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Claims  |
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What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the
United States is:
1. An information processing system comprising:
A. a visual display device for displaying information to an operator;
B. a common buffer;
C. an applications program processor for performing predetermined
processing operations, the applications program processor detecting
selected conditions in connection with its performance of the
predetermined processing operations, providing a message text item in
response to the detection of one of the selected conditions, and enabling
generation of a message box therefor including the message text item and
an actuable copy enable facility, said applications program processor
enabling the message box to be displayed by the visual display device; and
D. a control subsystem for enabling (i) the message box generated by said
applications program processor to be displayed by the visual display
device and (ii) said message text item to be copied to the common buffer
in response to actuation of said copy enable facility by an operator.
2. An information processing system as defined in claim 1 in which said
applications program processor includes:
A. a condition detector for detecting selected conditions in connection
with its performance of the predetermined processing operations;
B. a message text item generator for providing a message text item in
response to the condition detector detecting one of the selected
conditions; and
C. a message box generator responsive to the detection of one of said
selected conditions for enabling generation of a message box including the
message text item as provided by the message text item generator and said
operator-actuable copy enable facility.
3. An information processing system as defined in claim 2 in which said
operator actuable copy enable facility comprises an operator actuable
pushbutton.
4. An information processing system as defined in claim 3 in which said
operator actuable pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable
pointing device.
5. An information processing system as defined in claim 1 in which said
applications program processor further generates said message box to
include an actuable message box removal facility, said control subsystem
further enabling the message box to be removed from the visual display
device in response to actuation of the message box removal facility by the
operator.
6. A information processing system as defined in claim 5 in which said
actuable box removal facility comprises an operator actuable pushbutton.
7. An information processing system as defined in claim 6 in which said
operator actuable pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable
pointing device.
8. An information processing system comprising:
A. a computer system including a visual display device for displaying
information to an operator;
B. a control subsystem for controlling said computer system including:
i. a common buffer establishment enabling element for enabling said
computer system to establish a common buffer;
ii. an applications program processing enabling element for enabling said
computer system to perform predetermined processing operations, the
applications program processing enabling element enabling said computer
system to detect selected conditions in connection with performing the
predetermined processing operations, to provide a message text item in
response to the detection of one of the selected conditions, to generate a
message box therefor including the message text item and an actuable copy
enable facility; and
iii. a control subsystem for controlling said computer system to enable (i)
the message box to be displayed by the visual display device and (ii) said
message text item to be copied to the common buffer in response to
actuation of said copy enable facility by an operator.
9. An information processing system as defined in claim 8 in which said
applications program processing enabling element includes:
A. a condition detection enabling element for enabling said computer system
to detect selected conditions in connection with its performance of the
predetermined processing operations;
B. a message text item generation enabling element for enabling said
computer system to provide a message text item in response to the
detection of one of the selected conditions; and
C. a message box generation enabling element for enabling said computer
system to generate a message box in response to detection of one of said
selected conditions, said message box including the message text item and
said operator-actuable copy enable facility.
10. An information processing system as defined in claim 9 in which said
operator actuable copy enable facility comprises an operator actuable
pushbutton.
11. An information processing system as defined in claim 10 in which said
operator actuable pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable
pointing device.
12. An information processing system as defined in claim 8 in which said
applications program processing enabling element further enables said
computer system to generate said message box to an actuable message box
removal facility, said control subsystem further enabling the computer
system to remove the message box from the visual display device in
response to actuation of the message box removal facility by the operator.
13. An information processing system as defined in claim 12, in which said
actuable box removal facility comprises an operator actuable pushbutton.
14. An information processing system as defined in claim 13, in which said
operator actuable pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable
pointing device.
15. A control subsystem for controlling a computer system including a
visual display device for displaying information to an operator, the
control subsystem comprising:
A. a common buffer establishment enabling element for enabling said
computer system to establish a common buffer;
B. an applications program processing enabling element for enabling said
computer system to perform predetermined processing operations, the
applications program processing enabling element enabling said computer
system to detect selected conditions in connection with performing the
predetermined processing operations, to provide a message text item in
response to the detection of one of the selected conditions, to generate a
message box therefor including the message text item and an actuable copy
enable facility; and
C. a control subsystem for controlling said computer system to enable (i)
the message box to be displayed by the visual display device and (ii) said
message text item to be copied to the common buffer in response to
actuation of said copy enable facility by an operator.
16. A control subsystem as defined in claim 15 in which said applications
program processing enabling element includes:
A. a condition detection enabling element for enabling said computer system
to detect selected conditions in connection with its performance of the
predetermined processing operations;
B. a message text item generation enabling element for enabling said
computer system to provide a message text item in response to the
detection of one of the selected conditions; and
C. a message box generation enabling element for enabling said computer
system to generate a message box in response to detection of one of said
selected conditions, said message box including the message text item and
said operator-actuable copy enable facility.
17. A control subsystem as defined in claim 16 in which said operator
actuable copy enable facility comprises an operator actuable pushbutton.
18. A control subsystem as defined in claim 17 in which said operator
actuable pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable pointing
device.
19. A control subsystem as defined in claim 15 in which said applications
program processing enabling element further enables said computer system
to generate said message box to include an actuable message box removal
facility, said control subsystem further enabling the computer system to
remove the message box from the visual display device in response to
actuation of the message box removal facility by the operator.
20. A control subsystem as defined in claim 19 in which said actuable box
removal facility comprises an operator actuable pushbutton.
21. A control subsystem as defined in claim 20 in which said operator
actuable pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable pointing
device.
22. A computer program product comprising a computer system usable medium
having computer system readable code embodied therein for causing a
computer system to perform predetermined processing operations and to
generate a message box for display to an operator in response to detection
of predetermined conditions, the computer system program product
including:
A. common buffer code devices configured to cause a computer system to
establish a common buffer;
B. application program code devices configured to cause a computer system
to perform predetermined processing operations and to enable said computer
system to detect selected conditions in connection with performing the
predetermined processing operations, to provide a message text item in
response to the detection of one of the selected conditions, to generate a
message box therefor including the message text item and an actuable copy
enable facility; and
C. control code devices configured to cause a computer system to enable (i)
the message box to be displayed by the visual display device and (ii) said
message text item to be copied to the common buffer in response to
actuation of said copy enable facility by an operator.
23. A computer program product as defined in claim 22 in which said
applications program code devices include:
A. selected condition detection code devices configured to cause a computer
system to detect selected conditions in connection with its performance of
the predetermined processing operations;
B. message text item code devices configured to cause a computer system to
provide a message text item in response to the detection of one of the
selected conditions; and
C. message box code devices configured to cause a computer system to
generate a message box in response to detection of one of said selected
conditions, said message box including the message text item and said
operator-actuable copy enable facility.
24. A computer program product as defined in claim 23 in which said
operator actuable copy enable facility comprises an operator actuable
pushbutton.
25. A computer program product as defined in claim 24 in which said
operator actuable pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable
pointing device.
26. A computer program product as defined in claim 22 in which said
application program code devices further enable said computer system to
generate said message box to include an actuable message box removal
facility, and to remove the message box from the visual display device in
response to actuation of the message box removal facility by the operator.
27. A computer program product as defined in claim 26 in which said
actuable box removal facility comprises an operator actuable pushbutton.
28. A computer program product as defined in claim 27 in which said
operator actuable pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable
pointing device.
29. A method comprising the steps of:
A. establishing a common buffer;
B. performing predetermined processing operations,
C. in the course of performing said predetermined processing operations, in
response to detection of one of a plurality of selected conditions,
generating a message box including a message text item corresponding to
the detected condition and an actuable copy enable facility;
D. enabling the message box to be displayed by a visual display device; and
E. enabling said message text item to be copied to the common buffer in
response to actuation of said copy enable facility by an operator.
