JPH04264660A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control a program in the middle of execution through the use of an icon and a menu, which are displayed on a window. CONSTITUTION:The program execution control command menu 25 is displayed on the screen of a display 5 by using a mouse 4 and a mouse cursor 13 is moved so as to select a desired command. Then, the icon 14 showing the program in the middle of execution is similarly selected by the mouse 4. Thus, the desired command selected as against the desired program is executed and the program in the middle of execution is controlled. Thus, the operability of program control is improved.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of multi-task or multi-job control.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in information processing devices capable of multi-tasking or multi-job control, running programs are controlled using program execution control commands (for example, stopping running programs, changing execution priorities, etc.) To do this, first check the running program identification number or identification symbol by executing a command to find out what program is currently being executed, and then use that number or symbol as a command to control program execution. was used to control the running program.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above conventional example, even in an information processing apparatus having multi-window and icon display functions, the processing is command-based, so it is difficult to effectively use the window and icon display functions. The task of controlling a running program was troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device that can control a running program with better operability by utilizing window and icon display functions. It is said that

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, in an information processing device that is capable of executing a plurality of programs and displaying a plurality of windows and icons, a CPU, a display that displays the plurality of windows and icons, and a program being executed are turned into icons. a first display means for displaying a command on one of the plurality of windows, a second display means for displaying on one of the plurality of windows a command for controlling program execution for the running program; a selection means for selecting a desired program and command from the running program displayed by the first display means and the command for controlling the program execution displayed by the second display means; and the selection means the CPU to execute the command selected by the program on the program selected by the selection means;
An information processing apparatus is provided, characterized in that it has an instruction means for instructing.

[0006]

[Operation] With the above configuration, the present invention allows the selection means to select the program and command to be executed by selecting from among the running program displayed as an icon and the displayed command for controlling the program execution. ,CPU
It operates to instruct execution control for.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information processing apparatus that is a typical embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the information processing apparatus of this embodiment includes a CPU 1, a memory 2, a data bus 3, a mouse 4, a display 5, and an auxiliary storage device 6 (hard disk and floppy disk). A plurality of windows and icons are displayed on the display 5. Further, the CPU 1 loads a control program stored in the auxiliary storage device into the memory 2 when the information processing device is started up, and executes the below-described processing based on the control program.

Next, regarding the control of a running program using the window and icon display functions using the information processing apparatus having such a configuration, the control of the window displayed on the display 5 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be explained. This will be explained with reference to an icon display example and a flowchart showing a program execution control process using a menu shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, 11 is a process display window, 12a is a terminal operation window capable of displaying command input and command execution history, 12b is an iconized terminal window, 12c is a time display window, 13 is a mouse cursor, and 14 is an icon representing a running program. The icon 14 is displayed in the process display window 11. When the icon 14 is clicked using the mouse 4 in the state shown in FIG. 2, the display state of the display screen changes to the state shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, 25 is a program execution control command menu displayed by clicking the mouse in the process window 11.

The following describes how program execution control is performed using the program execution control command menu 25. Move mouse 4 to mouse cursor 13
The program execution control process using the menu is started by moving the process display window 11 into the process display window 11.

First, in step S301, the computer waits for a mouse button click, and when the mouse button is pressed, the process advances to step S302, where the program execution control command menu 25 is displayed. Next, in step S303, a desired program execution control command is selected in the menu, and when this is confirmed in step S304, the process proceeds to step S305, in which the execution control command selected from the menu is stored in the memory 2. Store in area. At this point, the process advances to step S306 and waits for the mouse button to be clicked again.

Next, when the mouse cursor 13 is moved to the icon 14 representing the running program whose execution is desired to be controlled and the mouse button is clicked, the waiting state for mouse button click in step S306 is released, and the process returns to step S307. The position of the mouse cursor 13 when the advance mouse button is clicked is memorized. Next, in step S308, it is determined whether the position corresponds to the top of the icon 14. Here, if it is determined that the user has not clicked on the icon 14, the process returns to step S301. On the other hand, if it is determined that the user has clicked on the icon 14, the process proceeds to step S309, which identifies which program is being executed, and stores the information in a predetermined work area of the memory 2. Finally, in step S310, the stored program control command is executed on the stored program that is currently being executed. Hereinafter, the process is performed in step S301.
Returns to waiting state for mouse button click.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to control the running program by utilizing the window and icon display functions, so there is no need to memorize commands and command operands, and program control can be performed visually. It's easy to do.

