Method and system for displaying a user interface on a computer screen

Customized screens are generated in accordance with the invention for interfacing with an application program in an information processing system. During a panel definition phase when a panel designer creates a customized panel, panel actions are selected from a default list of panel operations and commands, including searching, adding, changing or deleting data from a database, showing long fields, blanking out a panel, displaying a prior panel, and printing. The actions are specified in a pop-up window during panel definition. Mnemonics and function keys may be specified for each action. The invention dynamically creates pull-down windows based on the actions specified which become part of the panel interface available to the run time user from an application action bar. Users may select actions to interact with the panel in like manner to interaction with other portions of the application user interface by means of cursor selection, input of the action number, mnemonics, or activation of a function key. Also during panel design a custom word or phrase for the panel action may be specified for subsequent display in the pull-down windows during run time. A mode such as Add data or Change data is specified for each selected panel action item during panel definition. During panel run time, and after selection of an execution mode, panel actions pull-down windows previously thereby designed may be displayed. A list of only those panel actions previously selected in the panel actions design pop-up window corresponding to the execution mode selected appears.