JPH0619660A - Help screen display control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the productivity and quality of system development by performing the common use of help screens from plural screens and the change of screen specifications by changing tables. CONSTITUTION:In the system, based on the display position in the screen of the specified input item, the help screen corresponding to the input item called from a help screen storage section 5 at the time of display. By referring to the table registered relating the display position of the input item to an inherent identifier given to the help screen, the identifier corresponding to the display position in the screen of the specified input item is extracted. A help screen extraction section 6 calling the help screen corresponding to the specified input item based on the identifier from the section 5 is provided to separate the help screen display control and control related to the input item.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a help screen display control technique in a computer system, and more particularly to a help screen display control system suitable for efficiently responding to a change of a help screen based on a user's request. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For the purpose of improving the operability of a computer, for example, Nikkei BP's "90th Edition Information and Communications New Word Dictionary (latest knowledge of computers and communications)" (1990
As described on page 130 of Nikkei BP), pull-down menus and pull-up menus have been developed for displaying a command system necessary for the work on the screen during work. The user can proceed with the operation according to such a menu screen (hereinafter referred to as a help screen), and can easily operate the computer without having to remember a difficult command system.

In the development of a computer system having such a help screen, the conventional technique relating to the display control of the help screen includes HELP of COBOL85 language.
For example, there is a WINDOW clause and a popup block cursor input / output routine (JCPOPUP). However, when the HELP WINDOW clause is used, it is necessary to set all the help information in one program, and the help screen cannot be made independent as a component.

The pop-up block cursor input / output routine is a component structure, and the program can be easily changed. However, in one system, the entry-based screen performs input display processing in units of one item in consideration of operability, and the maintenance and inquiry-related screens include processing performance and input display units collectively. It became the processing,
Input display processing is performed in units of a plurality of items or in units of one screen. Therefore, the display units of the input items on the screen may be mixed.

Therefore, when the display unit of the input item is one item unit, the help screen can be simply called from the current input item, but the display unit of the input item is a plurality of item units or one screen unit. If there are multiple input items, the cursor address (display position by line and example) for which item the help screen display was requested
Then, the help screen for the corresponding item will be called. Therefore, when programs having different display units of input items on the screen are mixed, the help screen cannot be called with the same control in one system. A lot of time has been spent on the system development in consideration of the difference in the display unit of the input item in one system and the program modification for the change of the display unit of the input item according to the user's request.

[0006]

The problem to be solved is that, in the prior art, the help screen display control and the control related to the input item of the screen are connected, and the display unit of the input item in one system is If they are different, the help screen cannot be called with the same control, and when the specifications related to the display of the help screen are changed in response to the user's request,
If the specifications relating to the display of the help screen are diverted to other users of the existing system, it is necessary to directly modify the program, and it is not possible to efficiently cope with it. An object of the present invention is to solve these problems of the prior art, to change the display of the help screen corresponding to each user's request, to facilitate diversion to an existing system, and to enable the development of an efficient system. It is to provide a screen display control system.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the help screen display control system of the present invention responds to (1) the input item based on the display position of the designated input item on the screen. In the help screen display control system that calls and displays the help screen from the provided help screen storage unit, referring to the table in which the display position of the input item and the unique identifier given to the help screen are associated and registered, The help screen extraction unit that extracts the identifier corresponding to the display position of the specified input item on the screen and calls the help screen corresponding to the specified input item from the help screen storage unit based on this extracted identifier. It is characterized in that it is provided. (2) In the help screen display control system according to (1) above, a table is provided for each of a plurality of screens, and the help screen extraction unit refers to the table for the screen of the specified input item to identify the identifier. Is extracted. Also, (3) above (1), or
In the help screen display control system described in any of (2), the help screen extraction unit registers the display position of the input item on the screen and the unique identifier given to each help screen in association with each other. An item number identification table, and an item identification processing section that extracts an identifier corresponding to the display position of the designated input item on the screen by referring to the item number identification table based on the designation of the input item by the operator. A help screen call processing unit that calls a help screen corresponding to the identifier extracted by the item identification processing unit from the help screen storage unit is provided. (4) In the help screen display control system described in (3) above,
The help screen extraction unit stores a unique identifier assigned to each of the help screens registered in the item number identification table, and a help screen identification table that registers the help screen unique name stored in the help screen storage unit in association with each other. , A help screen identification processing unit for extracting the name of the help screen corresponding to the identifier extracted by the item identification processing unit by referring to this help screen identification table, and the help screen call processing unit The help screen corresponding to the name extracted by the processing unit is called from the help screen storage unit. Also, (5) above (3), or
In the help screen display control system described in any one of (4), definition information including at least the item length of the corresponding input item is registered in the item number identification table. (6) In the help screen display control system according to any one of (1) to (5) above, the help screen extraction unit identifies at least the item number based on the operator's instruction to change the input item on the screen. It is characterized by comprising a table update processing unit for changing registered contents of a table including the table.

