Show display area on desktop

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for displaying a display area (2, 3, 4) on a desktop (1), comprising the following steps: - receiving data for creating and displaying a windowed display area (2, 3), - creating a windowed display area (2, 3) by assigning a univocal window handle from a predetermined window handle group and a univocal display identifier different from the window handle based on the data received for this purpose, - storing the assignment of the display identifier of the windowed display area (2, 3) to the windowed display area (2, 3), - storing the display identifier of the windowed display area (2, 3) at a predetermined position in a hierarchical list, - displaying the windowed display area (2, 3) on the desktop (1), - receiving data for creating and displaying a windowed display area (2, 3), - creating a windowed display area (2, 3) based on the data received for this purpose, - storing the assignment of the display identifier of the windowed display area (2, 3) to the windowed display area (2, 3), - storing the display identifier of the windowed display area (2, 3) at a predetermined position in a hierarchical list, - displaying the windowed display area (2, 3) on the desktop (1), Data of a window display area (4), - creating a windowless display area (4) based on the data received therefor by assigning a univocal display identifier different from the window handle, - storing the assignment of the display identifier of the windowless display area (4) to the windowless display area, - storing the display identifier of the windowless display area (4) at a predetermined position in a hierarchy list, - displaying the windowless display area (4) on the desktop (1), wherein if the position of the display identifier of the windowless display area (4) in the hierarchy list is before the position of the display identifier of the windowed display area (2, 3) in terms of hierarchy, the windowless display area (4) is displayed in front of the windowed display area (2, 3), and vice versa.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for displaying a display area on a desktop, comprising the following steps:

[0002] - receive data for creating and displaying a windowed display area,

[0003] - creating a windowed display area based on data received therefor by assigning a unique window handle from a predetermined set of window handles and a unique display identifier different from the window handle,

[0004] - storing the assignment of display identifiers of windowed display areas to windowed display areas,

[0005] - storing the display identifier of the windowed display area at a predetermined position in the hierarchical list,

[0006] - A window display area is displayed on the desktop.

[0007] - receive data for creating and displaying a windowless display area,

[0008] - creating a windowless display area based on the data received therefor by assigning a unique display identifier which differs from the window handle,

[0009] - storing an assignment of a display identifier of a windowless display area to a windowless display area,

[0010] - storing the display identifier of the windowless display area at a predetermined position in the hierarchy list,

[0011] -Show a windowless display area on the desktop. Background Art

[0012] In the field of EDV (Electronic Data Processing), the "desktop" is referred to as the lowest, rearmost or last layer of the entire display area of ​​a graphical user interface. Closed documents in the form of files and documents that are usually open in windows are located on the desktop. If the term "desktop" is not used in German, a common synonym is "desk" or "work surface".

[0013] Operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, must have means for accessing operating system functions and obtaining applications running under these operating systems. These means make the operating system and its applications accessible and usable, for example by controlling a display area displayed on the desktop, such as in a window. In order to be able to control such a window or to be able to call up information about a window, a univocal identifier must be set for the window. This univocal identifier is usually called a "window handle". The maximum number of window handles is limited, which depends on the corresponding operating system.

[0014] In applications that require a large number of different display areas and therefore a large number of windows, exceeding the maximum number of permitted window handles can lead to a crash of the operating system or at least to the inability to generate new windows and therefore new display areas, so that the requirements of the application may no longer be met. Such a problem arises, for example, when displaying measurement data instruments for real-time measurement data in hardware-in-the-loop applications. In this case, it is sometimes necessary to display or at least provide a large number of different display areas. Practice has shown that under Microsoft Windows, the limited number of window handles restricts the application possibilities of visualization and experimental software, such as the applicant's product "ControlDesk", so that the inherent possibilities of the software cannot be fully utilized.

