructed by pressing the key corresponding to the basic menu, a means for saving 1 position information is used to save the position information of the mouse cursor at that time.
The mouse cursor is positioned on the basic menu or submenu using a zero-order mouse cursor positioning means that is saved in a control table that stores position information. A submenu related to the basic menu corresponding to the pressed key is displayed either before or after saving the mouse cursor position information or after positioning the mouse cursor.

Furthermore, when the operation on the menu ends, the position information of the mouse cursor saved in the table storing the one-position information is recovered using means for restoring one-position information.

The position of the mouse cursor on the display screen is returned to its original position by subsequent display of the mouse cursor. Deleting the submenu may occur before or after restoring the mouse cursor as described above.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of a computer system according to the present invention, such as a word processor or a personal computer.

The system has a main processing unit ff (CPU) 20. Main memory (MM)21. Display processing device (GP) 22. Display memory (FM)23. Display display control device (CRTC)
24. Display display (4).

Magnetic disk device (DC)25. Magnetic disk (DIS)
K)26. Keyboard control device (KBC) 27, keyboard (KB) 2. Instruction control device (PDC) 29, instruction device J (PD) such as a mouse3. Printer control'-J device (PRC) 30. Printer (PR)31. and a common bus 32.

The display method will be briefly explained using FIG.

By the program P running on the CPU 20, the CRT 4
When displaying figures or characters, first create the figures or character data to be displayed (these are generally figure drawing command strings or character code strings) using program P, and then send them to GP22. The GP 22 that issues an execution request or receives an execution request extracts the graphic or character data, develops the data into dot data corresponding to each display point on the CRT 4, and places it in a location corresponding to the display position on the FM 23. Store the dot data. On the other hand, the display control device CRTC24 of the CRT 4 scans the FM 23 at regular intervals and displays the information on the CRT 4 according to the content. Therefore, the dot data stored in the FM23 is immediately transferred to the CRT4 by the CRTC24.
It will be displayed on top.

The function of the indicating device is as follows. First, when the PD3 is moved by the operator, the PD3 notifies the PDC 29 of the change in status.

The PDC 29 converts the transmitted signal and notifies the CPU 20 of data such as the amount of movement. Furthermore, even if the state of the PD 3 does not change, the PDC 29 notifies the CPU 20 of data representing the current state of the PD 3 at regular intervals. In response to the data notification, the CPU 20 automatically executes the preset program I. The program converts the data into position coordinates on the CRT 4, creates cursor data to display a cursor at the position, and issues an execution request to the GP 22. From then on, the same processing as described above is performed. I, the cursor is CRT4
displayed above.

FIGS. 3(α) and 3(b) show an example of a one-type command menu according to the present invention.

In FIG. 3(α), a basic menu 30 is displayed at the top of the display screen 33. The mouse cursor 40 moves on the display screen 33 in conjunction with the movement of the pointing device a3. Further, the keyboard 2 has a menu key 32 corresponding to the basic menu 30. Here, by moving the mouse cursor 40 onto the basic menu 30 or pressing the menu key 32, a submenu corresponding to the specified basic menu 30 is displayed.

FIG. 3(b) shows a state in which a corresponding submenu 31 is displayed in response to an instruction from the basic menu. The mouse cursor 40 has been moved onto the basic menu 30.

Thereafter, after the submenu 31 is operated, etc., when the menu operation is completed, the state returns to the state shown in FIG. 3 (α).

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a method for controlling the position of a mouse cursor using a cursor control method according to the present invention.

The input control program 6 includes the instruction device 3 and the keyboard 2.
The display control program 5 processes the input data obtained from the 0 display control program 5, passes the input results to the application program 1, transfers control to the menu control program 7, issues a request to display the mouse cursor to the display control program 5, etc. , performs display on the display 4 according to the display request.

The menu control program 7 receives input data from the instruction device 3 and the keyboard 2 from the input control program 6,
Control operations related to menus.

First, consider a case where a menu operation is started by an instruction from the keyboard 2. Input data from the keyboard 2 enters the input determining program 10, where it is determined that it pertains to menu operations, and control is transferred to the state determining program 15. The state determining program 15 determines from the input data and the state of the menu that it is an instruction to start menu operation, and executes the cursor data saving program 11 and the cursor position setting program 12. The cursor save program 11 stores the contents of the cursor position data 8 in the cursor data save area 14. The cursor position setting program 12 is
To position the mouse cursor over the basic menu,
The coordinate values of that position on the display screen are calculated and the values are set in the cursor position data 8. The mechanism by which the mouse cursor is displayed according to the value of cursor position data is as follows. The cursor saving program 9 calculates the amount of movement of the pointing device 3 obtained from the pointing device 3.

