Method for operating a display unit of a machine tool, - wherein the display unit receives first data and second data from a numeric controller, - wherein the display unit outputs the first data and the second data (D1, D2) by way of an output device of the display unit as an image to a user of the display unit, - wherein the display unit receives a representation command from the user which effects a modification of the first and second data (D1, D2) output by way of the output device to the user, - wherein the display unit receives from the numeric controller first metadata associated with the first data and second metadata associated with the second data in addition to the first data and the second data, - wherein the display unit checks whether the representation command relates to the first data or the second data, - wherein in the case that the representation command relates to the first data the display unit decides depending on the first metadata associated with the first data whether it modifies the displayed first data to reduce the workload of the numeric controller without involving the numeric controller in accordance with the representation command and outputs the correspondingly modified first data by way of the output device to the user or whether it conveys the representation command to the numeric controller, receives from the numeric controller first data modified in accordance with the representation command and first metadata associated with the first data and outputs the correspondingly modified first data by way of the output device to the user, and - wherein in the case that the representation command relates to the second data the display unit decides depending on the second metadata associated with the second data whether it modifies the displayed second data to reduce the workload of the numeric controller without involving the numeric controller in accordance with the representation command and outputs the correspondingly modified second data by way of the output device to the user or whether it conveys the representation command to the numeric controller, receives from the numeric controller second data modified in accordance with the representation command and second metadata associated with the second data and outputs the correspondingly modified second data by way of the output device to the user. - wherein the display unit receives first data and second data from a numeric controller, - wherein the display unit outputs the first data and the second data (D1, D2) by way of an output device of the display unit as an image to a user of the display unit, - wherein the display unit receives a representation command from the user which effects a modification of the first and second data (D1, D2) output by way of the output device to the user, - wherein the display unit receives from the numeric controller first metadata associated with the first data and second metadata associated with the second data in addition to the first data and the second data, - wherein the display unit checks whether the representation command relates to the first data or the second data, - wherein in the case that the representation command relates to the first data the display unit decides depending on the first metadata associated with the first data whether it modifies the displayed first data to reduce the workload of the numeric controller without involving the numeric controller in accordance with the representation command and outputs the correspondingly modified first data by way of the output device to the user or whether it conveys the representation command to the numeric controller, receives from the numeric controller first data modified in accordance with the representation command and first metadata associated with the first data and outputs the correspondingly modified first data by way of the output device to the user, and - wherein in the case that the representation command relates to the second data the display unit decides depending on the second metadata associated with the second data whether it modifies the displayed second data to reduce the workload of the numeric controller without involving the numeric controller in accordance with the representation command and outputs the correspondingly modified second data by way of the output device to the user or whether it conveys the representation command to the numeric controller, receives from the numeric controller second data modified in accordance with the representation command and second metadata associated with the second data and outputs the correspondingly modified second data by way of the output device to the user.