JPH08328802A - Display management system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] In a multi-window system, the window to be displayed differs depending on the usage environment, so that the window can be selected according to the purpose. [Configuration] In a display system for displaying and managing a plurality of windows on a display screen, a user can arbitrarily register and delete a plurality of windows, and a first workspace management unit that allows the user to arbitrarily manage the plurality of windows. A display characterized by having a second workspace management unit for registering / deleting windows and a workspace operation means for operating a plurality of windows managed by the first or second workspace management unit. Management system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display management system in a window system in which a display is divided and used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, window management in a window system is performed by the window system itself or by individual programs (applications) operating on the window system.

[0003]

As a work form of a user on a window system, a method of simultaneously referring to / using a plurality of windows is generally used. But,
In the conventional method, window management is performed regardless of the work style of the user.

Therefore, there is a drawback that a window unrelated to the current work is displayed on the display and it is difficult to select a necessary window.

Particularly, on a window system, it is possible to simultaneously perform a plurality of works. in this case,
It is necessary to display all the windows required for each work, and a large number of windows are displayed on the display. In addition, the increase in the number of windows increases the overhead of window management and reduces the performance of the entire system.

[0006]

This invention makes it possible to perform window management suitable for the user's work mode by allowing the user to specify a window management unit. . That is, a window management unit workspace corresponding to one work of the user is introduced. A user combines several windows to create a workspace. By specifying the workspace corresponding to any work, the required window can be called immediately.

According to the present invention, in a display system for displaying and managing a plurality of windows on a display screen, a first workspace management section for a user to arbitrarily register and delete a plurality of windows, and a user for a plurality of windows. A second workspace management unit for arbitrarily registering / deleting windows, and a workspace operating unit for operating a plurality of windows managed by the first or second workspace management unit. It is realized by the display management system.

According to the present invention, in a display system for displaying and managing a plurality of windows on a display screen, a user can arbitrarily register / delete the first plurality of windows, and a second workspace managing section, A second workspace management unit in which a user arbitrarily registers / deletes a plurality of windows of the above, and a workspace operation for operating the plurality of windows managed by the first or second workspace management unit It is realized by a display management system characterized by having means and means for displaying the first or second plurality of windows that have been retracted by the workspace operating means by icons.

[0009]

1 is a general structural diagram of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 indicates a window which is a closed area on the display screen of the display. Window 1 is used as an area for displaying characters, figures, etc.
There are more than one on the display screen of the display. Multiple windows may overlap. These windows can be changed to arbitrary positions and sizes according to a user's instruction using a cursor.

A window management unit 2 manages windows. It creates, displays, moves, resizes, and deletes windows according to user's instructions.

Reference numeral 3 is a window operating means for the user to instruct the operation of the window. The user uses the window operating means 3 to specify the type of operation for the window and the window to be operated. These pieces of information are interpreted and executed by the window management unit 2 and reflected in the window 1.

4 which is a combination of 1, 2, and 3 corresponds to a window system. 1, 2, and 3 respectively correspond to windows, window servers, menus, and the like.

Reference numeral 5 is a work space which is a window management unit available to the user. The workspace consists of multiple windows.

Reference numeral 6 is a workspace management unit for managing the workspace 5. Create, display, and delete workspaces by the user.

Reference numeral 7 is a workspace operating means for operating the workspace.

In this embodiment, the window system 4 is used, and the mechanism of the work space 5, the work space management section 6, and the work space operation means 7 is realized thereon.

The display on the display in this embodiment is as shown in FIG. The workspace used is composed of windows W1, W2, W3, W4, and 5 and 6 are unused workspaces. The unused workspace becomes a small simplified icon on the display so as not to disturb the user's work. These unused workspaces are called saved workspaces. Also,
The currently used workspace is called the visible workspace. The simplified display of the workspace in the evacuated state is realized as a kind of window, and is managed by a special workspace directly connected to the workspace management unit. This workspace is called the system workspace. Since other workspaces can be freely operated by the user, they are referred to as user workspaces (hereinafter, these names will be used when distinction is required).

The system workspace is always displayed and the saved user workspace is displayed. In the case of the user workspace, no two or more workspaces in the display state exist at the same time. At most one user workspace and one on the display
Two system workspaces are open.

Next, the operation method of the workspace and the operation of the workspace corresponding to this method will be described. The following six workspace operations can be performed by the user.