[0008]

In the present invention, the input item in the screen and the help screen corresponding to the input item are associated with each other through the table, so that the control related to the input item screen and the control related to the help screen are performed. Make each one independent. Thus, for example, for each of a plurality of screens, a display position of an input item in each screen and an item number representing the item are prepared as a table, and one system can be used regardless of the display unit of the input item on each screen. The same help screen can be commonly controlled by multiple screens inside. In addition, requests such as changes in the position of input items on the screen, changes in item length, or deletion or addition of input items can be easily handled by only modifying the table, and program changes can be made. There is no need to do it. In addition, porting to other systems becomes easy.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a configuration relating to the present invention of a help screen display control system of the present invention. The help screen display control system of the present embodiment is composed of a bit map display and the like, and is composed of a display device 1 for displaying a plurality of screens 1c and 1d having input items 1a and 1b, a keyboard and a mouse, and the like. And an information processing device 3 for performing a control operation according to the present invention.
The corresponding help screen is displayed based on the designation of the input items on the screen by the operator.

This information processing apparatus 3 has a main control section 4 for controlling the overall operation of the information processing apparatus 3, a help screen storage section 5 for storing a help screen, and a help for controlling the display of the help screen according to the present invention. A screen extraction unit 6 is provided. Then, the help screen extraction unit 6 registers the matrix positions (display positions) of the input items 1a and 1b in the screens 1c and 1d and the unique identifiers assigned to the help screens in association with each other and inputs them. Item number identification table 7 for registering item lengths of items 1a and 1b, and operator input item 1
This item number identification table 7 is specified based on the designations a and 1b.
With reference to the item identification processing unit 8 for extracting an identifier corresponding to the matrix position of the designated input item 1a, 1b, and a unique identifier given to each of the help screens registered in the item number identification table 7, Corresponding to the help screen identification table 9 in which the name unique to each help screen stored in the help screen storage unit 5 is registered, and the help screen identification table 9 is referred to, and the identifier extracted by the item identification processing unit 8 is associated. A help screen identification processing unit 10 for extracting the name of the help screen to be used, a help screen call processing unit 11 for calling the help screen corresponding to the name extracted by the help screen identification processing unit 10 from the help screen storage unit 5, and an operation. Registration contents of a table including at least the item number identification table 7 based on a change instruction to the input items 1a and 1b in the screens 1c and 1d by the person Table update processing unit 1 to make changes
2 and.

With this configuration, the help screen extracting section 6 displays the screen 1 input by the operator via the input device 2.
Based on the designation of the input items 1a and 1b in c and 1d, the corresponding help screen is called from the help screen storage unit 5.
At this time, the help screen extraction unit 6 is operated by the item identification processing unit 8
To refer to the item number identification table 7
The identifiers corresponding to the input items 1a and 1b designated in c and 1d are extracted. Then, the help screen identification processing unit 10
By referring to the help screen identification table 9, the name of the help screen corresponding to the extracted identifier is extracted, and the help screen call processing unit 11 extracts the help screen corresponding to the extracted name from the help screen storage unit. Call from 5.

As described above, in the help screen display control system of this embodiment, the input items 1a, 1 in the screens 1c, 1d are
By associating b with the help screens stored in the help screen storage unit 5 corresponding to these input items 1a and 1b through the table such as the item number identification table 7 and the help screen identification table 9, the screen 1c, 1d and the help screen are independent of each other. Thereby, for example, the item number identification table 7 is provided for each of the screens 1c and 1d, and the input item 1 in each of the screens 1c and 1d is set.
By associating the matrix positions of a and 1b with the item numbers representing the help screens corresponding to the input items 1a and 1b,
In each screen, the same help screen can be independently controlled in common.

Further, the input items 1a in the screens 1c and 1d,
Changes due to movement or deletion of 1b can be easily dealt with by changing the matrix positions and item numbers of the input items 1a and 1b in the item number identification table 7 by the table update processing unit 12. it can. For example, when the positions of the input items 1a and 1b are changed, the matrix position of the item number identification table 7 is changed to the changed value. Further, even when the item lengths of the input items 1a and 1b are changed, the item lengths registered in the item number identification table 7 are changed to the changed values. When deleting the input items 1a and 1b, the matrix positions of the input items 1a and 1b to be deleted are deleted from the item number identification table 7. Further, when the input items 1a and 1b are added, the matrix positions of the input items 1a and 1b to be added are added to the item number identification table 7.

Here, regarding the change of the display unit of the input item, regardless of the item number identification table 7, only the display unit of the input item and the item transition part are programmatically corresponded, and the help screen is displayed. There is no need to be aware of. As a result, no matter which one-item unit, multiple-item unit, or screen unit is adopted as the display unit of the input item in one screen, the help screen side to be displayed is not affected, This can be easily handled by simply changing the display unit of the input item. Further, conversely, it is possible to easily change the display item only on the help screen side without affecting the screen side with respect to the change of the content displayed on the help screen.