[0015] "ControlDesk" is, among other things, a software for visualizing bus systems such as CAN, LIN, Flexray and Ethernet on a computer system. Especially when using Ethernet, a large amount of data may occur here, which may require a large number of different display areas. In ControlDesk, a variety of simulation parameters, controller parameters and bus parameters can be quickly and compactly displayed in multiple rows of instruments by a single drag-and-drop action. In the plotter, ongoing measurements can be observed and compared with previous recordings. The time cursor allows jumping to any point in time in the data material. Several plotters can be synchronized with each other in time when scrolling. The plotter can be switched to a triggered display in order to be able to analyze high-frequency signals more easily, for example, as in an oscilloscope, for example for evaluating the step response of a system. All in all, ControlDesk is an extremely powerful tool with numerous functions and possibilities, which further exacerbates the problem of the limited number of handles mentioned above due to the very large amount of possible data associated with it.

[0016] For example, as described in EP2034407A1, a possible solution in this case is to configure some of these display areas as windowless. A windowless display area refers to a display area that is not assigned its own window handle, but is provided with a so-called container or parent window and a common window handle. In other words: a container with a window handle provides the basis for a large number of windowless display areas, and there is no need to consume additional window handles for each new display area.

[0017] Furthermore, DE69220583T2 describes a sorting device for determining the order of two-dimensional display areas. The sorting device defines a forward and backward direction, thereby creating a hierarchical structure between windowed display areas. Depending on the forward or backward direction, "flipping" can be performed between display areas.

[0018] WO 01 / 95041 A1 generally describes a user interface for providing real-time process data, which has an open display page structure and separates the provision of data from server-specific user interactions.

[0019] There is an important difference between windowless and windowed display areas: Windowed display areas are hidden from each other by the operating system (e.g. in Microsoft Windows) in order to create a hierarchy. In this case, the content of a windowed display area is automatically overwritten as soon as another windowed display area is located higher in the hierarchy. Specifically: Windowed display areas that are higher in the hierarchy overlap or cover the display area. This applies at least to all child windows of the operating system desktop, i.e. the windowed content of the desktop. All content displayed directly on the desktop, such as background images, program icons, etc., is automatically overwritten by the windowed display area.

[0020] Windowless client areas behave differently. They are displayed directly on the parent window (also called "container"). Here, only the order of display defines the hierarchy. The last client area displayed appears in the foreground for the viewer. Due to the lack of a directly assigned window handle, these client areas are not known to the operating system.

[0021] This means that there are display areas on the layout that are not represented by windows and therefore not by window handles. Mixed operations of windowed and windowless display areas will result in the windowed display area always covering the layout area below it. Therefore, it will not be possible to display the windowless display area in front of the windowed display area. Summary of the invention

[0022] On this basis, the task of the present invention is to provide an efficient possibility for mixed operation of windowed display areas and windowless display areas.

[0023] The above-mentioned object is achieved by the technical solution of the present invention.

[0024] Therefore, according to the present invention, a method for displaying a display area on a desktop is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0025] - receive data for creating and displaying a windowed display area,

[0026] - creating a windowed display area based on data received therefor by assigning a unique window handle from a predetermined set of window handles and a unique display identifier different from the window handle,

[0027] - storing the assignment of display identifiers of windowed display areas to windowed display areas,

[0028] - storing the display identifier of the windowed display area at a predetermined position in the hierarchical list,

[0029] - A window display area is displayed on the desktop.

[0030] - receive data for creating and displaying a windowless display area,

[0031] - creating a windowless display area based on the data received therefor by assigning a unique display identifier which differs from the window handle,

[0032] - storing an assignment of a display identifier of a windowless display area to a windowless display area,

[0033] - storing the display identifier of the windowless display area at a predetermined position in the hierarchy list,

[0034] -Displaying a windowless display area on the desktop, wherein if the position of the display identifier of the windowless display area in the hierarchical list is before the position of the display identifier of the windowed display area in terms of hierarchy, the windowless display area is displayed in front of the windowed display area, and vice versa.

