JPH0635646A - Display method for connecting state in data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] When a large number of data processing devices are displayed in a window, they are enlarged and displayed so that the connection status of some data processing devices can be grasped. In a method of displaying a connection state in a data processing device, a first area 11 for displaying a connection status of at least two data processing devices and a designating means for designating a part of the first area 11 are designated. It has a second area 12 for displaying the connection state of a part, and simultaneously displays the connection of a plurality of data processing devices and the connection state of a specified part of this connection in the same window or another window.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of displaying a connection state in a data processing apparatus, which is suitable when a data processing apparatus or the like is displayed on a screen by adopting a multi-window system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a network management tool for displaying a network graphically by adopting a multi-window system on a screen such as a monitor, an application program for network display is selected from the windows displayed on the screen. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of data processing devices connected to the network are displayed on the window 11 on the screen 1.
Is displayed in.

In this case, the data processing device is displayed by an icon 2 which is a simple graphic symbol, but as shown in the drawing, the connection state (connection state) of each of these icons 2 is also shown by the connection line 3 at the same time. If it can be displayed, the mutual connection state can be visually confirmed, which is very convenient. In FIG. 6, in addition to the icon 2, a label (name) 5 of the icon 2 and a serial number 6 of the number of installed units are displayed at the same time to facilitate maintenance and inspection.

When a data processing device is connected to a network, a large number of data processing devices, such as several tens to several hundreds, may be connected. However, a corresponding icon and its icon within a limited window size. When simultaneously displaying the connection relationships, it is possible to adopt the following display method. (1) The data processing device is limited and displayed. (2) The network is displayed hierarchically. (3) A small icon indicating the data processing device is displayed.

[0005]

However, the display method of (1) cannot grasp the connection state of the entire network.
In the display method of (2), if the actual network is composed of a plurality of networks and can be hierarchized, it is still difficult to hierarchically display it if there is only one network not suitable for hierarchization.

In the display method of (3), there is a limit in reducing the size of the icon, and when the number of data processing devices increases, the icons 2 are displayed in an overlapping manner as shown in FIG. , Connection line 3 is also icon 2
It is hidden by and cannot be displayed.

In this case, for example, a function of enlarging and displaying a part of the window 11 may be added and the enlarging display mode may be selected to confirm the connection line 3. This enlarging display function is shown in FIG. As shown, the overlap display state is only enlarged as it is, and the connection state of the connection line 3 cannot be enlarged.

When a large number of data processing devices are displayed on the same window as described above, the entire network can be displayed, and a part of the window can be enlarged and displayed as needed. As described above, it is preferable to display the data so that even the connection state between the data processing devices can be recognized.

Therefore, the present invention solves such a conventional problem, and shows the connection state of a plurality of data processing devices and the connection state between the data processing devices in a specified specific display area. The present invention proposes a method for displaying a connection state of a data processing device which can be displayed simultaneously.

[0010]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, in a method of displaying a connection status in a data processing device, a first area for displaying a connection status of at least two data processing devices is provided. , A second area for displaying a connection state of a portion designated by a designating means for designating a part of the first area, and connecting a plurality of data processing devices and connecting a designated portion of the connection. The feature is that the state is displayed at the same time.

[0011]

When the area p is designated and the enlarged display mode is selected as shown in FIG. 7, the enlarged display image is displayed in another window (second window) 12 as shown in FIG. The second window 12 is displayed so as to overlap a part of the original window (first window) 11.

The image content displayed in the second window 12 is a plurality of enlarged icons 2 and a connection line 3 showing a connection state between the icons 2. The connection line 3 is displayed only when it is in the connected state, and when the adjacent data processing devices are not connected for some reason, the connection line 3 between them is not displayed.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a case where an example of a connection status display method of a data processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied to the above-mentioned network management rule display method will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

According to the present invention, the first area for displaying the connection status of at least two data processing devices on the screen and the connection status of the portion designated by the designating means for designating a part of the first area are displayed. Has a second area to The connection state of a plurality of data processing devices is displayed in the first area, and the connection state of a designated portion is simultaneously displayed if necessary.

The first area and the second area can be displayed on the same window, or can be displayed on different windows by adopting a multi-window system.

For convenience of explanation, a display method for displaying a network by adopting a window system compatible with a network (distributed multi-window such as X window) will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 4. It is assumed that there are many data processing devices connected to the network as shown in FIG.

When the application program for network display is selected, a network similar to that shown in FIG. 7 is displayed in the first window 11 displayed on the screen 1 as shown in FIG. 4 and 7, only the icon 2 and the serial number 6 displayed in the icon 2 are shown in the drawings, and the label 5 is omitted.

Since the number of displayed images is large, the icons themselves are small and displayed in a superimposed state.

When the enlarged display mode is selected and the area p of the specific icon 2 is designated in the network display modes displayed in the first window 11 as shown in FIG.
The application program for the enlarged display mode is started and another window (second window) as shown in FIG.
12 is created in the first window 11.

Then, an enlarged image of the designated area p is displayed in the second window 12. As shown in the figure, the enlarged display image is displayed so that the icons 2 displayed in an overlapping manner do not overlap each other vertically and horizontally. Therefore, in the second window 12, the icon 2 and the connection line 3 connecting the icons 2 are displayed.

The display colors for the icon 2 and the connection line 3 are predetermined, and the colors to be displayed differ depending on whether they are properly connected or not. When the icons 2 are not connected to each other, the connection line 3 between them is not displayed.

