JP2560640B2 - Menu management system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a menu management system for managing menu files of terminals in a server / client distributed system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A system in which a plurality of terminals receive a service from a common server is called a server / client system, and a plurality of servers to which clients (terminals) to be provided with services are connected are public lines. The connected state is called a server / client distributed system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a server / client distributed system. A plurality of terminals 1 are provided with services from a common server 2 and other terminals are provided with services. The public line 4 is connected to the server 3. Server 2 is database 2
2, each terminal is configured to use this database 22 via the server 2.

Various kinds of menus are displayed on the terminal, and the worker at the terminal selects a desired item from the menus displayed on the display surface and performs an operation such as activating an application program designated by the item. To do.
The creation of a menu definition file that defines the menu to be displayed is conventionally executed for each terminal using an editor. The same menu may be used between a plurality of terminals belonging to the same server, or menus similar to each other may be used. When creating the other based on one of the similar menus, the editor is used to make corrections. Furthermore, even within the same terminal, the contents of the menu change over time, and it is necessary to modify the menu definition file. Conventionally, this modification is also performed using an editor.

[0005]

As described above, conventionally, the menu definition file is created and modified by using the editor. However, the editor is free to create and modify the menu definition file. Since the frequency is too high, the operator has to make various settings by himself / herself, which causes a problem that an error is likely to occur. Further, there is no monitoring means for monitoring whether or not the menu is properly modified in each terminal.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a menu management system capable of easily correcting menus and monitoring whether or not menu maintenance is properly performed at each terminal. It is intended to be provided.

[0007]

A menu management system according to the present invention is a basic menu file provided in each terminal, and a menu management tool provided in each terminal for creating a menu definition file based on the data of the basic menu file. Means for adding the identification code of the terminal to the menu definition file created by this menu management tool and registering it in the database of the server of the terminal, and a desired menu among the menus registered in the database It is characterized in that the menu definition file can be easily modified by providing a means for referring / copying according to the operation of.

Furthermore, as a function that can be activated only by the system administrator, the
It is provided with means for referring to the menus of all terminals belonging to the system, and means for reading the contents of the menu of the designated terminal from the database of the server of the terminal and updating it, and monitoring the status of menu maintenance at each terminal. It is characterized by being able to do.

When the menu management tool creates a menu definition file, the contents of an existing menu are changed to create a new menu definition file.

Further, when the new menu definition file is created, it is displayed such that the consistency with the application program provided in the terminal is automatically maintained.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which a terminal 1 includes a menu management tool 11 and uses data from a basic menu file 12 to create menu definition files 13-1 and 13-2. create. The created menu definition file 13 is the menu management tool 11
It is registered as menu management information 21 in the database 22 (see FIG. 4) of the server 2 via. Further, the menu management tool 11 reads the menu definition file 13 from the database 22 of the server 2 and refers to or copies it. Furthermore, the menu definition file 13 is sent from the database of another server 3 via the public line 4 or the like via the server 2.
Read out, refer to, and copy.

Further, for the system administrator, the menu management tool 1 is provided with a function of referring to menus of all terminals of the system and a function of updating menus of designated terminals.
There is provided means for performing via 1. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the contents of the menu definition file 13. For example, the terminal is provided with the application programs indicated by the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 in FIG. Application selected above
Indicates that the program will be executed.

For example, if 1, "-subsystem" is selected, the application program "-
-Subsystem "14 is started. The function to be executed by the terminal 1 is determined, and it is assumed that only the application program for executing this function is provided in the terminal, and when the necessary application program is not provided, for example, the necessary application is obtained from the database 22. -Enter a program and delete unnecessary application programs. The contents of the menu definition file 13 created by the terminal 1 must also be consistent with the application program included in the terminal 1.

Since the basic menu file 12 shown in FIG. 1 defines menus corresponding to all functions,
The menu management tool 11 updates the menu defined corresponding to all the functions to the menu for the terminal. In addition, a similar menu may be read out from the database 22 and copied, and this may be updated to the menu for the terminal.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the state of the interactive input device of the terminal 1 when the menu is updated, in which 100 is a display on the display surface and 200 is a part of the keyboard. 201, 202, 203, and 204 have respectively shown the function key. Reference numeral 101 represents the contents of the menu definition file shown in the window system on the display screen 100. Items 1, 2,
Reference numerals 3 and 4 represent the contents of the menu definition file read from the basic menu file 12.

The operator inputs a required command each time using the function keys while observing the screen shown in the window 101. Window 101 "
O "and" X "represent selection of whether or not to display in the menu. In the example shown in FIG. 3," 2, --- management "existing in the basic menu file 12 is not used in the terminal. Delete from the menu.

As described above, the application program provided in the terminal and the contents of the menu must be consistent with each other, and before the "O" and "X" commands are input, the above consistency is met. From window 101
O "and" X "can be displayed. The basic menu file 12 has an item" 2, --- management ", but the corresponding application program is not provided in the terminal. , "X" is displayed, and even if the function key is pressed to add "O" to the item, "" is displayed in place of the item in the window 101.
O ”is not displayed, and if necessary, the application
You will be instructed that you must enter the program.

When the function key "register" 201 is pressed, the menu definition file 13 thus created is registered in the file of the terminal 1 and at the same time, in the database 22 of the server 2. In this case, the identification number of the terminal 1 is registered in the database 22. Each terminal that receives a service from the server 2 can read and reference / copy an arbitrary menu definition file 13 on the database 22 by the menu management tool 11 of its own terminal. For this reading, the identification number of the terminal in which the menu definition file 13 to be read is created is input. In this way, the menu status of all terminals in the same LAN can be viewed.

Further, as a function that only the system administrator is allowed to execute, the menu definition file 13 of a terminal belonging to another server 3 can be displayed from one server 2 via a public line. In this way, the menu maintenance of all terminals belonging to the system is monitored. Also, the menu definition file of any terminal can be rewritten as a function that can be executed only by the system administrator.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a menu definition file is created in each terminal, it can be easily created by updating a similar menu definition file, and the terminal definition file is provided in the terminal. There is an effect that the consistency with the existing application program is automatically maintained, and that the system monitor can easily monitor the status of menu maintenance in all terminals.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a menu definition file shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of the menu management tool of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a server / client distributed system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Terminal 2 Server 3 Other Server 4 Public Line 11 Menu Management Tool 12 Basic Menu File 13 Menu Definition File 14 Application Program 22 Database 100 Display Surface 101 Window 200 Keyboard 201 Function Key

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A distributed system of servers and clients, wherein a plurality of terminals are connected so as to receive service from a common server, and a plurality of servers are connected to each other via a line. In a menu management system for managing menus used by terminals, a basic menu file provided for each terminal, a menu management tool provided for each terminal that creates a menu definition file based on the data of the basic menu file, this menu A means for adding the identification code of the terminal to the menu definition file created by the management tool and registering it in the database of the server of the terminal, a desired menu among the menus registered in the database by the operation of the menu management tool. Menu management system equipped with means for referencing and copying 2. The menu management tool, as a function that can be activated only by a system administrator, means for referring to the menus of all terminals belonging to the system via all servers belonging to the system, and the menu of the designated terminal. The menu management system according to claim 1, further comprising means for reading the contents of the above from the database of the server of the terminal and updating the contents. 3. The menu management system according to claim 1, wherein when the menu management tool creates a menu definition file, the contents of the existing menu are changed to create a new menu definition file. 4. When the new menu definition file is created, the display is performed so that the consistency with the application program included in the terminal is automatically maintained. Menu management system described in section.