Hierarchical data display method and information processing system for realizing it

The present invention provides a time-series data display method for displaying time-series data items so that a user can grasp time more intuitively and sensuously, and an information processing system for realizing the display method, wherein first data associated with a desired date is retrieved and displayed, second data associated with a date contiguous to the desired date is retrieved, a display screen for the second data is displayed with a smaller size than a display screen for the first data in a temporal direction starting with the desired date, third data associated with a date contiguous to the date of the second data is retrieved, and the third data is displayed inside the second data with a display area thereof made smaller. The present invention also provides a hierarchical data display method and browser system, wherein a display area is divided into an area, in which data icons representing data items belonging to one level are displayed, and an area in which child levels are displayed. As a hierarchical depth increases, the data icons are made smaller in size and simpler. The hierarchical structure of a file system or data base having a hierarchical structure can be displayed in the form of a Venn diagram, thus making it possible to grasp the whole structure intuitively. Data items belonging to child levels are not hidden but displayed in the form of reduced images, whereby intended data can be located effortlessly. A cutout form and image are registered mutually independently. An identifier, position, and size of the cutout form are specified as the attributes of the image. Thus, an image can be fetched into album software by performing a simple operation, or a cutout can be changed in size.