[0035] If it is mentioned in this article that a display area is displayed in front of or behind another display area on the desktop, this means that the display area located in front of another display area covers the display area located below it in the overlapping area of ​​the two display areas, so that only the display area in front can be seen. In practice, this involves the position of the display area on the desktop in the z direction extending perpendicular to the desktop plane, if the desktop plane is formed on its side by the x direction and the y direction. The x or y coordinate of the display area is referred to as the "position on the desktop" hereinafter, and the position of the display area in terms of its relative z coordinate - according to the hierarchical structure given by the list - is referred to as the "order on the desktop" hereinafter. This order on the desktop therefore determines whether the display area is located in front of or behind another display area and in this regard by the corresponding display area - based on the overlap of other display areas - displayed content.

[0036] Therefore, even if the desktop also has a windowed display area, the present invention can display a windowless display area on the desktop. This is achieved in the following way: the display identifier stored in the hierarchy list is used in addition to the window handle. This means that if the position of the display identifier of the windowless display area in the hierarchy list is before the position of the display identifier of the windowed display area in terms of hierarchy, the windowless display area is displayed in front of the windowed display area, and vice versa. In short, in theory, there can be an infinite number of different display areas, because they can be designed as complete display areas in terms of displayability without setting a limited number of window handles.

[0037] Preferably, the method comprises the following additional method steps:

[0038] - receiving data for creating and displaying a further display area,

[0039] - creating the further display area based on the data received for this purpose by assigning a unique display identifier which differs from the window handle,

[0040] - storing an assignment of a display identifier of the further display area to the further display area,

[0041] - storing the display identifier of the further display area at a predetermined position in the hierarchy list,

[0042] -Based on the hierarchical position of the display identifier of the additional display area in the hierarchical list relative to the hierarchical position of the display identifier of the windowed display area and the hierarchical position of the display identifier of the windowless display area, the additional display area is displayed on the desktop relative to the windowed display area and the windowless display area.

[0043] In summary, this means that according to this preferred embodiment of the invention, a large number of further display areas can be present for which the order on the desktop is determined by the method according to the invention without using a limited number of window handles. The further display areas can be windowed or windowless; if the further display areas are windowed, a window handle is of course also assigned, but the order on the desktop is nevertheless determined by the corresponding display identifiers in the hierarchy list. These steps of the method can be repeated for further display areas; in the case of windowless display areas, they can in principle be repeated any number of times.

[0044] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the following additional method steps:

[0045] - receiving data for creating and displaying a first additional windowless display area within a display area already displayed on the desktop,

[0046] - creating a first further windowless display area based on the data received therefor by assigning a unique display identifier which differs from the window handle,

[0047] - storing an assignment of the display identifier of the first further windowless display area to the first further windowless display area,

[0048] - storing the display identifier of the first further windowless display area at a predetermined position in the hierarchical sublist assigned to the already displayed display areas,

[0049] - displaying a first additional windowless display area within the display area already displayed on the desktop,

[0050] - receiving data for creating and displaying a second additional windowless display area within the display area already displayed on the desktop,

[0051] - creating a second further windowless display area based on the data received therefor by assigning a unique display identifier which differs from the window handle,

[0052] - storing an assignment of the display identifier of the second further windowless display area to the second further windowless display area,

[0053] - storing the display identifier of the second further windowless display area at a predetermined position in the hierarchical sublist assigned to the already displayed display area,

[0054] -Displaying a second additional windowless display area in a display area already displayed on the desktop, if the position of the display identifier of the first additional windowless display area in the sublist assigned to the already displayed display area is hierarchically before the position of the display identifier of the second additional windowless display area, then the first additional windowless display area is displayed in front of the second additional windowless display area, and vice versa.

[0055] In this way, what can be called a "container function" of a display area is realized. The display area used as a container can be windowless or windowed in principle. Of course, other windowless display areas, such as a third windowless display area, a fourth windowless display area, etc., can also be displayed in the container. To the outside, that is, relative to the display area outside the container, the display area inside the container is treated in the same way as the container itself in terms of the display level.

