Chapter 26: Using Controls

imperative controls - used to initiate a function
selection controls - used to select options or data
entry controls - used to enter data
display controls - used to directly manipulate the program visually

A multitude of control-laden dialog boxes is not a good user interface make.

Imperative:
like a verb, cause it takes action immediately
Push buttons
Butcons - half button, half icon- Tooltips make them work

Selection:
can either present a single choice or a group of choices
Check boxes - the graphic supports the text
latching butcon - better? - stay in pushed in state, released when clicked again
Flip-flop buttons - avoid - they fail to inform user of their current state
Radio buttons - mutally exclusive (mux) - wastes screen real estate
Radio butcons - MS Word paragraph alignment
Combutcons - down arrow to right of butcon
List controls - choose from "picklists", listboxes or listviews - small text areas with vertical scrollbar - best when line is preceded with icon for visual affordance - can use drag and drop
Earmarking - checkboxes within a list control
Ordering lists
Horizontal scrolling - never, ever use!
Combobbox - a list box and an edit field - single selection only - a lot of info in a small amount of space
Tree controls

Entry Controls: