William H. Bowers – Using Controls Cooper 26

William H. Bowers – Agenda Four Basic Types Four Basic Types Imperative Controls Imperative Controls Selection Controls Selection Controls List Controls List Controls ComboBoxes ComboBoxes

William H. Bowers – Agenda Tree Controls Tree Controls Entry Controls Entry Controls Validation Validation Improving Data Entry Improving Data Entry Display Controls Display Controls

William H. Bowers – Four Basic Types Imperative – initiates functions Imperative – initiates functions Selection – selects options or data Selection – selects options or data Entry – data entry Entry – data entry Display – visual manipulation Display – visual manipulation

William H. Bowers – Imperative Controls Command immediate action Command immediate action Push buttons Push buttons –Visual pliancy indicates usage –Should imitate 3D appearance –Lack of dynamic visual hinting is confusing

William H. Bowers – Imperative Controls “Butcons” “Butcons” –Combination button / icon –Used on toolbars –Looses button’s raised appearance –Icons can be unintelligible –Icons must be distinct –Idioms better than metaphors –Use ToolTips to explain

William H. Bowers – Selection Controls Check boxes Check boxes –Always square – don’t deviate –Zero or all can be selected Flip-flop (toggle) buttons Flip-flop (toggle) buttons –Avoid use –Difficult to understand

William H. Bowers – Selection Controls Radio buttons Radio buttons –Similar to check boxes –Always round in appearance –One, and only one must be selected –Shows all available choices –Can be merged with push buttons

William H. Bowers – Combination Button/Icons Dropdown linked to palette Dropdown linked to palette Indicated by small arrow on right Indicated by small arrow on right Not for beginners Not for beginners Lots of functionality in a small area Lots of functionality in a small area

William H. Bowers – List Controls Picklists, listboxes Picklists, listboxes Small text areas with vertical scrollbar Small text areas with vertical scrollbar Single or multiple selection Single or multiple selection May use graphics as well as text May use graphics as well as text May incorporate checkboxes to indicate selection May incorporate checkboxes to indicate selection Avoid horizontal scrolling Avoid horizontal scrolling

William H. Bowers – Drag and Drop Between Controls Windows Explorer Windows Explorer ZIP utilities ZIP utilities

William H. Bowers – ComboBoxes Similar to listboxes Similar to listboxes User can add items User can add items Single selection only Single selection only Automatic scrolling as user types Automatic scrolling as user types

William H. Bowers – Tree Controls Sideways trees Sideways trees Good for hierarchical data Good for hierarchical data Expand/collapse Expand/collapse

William H. Bowers – Entry Controls Text fields Text fields Spinners Spinners Gauges Gauges Sliders Sliders Knobs Knobs Bounded controls Bounded controls

William H. Bowers – Validation Unbounded controls should not accept bounded input Unbounded controls should not accept bounded input Active validation Active validation –Monitor and reject invalid data –Indicate rejection Passive validation Passive validation –Waits for completion before validating

William H. Bowers – Improving Data Entry Provide ToolTips Provide ToolTips Provide meaningful feedback and error messages Provide meaningful feedback and error messages Indicate units and measurements Indicate units and measurements

William H. Bowers – Display Controls Scrollbars Scrollbars Screen splitters Screen splitters Rulers Rulers Guidelines Guidelines Grids Grids Group boxes Group boxes Labels Labels

William H. Bowers – Scrollbars Can be difficult to manipulate Can be difficult to manipulate Indicates position within scroll region Indicates position within scroll region Can indicate position in document Can indicate position in document Requires precise mouse movements Requires precise mouse movements

William H. Bowers – Splitters Screen division Screen division Should advertise pliancy Should advertise pliancy Should not allow making panels invisible Should not allow making panels invisible

William H. Bowers – Questions & Discussion