[0056] In principle, the display area already displayed on the desktop, in which the further windowless display area is displayed, can be windowed. However, according to a preferred extension of the present invention, the display area already displayed on the desktop, in which the further windowless display area is displayed, is windowless. Here again, the following advantage also applies, that in principle any number of windowless display areas can exist, since there is no restriction on the number of window handles.

[0057] The invention provides various possibilities for storing display identifiers of newly created display areas in a hierarchical list. However, according to a preferred extension of the invention, the display identifier of the newly created display area is stored in the top position in the hierarchical list. In this way, the newly created display area is always immediately visible, because it is displayed in front of all other display areas based on the position of its display identifier in the hierarchical list. Additionally or alternatively, according to a preferred extension of the invention, the display identifier of the display area selected on the desktop with a pointer device is stored in the top position in the hierarchical list. Thus, in order to display the display area, the display area can be simply selected, such as clicked, using a pointer device, such as a computer mouse.

[0058] According to a preferred extension of the present invention, the method further comprises the following method steps:

[0059] - set the display area to a predetermined position on the layout,

[0060] - determining all areas of other display areas displayed on the desktop that overlap with the display area located at the predetermined position, and

[0061] - These overlapping areas of the other display areas are cut off so that the display area arranged at the predetermined position on the layout is completely visible.

[0062] In this way, a windowless display area can be displayed that is placed first in the order of display areas. In addition, the operation is also carried out accordingly for windowed display areas. When a windowed display area changes its position on the desktop, it must be checked whether its windows overlap and the clipping of its area must be updated if necessary. In addition, this function can also be used for the above-mentioned containers: when setting the position of a display area within a container (a child display area in a container as a parent container), the outer border of the container is checked. If the child display area protrudes from the container, it is clipped accordingly.

[0063] In principle, the display on the desktop, ie different display areas on the desktop, can be based on different types of data. However, according to a preferred extension of the present invention, the method comprises the following method steps:

[0064] - continuously receiving data to update the display of the display area displayed on the desktop,

[0065] - updating a display in a display area displayed on the desktop based on continuously received data, and

[0066] -Shrinking or hiding the display area according to a user command, interrupting the continuous reception of data for the shrunken or hidden display area.

[0067] Continuous data reception here means constantly receiving new data, such as current measurement data. This reception can be carried out, for example, continuously, in a predetermined cycle or event-oriented. The display area is preferably reduced to an icon stored on the desktop, i.e., without further visible content, or reduced, such as by folding into a pure window bar, where the name of the display area is optionally present in the window bar. If the container is reduced or hidden, all display areas contained in the container are no longer displayed and the continuous reception of data from these display areas is also interrupted. This interruption of data reception ends when the display area, such as the container, is opened again, for example by unfolding.

[0068] The method can be used for various applications. However, according to a preferred extension of the invention, the display area is used for displaying a measurement data instrument for real-time measurement data in a hardware-in-the-loop application. For this purpose, a windowless display area in the container is particularly preferably used. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0069] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings with the aid of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0070] Figure 1 Schematically showing a desktop having two instruments formed by conventional windowed display areas and an empty windowless container instrument according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0071] Figure 2 Schematically showing a desktop having a large instrument formed by a conventional windowed display area and an empty windowless container instrument according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0072] Figure 3 Show Figure 2 A portion of the desktop in which a large instrument has been added to a windowless container instrument; and

[0073] Figure 4 Show Figure 1 , where several instruments have been added to the windowless container instruments, some of which are also designed as container instruments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0074] Before the following description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, for the sake of completeness, the problem on which the present invention is based should be briefly pointed out again. At present, as an example, an application running under the Microsoft Windows operating system is used. Within the scope of the present invention, other operating systems, such as MacOS or Linux, can of course also be used.

