Program selection system for computer

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a program selection system in a computer in which a target program is selected and executed from a plurality of programs stored in an external storage device in the computer.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

In a program selection system in this type of computer, a method generally adopted is to display a list of a plurality of programs stored in an external storage device on the screen of a display device, and display the list on the screen of the display device. This is a method of selecting an execution program by moving the cursor pointer to the display field of the program to be executed.

【0003】

In this case, conventionally, on the menu screen immediately after the program list is displayed when the power is turned on, as shown in FIG. 11, for example, a plurality of program displays P1 (Japanese word processor), P2 (English word processor), P3. (Spreadsheet) ...... The cursor pointer CP is displayed at the position of the program display P1 at the beginning position, or although not shown, the program display related to the program that was executed immediately before is displayed. Either method of displaying the cursor pointer at the position was adopted.

【0004】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

When the same computer system is shared and used by multiple users, the frequency of use (number of executions) of each program differs for each user. For example, one user U1 uses the "Japanese word processor" program most often, another user U2 uses the "spreadsheet" program most often, and so on.

【0005】

When multiple program displays P1, P2, P3 ... are displayed in the order of "Japanese word processor", "English word processor", "Spreadsheet" ... as shown in the figure. , The method in which the position where the cursor pointer CP is first displayed on the menu screen immediately after the power is turned on is the head position of the program display column is convenient for the user U1, but the user U2 operates the cursor keys to move the cursor. You must move to the display location of the "spreadsheet" where you want to execute the pointer CP. Also, if another user U3 uses the program displayed near the end of the program display column most often, moving the cursor pointer CP becomes even more troublesome, and every time the computer system is used, it becomes more troublesome. You have to do a troublesome operation.

【0006】

In addition, in the method of displaying the cursor pointer CP at the display position of the program that was executed immediately before on the menu screen immediately after the power is turned on, another user or the program that was executed immediately before the person tries to select from now on. If it is different from the program, the same troublesome operation as above must be performed.

【0007】

The present invention was devised in view of such circumstances, and when the same computer system is used by a plurality of users in common, all users can see the menu screen immediately after the power is turned on. The purpose is to reduce the trouble of moving the cursor pointer of.

【0008】

[Means for solving problems]

The program selection system in the computer according to the present invention is a system that displays a list of a plurality of programs stored in an external storage device, and selects and executes a program for which a cursor pointer is displayed from the list of programs. The external storage device has a program start information table that is distinguished for each user ID, and the program start information table stores the past number of executions for each program for program selection. Until the program selection decision is made on the menu screen of, the cursor pointer is sequentially moved and displayed in the order of the program display with the highest number of executions among the program displays in the program list. It is a thing.

【0009】

[Action]

When the same computer system is shared by multiple users, the number of executions (frequency of use) of each program differs for each user, but regardless of which user uses it, the selection of the target program is determined on the menu screen. Until is performed, the cursor pointer is sequentially moved and displayed on each program display in the program list in descending order of the number of executions.

【0010】

[Example]

Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

【0011】

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a program selection system in a computer of an embodiment.

【0012】

In the figure, 2 is an input device such as a keyboard, 4 is a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer, 6 is a main storage device (IC memory) consisting of ROM and RAM in a computer, 8 is a display device such as a CRT, and 10 is magnetic. It is an external storage device using a storage medium, and the external storage device 10 has a user ID table 10a and a program start information table 10b, and stores various programs 10c.

【0013】

Next, the operation of the program selection system in the computer of this embodiment will be described.

【0014】

A user who intends to use this system must obtain a user ID (identification information) from the administrator of this system in advance before starting it. The system administrator performs a procedure for issuing a user ID when the user requests acquisition of the user ID. The process of issuing the user ID is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

【0015】

First, by the start operation of issuing the user ID in the input device 2, the central processing unit 4 stores the information for identifying the user ID of the system from the external storage device 10 in step S1. The contents of table 10a are read, transferred to the main storage device 6, and stored.

【0016】

As shown in FIG. 6, the user ID table 10a has a user ID, a user name, and each item of the user directory. Individual users are assigned different user IDs.

