Re: Word-a-Day: button, command button, toggle button

[Matthew Paul Thomas <mpt myrealbox com>]

On Apr 23, 2008, at 5:52 PM, Shaun McCance wrote:
> ...
> Refer to a button using its label and the word "button". For common 
> buttons such as 'Cancel' or 'Help', you may simply'use the button 
> label when instructing the user to click the button.
>
> Correct:
> Click the 'Theme Details' button.
> Click 'Close'.

In line with my general suggestion to use just control labels whenever 
possible, I propose:

    Refer to a button using only its label if possible: for example,
    "click 'Theme Details'". If avoiding ambiguity requires specifying
    its type, call it a "button".

And while I remember: there should be a guideline somewhere that when a 
control's label ends in an ellipsis, help text referring to that 
control's label should omit the ellipsis. (The ellipsis confuses any 
following punctuation, and its normal job -- hinting at further steps 
required -- is obviated by the visibility of further help text.)

> Some buttons do not have labels.  For these buttons, use either the 
> tooltip or the accessible name as the label when referring to the 
> button.  If possible, insert the icon after the label in parentheses.
>
> Correct:
> Click the 'Attach a file' (#) button on the toolbar.

Shorter would be "Click the # button in the toolbar", marked up such 
that the icon has the same accessible text in the help as it does in 
the GUI itself. It would also be less confusing, in that people 
wouldn't look for a label that didn't exist.

> The word "button" can also be used to refer to mechanical buttons.  
> Use the verb "press" for mechanical buttons.
>
> Correct:
> Press the reset button on your computer.
> Press the left mouse button.
>
> Incorrect:
> Click the left mouse button.

I'm fine with "Press the Reset button", but "Press the left mouse 
button" seems a little weird to me. After all, the whole reason we use 
the term "click" is because that's what mouse buttons *do*.

> ==========================================================
> command button
> A button which initiates an action when clicked.  Prefer
> the word "button" alone, although you may use "command
> button" to differentiate from toggle buttons.

I don't think using "command button" would help differentiate anything, 
really. Most people won't know which buttons are command buttons.

> See also button, toggle button.
> ==========================================================
> toggle button
> A button which switches between two states.  If it's clear that the 
> button is a toggle button, you may simply use the word "button".
> ...

Same here -- referring to a "toggle button" is assuming knowledge that 
most people won't have, and I don't remember ever seeing a theme where 
toggle buttons looked different from normal buttons anyway. Just use 
"button".

Cheers
--
Matthew Paul Thomas
http://mpt.net.nz/