[0075] There is an important difference between windowless and windowed display areas: Windowed display areas are hidden from each other (ausblenden) by the operating system (e.g. in Microsoft Windows) in order to create a hierarchical structure. All content displayed directly on the desktop, such as background images, program icons, etc., is therefore automatically covered by the windowed display areas. On the other hand, windowless display areas behave differently: they are displayed directly on the parent window (container). Only the order of display defines the hierarchical structure here. The display area displayed last appears in the foreground for the viewer. Due to the lack of directly assigned window handles, these display areas are not known to the operating system. However, this means that there are display areas in the layout that are not represented by window handles. If no further measures are taken, the mixed operation of windowed and windowless display areas can result in windowed display areas always covering the layout areas located below them, which makes it impossible to display windowless display areas in front of windowed display areas.

[0076] The container instrument according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention described below intervenes here. The application field described herein is the use of a display area on a desktop to display measurement data instruments for real-time measurement data in hardware-in-the-loop applications. The container instrument is designed as a windowless display area. Some instruments can be added to the container instrument, namely as child display areas, which are kept in a container, which therefore serves as a parent display area. These instruments are therefore managed in the container instrument and displayed in the display area defined by the container instrument. Therefore, these instruments are independent of the layout and can, for example, be moved and / or scrolled without having a direct impact on the layout.

[0077] As mentioned above, container devices are windowless, that is, they do not require window handles. Since the number of window handles is limited throughout the operating system and cannot be expanded, container devices save resources and can, in principle, be used simultaneously in unlimited numbers.

[0078] Furthermore, other container devices can also be used in a container device. Thus, a plurality of devices can be completely replaced by a container device. Furthermore, devices that did not exist until now can be created in a simple manner.

[0079] The contents of the container instrument can be hidden. That is, the container instrument can be folded, for example. As a result, only a minimal representation of the instrument remains on the desktop. This representation of the instrument on the desktop can be freely configured.

[0080] In particular, if the closing of the container instrument results in all instruments contained in the container instrument being isolated from the display of the data during the measurement, this saves resources. That is, the instruments do not burden the performance of the entire system and the user of the system can decide specifically what he wants to see. The user can set how the instruments should behave, i.e. whether they should be automatically enlarged or reduced, whether they should scroll, whether the contained instruments can be changed, etc.

[0081] In the prior art, the resource / performance problem has been solved so far in the following way: one layout contains only a small part of the instrument and is distributed over several layouts, which are then opened or closed as needed. The space problem on the layout has been solved so far usually by scrolling or displaying on other layouts. This is not necessary if a container instrument according to the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein is used, in which the data of the non-displayed instrument is no longer received when the display area is closed / reduced.

[0082] Specifically, the above container element can be designed as follows:

[0083] Figure 1 A tabletop 1 is shown with two instruments 2, 3 formed by conventional windowed display areas. In addition, there is an empty container instrument 4 formed by a windowless display area on the tabletop 1. Figure 1 As can be seen in FIG. 4 , the container instrument 4 described herein looks essentially like an empty instrument itself, ie like an instrument without displayed measurement data or the like.

[0084] Figure 2 Another example of a tabletop 1 with a container element 4 is shown. Figure 2 The desktop 1 in the embodiment has an additional very large instrument 5, which occupies a large part of the desktop 1. If this large instrument 5 - such as Figure 3 As shown - added to the container instrument 4, the display of the large instrument 5 is still available in principle, but it can be displayed in a smaller space as desired. Figure 2 The entire content of the large instrument 5 in has been added to the container instrument 4. It can be seen that a significant space saving is achieved, because the container instrument 4 can be reduced and the scroll bar 6 is thus displayed in order to be able to reach the hidden instrument area.