【0017】

Next, the central processing unit 4 determines in step S2 whether or not the end function is selected in the input device 2, but usually, since the user ID of the new user has not been registered yet, the process proceeds to step S3. .. In step S3, wait for the system administrator to input the user name and user directory from the input device 2. Then, in step S4, it waits for the user ID to be input from the input device 2.

【0018】

In step S5, it is determined whether the entered user ID is a user ID already registered in the user ID table 10a, and if it is already registered, step S4 to prohibit duplicate registration. Return to and prompt the user ID to be entered again. If the entered user ID is an unregistered user ID, proceed to step S6 to register the newly entered user ID, user name, and user directory in the main storage device 6. Update the contents of the user ID table 10a to.

【0019】

When this update is completed, the system administrator selects the end function in the input device 2, but the central processing unit 4 returns to step S2, determines that the end function has been selected, proceeds to step S7, and is updated. The contents of the user ID table 10a are transferred from the main storage device 6 to the external storage device 10 and stored. This completes the user ID issuance process.

【0020】

Next, the operation when a certain user starts a certain program will be described based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5.

【0021】

First, by the activation operation by the user in the input device 2, the central processing unit 4 reads the contents of the user ID table 10a from the external storage device 10 in step S11, transfers the contents to the main storage device 6, and stores the contents. The user inputs his / her own user ID by operating the input device 2, but the central processing unit 4 waits for the input of the user ID in step S12, and when it is input, the user ID input in step S13. Determines if is a user ID that exists on the user ID table 10a. If the user ID does not exist, the process proceeds to step S14, and it is determined whether or not the number of times the user ID has been entered has reached, for example, "5". Unless it has reached 5 times, it returns to step S12 to prompt the user to input the user ID again, but if there is an input error 5 times in a row, it is regarded as some abnormality and all operations are performed. To finish.

【0022】

If the entered user ID exists on the user ID table 10a, the process proceeds to step S15, and the contents of the program start information table 10b related to the corresponding user ID are read from the external storage device 10 to read the main contents. Transfer to storage device 6 for storage.

【0023】

As shown in Fig. 7, the program start information table 10b shows the information required to start the target program from the program list, that is, "Japanese word processor", "English word processor", "spreadsheet" ... ... Information on the title name of programs such as "email" and "editor", startup directory, number of executions, and reference flag is stored.

【0024】

Next, the central processing unit 4 refers to the program start information table 10b in step S16, and in step S17, the central processing unit 4 has the highest number of executions (used frequently) among the programs whose reference flag is "1" that can be referred to. Determines the display position of the cursor pointer CP according to the (highest) program. Then, in step S18, the title name of the program start information table 10b is displayed on the screen of the display device 8 as a list of program displays, and the cursor pointer CP is displayed at the determined display position.

【0025】

The screen at this time is as shown in FIG. 8, for example. On the menu screen immediately after the power is turned on, a list of programs (title name) such as "Japanese word processor", "English word processor", "Spreadsheet" ...... "Email", "Editor" is displayed. However, in this example, the cursor pointer CP is displayed first above the "editor". This is because the program "editor" is executed most often at 12 times.

【0026】

Next, the central processing unit 4 waits for the input of the utilization function from the input device 2 in step S19, and determines whether or not the end function is selected in step S20, but since this function is usually not selected at first. Proceed to step S21 to determine if the registration function has been selected. The user who has selected the registration function operates the input device 2 while looking at the screen of the display device 8 to determine the position where the target program should be registered in the program list, and the title name of the program to be registered. Enter the startup directory and startup command required to start the target program. The central processing unit 4 executes the processing corresponding to the above operation in steps S22 and S23. At this time, the screen of the display device 8 is in a state as shown in FIG. 9, for example. When the processing of this registration is completed, the process returns to step S18.

【0027】

If the function input by the user in the input device 2 is neither the end function nor the registration function, the process proceeds to step S24, and the central processing device 4 is currently displaying the cursor pointer CP in the program list. The display device 8 prompts the user to input whether or not the program is the target program. The user operates either the affirmative key or the negative key in the input device 2. From here, it can be roughly divided into two routines.