30. A method as defined in claim 29 in which said message box generation
step includes the steps of:
A. detecting selected conditions during performance of the predetermined
processing operations;
B. providing a message text item in response to the detection of one of the
selected conditions; and
C. generating a message box in response to detection of one of said
selected conditions, said message box including the message text item and
said operator-actuable copy facility.
31. A method as defined in claim 30 in which said operator actuable copy
enable facility comprises an operator actuable pushbutton.
32. A method as defined in claim 31 in which said operator actuable
pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable pointing device.
33. A method as defined in claim 29 in which said message box generating
step further generates the message box to include an actuable message box
removal facility, said message box being removed from the visual display
device in response to actuation of the message box removal facility by the
operator.
34. A method as defined in claim 33 in which said actuable box removal
facility comprises an operator actuable pushbutton.
35. A method as defined in claim 34 in which said operator actuable
pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable pointing device.
36. A method of controlling a computer system comprising the steps of:
A. enabling the computer system to establish a common buffer;
B. enabling the computer system to perform predetermined processing
operations,
C. enabling the computer system to, in the course of performing said
predetermined processing operations, generate a message box including a
message text item and an actuable copy enable facility in response to
detection of one of a plurality of selected conditions;
D. enabling the computer system to display the message box by a visual
display device and
E. enabling the computer system to copy said message text item to the
common buffer inresponse to actuation of said copy enable facility by an
operator.
37. A method as defined in claim 36 in which said message box generation
step includes the steps of:
A. enabling the computer system to detect selected conditions during
performance of the predetermined processing operations;
B. enabling the computer system to provide a message text item in response
to the detection of one of the selected conditions; and
C. enabling the computer system to generate a message box in response to
detection of one of said selected conditions, said message box including
the message text item and said operatoractuable copy facility.
38. A method as defined in claim 37 in which said operator actuable copy
enable facility comprises an operator actuable pushbutton.
39. A method as defined in claim 38 in which said operator actuable
pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable pointing device.
40. A method as defined in claim 36 in which said message box generating
step further enables said computer system to generate the message box to
include an actuable message box removal facility, said message box being
removed from the visual display device in response to actuation of the
message box removal facility by the operator.
41. A method as defined in claim 40 in which said actuable box removal
facility comprises an operator actuable pushbutton.
42. A method as defined in claim 41 in which said operator actuable
pushbutton is actuable by an operator manipulable pointing device. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of digital computer systems,
and more particularly to graphical user interfaces for video displays for
digital computer systems. The invention particularly provides a new and
improved "message box" facility for enabling applications programs and
operating system programs to facilitate the display of messages concerning
detected error and other conditions to an operator and to retain the
message information after the boxes have been removed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the past, using a computer system often required a user to remember
complex and sometimes arcane commands or keystroke combinations in order
to enable a program to perform usefull processing. In an attempt to reduce
these complexities, "graphical user interfaces" have been developed, which
provide a number of facilities which simplify computer use in a number of
ways. At a minimum a graphical user interface typically provides
facilities by which the commands which a program can accept may be easily
displayed to an operator, and the operator may select ones of the commands
to be executed. This eliminates the necessity of the operator remembering
the commands that the program can accept and also eliminates command entry
errors, such as typographical errors, which may occur if the operator has
to type in the commands manually. The primary graphical user interface
facility for an applications program generally is organized as a window,
with which the operator interacts with the program, entering data for
processing, entering commands and viewing processed data. In addition,
graphical user interfaces provide facilities such as dialog boxes, which
may be displayed by a user in the event that program needs specific
operator input such as values for various parameters for commands issued
by the operator, and message boxes which may be used by a program to
display messages to an operator if it detects certain conditions such as
errors. One problem with current graphical user interfaces, however, is
that they will provide mechanisms only for removing message boxes, so that
the indication of error or other condition which caused display of the
message box will be lost if the operator has not transcribed the message
on paper.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a computer system providing a new and improved
"message box" facility for use in connection with a graphical user
interface which enables applications programs and operating system
programs to facilitate the display of messages to an operator and to
retain the message information after the boxes have been removed.