[0085] like Figure 4 As shown in the example, if container instruments 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 are used in the container instrument 4, the advantages of the container instrument 4 are more obvious. Here, different instruments 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 are added to Figure 14. It can be seen that some areas can be scrolled and thus the predefined space requirement is sufficient and the predefined structure within the layout can be maintained. In addition, it is clear here that the instruments 7, 10, 12 in the container instrument 4 can be scrolled locally, whereby other instruments 7, 8, 9, 11 in the container instrument 4 and other instruments 2, 3 outside the container instrument 4 are not affected.

[0086] In principle, container instruments can be nested with other container instruments to any depth. Thus, each container instrument can in principle contain any number of container instruments, which in turn can contain any number of container instruments. In this case, container instruments can be used simultaneously without restriction, any number of levels can be formed, no window handles are consumed and only very little memory is used. Furthermore, hidden instruments can be "turned off" to such an extent that they use almost no resources. This provides more performance for the system / application.

[0087] At present, the windowless instrument corresponding to the windowless display area can be displayed above or in front of the windowed instrument corresponding to the windowed display area. The problem related to this and also mentioned above is solved as follows:

[0088] Regardless of whether the instrument is windowless or windowed, each instrument is assigned an unambiguous display identifier that is different from the window handle when it is created. A hierarchical list with these display identifiers and the assignment of the respective display identifiers to the respective instruments is stored. The position of the respective display identifier in this hierarchical list determines the order of the instruments in the layout, i.e. whether one instrument is displayed in front of or behind another. Currently, the first element in the list is at the top of the layout. The instrument in the foreground occupies the front position in the list. If an instrument is moved forward, it is correspondingly placed further forward in the list. This results in an unambiguous order.

[0089] When the position of an instrument is set on the layout, i.e. its x and y coordinates, all instruments located below it that overlap it are searched. This is possible based on a hierarchical list. This results in a univocal display identifier and thus the corresponding instrument, whose position can be queried.

[0090] If all overlapping instruments are found and stored in a list, a list containing the overlapping instruments is additionally created. For each instrument in the list, the common area is cut off from the corresponding instrument. Under the Microsoft Windows operating system, this can be achieved, for example, with the help of the Windows API function "SetWindowRgn(...)". As a result, a windowless instrument can also appear in front of a windowed instrument, because the operating system now no longer displays the cut-off area of ​​the instrument. In other words: the area behind the instrument becomes visible, and the instrument that continues to be displayed directly on the layout therefore appears to the user in front of the windowed instrument. Likewise, when a windowed instrument changes its position on the layout, the windowed instrument checks whether its display area overlaps and modifies its cropping if necessary.

[0091] This technique is used in current container instruments to display both windowed and windowless instruments. A container instrument is windowless and behaves like any other windowless instrument, so that a container instrument can be displayed in front of a windowed instrument. Therefore, a container instrument only needs to be concerned with its own contents, i.e., its child instruments. It can therefore be said that the instrument is a windowless parent instrument to the instruments that can be displayed within it.

[0092] When setting the position of the child instrument, the container instrument also checks its outer boundaries for clipping of the child instrument. If the window protrudes from the container instrument (checked by "ClientRectangle"), it is clipped with the "SetWindowRgn(...)" function. When closing, all child instruments are no longer displayed and are therefore no longer visible. The window with the window instrument is hidden by the Windows API function "ShowWindow".

[0093] When expanding, all sub-instruments are displayed normally again and the display area of ​​the windowed instrument is made visible again via the Windows API function "ShowWindow".

