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List:       kde-look
Subject:    Re: Status bar [was Re: UI design proposals]
From:       Christoph =?iso-8859-1?Q?Sch=F6nfeld?=
Date:       2000-03-05 14:23:53
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Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> 
> Christoph Schönfeld wrote:
> >
> > An alternative to confirmation boxes is highlighting the field
> > somehow (visual effects) that contains wrong input, or leaving a
> > note in a status field at the bottom of the dialog. Actually,
> > everything that is not as annoying as a message box the user has
> > to confirm first, is a better choice.
> 
> Actually I disagree. The problem is that the status bar is visually far
> away from the error, it has limited area to explain the problem, and
> very often the user doesn't even notice it. The status bar should be
> only for general "all is well" messages, not for errors. Or at least,
> not the *only* notification of an error.

...snip...

> But there also needs to be a way of informing the user of the error,
> without using an error dialog. Any suggestions?

I didn't mean the status bar (which is usually not found in dialogs) but
some status field in the dialog. 
I've seen this in the CD writing software 'Nero Burning ROM' (Windows).
There is a text label at the bottom of the dialog. I don't remember the
exact situation, but when you enter a wrong or critical value a message
is displayed there. Nothing popping up in your face and nothing to
confirm, just pure information. I think that's enough of a visual link
between the source of the error and the corresponding message because
it's displayed right in the moment when you've entered the wrong value. 

If you generalize this idea, it could also be used for hinting. Imagine
yourself as an experienced user, giving your mother hints while she's
making her first steps with some program: "No mum, in that field you
have to type..." ;-)
That is how it works IRL, why not adopt it and integrate that in
programs?

Christoph

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