In brief summary, the invention provides a computer system that comprises a
visual display device for displaying information to an operator, a common
buffer, an application program processor and a controller. The
applications program processor performs predetermined processing
operations, and detects selected conditions in connection with its
performance of the predetermined processing operations. If the
applications program processor detects a selected condition, it enables
generation of a message box including a message text item, an actuable
copy enable facility, and an actuable message box removal facility, and
further enables the message box to be displayed by the visual display
device. The controller enables the message text item to be copied to the
common buffer in response to actuation of said copy enable facility by the
operator, thereby preserving it for future examination through, for
example, a clipboard viewer or text editor, which may be enabled after the
message box has been removed from the visual display device in response to
actuation of the message box removal facility by the operator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TSE DRAWINGS
This invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims.
The above and further advantages of this invention may be better
understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative computer system incorporating a graphical
user interface in accordance with the invention for displaying information
to an operator;
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a window of the graphical user
interface, including a message box constructed in accordance with the
invention;
FIG. 3 schematically represents various data structures useful with the
invention; and
FIGS. 4A and 4B together comprise is a flow chart depicting the operations
performed by an applications program and operating'system program in
connection with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative computer system 10 incorporating a graphical
user interface, in accordance with the invention, for displaying
information to an operator. With reference to FIG. 1, the computer system
10 in one embodiment includes a processor module 11 and operator interface
elements comprising operator input components such as a keyboard 12A
and/or a mouse 12B (generally identified as operator input element(s) 12)
and an operator output element such as a video display device 13. The
illustrative computer system 10 is of the conventional stored-program
computer architecture. The processor module 11 includes, for example,
processor, memory and mass storage devices such as disk and/or tape
storage elements (not separately shown) which perform processing and
storage operations in connection with digital data provided thereto. The
operator input element(s) 12 are provided to permit an operator to input
information for processing. The video display device 13 is provided to
display output information generated by the processor module 11 to the
operator, including data that the operator may input for processing,
information that the operator may input to control processing, as well as
information generated during processing. The processor module 11 generates
information for display by the video display device 13 using a so-called
"graphical user interface" ("GUI"), in which information for various
applications programs is displayed using various "windows," one embodiment
of which will be described in greater detail below in connection with FIG.
2. Although the computer system 10 is shown as comprising particular
components, such as the keyboard 12A and mouse 12B for receiving input
information from an operator, and a video display device 13 for displaying
output information to the operator, it will be appreciated that the
computer system 10 may include a variety of components in addition to or
instead of those depicted in FIG. 1.
As noted above, the video display device 13 displays information to the
operator in the form of a graphical user interface, in which information
is displayed in the form of a window. Typically in a graphical user
interface, each applications program is provided with a separate window in
which it may enable display of information to the user, which information
may include information as processed by the applications program as well
as information which the user has provided to the applications program for
processing through an operator input element 12. An illustrative window 20
useful in one embodiment of the graphical user interface is depicted in
FIG. 2. With reference to FIG. 2, window 20 includes a number of window
elements which are typical of windows that may be used in connection with
applications programs which run under the Microsoft Windows.TM. operating
system, including a title bar 21, a menu bar 22, horizontal and vertical
scroll bars 23 and 24, and a status bar 25, as well as an information
display area 26. The title bar 21 identifies the title of the applications
program, and the menu bar 22 provides a number of textual pull-down menu
items which an operator can use to issue commands to control the
applications program. As is conventional, the user may, by inputting
appropriate keystroke patterns on the keyboard 12A or by controlling the
position of an on-screen pointer (not shown) by manipulating the mouse
12B, select and actuate ones of the menu items and thereby issue the
corresponding commands to the applications program. In addition, a window
20 may include a button bar 27 including a number of buttons 27(1) through
27(N) (generally identified by reference numeral 27(n)) each of which may
also be associated with a command for controlling the applications
program; the operator can issue a command to the applications program
through the button bar 27 by actuating the appropriate button in a similar
manner.