[0094] List of reference numerals:

[0095] 1Desktop

[0096] 2 Instruments

[0097] 3 Instruments

[0098] 4 container instruments with instruments displayed therein as necessary

[0099] 5 Large instruments

[0100] 6 Scroll Bar

[0101] 7 Instruments in Containers

[0102] 8 Instruments in Containers

[0103] 9 Instruments in Containers

[0104] 10 Instruments in Containers

[0105] 11 Instruments in Container Instruments

[0106] 12 Instruments in Containers

Claims

1. A method for displaying a display area on a desktop (1), the method comprising the following steps: - receiving data for creating and displaying a windowed display area (2, 3), - creating a window display area (2, 3) based on data received therefor by assigning a unique window handle from a predetermined window handle set and a unique display identifier different from the window handle, - storing the assignment of the display identifier of the window display area (2, 3) to the window display area (2, 3), - storing the display identifier of the window display area (2, 3) at a predetermined position in the hierarchical list, - A window display area (2, 3) is displayed on the desktop (1), - receiving data for creating and displaying a windowless display area (4), - creating a windowless display area based on the data received therefor by assigning a unique display identifier different from the window handle (4), - storing an assignment of a display identifier of a windowless display area (4) to the windowless display area, - storing the display identifier of the windowless display area (4) at a predetermined position in the hierarchy list, - displaying a windowless display area (4) on the desktop (1), wherein: If the position of the display identifier of the windowless display area (4) in the hierarchical list is hierarchically located before the position of the display identifier of the windowed display area (2, 3), the windowless display area (4) is displayed in front of the windowed display area (2, 3), and vice versa.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising the following additional method steps: - receiving data for creating and displaying a further display area, - creating the further display area based on the data received for this purpose by assigning a unique display identifier which differs from the window handle, - storing an assignment of a display identifier of the further display area to the further display area, - storing the display identifier of the further display area at a predetermined position in the hierarchy list, - Based on the hierarchical position of the display identifier of the additional display area in the hierarchical list relative to the hierarchical position of the display identifier of the windowed display area (2, 3) and the hierarchical position of the display identifier of the windowless display area (4), the additional display area is displayed on the desktop relative to the windowed display area (2, 3) and the windowless display area (4).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the following additional method steps: - receiving data for creating and displaying a first further windowless display area (7) within a display area already displayed on the desktop (1), - creating a first further windowless display area (7) based on the data received therefor by assigning a unique display identifier different from the window handle, - storing an assignment of a display identifier of the first further windowless display area (7) to the first further windowless display area (7), - storing the display identifier of the first further windowless display area (7) at a predetermined position in the hierarchical sublist assigned to the already displayed display areas, - displaying a first further windowless display area (7) within the display area already displayed on the desktop, - receiving data for creating and displaying a second additional windowless display area (10) within the display area already displayed on the desktop (1), - creating a second further windowless display area (10) based on the data received therefor by assigning a unique display identifier different from the window handle, - storing an assignment of a display identifier of the second further windowless display area (10) to the second further windowless display area (10), - storing the display identifier of the second further windowless display area (10) at a predetermined position in the hierarchical sublist assigned to the already displayed display areas, - displaying a second additional windowless display area within the display area already displayed on the desktop (1), wherein: If the position of the display identifier of a first additional windowless display area (7) in the sublist assigned to the already displayed display areas is hierarchically located before the position of the display identifier of a second additional windowless display area (10), then the first additional windowless display area (7) is displayed in front of the second additional windowless display area (10), and vice versa.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The display area already displayed on the desktop (1) is windowless, and another windowless display area is displayed in the display area.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the following steps: -Store the display identifier of the newly created display area at the topmost position in the hierarchy list.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the following steps: -Storing the display identifier of the display area selected on the desktop with the pointing device in the topmost position in the hierarchical list.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the following steps: - setting a display area at a predetermined position on the desktop (1), - determining all areas where other display areas displayed on the desktop overlap with the display area set at the predetermined position, and - These overlapping areas of the other display areas are cut off so that the display area set at the predetermined position on the desktop is completely visible.

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the following additional method steps: - continuously receiving data to update the display of the display area displayed on the desktop, -updating a display in a display area displayed on the desktop based on continuously received data, and -Shrinking or hiding the display area according to a user command, interrupting the continuous reception of data for the shrunken or hidden display area.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Each display area is used to display measurement data instruments for real-time measurement data in hardware-in-the-loop applications.

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