(A) Creating a workspace (b) Registering a window (c) Deleting a window (d) Displaying a workspace (e) Saving a workspace (f) Releasing a workspace The operation will be described.

(A) Creation of workspace When the user requests creation of a workspace from the workspace operating means, the workspace creates a new workspace. A new workspace is always displayed in the system workspace as a saved workspace.

(B) Window Registration When a window is displayed on the workspace in the display state, the window is automatically registered in the workspace. This operation is realized by the workspace management unit registering the window when the window operation unit notifies the workspace operation unit of the window display.

(C) Deletion of window When a window is deleted on the workspace in the display state, the window is automatically deleted in the workspace.

(D) Display of workspace When the user specifies a workspace in the saved state from the workspace operation means and gives an instruction to display the workspace,
The specified workspace becomes visible. Also, the workspace in the immediately preceding display state is automatically saved.

(E) Saving the workspace When the user gives an instruction to save the workspace from the workspace operation means, the user workspace in the displayed state is saved. At this time, only the system workspace is displayed on the display. In order for the user to do some work, it is necessary to display an appropriate user workspace.

(F) Release of workspace When the workspace becomes unnecessary, the user can instruct the release of the workspace from the workspace operating means. All windows registered in the workspace are automatically deleted just before the workspace is released.

The above process is executed according to the process flow of the flowchart of FIG. However, while a, d, e, and f are processed by a user operation, b,
The processing of c is started by the notification from the window management unit.

First, a, d, e and f will be described. In step S1, the user specifies the target workspace with the workspace operation means, and the operation for the workspace specified in step S2 is specified with the workspace operation means. In step S3, these pieces of information are notified to the workspace management section, and in step S4, the workspace management section interprets and executes the user's operation. If the processing result affects the window in step S5, the workspace management unit issues a window operation request to the window management unit, and in step S6, the window management unit interprets and executes the operation request and displays it on the display. Reflected in the window.

The processing of b and c starts from step S1 '. In step S1 ', when the user operates the window by specifying the target window with the window operation means, the window management section issues an operation request to the workspace management section for the user workspace in the display state. The following operations are the same.

In this embodiment, by managing the user workspace on the system workspace, there is a peculiar effect that the user interface can be operated with the same user interface as the conventional window system.

(Other Embodiments) In a conventional window system, there is a window management unit on the system side that is managed by an application. This application is a program that runs on the window system. One application manages multiple windows. In such a system, a workspace can be realized as a management unit of an application (of course, it is also possible to realize a workspace in units of windows).

In this case, it is impossible to perform detailed operation in window units, but since each application is provided with a window management mechanism, it is possible to easily realize a workspace.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, by managing windows in workspace units corresponding to one work of the user, it is possible to prevent a phenomenon in which a large number of unnecessary windows are displayed on the display. You can Also, by allowing the user to freely create this workspace, there is an effect that the work environment desired by the user can be immediately displayed on the display.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of an exemplary system for practicing the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of general operations in an embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 window 2 window management unit 3 window operation means

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A display system for displaying and managing a plurality of windows on a display screen, wherein a user arbitrarily registers a plurality of windows.
First workspace manager to delete and multiple windows can be registered by the user.
A display management system comprising: a second workspace managing section to be deleted; and a workspace operating means for operating a plurality of windows managed by the first or second workspace managing section. 2. The workspace operation means includes means for performing an operation of evacuating a plurality of windows managed by the first or second workspace management section or displaying the plurality of windows on a display screen. The display management system according to item 1. 3. The display management system according to claim 1, wherein the first workspace management unit has means for storing parameters of a plurality of windows. 4. A display system for displaying and managing a plurality of windows on a display screen, comprising: a first workspace management section in which a user arbitrarily registers / deletes the first plurality of windows; A second workspace management unit in which a user arbitrarily registers / deletes a plurality of windows, and a workspace operation unit for operating the plurality of windows managed by the first or second workspace management unit. And the first retracted operation by the workspace operation means
Alternatively, a display management system having means for displaying a second plurality of windows by icons. 5. The display management system according to claim 4, wherein the first workspace management unit has means for storing parameters of a plurality of windows. 6. The workspace operation means has means for performing an operation of evacuating a plurality of windows managed by the first or second workspace managing section or displaying the plurality of windows on a display screen. The display management system according to item 4.