A specific operation example using the product code in the screen by the help screen display control system of the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a first embodiment of the processing operation according to the present invention of the help screen display control system in FIG. In this figure, the display control of the help screen of the product code is changed to the maintenance screen 20a.
1 shows the setting contents of the item number identification table 7 of FIG. 1 when divided into the entry screen 20b, the maintenance screen 20a is a screen for inputting the product code 21a, and the entry screen 20b is the product code 21b. This is a screen for doing. And the item number identification table 2
2a and 22b correspond to the maintenance screen 20a and the entry screen 20b, respectively.

In the registered contents of the item number identification table 22a, the item position (row) 26a, the item position (column) 27a, and the item length 25c are respectively the row position 23a, the column position 24a, and the item length 25a on the maintenance screen 20a side. Corresponding to each of the registered contents of the item number identification table 22b,
Each of the item position (row) 26b, the item position (column) 27b, and the item length 25d is the line position 2 on the entry screen 20b side.
3b, column position 24b, and item length 25b. Further, the item number identification tables 22a and 22b are set with item numbers 28a and 28b indicating the items of the product code as the identifier of the present invention. The help screen identification processing unit 10 in FIG.
The help screen name 29a to be displayed corresponding to the item number 28c in the help screen identification table 29 based on 8b.
Recognize. Then, the help screen call processing unit 1 of FIG.
1, the help screen corresponding to the help screen name 29a is called from the help screen storage unit 5 in FIG. 1 and the help screen is actually displayed.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a second embodiment of the processing operation according to the present invention of the help screen display control system in FIG. This figure shows the setting contents of the item number identification table 22a of FIG. 2 when the screen position of the product code of the maintenance screen 20a in FIG. 2 is changed. When the row position 32 and the column position 33 of the product code in the screen 31 before the change are changed to the row position 35 and the column position 36 shown in the screen 34 after the change, that is, the matrix position is (5,
When changing from 20) to (6, 5), the item position (matrix) 38 of the item number identification table 37 before the change should be changed to the item position (matrix) 30 of the item identification table 39 after the change. Correspond.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a third embodiment of the processing operation according to the present invention of the help screen display control system in FIG. This figure shows the setting contents of the item number identification table 7 of FIG. 1 when the item length of the product code is changed. Item length 4 of product code on screen 41 before change
2, that is, when "5" is changed to the item length 44 shown on the screen 43 after change, that is, "6", the item length 46 of the item number identification table 45 before change, that is, "5"
Is changed to the item length 48 of the item identification table 47 after the change, that is, “6”.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a fourth embodiment of the processing operation according to the present invention of the help screen display control system in FIG. This figure shows the setting contents of the item number identification table 7 of FIG. 1 when the product code is deleted from the screen. When the product code 56 in the screen 50 before deletion is deleted as shown in the screen 51 after deletion, the item position 53 of the item number identification table 52 before deletion is changed to the item position 55 of the item identification table 54 after deletion. It corresponds by changing to.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a fifth embodiment of the processing operation according to the present invention of the help screen display control system in FIG. This figure shows the setting contents of the item number identification table 7 of FIG. 1 when a product code is added. On the screen 67 before the addition, as shown in the screen 68 after the addition, the customer code 69 is displayed at the row position 70 (that is, "7th row") and the column position 60 (that is, "20th column"), and the item length. When added at 61 (that is, “5”), the item position (row) 64 (that is, “7”) is added to the item number identification table 62 before addition as shown in the item identification table 63 after addition. Item position (column) 65 (that is, "2
0 "), and the item length 66 (that is," 5 ") are added to correspond.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, in the help screen display control system of this embodiment, the input items on the screen, the input items and the help screen are
By associating via a table such as an item number identification table and a help screen identification table, control relating to input items and help screen display control are made independent. Thus, for example, an item number identification table is provided for each screen, and the matrix position (display position) of the input item in each screen is associated with the item number (identifier) representing the help screen corresponding to the input item. As a result, the same help screen can be commonly controlled independently on each screen.

Further, it is possible to easily cope with changes due to movement or deletion of input items on the screen by changing the item number identification table. And, even if the unit of display of the input item in one screen is one item unit, plural item unit, or screen unit, the input screen is not affected and the input item is not affected. It can be easily dealt with only by changing the display unit of.
On the contrary, to change the contents displayed on the help screen,
Display items can be easily changed only on the help screen side without affecting the screen side. As a result, in the development of the interactive program, the help screen is commonly used from multiple screens, and the change of the screen specifications can be dealt with by changing only the table. The quality can be improved by localizing.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. For example, in FIG. 1, the help screen corresponding to the identifier extracted by the item identification processing unit 8 may be directly called from the help screen storage unit 5 without using the help screen identification table 9 and the help screen identification processing unit 10. .

