JPH04340618A - Function key designating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To standardize application program generating tools with various keyboards as an object by actually depressing keys for which functions are assigned on the keyboard to designate the functions of keys. CONSTITUTION:At the time of designating function keys on a keyboard(KB) 2, a user actually depresses the keys for which functions are assigned. Keys recognized by a key code recognizing part 4 and functions designated by a designating device are stored in a function key table 6, where depressed keys and designated functions are registered correspondingly to each other, correspondingly to each other in the control of a table management part 5. That is, the function key table 6 is provided as the function management table where the key codes of keys designated by actual depression of keys on the keyboard 2 and functions designated on the keyboard 2 are registered correspondingly to each other. Thus, the keys for which functions are assigned are actually depressed on the keyboard 2 to designate the key functions.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a function key designation device applied to a man-machine interface mechanism of an application program creation tool.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Currently, the most standard input device in computer systems is a keyboard. This keyboard typically has data keys such as "A", "B", and "C" used for data input, and function keys that execute a certain function by pressing one key.

[0003] Conventional application program creation tools generally recognize characters written on key tops for each function, and specify the function by pressing the key on the key top. However, the function key designation means in the conventional application program creation tool described above has the following problems.

That is, in the field of personal computers, for example, there is a personal computer called AT manufactured by IBM, which has specifications that can be said to be a de facto standard, and the OS is MS-DOS.
(registered trademark), many manufacturers have produced personal computers that can run standard OS such as MS-DOS, and these have become widely used.

[0005] On the other hand, the display written on the key tops of keyboards installed in personal computers may differ depending on the manufacturer. In particular, the expressions on the key tops of function keys vary greatly between manufacturers.

[0006] When creating a tool for creating an application program, it is extremely difficult to support all the key top expressions that differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, and it is also expensive.

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above, conventionally, the function display written on the key top of the keyboard differs depending on the manufacturer. There was a problem in that it was extremely difficult to support all the different keycap expressions, and it was also expensive.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances.
In application program creation tools, you can easily create desired functions by pressing any key on the keyboard for each function, regardless of the function expressions attached to the key tops of the keyboard installed on the personal computer. An object of the present invention is to provide a function key designation device that can assign a function key to any key on a keyboard, thereby standardizing an application program creation tool for various keyboards that have different functional expressions on the key tops. shall be.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a scan code recognition section that recognizes a physical key code (monitor scan code) sent from a keyboard, and a code recognized by the recognition section that is notified to the user for confirmation. a display means for displaying the code, a specification section for specifying a function for the code recognized by the recognition section, and a function key table for associating the code recognized by the recognition section with the function specified by the specification section; To realize a function key designation device which can arbitrarily designate a function key on a keyboard regardless of the function expression of the attached key top.

0010

[Operation] By incorporating the function key designation device of the present invention having the above structure into an application program creation tool, it is possible to provide a common application program creation tool for various keyboards whose key tops have different functional expressions. Further, since a desired function is assigned to the key actually pressed, the function can be easily specified, and a function key specification mechanism that is easy for the user to understand can be realized.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a display device (D
Here, information specific to the key on the keyboard 2 pressed by the user (for example, a key code) is displayed to the user, as well as a list of functions to be selected (function selection screen). 2 is the keyboard (KB)
Here, when specifying a function key,
The user actually presses the key to which the function is assigned.

[0013] Reference numeral 3 denotes a specification device for specifying a function for a key actually pressed by the user on the keyboard 2. Here, the user specifies an arbitrary function from a displayed function list using a mouse, which is a pointing device. do.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a key code recognition unit that recognizes the physical code (monitor scan code) sent from the keyboard 2, and displays the recognized key code on the display device 1 in a predetermined display format.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a table management unit that manages the function key table 6, which associates the keys recognized by the key code recognition unit 4 with the functions specified by the specification device 3 and stores them in the function key table 6. .

Reference numeral 6 denotes a function key table in which pressed keys and specified functions are registered in association with each other, and under the control of the table management section 5, keys recognized by the key code recognition section 4 and keys specified by the specification device 3 are registered. stored in association with other functions. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the function key designation processing procedure in FIG. 1 above.

