Re: [Usability]optionmenu/combo widget

[Maciej Stachowiak <mjs noisehavoc org>]

On 23Mar2002 10:39AM (-0500), Havoc Pennington wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Can we get some feedback on this thread:
> 
>  http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gtk-devel-list/2002-March/msg00457.html
> 
> We are trying to figure out how to provide option menu, combo box,
> and entries with history/completion drop down.
> 
> Have a look at the combo things in the Gnumeric toolbars, specifically
> the font, undo/redo, and color combos. Also the Nautilus and Mozilla
> location bars, and GnomeFileEntry, and any option menu.
 
In general what Owen said there is sensible.

A few tiny corrections about something he said was like the mac:

On Mac OS X, option menus have a double arrow to the size and pop up a
menu lined up so the selected item is lined up with where it displays
in the popup menu. Editable drop-down combo boxes how only a down
arrow and pop up a list control below the edit box.

I think making option menus and editable combo boxes different in
these ways makes good sense:

* The double vs. single arrow accurately reflects how the menu will
pop up, which seems like a nice detail.

* With an editable combo you want the menu to pop down since you don't
want to cover the current text (which might not even be an item on the
menu), while for an option menu it's sensible for the current item to
remain under the mouse curosr when you click.

* A menu fits better with the button-like appearance of an option
menu.

* A list fits better with the text-entry-like appearance of an
editable combo.

I think Owen's intent was for themes to make popups and combos the
same with regards to menu vs. list and to have the same arrows, which
doesn't seem as good.

Regards,

Maciej