Window 20 includes several other elements, including system menu elements
30A and 30B and two window control push-buttons 31 and 32. The system menu
elements 30A and 301B provide a system menu which enables the operator to
issue commands to the operating system program to control the computer
system 10. The window control push-buttons 31 and 32 enable the operator
to control various aspects of the window 20. For example, if the operator
inputs a predetermined keystroke combination using the keyboard 12A or
suitably manipulates the mouse 12B to actuate the window control
push-button 31, the window 20 may switch between occupying the entire
screen of the video display device 13, and occupying somewhat less that
the full screen. If the operator similarly inputs a predetermined
keystroke combination or suitably manipulates the mouse 12B to actuate the
window control push-button 32, the window 20 may minimize itself to an
icon (not shown) displayed by the video display device 13.
The applications program can use the information display area 26 to display
program information to a user. If the applications program has more
program information which may be displayed than can be displayed in the
information display area 26, the window 20 may provide the horizontal and
vertical scroll bars 23 and 24 to enable the user to scroll through the
information. Each scroll bar 23 and 24 includes a slider 23(1), 24(1)
whose horizontal or vertical position can be controlled by the operator by
mainpulating the on-screen mouse pointer to control the portion of the
applications program's information that is displayed on the video display
device 13.
While operating, the applications program may, in addition to the window
20, make use of a number of other graphical display devices, including
dialog boxes, message boxes and the like. When a command requires entry by
an operator of values for various parameters and other control information
for execution, an applications program may use a dialog box (not shown) to
obtain such values from the operator. Typically, a dialog box will include
several window elements which are similar to to those described above in
connection with window 20, including a title bar and an information
display area, but in the case of a dialog box the information display area
will be constrained to identify the types of parameters and other control
information to be supplied by the operator, as well as blank areas in
which the operator can insert the parameter and control information
values.
The applications program may use message boxes to, for example, provide
information of a critical nature to the operator, which the operator might
otherwise missed if it is merely displayed on the status bar 25, to
display information if a status bar is not provided, or to display types
of information which are not shown on the status bar 25 if a status bar is
provided. The applications program may use a message box to display a
variety of types of information, including but not limited to error
messages if the applications program detects error conditions in execution
of commands or other processing. A message box 40 constructed in
accordance with the invention is shown in FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 2, the message box 40, like window 20, includes a title
bar 41, a system menu element 42 and an information area 43, as well as
two push-buttons, namely, an "OK" push-button 44 and a "COPY" push-button
45. The title bar identifies the program for which the message box was
generated, which may be an applications program or the operating system
program. If the computer system 10 is a multi-tasking system, in which the
computer system can process a number of applications programs
concurrently, and display windows such as window 20 for all or only some
of the applications programs being processed, it will be appreciated that
the applications program for which the message box was generated need not
be associated with an applications program whose window(s) are being
displayed, and so the title bar will, if the message box was generated for
an applications program, provide the identification of the applications
program to the operator. The system menu 42, like system menu elements 30A
and 30B, enables the opearator to issue commands to the operating system
program, including, for example, commands to enable the operating system
program to move the message box 40 to another position on the screen of
the video display device 13 and to close the message box 40 thereby
enabling the box 40 to be removed from the display and
previously-displayed material overwritten by the box 40 returned to the
display. The message information display area 43 generally will display
message text items, shown generically as "MESSAGE TEXT" in FIG. 2, and may
also include a graphic such as the highlighted exclamation point 46 to
alert the operator that an message of some urgency is being displayed. The
operator may actuate the OK push-button 44 to cause the message box to be
closed. In accordance with the invention, the operator may, prior to
actuating the OK push-button 44, actuate the COPY push-button 45 to enable
the message text that is displayed in the message information display area
43 to be copied to, for example, a common holding buffer provided by the
computer system's operating system, such as the Windows Tm clipboard in
the case of the Microsoft Wmdows T operating system, from which the text
can later be copied for farther analysis. This will enable the operator to
save the message text, without requiring him or her to remember it or
manually copy it onto paper, and thereafter recall it for review during a
service call or error recovery operation.