By doing so, the state of the icon 2 displayed in the designated area and the connection state connecting them is enlarged and displayed in the second window 12, so that the icon 2 can be recognized and the connection state can be confirmed. It will be easier. As shown in FIG. 5, the same window as the first window 11 may be used to display the enlarged display image here. The display magnification in this case is larger than that in the case of FIG.

In order to achieve the enlarged display mode as described above, a window display system as shown in FIG. 1 is constructed.

In the figure, 35 (35a, 35b, ...
.. are data processing devices displayed as icons 2, and these are optical network interfaces (FD)
The data processing devices 35 are connected to each other by the FDDI controller 36 (36).
a, 36b, ...), and connected to the respective window display systems 20 of the respective data processing devices 35. The figure shows only the window display system 20 of the data processing device 35a.

By inputting various commands from the keyboard 21, the serial I / O controller 2
3. Taken into the CPU 25 via the common bus 24,
The CPU 25 enters an interrupt state. When the CPU 25 enters the interrupt state, a command (processing program or the like) corresponding to the command is read from the hard disk 26, and the command is, for example, the SCSI controller 27.
Stored in the main memory 28 via.

Thereafter, the CPU 25 uses the FDDI controller 36 to collect information (usage status, connection status with an adjacent data processing apparatus, etc.) for each data processing apparatus 35, and the network information, which is the collected information, is collected by the controller 31. It is developed as a bitmap, and this bitmap information is displayed on the display 32 as a window of the entire FDDI ring. 33 is a frame buffer.

When the enlarged display mode (zoom-in mode) is selected by the mouse 22 and the area to be enlarged is designated (clicked by the mouse), the CPU 25 is interrupted.

As a result, the partial enlarged display mode is selected, and the second window (partial enlarged display window) 1
The data processing device to be displayed in 2 is determined, and the connection state, the display color, etc. are designated and these are displayed.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the network display processing flowchart 40. When this network display processing program is started, a window (first window)
The network is displayed in 11 (step 4)
1). The network means a group of data processing devices connected to the FDDI shown in FIG.

Next, the partial enlargement window processing designation is checked, and when it is designated, the enlarged display area is designated by the mouse 22 (step 4).
2, 43), when the enlarged display area is designated, the enlarged display window processing is performed (step 50).

The enlarged display window process is a process such as up to which range the icon is displayed in another window and at which position the icon is displayed, and the details will be described later.

After the partial enlarged display window processing is completed and a part of the FDDI ring is enlarged and displayed in the second window 12, it is checked whether or not the partial enlarged display window processing is closed (step 45) and the mouse 22 When specified by, the partial enlarged display window is closed (step 46). When the network display processing is completed (step 47), this display processing program is completed.

The enlarged display window process has a subroutine configuration, and an example thereof is shown in FIG. When the processing program 50 having the subroutine configuration shown in FIG. 3 is called, a data processing device (machine) that can be displayed in the enlarged display window is determined corresponding to the designated area p (step 51). Then, the display position on the enlarged display window of the machine is determined (step 52).

The display position is determined by the mouse 22 in which region p
Is different depending on whether or not is designated, the display position is specified by calculation from the relationship with the designated region p. When the display position of one machine is determined, the display positions of the machines adjacent to it are obtained.

After that, the attribute display function in the second window is set so that the same operation as the mouse operation in the icon of the machine in the original window (first window) can be executed (step 53). Then, the display color of the machine is determined by the label of the machine (not shown in this example) and the connection state with the adjacent machine, and subsequently the connection state between the machines is displayed (steps 54 and 55). With the above processing, the display as shown in FIG. 4 becomes possible.

In the above, the connection state of the data processing device is the network connection state of the plurality of data processing devices, but there is no problem even in other connection states, and the ring type is used as the network connection form in the above. Although described, the well-known bus type, star type, or a connection form in which at least two of these connection forms are mixed may be used.

[0037]

As described above, the method of displaying the connection status according to the present invention displays the connection status of a plurality of data processing devices and the connection status of a specified part of the connection mode at the same time. It was done.

According to this, even if there are many graphic symbols of the data processing device to be displayed in the window,
The connection state between specific data processing devices can be accurately grasped only by providing the partial enlarged display function. Therefore, it is possible to accurately confirm how the data processing devices are connected, and if there is an enlarged display function including such a connection state, the data processing devices connected to the network. The network display is possible without being limited to the number of.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an example of a display system that realizes a method of displaying a connection state of a data processing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of network display processing.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of enlarged display window processing.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a display screen showing an example of a window display state.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a display screen showing an example of a window display state.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional window display example.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional window display example.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a conventional enlarged display example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Screen 2 Icon 3 Connection Line 5 Label 6 Identification Number 11 First Window 12 Second Window 22 Mouse 25 CPU 32 Display 35a, 35b Data Processing Device (Machine)

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A method of displaying a connection state in a data processing device, comprising: a first area for displaying a connection state of at least two data processing apparatuses; and a specifying means for specifying a part of the first area. A data processing device having a second area for displaying a connection state of a part, wherein a connection of a plurality of data processing devices and a connection state of a specified part of this connection are simultaneously displayed. How to display the connection status. 2. The method for displaying a connection state in a data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first area and the second area are displayed on the same window. 3. The method for displaying a connection state in a data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first area and the second area are displayed in separate windows in a multi-window system. 4. The method for displaying a connection state in a data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the connection state of the data processing device is a connection state of a network of a plurality of data processing devices. 5. The connection form of the network is a ring type, a bus type, a star type, or at least two of these types.
The method for displaying a connection state in a data processing device according to claim 4, wherein the two are in a mixed form. 6. A method for displaying a connection state in a data processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for designating a part of said network, and said part of the whole network is displayed in said second area. .