In FIG. 2, S1 is a step in which the user presses a key on the keyboard 2, and the user actually presses a key on the keyboard 2 to which a function is to be assigned. S2 is a step of displaying the pressed key on the keyboard 2, and the code of the pressed key is displayed on the display device 1.

S3 is a step of specifying a function to be assigned to the pressed key, and the user specifies the corresponding function from the function list for the pressed key by operating the mouse of the specifying device 3.

S4 is a step in which the user confirms the contents of the set function keys, and confirms the combination of the pressed key and the function corresponding to that key on the display screen.

[0020] S5 is a step of registering function key setting information that associates pressed keys with specified functions in the table, and registers function key setting information based on the combination of pressed keys and specified functions confirmed in step S4 above as function keys. Register in table 6. The operation in one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. When specifying a function key, first press the key on the keyboard 2 to which the user wants to assign a function (step S in Figure 2).
1).

Key signals generated by key operations on the keyboard 2 are sent to the key code recognition section 4, which recognizes the key code of the pressed key, and the recognized key code is sent to the display device 1 to display a predetermined display. It is displayed in a form (for example, a tabular input screen in which a key code input (setting) field and a function input (setting) field are paired) (step S2 in FIG. 2).

After confirming the key to which a function is to be assigned on the display screen, the user specifies the function to be assigned to that key from the function list (function selection screen) by operating the mouse on the specifying device 3. The function list (function selection screen) displayed at this time may be displayed on the same screen as the key input screen, or may be displayed by switching screens (Step S in Figure 2).
3).

The functions specified on this function list are displayed on the display device 1 in pairs with the key codes of the specified keys. For example, on a tabular input screen that pairs a key code input (setting) field and a function input (setting) field, the key code input (setting)
The key code of the key operated on the keyboard 2 is displayed in the field, and the function (for example, function name) to be assigned to the pressed key is displayed in the function input (setting) field paired with the key code input (setting) field. Is displayed.

[0024] On this display screen, check the combination of the pressed key and the function specified from the function list, and when registering the function key designation, press the keyboard 2.
Operate a specific key that instructs you to confirm the above. If the user wishes to change the above combination, he or she operates a specific key that instructs re-input (step S4 in FIG. 2).

[0025] When the specific key for which confirmation is instructed is operated, the function key setting information based on the combination of the pressed key and the function specified from the function list is set as a function under the control of the table management section 5. It is registered in the key table 6 (step S5 in FIG. 2). By repeatedly executing such processing, a plurality of function keys are designated by arbitrary key assignments.

[0026] Through the function key designation processing described above, it is possible to select a function regardless of the engraving on the key top by performing the same operation on various keyboards with different engravings on the key tops. By incorporating the function key designation device according to the example into an application program creation tool, it is possible to provide a common application program creation tool for various keyboards whose key tops have different functional expressions. Further, since a desired function is assigned to the key actually pressed, the function can be easily specified, and a function key specification mechanism that is easy for the user to understand can be realized.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the processing of steps S2 to S4 shown in FIG. There is, so you can omit it.

[0028] Furthermore, the method of specifying a function for a pressed key is not limited to the above embodiment, and instead of specifying from a displayed function list, for example, key input of data specific to a function with reference to a function list sheet may be used. Other function specifying means such as .

[0029]

Effects of the Invention As detailed above, according to the function key designation device of the present invention, the first means for designating a key to which a function is assigned by pressing the key to which a function is assigned on the keyboard; and a function management table in which the key code of the key specified by the first means and the function specified by the second means are registered in association with each other. By actually pressing the key to assign a function on the keyboard to specify the key function, you can actually use any key on the keyboard that you want to use as a function key, regardless of the function expression on the keyboard. By pressing , the user can specify the desired function key, and this makes it possible to standardize application program creation tools for various keyboards that have different functional expressions on the key tops.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a function key designation process procedure in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Display device (DISP). 2...Keyboard (
KB), 3...Specification device, 4...Key code recognition unit, 5...Table management unit, 6...Function key table.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first means for specifying a key to which a function is to be assigned by pressing a key to which the function is to be assigned on a keyboard; a second means for specifying a function for the key specified by the same means; A function management table is provided in which the key code of the key specified by the first method and the function specified by the second method are registered in association with each other, and the key code to which the function is assigned is actually pressed on the keyboard. A function key designation device characterized by assigning functions to.