【0028】

One is when the cursor pointer CP is not displayed above the target program display, and the other is when it is displayed.

【0029】

First, the case where the cursor pointer CP is not displayed on the target program display is described. The negative key is operated to proceed from step S24 to step S25, and the program start information table 10b stored in the main storage device 6 Refers to, and in step S26, resets the reference flag related to the program title name with the highest number of executions currently selected as the display position of the cursor pointer CP to 0, which cannot be referenced, and then returns to step S17. ..

【0030】

In this case, in step S17, the display position of the cursor pointer CP is determined according to the program with the largest number of executions among the programs whose reference flag is "1" that can be referred to. Therefore, in the end, the reference flag is set. Considering without distinction between "0" and "1", the display position of the cursor pointer CP is determined according to the program with the next highest number of executions (frequency of use). In the next step S18, the cursor pointer CP is moved on the menu screen. That is, since the program that has been executed the second most frequently after the "editor" is the "Japanese word processor" that has been executed 10 times, the cursor pointer CP is skipped from the "editor" position to the "Japanese word processor" position. Will be done.

【0031】

Hereinafter, in the same manner, the same operation as above is repeated until the cursor pointer CP is displayed on the target program display (step S24 S25 S26 S17 S18 ...... S24). .. That is, the display position of the cursor pointer CP is moved one after another to the program display having the next highest number of executions.

【0032】

Next, the case where the cursor pointer CP is displayed on the target program display will be described. In this case, the affirmative key is operated in the input device 2 to proceed from step S24 to step S27. In step S27, the central processing unit 4 reads the start information corresponding to the target program from the program start information table 10b on the main storage device 6. Then, in step S28, the target program is read from the various programs 10c of the external storage device 10 according to the start information, transferred to the main storage device 6 for storage, and the target program is started.

【0033】

When the execution of the program is completed, the process proceeds to step S29 to refer to the program start information table 10b. For the program determined as the display position of the cursor pointer CP in step S30 and executed as described above, the number of executions is incremented by +1 and all reference flags are set to referenceable 1 in step S31. , Return to step S17.

【0034】

When terminating the use of this system, the user selects the terminating function in the input device 2, so the process proceeds from step S20 to step S32, and the updated program start information table 10b is externally displayed from the main storage device 6. After transferring to the storage device 10 and storing it, all operations are terminated.

【0035】

Note that Fig. 10 illustrates a virtual screen image when this system is shared by k users and the display position of the cursor pointer CP on the menu screen immediately after the power is turned on for each k users. ..

【0036】

[Effect of the invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the same computer system is shared by a plurality of users, regardless of which user uses the same computer system, each of them is used until a program selection decision is made on the menu screen. Since the cursor pointer is configured to move and display sequentially on each program display in the program list in descending order of the number of executions (frequency of use) by the user, the frequency of use of each program is different for each user. Even if they are different, any user can probabilistically place the cursor pointer on the target program display in the shortest time, and the target program can be started as quickly as possible.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

It is a block diagram which shows the electrical structure of the program selection system in the computer which concerns on one Example of this invention.

[Figure 2]

It is a flowchart which provides the operation explanation of the user ID issuance processing in an Example.

[Fig. 3]

It is the flowchart which provides the operation explanation of program start in an Example.

[Fig. 4]

It is the flowchart which provides the operation explanation of program start in an Example.

[Fig. 5]

It is the flowchart which provides the operation explanation of program start in an Example.

[Fig. 6]

It is a figure which shows the user ID table in an Example.

[Fig. 7]

It is a figure which shows the program start information table in an Example.

[Fig. 8]

It is a display state diagram of the menu screen immediately after power-on in an embodiment.

[Fig. 9]

It is a display state diagram at the time of registration processing in an Example.

[Fig. 10]

It is a virtual screen image when a plurality of users share the embodiment.

[Fig. 11]

It is a display state diagram of the menu screen immediately after the power is turned on in the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Input device 4 Central processing unit 6 Main memory 8 Display device 10 External storage 10a User ID table 10b Program start information table 10c Various programs CP cursor pointer