The operations performed by the computer system 10 in connection with the
message box 40 will be described in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3
graphically illustrates various data structures which are used in
connection with one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 4 depicts a
flow-chart illustrating the operations performed by the computer system
10, in particular an applications program, in connection with the
invention. With reference initially to FIG. 3, as illustrated in FIG. 3
the applications program which will utilize the message box 40 to display
message text typically includes at least one buffer, represented by buffer
50, which includes a plurality of entries 50(1) through 50(M) (generally
identified by reference numeral 50(m)), with each entry 50(m) storing a
message text item. Each message text item comprises actual text that an
applications program may enable to be displayed in the message information
display area 43 of a message box 40. The applications program, in response
to the detection of an error or other condition requiring a display of a
message box, may load a text item selection pointer 51, with a pointer
which identifying a particular one of the entries 50(m), in particular,
the entry 50(m) whose message text item is to be displayed.
The operating system program of the computer system 10 provides various
facilities for use in connection with the invention, including a message
box information display buffer 52 and a clipboard buffer 53. The message
box information display buffer 52 provides a buffer into which the message
text from the selected entry 50(m) of the buffer 50 can be transferred for
display in the message information display area 43 of the message box 40.
As will be described below in connection with FIG. 4, the operating
system, in response to a request from the applications program, will
generate a message box 40 and will display the message text buffered in
the buffer 52 as the message text in the message information display area
43. The clipboard buffer 53 is provided as the above-described common
buffer into which the application program can copy the message text item
from the selected entry 50(m) if the operator actuates the copy
push-button 45.
With this background, the operations performed by the applications program
and the operating system program in connection with the invention will be
described in connection with the flow-chart in FIG. 4. With reference to
FIG. 4, when the applications program detects the existence of one of a
plurality of predetermined conditions, such as an error condition (step
100), it proceeds to identify the type of condition (step 101) and use the
identification to generate a pointer to identify the entry 50(m) of the
buffer 50 whose text is to be displayed and load it into text item
selection pointer 51 (step 102). The applications program then calls the
operating system program to generate the message box 40, including the
various elements as described above in connection with FIG. 2 and the
message text item from the selected entry 50(m), and to display it on the
screen of the video display terminal 13 with the message text item (step
103).
Thereafter, the applications program may wait for input from the operator,
such as an indication from the operating system program that the operator
has activated the OK push-button 44 or the COPY push-button 45 of the
displayed message box (step 104). If the operating system program
indicates to the applications program that the operator has activated the
COPY push-button 45, the applications program provides the message text
item from the entry 50(m) identified by the text item selection pointer 51
for storage by the operating system program in the clipboard buffer 53
(step 105), and thereafter returns to step 104. If the operating system
program indicates to the applications program in step 104 that the
operator has activated the OK push-button 44 or has issued the "close"
command from the system menu element 42, the applications program will
enable the operating system program to remove the message box 40 and
return the portion of the screen previously covered by the message box
with the previously-displayed image (step 106). The applications program,
following step 106, will continue its operations (step 107).
K on the other hand, the applications program determines in step 104 that
the operator has performed some other action, the applications program or
operating system program may respond with a particular response which
depend on the particular action from the operator (step 108). If, for
example, the operator issues selected keystrokes, such as depressing an
ESCAPE key on the keyboard 12A, the applications program or operating
system program may perform similar operations as described above in
connection with actuation of the OK push-button 44 or issuance of the
"close" command from the system menu element 42 (step 106). On the other
hand, if the operator issues other keystrokes, attempts to actuate other
push-buttons or manipulates the mouse 12B other than as described in
connection with step 104, the applicati | | |