[0024]

According to the present invention, the help screen can be commonly controlled between a plurality of screens without being aware of the item positions on different screens, and the input items on the screen can be moved or deleted. , Addition, and change of item length can be dealt with not by changing the program but by changing the screen or the table. Furthermore, as the display unit of the input item in one screen, one item unit or multiple items can be displayed. Regardless of whether you use item units or screen units, you can respond only by changing the display unit of input items without affecting the displayed help screen side, and change the contents displayed on the help screen. Even for, since the display items can be changed only on the help screen side without affecting the input screen side,
It is possible to easily respond to changes in specifications during the development of a new system and customer requests for diversion of existing systems, improving overall system productivity and improving system development quality. Is.

[0025]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a configuration relating to the present invention of a help screen display control system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a first embodiment of the processing operation according to the present invention of the help screen display control system in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a second embodiment of the processing operation of the help screen display control system in FIG. 1 according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a third embodiment of the processing operation of the help screen display control system in FIG. 1 according to the present invention.

5 is an explanatory view showing a fourth embodiment of the processing operation according to the present invention of the help screen display control system in FIG.

6 is an explanatory diagram showing a fifth embodiment of the processing operation according to the present invention of the help screen display control system in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 display device 1a, 1b input item 1c, 1d screen 2 input device 3 information processing device 4 main control unit 5 help screen storage unit 6 help screen extraction unit 7 item number identification table 8 item identification processing unit 9 help screen identification table 10 help Screen identification processing unit 11 Help screen call processing unit 12 Table update processing unit 20a Maintenance screen 20b Entry screen 21a, 21b Product code 22a, 22b Item number identification table 23a, 23b Row position 24a, 24b Column position 25a-25d Item length 26a, 26b Item position (row) 27a, 27b Item position (column) 28a to 28c Item number 29 Help screen identification table 29a Help screen name 30 Item position (matrix) 31 Screen before change 32 Line position 33 Column position 34 Screen after change 35 row position 36 column position 37 Item number identification table before change 38 Item position (matrix) 39 Item identification table after change 41 Screen before change 42 Item length 43 Screen after change 44 Item length 45 Item number identification table before change 46 Item length 47 After change Item identification table 48 Item length 50 Screen before deletion 51 Screen after deletion 52 Item number identification table before deletion 53 Item position 54 Item identification table after deletion 55 Item position 56 Product code 60 Column position 61 Item length 62 Before addition Item number identification table 63 Item identification table after addition 64 Item position (row) 65 Item position (column) 66 Item length 67 Screen before addition 68 Screen after addition 69 Customer code 70 Line position

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Matsumoto 12 Hitachi, Ltd. Information Systems Development Division, 890 Kashimada, Sachi-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A help screen display control system in which a help screen corresponding to an input item is called and displayed from a provided help screen storage means based on a display position of the specified input item on the screen, and the input is made. The identifier corresponding to the display position of the specified input item on the screen is extracted by referring to the table in which the display position of the item and the unique identifier given to the help screen are associated and registered, A help screen display control system comprising a help screen extracting means for calling a help screen corresponding to the designated input item from the help screen storing means based on the extracted identifier. 2. The help screen display control system according to claim 1, wherein the table is provided for each of a plurality of screens.
The help screen display control system, wherein the help screen extracting means extracts the identifier by referring to the table for the screen of the designated input item. 3. The help screen display control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the help screen extraction means displays the input item in the screen and the help for each item. Based on the item number identification table for registering the item number identification table associated with the unique identifier assigned to the screen and the operator's input item designation, the item number identification table is referred to in the above screen of the designated input item. Item identification processing means for extracting the identifier corresponding to the display position of the item, and help screen call processing means for calling the help screen corresponding to the identifier extracted by the item identification processing means from the help screen storage means. Help screen display control system characterized by. 4. The help screen display control system according to claim 3, wherein the help screen extraction means stores a unique identifier assigned to each of the help screens registered in the item number identification table, and the help screen storage. A help screen identification table for registering a name unique to each help screen stored in the means, and a help screen name corresponding to the identifier extracted by the item identification processing means by referring to the help screen identification table. Help screen identification processing means for extracting, wherein the help screen call processing means calls the help screen corresponding to the name extracted by the help screen identification processing means from the help screen storage means. Screen display control system. 5. The help screen display control system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein definition information including at least the item length of the corresponding input item is registered in the item number identification table. A help screen display control system characterized in that 6. The help screen display control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the help screen extracting means is based on a change instruction for an input item in the screen by an operator, and at least the item is displayed. A help screen display control system comprising a table update processing means for changing registered contents of a table including a number identification table.