Image processing apparatus and image data list display method

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image data storage unit that stores plural pieces of image data, each piece of image data corresponding to one image;

an operation unit that allows a user to input an instruction;

a generation unit that outputs one of a first list of the stored image data in a first display form and a second list of the stored image data in a second display form in accordance with the input instruction, the first list of the stored image data including a first type of information for each piece of image data included in the first list, and the second list of the stored image data including said first type of information for each piece of image data included in the second list, one of the first list and the second list includes additional information, other than said first type of information, that is not included in the other of the second list and the first list;

a display unit that displays the one of the first and second lists in a window; and

a control unit that controls the display unit to display the one of the first and second lists output from the generation unit, wherein:

the first display form is the display of said each piece of the image data in list form and the second display form is the display of said each piece of image data in thumbnail image form,

when the generation unit switches from outputting the one of the first and second lists to outputting the other in accordance with the input instruction, the control unit controls the display unit to display the other of the first and second lists so that a piece of image data, which is displayed at a particular position in a previous display form, is displayed at a particular position in a current display form,

when only one piece of image data included in the one of the first and second lists, located at other than a first position of the one of the first and second lists, and displayed on the previous display form is selected and the generation unit switches from outputting the one of the first and second lists to outputting the other in accordance with the input instruction, the control unit controls the display unit to display the other of the first and second lists so that the selected piece of image data is displayed at the first position in the current display form, and

when (i) a certain piece of image data included in the first list and located at the other than the first position of the first list is selected and (ii) the generation unit switches from outputting the first list in the list form to outputting the second list in the thumbnail image form, the control unit controls the display unit to display the second list in the thumbnail form so that the selected certain piece of image data is displayed at a top-left position or a top-right position in the window as the first position in the thumbnail form.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the generation unit comprises:

a first generation section that generates the first list of the stored image data in the first display form;

a second generation section that generates the second list of the stored image data in the second display form;

a switching section that switches between the first and second lists according to the input instruction to output the one of the first and second lists.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first list includes only said first type information for said each piece of image data, and

the second list includes the said first type information for said each piece of image data and the thumbnail image for said each piece of image data.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first list does not include a thumbnail image for said each piece of image data.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

when the generation unit switches from outputting the one of the first and second lists to outputting the other in accordance with the input instruction, the control unit controls the display unit to display the other of the first and second lists so that number of pieces of image data in a previous display form is equal to number of pieces of image data in a current display form when one of the first and second lists overflows a range of displayable viewing area.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:

the generation unit comprises:

a first generation section that generates the first list of the stored image data in the first display form;

a second generation section that generates the second list of the stored image data in the second display form;

a switching section that switches between the first and second lists according to the input instruction to output the one of the first and second lists.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:

the first list includes only said first type information for said each piece of image data, and

the second list includes the said first type information for said each piece of image data and the thumbnail image for said each piece of image data.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:

the first list does not include a thumbnail image for said each piece of image data.

9. An image processing method for switching a list of plural pieces of stored image data between a first display form and a second display form, the method performed by a processor device, each piece of image data corresponding to one image, the method comprising:

outputting one of a first list of the stored image data in the first display form and a second list of the stored image data in a second display form in accordance with a first input instruction, the first list of the stored image data including a first type of information for each piece of image data included in the first list, and the second list of the stored image data including said first type of information for each piece of image data included in the second list, one of the first list and the second list includes additional information, other than said first type of information, that is not included in the other of the second list and the first list;

displaying the output one of the first and second lists in a window; and

when switching from the outputting of the one of the first and second lists to outputting of the other in accordance with a second input instruction, displaying the other of the first and second lists so that a piece of image data, which is displayed at a particular position in a previous display form, is displayed at a particular position in a current display form, wherein

when only one piece of image data included in the one of the first and second lists, located at other than a first position of the one of the first and second lists, and displayed on the previous display form is selected and there is switching from outputting the one of the first and second lists to outputting the other in accordance with the second input instruction, the other of the first and second lists is displayed so that the selected piece of image data is displayed at the first position in the current display form, and

the first display form is the display of said each piece of the image data in list form and the second display form is the display of said each piece of image data in thumbnail image form, and

when (i) a certain piece of image data included in the first list and located at the other than the first position of the first list is selected and (ii) the outputting of the first list in the list form is switched to outputting the second list in the thumbnail image form, the second list in the thumbnail form is displayed so that the selected certain piece of image data is displayed at a top-left position or a top-right position in the window as the first position in the thumbnail form.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein:

the particular position in the previous display form is a first position in the one of the first and second lists, and

the particular position in the current display form is a first position in the other of the first and second lists.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein:

the first list includes only said first type information for said each piece of image data, and

the second list includes the said first type information for said each piece of image data and the thumbnail image for said each piece of image data.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein

when switching from the outputting of the one of the first and second lists to outputting of the other in accordance with the second input instruction, displaying the other of the first and second lists so that number of pieces of image data in a previous display form is equal to number of pieces of image data in a current display form when one of the first and second lists overflows a range of displayable viewing area.

13. An image processing method for switching a list of plural pieces of stored image data between a first display form and a second display form, the method performed by a processor device, each piece of image data corresponding to one image, the method comprising:

outputting one of a first list of the stored image data in the first display form and a second list of the stored image data in the second display form in accordance with a first input instruction, the first list of the stored image data including a first type of information for each piece of image data included in the first list, and the second list of the stored image data including said first type of information for each piece of image data included in the second list, one of the first list and the second list includes additional information, other than said first type of information, that is not included in the other of the second list and the first list;

displaying the output one of the first and second lists in a window; and

when switching from the outputting of the one of the first and second lists to outputting of the other in accordance with a second input instruction, displaying the other of the first and second lists so that image data, which is selected in a previous display form, is displayed at a particular position in a current display form, wherein

when only one piece of image data included in the one of the first and second lists, located at other than a first position of the one of the first and second lists, and displayed on the previous display form is selected and there is switching from outputting the one of the first and second lists to outputting the other in accordance with the second input instruction, the other of the first and second lists is displayed so that the selected piece of image data is displayed at the first position in the current display form, and

the first display form is the display of said each piece of the image data in list form and the second display form is the display of said each piece of image data in thumbnail image form, and

when (i) a certain piece of image data included in the first list and located at the other than the first position of the first list is selected and (ii) the outputting of the first list in the list form is switched to outputting the second list in the thumbnail image form, the second list in the thumbnail form is displayed so that the selected certain piece of image data is displayed at a top-left position or a top-right position in the window as the first position in the thumbnail form.