Image forming apparatus and computer-readable recording medium with group display instruction area

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a display control unit configured to display a setting screen on a display unit; and

a switching operation unit configured to switch a display mode of the setting screen between a first display mode and a second display mode,

wherein a first display screen displayed in the first display mode includes an icon display area and a first function button display area, the icon display area displaying a plurality of icons that are arranged in a predetermined direction and the first function button display area displaying a plurality of function buttons for setting each function, each of the icons corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of function buttons, and the first function button display area displaying, among the plurality of function buttons, some function buttons that correspond to some icons specified from among the plurality of icons by a range specification unit,

the plurality of function buttons are classified into a plurality of groups according to their function attribute, and

a second display screen displayed in the second display mode includes a group display instruction area and a second function button display area, the group display instruction area being provided with a plurality of group specification buttons for receiving input of a group display instruction to display function buttons that belong to a specific group among the plurality of groups, and the second function button display area displaying the function buttons belonging to the specific group among the plurality of function buttons.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of group specification buttons in the second display screen are also arranged in the predetermined direction, and

the display control unit displays function buttons to be displayed, the function buttons being arranged in the predetermined direction, in both of the first function button display area and the second function button display area.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

in the first function button display area of the first display screen, the some function buttons are displayed classified into groups, and

in the second function button display area of the second display screen, the function buttons belonging to the specific group are displayed.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

in the icon display area of the first display screen, the plurality of icons are displayed classified into a plurality of groups, and

in the group display instruction area of the second display screen, the plurality of group specification buttons are displayed as buttons for specifying each group.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the plurality of icons classified into the plurality of groups are displayed in a predetermined order of groups in the predetermined direction in the icon display area of the first display screen, and

the plurality of group specification buttons in the second display screen are also displayed in the predetermined order of groups in the predetermined direction.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display control unit is configured to, in response to a switching operation from the first display mode to the second display mode performed by the switching operation unit, identify a group to which a function button displayed at the head of the first function button display area belongs, and display function buttons belonging to the group that has been identified, in the second function button display area.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display control unit is configured to, in response to a switching operation from the first display mode to the second display mode performed by the switching operation unit, identify a group to which a largest number of function buttons belong among the some function buttons displayed in the first function button display area, and display function buttons belonging to the group that has been identified, in the second function button display area.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display control unit is configured to, in response to a switching operation from the first display mode to the second display mode performed by the switching operation unit, display function buttons that belong to the same group as a group to which an icon at the head of the plurality of icons belongs, in the second function button display area.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display control unit is configured to, in response to a switching operation from the second display mode to the first display mode performed by the switching operation unit, display function buttons that include the function buttons displayed in the second function button display area, in the first function button display area.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display control unit is configured to, in response to a switching operation from the second display mode to the first display mode performed by the switching operation unit, display the function buttons displayed in the second function button display area, in a center portion in the predetermined direction of the first function button display area.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display control unit is configured to, in response to a switching operation from the second display mode to the first display mode performed by the switching operation unit, display the function buttons displayed in the second function button display area, in a head portion in the predetermined direction of the first function button display area.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a specification unit configured to specify which of the first display screen and the second display screen is to be displayed on the display unit in an initial state of the setting screen,

wherein the display control unit is configured to display the display screen specified by the specification unit on the display unit in the initial state.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the specification unit is configured to receive specification from a specific user as to which of the first display screen and the second display screen is to be displayed on the display unit, and

the display control unit is configured to display the display screen specified by the specific user on the display unit in the initial state when the image forming apparatus is used by the specific user.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the specification unit is configured to receive specification from an administrator as to which of the first display screen and the second display screen is to be displayed on the display unit for each user, and

the display control unit is configured to display either of the first display screen and the second display screen that is specified for each user on the display unit in the initial state when the image forming apparatus is used by the user.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a count unit configured to count a first number of times the display mode is switched from the second display mode to the first display mode and a second number of times the display mode is switched from the first display mode to the second display mode,

wherein the display control unit is configured to, when the first number of times is greater than the second number of times, display the first display screen on the display unit in the initial state, and when the second number of times is greater than the first number of times, display the second display screen on the display unit in the initial state.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute:

a) displaying a first display screen on a display unit, the first display screen including an icon display area and a first function button display area, the icon display area displaying a plurality of icons that are arranged in a predetermined direction and the first function button display area displaying a plurality of function buttons for setting each function, each of the icons corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of function buttons, and the first function button display area displaying, among the plurality of function buttons, some function buttons that correspond to some icons specified from among the plurality of icons by a range specification unit;

b) displaying a second display screen on the display unit, the second display screen including a group display instruction area and a second function button display area, the group display instruction area being provided with a plurality of group specification buttons for receiving input of a group display instruction to display function buttons that belong to a specific group among a plurality of groups into which the plurality of function buttons are classified, and the second function button display area displaying the function buttons belonging to the specific group among the plurality of function buttons;

c) receiving a switching instruction to cause a switching operation unit to switch between the first display screen and the second display screen; and

d) performing a switching operation to switch to the first display screen or a switching operation to switch to the second display screen in accordance with the switching instruction.

17. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising:

a) displaying a first display screen on a display unit, the first display screen including an icon display area and a first function button display area, the icon display area displaying a plurality of icons that are arranged in a predetermined direction and the first function button display area displaying a plurality of function buttons for setting each function, each of the icons corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of function buttons, and the first function button display area displaying, among the plurality of function buttons, some function buttons that correspond to some icons specified from among the plurality of icons by a range specification unit;

b) displaying a second display screen on the display unit, the second display screen including a group display instruction area and a second function button display area, the group display instruction area being provided with a plurality of group specification buttons for receiving input of a group display instruction to display function buttons that belong to a specific group from among a plurality of groups into which the plurality of function buttons are classified, and the second function button display area displaying the function buttons belonging to the specific group among the plurality of function buttons;

c) receiving a switching instruction to cause a switching operation unit to switch between the first display screen and the second display screen; and

d) performing a switching operation to switch to the first display screen or a switching operation to switch to the second display screen in accordance with the switching instruction.