Message display program and message display apparatus

• US 20030038846A1
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hori, Tetsuya, Koide, Kazuhiro, Yamada, Takuya, Maruyama, Kazumi, Sanuki, Yoshifumi, Ishii, Haruna, Suzuki, Tomoyuki, Yamazaki, Masatoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/100,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20030038846A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/809
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

There are provided a message display program and a message display apparatus which, if a command corresponding to an object cannot be executed, are capable of notifying the user of a precondition for making the command executable. The message display program has an object management table in which each object associated with a respective predetermined command is associated beforehand with an execution-permitting condition which is a precondition for executing the command. When the object displayed is selected by an operating input, the message display program causes a computer to look up the execution-permitting condition associated with the selected object to determine whether or not the execution-permitting condition is satisfied. When it is determined that the execution-permitting condition is not satisfied, the message display program causes the computer to display an input aid message associated beforehand with the execution-permitting condition.

Claims

1. A message display program for displaying a message on a screen,

the program causing a computer to execute the processes of:

looking up an execution-permitting condition, when an object associated with a predetermined command is displayed and selected by an operating input, the object being associated beforehand with the execution-permitting condition which is a precondition for executing the command, and determining whether or not the execution-permitting condition is satisfied; and

displaying an input aid message associated beforehand with the execution-permitting condition when it is determined that the execution-permitting condition is not satisfied.

2. The message display program according to claim 1, wherein the input aid message is formed by a character string which describes an operation required for satisfying the execution-permitting condition.

3. The message display program according to claim 1, wherein a function tutorial message associated with the command beforehand is displayed when it is determined that the execution-permitting condition is satisfied.

4. The message display program according to claim 1, wherein the object is a menu command which is displayed in a menu screen.

5. The message display program according to claim 1, wherein a process required for satisfying the execution-permitting condition is activated after the input aid message is displayed.

6. The message display program according to claim 5, wherein the process is activated when the input aid message is selected after the input aid message is displayed.

7. The message display program according to claim 5, wherein the command is executed when the activated process is normally terminated.

8. The message display program according to claim 5, wherein the process is a process for setting information required for executing the command.

9. A message display apparatus for displaying a message on a screen, comprising:

an object management table defining a correspondence between each object associated with a respective predetermined command and an execution-permitting condition which is a precondition for executing the command, and a correspondence between the execution-permitting condition and an input aid message;

determination means which, when the object displayed is selected by an operating input, looks up said object management table to determine whether or not the execution-permitting condition associated with the selected object is satisfied; and

display means for displaying the input aid message associated with the execution-permitting condition in said object management table when it is determined by said determination means that the execution-permitting condition is not satisfied.

10. The message display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the input aid message is formed by a character string which describes an operation required for satisfying the execution-permitting condition.

11. The message display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a function tutorial message associated with the command beforehand is displayed when it is determined that the execution-permitting condition is satisfied.

12. The message display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the object is a menu command which is displayed in a menu screen.

13. The message display apparatus according to claim 9, further including activation means for activating a process required for satisfying the execution-permitting condition after the input aid message is displayed.

14. The message display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said activation means activates the process when the input aid message is selected after the input aid message is displayed.

15. The message display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said activation means causes the command to be executed when the activated process is normally terminated.

16. The message display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said activation means activates a process for setting information required for executing the command, as the process.

17. A message display method for displaying a message on a screen,

the method comprising the steps of:

looking up an execution-permitting condition, when an object associated with a predetermined command is displayed and selected by an operating input, the object being associated beforehand with the execution-permitting condition which is a precondition for executing the command, and determining whether or not the execution-permitting condition is satisfied; and

displaying an input aid message associated beforehand with the execution-permitting condition when it is determined that the execution-permitting condition is not satisfied.

18. A computer-readable recording medium recording a message display program for displaying a message on a screen,

the program causing a computer to execute the processes of:

looking up an execution-permitting condition, when an object associated with a predetermined command is displayed and selected by an operating input, the object being associated beforehand with the execution-permitting condition which is a precondition for executing the command, and determining whether or not the execution-permitting condition is satisfied; and

displaying an input aid message associated beforehand with the execution-permitting condition when it is determined that the execution-permitting condition is not satisfied.