[0015]

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment, the program execution control commands are displayed in menu format on the display screen and the program execution is controlled by menu selection, but in this embodiment, the program execution control commands are converted into icons. An example of controlling program execution by displaying the icon and dragging a desired icon will be described with reference to a display example of the display screen shown in FIG. 5 and a flowchart of program execution control processing using icons shown in FIG. Note that since the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is used here as well, a description of the apparatus will be omitted and the same apparatus reference numbers will be used. Also, in the display example of the display screen, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in the above-described embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, as in the previous embodiment, the icon-based program execution control process is started by moving the mouse 4 to move the mouse cursor 13 into the process display window 11.

In FIG. 5, 41 is an area for displaying icons representing program execution control commands, and 42 is an icon representing program execution control commands.

First, in step S501, the mouse button is clicked, and when the mouse button is pressed, the process proceeds to step S502. Check to see if it is on the icon 14 that represents it. Here, if it is determined that it is on the icon 14 representing the program being executed, the process advances to step S503,
If it is determined that it is not on the icon 14 representing the program being executed, the process returns to step S501.

In step S503, it is determined whether the mouse button has been released. Here, if the mouse button has not been released, the process proceeds to step S508, and further checks whether the mouse cursor has moved. Step S
If it is recognized in step S508 that the mouse cursor has moved, the process proceeds to step S509, where the icon 14 representing the program being executed is moved to the position of the mouse cursor, and the process returns to step S503. On the other hand, if it is recognized in step S508 that the mouse cursor has not moved, the process returns to step S503.

Now, in step S503, if it is recognized that the mouse button has been released, the process proceeds to step S503.
Proceeding to 504, the location at which the mouse button was released is determined. Next, in step S505, it is checked whether the position is on the icon 42 representing the program execution control command. Here, if the position where the mouse button is released is not on the icon 42, the process proceeds to step S506, and the icon 14 representing the program being executed is returned to its original position. On the other hand, if the position where the mouse button is released is on the icon 42 representing the program execution control command, the process proceeds to step S507, and the currently executed program corresponding to the icon 14 representing the moved program under execution is A program execution control command corresponding to the icon 42 representing the instructed program execution control command is executed for the program. When the process in step S507 is completed, the process returns to step S501 and returns to the mouse button click waiting state.

According to this embodiment, therefore, program execution control operations can be performed more visually and easily without displaying a menu.

Furthermore, in the above two embodiments, the case where the icons representing the programs being executed are simply displayed side by side has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to display the programs in a hierarchical structure as shown in FIG. 7 based on the parent-child relationship of the programs being executed. FIG. 7 shows that the currently running program corresponding to the icon on the left is the parent program. Also, if you click on the icon representing the running program,
It may be configured to display data such as the program size and execution time, or the icons representing the running programs displayed by the process window 11 may be configured to display only programs started by a certain user, or A switch may be provided to display or switch between all programs running the device.

[0022] The present invention may be applied to a system consisting of a plurality of devices, or may be applied to a device consisting of one device, or may be achieved by supplying a program to the system or device. Needless to say, it can also be applied to cases where

[0023]

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention described above, the running program and program execution control commands can be visualized and displayed using the window display function and the icon display function. It has the effect of allowing control.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information processing device that is a typical embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2]

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when program control is performed using windows and icons.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing program execution control processing using a menu.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when program control according to another embodiment is performed using windows and icons.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing program execution control processing using a menu according to another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen in which a currently running program is turned into an icon in consideration of the parent-child relationship of the currently running program.

[Explanation of symbols]

5 Display 11 Process window

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: An information processing device capable of executing a plurality of programs and displaying a plurality of windows and icons, comprising a CPU, a display displaying the plurality of windows and icons, and a program being executed. a first display means for displaying an icon in one of the plurality of windows; a second display means for displaying a command for controlling program execution on the running program in one of the plurality of windows; , selection means for selecting a desired program and command from the running program displayed by the first display means and the command for controlling the program execution displayed by the second display means; An information processing apparatus comprising: instruction means for instructing the CPU to execute the command selected by the selection means on the program selected by the selection means.