Add to the coordinate values stored in cursor position data 8. Then, a display request is issued to the display control 5 to display the mouse cursor according to the coordinate values. In general, the instruction device [3 provides the program with movement amounts at constant, very short time intervals.

Therefore, the coordinate values newly set in the cursor position data 8 are immediately reflected in the position of the mouse cursor on the display screen.

Next, consider a case where menu operation is terminated by an instruction from the keyboard 2 or the instruction device 3.

Input data from the keyboard 2 or instruction device 3 is
The process goes to the status determining program 15 through the same flow as described above. The state determining program 15 determines from the input data and the state of the menu that it is an instruction to end the menu operation, and executes the cursor data recovery program 13. The cursor data recovery program 13 checks whether coordinate values are stored in the cursor data save area 14,
If it is stored, it is set in the cursor position data 8, and then the cursor data save area is cleared in preparation for the next menu operation. The newly set coordinate values of the cursor position data 8 are immediately reflected on the mouse cursor on the display screen by the aforementioned mechanism.

Next, this cursor control will be explained in detail.

FIGS. 4 to 8 show processing procedures regarding cursor control according to this embodiment. Here, the cursor control program 9. Input/state determination program 20
0. Cursor data save program 11. Cursor position setting program 12゜Cursor data recovery program 1
3 processing move Jllrl is shown.

Each processing procedure will be explained below using FIGS. 4 to 8.

(1) Cursor control FIG. 4 shows the processing procedure of the cursor control program 9.

The cursor control program 9 is executed when notified of the amount of movement from the pointing device, and is given the amount of movement as a parameter.

Here, first, in process 101, a given amount of movement is converted into a change in coordinates on the display screen.

Next, in process 102, the change company is added to the coordinate values stored in the cursor position data, and the values are updated. lastly,
In process 103, a display request is issued to display the mouse cursor on the display screen according to the contents of the cursor position data.

(II) Input/Status Determination The input/state determination program 200, whose processing procedure is shown in FIG. is given.

First, in process 201, it is determined from the input data what the input is for, and in process 202,
It is checked whether the determination result relates to a menu operation, and if so, processing 203 is performed; if not, input data is passed to the application program 1 or the like, and control is transferred.

In process 203, the current state of the menu is checked. If it is time to start operating the menu, the cursor data saving program 11 is executed, and then the cursor position setting program 12 is executed. If the menu operation is completed, the cursor data recovery program 13 is executed.

Although this figure only shows cursor control processing during menu operation, in reality, various processing such as displaying a submenu is performed after processing 203.

(1) Saving cursor data Figure 6 shows the processing procedure of the cursor data saving program 11. Here, in step 301, the mouse cursor positioning value stored in the cursor position data is saved in the cursor data saving area. Storing (IV) Cursor Position Setting When the cursor position setting program 12 shown in FIG. 7 is executed, input data is given as a parameter. Here, first, in process 302, the corresponding basic menu is determined from the input data, and in order to position the mouse cursor on the basic menu, coordinate values pointing to the basic menu are calculated.Next, in process 303, the corresponding basic menu is calculated. Store the value in the cursor position data.

(V) Cursor data recovery FIG. 8 shows the processing procedure of the cursor data recovery program 13. Here, first, in step 304, it is determined whether coordinate values are stored in the cursor data save area, and if they are stored, In the process 305, the coordinate values stored in the cursor data save area are set as cursor position data. Then, in step 306, the contents of the cursor data save area are cleared in preparation for the next menu operation.

As explained above, in this embodiment, in a command/menu one-sided system using a pointing device such as a mouse, there is no inconsistency between operations using the pointing device and operations using the keyboard, and A simple command/menu system can be realized.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, in a command/menu type system using a pointing device such as a mouse, there is no inconsistency between operations using the pointing device and operations using a keyboard.

Furthermore, since there is no need to make unnecessary movements of the pointing device before and after menu operations, operability is improved.

.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a cursor control method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a computer system according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a command/menu one-type system according to the present invention, and FIGS. 4 to 8 are explanatory diagrams showing processing procedures regarding cursor control according to the present embodiment. 1...Keyboard, 3...Display device, 4...
display display. 8...Cursor position data, 9...Cursor control program, 11...Cursor data saving program, 12...
Cursor position setting program, 13... Cursor data recovery program, 14... Cursor data save area. No. 2 (Second Edition)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. It has a display device, a pointing device capable of pointing to a point on the display device, and a keyboard, and by instructing multiple commands displayed on the display device using the pointing device or the keyboard. In a computer system where an operation is determined, at the start of a command instruction operation, the position of the cursor displayed corresponding to the point indicated by the instruction device is
means for positioning the cursor in one of the commands, a control table for storing position information of the cursor at the start of the operation, means for setting the position information in the control table, and the control table at the end of the command instruction operation. A cursor control method characterized by providing means for recovering cursor position information from.